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...\" HISTORY
# $XConsortium: ch03.sm /main/3 1995/07/13 20:08:54 drk $
...\"  (c) Copyright 1992 OPEN SOFTWARE FOUNDATION, INC.
.H 1 "Running Automated Tests"
.P
This section describes the runtime environment for automated testing.
.H 2 "Environment"
.P
The automation code does make some assumptions about key bindings, window
manager modes, and the like. Shipped with the test suite is an entire home
directory for a test user, which we refer to as the \*Lqauser\*O environment.
Test environments should use the 
\*L.Xdefaults\*O, \*L.mwmrc\*O and \*L.motifbind\*O files
from this environment in their testing. The \*L.motifbind\*O 
file may need modification for hardware platforms 
other than the reference machines used by OSF.
Consult the \*LVirtual Bindings\*O man page for more information.
.H 2 "RUN Scripts"
.P
Each automated directory contains a file \*LRUN.custom\*O, which is used
to store specifics about what flags to pass to each test which should
be executed. An executable \*LRUN\*O script is created by issuing the
command:
.iS
make RUN
.iE
.P
The RUN script is "made" by substituting the unique \*LRUN.custom\*O 
section into
the appropriate place in the standard template 
\*L$TOP/tests/General/RUN_template\*O. 
In addition to the flags specified in the customization file,
additional flags may be passed to all tests by passing those flags to the
\*LRUN\*O script. 
For example, to run all the tests in Trace mode (\*L-T\*O), 
the following command would be used:
.iS
RUN -T
.iE
.P
Examine a built \*LRUN\*O script. Note that tests can be defined with special
flags and run more than once, with different flag combinations. These
flags are most often used to allow for multiple executions of the
same test for different test purposes:
.in +3
.VL .5i
.LI "\*L-I\*O"
Denotes a specific instruction file.
.LI "\*L-S\*O"
Denotes a specific script file.
.LI "\*L-V\*O"
Denotes a specific visuals file.
.LI "\*L-O\*O"
Denotes a specific output (stdout) file. 
.LI "\*L-u\*O"
User data, often used by tests to support different modes.
.LE
.in -3
.P
By default, a test named \*LTraversal1\*O will read in an instruction
file \*LTraversal1.Dat\*O, a script file \*LTraversal1.Scr\*O, 
redirect standard output and standard error
to a file \*LTraversal1.prt\*O, and store in
or read images from a file \*LTraversal1.vis\*O. If a test supports two
modes, \*Ldestroy\*O, where widgets are destroyed when activated, and
\*Lunmap\*O, where widgets are unmapped when activated, we might wish
to run the test twice, once in each mode. During the two runs, one can
use the same instructions and scripts but expects different visuals,
behavior and output. In the \*LRUN.custom\*O file, one might specify
two runs this way:
.iS
set Traversal1a = `Traversal1 -I Traversal1.Dat \e
		   -S Traversal1.Scr -V Traversal1a.vis \e
	           -O Traversal1a.prt`
set Traversal2a = `Traversal1 -I Traversal1.Dat \e
	           -S Traversal1.Scr -V Traversal1b.vis \e
		   -O Traversal1b.prt`
.iE
.P
The two variables \*L$Traversal1a\*O and \*L$Traversal1b\*O would
appear in the \*Lforeach\*O list that loops through each test case.
Of course, if the two modes of the test also required different instructions
and different scripts, one could specify that, as well.
.P
The last section of the \*LRUN\*O script loops through the new output
files, comparing them (via \*Ldiff\*O) to the saved output files from
a previous run, and finally prints out a summary of which files showed
differences. \*EThese differences should be examined very carefully.\*O
Often, a serious error may be revealed only by a minor difference in the
output file. For example, if PushButtons suddenly stopped generating
callbacks on activation, the only clue might be a diff between output files
that showed a printed message about "Callback received" missing! Also,
visual differences will be highlighted in the differences. Please do not
overlook this important step in analyzing test results.
.H 2 "Execution modes"
.P
There are a large number of modes and flags available. Only the major
features will be discussed in this section. The complete list of flags
can be viewed by running any properly compiled test with the \*L-help\*O
option. Also, the Reference section of this book repeats the same information
available through \*L-help\*O.
.P
.H 3 "Record mode"
.P
As stated earlier, the purpose of a regression test is to compare the 
appearance and behavior of one, stable version of software, against a newer,
less stable version. Thus, one must first \*Erecord\*O an automated test.
.P
The term \*Erecord\*O as used in this context should not be confused with
the actions necessary to record a test under most record-and-playback
test software available today. Because of the scripting language, it is
not necessary for the user to physically carry out the actions he or she
wishes to generate. Instead, those actions are described programmatically
via the script. Our belief is that conventional record-the-user-actions
mechanisms are more cumbersome and error-prone, since any mistake made
by the user can often be repaired only by rerecording the entire session.
Scripts, like software programs, can be built up section by section until
a long working session can be simulated.
.P
A test is recorded by running it with the flag \*L-r\*O. If the
environment variable \*L$AUTOVPATH\*O is set, the output (\*L.prt\*O)
and visual (\*L.vis\*O) files will be written out in the directory
specified by \*L$AUTOVPATH\*O. If it is not, the files will be written
out in the current directory, overwriting any other files that might
be present.
.P
The QATS shipped by OSF contains visuals and output files recorded against
OSF/Motif Version 1.2 during the final regression tests conducted at OSF. Those using
this package to retest implementations of OSF/Motif might choose to use OSF's
visuals rather than record their own.
.P
Tests being recorded look quite odd while they are running. This is because
the automation code must take control of the colors used in order to 
notice certain variations in widgets between record
and execution. Do not be concerned about the strange appearance of the
tests being recorded.
.H 3 "Batch Mode"
.P
Batch mode can also be called comparison, playback or execution mode. 
In this mode,
which is the default, visuals located in the the \*LAUTOVPATH\*O directory are compared with the visuals of the currently executing test. Failures are
listed in the output file. There is a flag, \*L-b\*O, for batch mode,
but it is optional. A test executed with no flags specified runs in batch mode.
.P
Be certain that \*L$AUTOVPATH\*O is specified, and that the visual files
in that directory are readable. Otherwise, the test will simply print out
a warning that visual comparisons will be ignored and continue. This
could waste quite a bit of time if it is not discovered until a run is
complete!
.H 3 "Nocompare Mode"
.P
The flag \*L-c\*O lets tests be run without any visual comparisons.
This mode is useful as one is debugging a script, since eliminating
visual comparisons speeds
execution. It is also useful when, 
for whatever reason, one might wish to verify the
test output without considering visual differences. Its speed advantages
can also be useful if one is linked with utility libraries which
seriously impede performance. Possible examples are memory analysis
tools, performance profilers, test coverage analyzers.
.H 3 "Interactive mode"
.P
Interactive mode is the most useful mode for debugging. 
In this mode, a DialogBox
is popped up whenever a visual difference is encountered. The dialog
box shows the recorded image and the current image side-by-side,
with differences highlighted in red. The differences may also be overlaid
on either the recorded or the current image, in order to determine exactly
what pixels have changed between the two runs. When the visual difference
results because the recorded and current images differ in size, only the
recorded image is shown. Other debugging clients, such as \*Lxmag\*O, can
be used to help determine the exact cause of such size differences.
.P
The interactive dialog also sports two buttons: an \*LAccept\*O and a
\*LFailure\*O button. If the tester is able to immediately determine that
some variation is acceptable (for example, new functionality that changes
the appearance), he can press the \*LAccept\*O button, and a message
noting the acceptance will be written out the the output file. If the
difference is a definite or possible failure, the tester would use the
\*LFailure\*O button. OSF testers have found that it is often most useful
to run the entire directory in batch mode, then examine any test with
visual differences by running it in interactive mode.