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Re: [pdf-devel] Test Specification Document
From: |
Brad Hards |
Subject: |
Re: [pdf-devel] Test Specification Document |
Date: |
Mon, 25 Feb 2008 18:16:38 +1100 |
User-agent: |
KMail/1.9.6 (enterprise 0.20071204.744707) |
On Monday 25 February 2008 07:08:19 am address@hidden wrote:
> Hi.
>
> I introduced a new texinfo document in `doc/' named `gnupdf-tsd.texi'
> (for GNU PDF Library Test Specification Document). It is the place
> where we will document all the unit tests, subsystem tests and system
> tests of the library.
Is this really worth while? It seems quite imprecise - example:
pdf_realloc
Test: pdf_realloc_001
Reallocate some bytes.
Success condition
The call should not produce an error.
It would be better to express some initial conditions, a set of interesting
variations (realloc smaller, realloc same size, realloc larger), and then
check it actually worked (not just that the error handling is turned off :-))
At this level, expressing the test in C would seem better.
I am not saying that there shouldn't be a test plan / spec, just that it
should be at a higher level - expressing goals rather than detail:
* Goal: all functions should have unit tests that verify correct operation.
* Goal: all functions should have unit tests that check bad parameter
combinations result in meaningful errors.
* Goal: subsystems shall...
* Goal: systems shall...
Then write the unit tests in well commented, well structured code. Ideally use
a test harness that provides a bit of expressive power - I've used "check"
and it seems OK. CppUnit is better, as long as you are willing to tolerate
C++.
The test plan / spec could describe the test harness, and related tools (e.g.
unit tests will be run on check-in using some kind of continuous integration
tool; tests will be run nightly in valgrind; etc).
I have some ideas for writing interactive tests, but it seems this project has
a way to go before that will be important, and I'm still developing my ideas,
so enough for now :-)
Brad