submitting test documents, simplified

["Hanssens Bart" <Bart.Hanssens@fedict.be>]

Rob / Mingfei,


Thinking through the whole metadata proposal/testscenario once again, it
seems that creating the "doctest" XML by hand isn't the most user
friendly way.

So the suggestion would be to use a simple mail template (like the ODF
TC uses for gathering the requirements for ODF Next), and create an XML
out of it, like this:



* Step 1) Member can non-members can create small or large test
documents (either using their favorite implementation or hand crafted).
The most important thing is to make sure that it is clearly specified
what exactly is tested, and how to do it with the submitted test
document.


* Step 2) In addition, they must fill out the following template (can be
put on the Wiki and/or xml.org and/or OIC TC document repository)


+ CONTACT (mandatory)
Your name (Your@email.com)

+ APPLICATION (pick one or more, remove what doesn't apply)
Text / spreadsheet / chart / presentation / drawing / form / template

+ CATEGORY (pick one or more: remove what doesn't apply)
Data / visualization / behavior

+ DESCRIPTION (mandatory)
A short, general description of the test scenario
Multiple lines are allowed

+ STEPS (mandatory)
- This is the first step, like "open the test document"
The step can span multiple lines, just start each new step with a "-"
- The second step, like "go to page 3"
You can add as many steps you want

+ EXPECTATION (mandatory)
- What is the expected result ? Like "page 3 must have a blue
background"
- Better even: results, there can be more than one 
And they can span multiple lines of course

+ SPECS (optional, for specialists)
- ODF 1.1 / 1.1 / Section title goes here
Optionally, quote the specific paragraph(s) that contains the aspect to
be tested. Once again, this can span multiple lines  
- ODF 1.1 / a.bc / Second section title
You may test multiple parts of the specification
- ODF 1.2 / x.yz /
Probably the test can be used for different ODF versions



(Maybe EXPECTATION and STEPS can be mixed together, reducing the
template even more)



* Step 3) Send the filled out template with the test document(s) in
attachment to the OIC comment list. The subject must start with
something like "[TestDocument]". Then the mail archive can be processed
in a (semi-)automatic way.



I do have some thoughts on the next steps and how to process it as well,
but perhaps it's easier to first discuss the first three steps listed
above, and see if that's the way to go (or not)


Best regards,

Bart