Latest Test Framework spec and errata changes - 01/12/04

["Michael Kass" <michael.kass@nist.gov>]

Jacques and all,

 

  Here are the latest spec and errata changes, based upon email comments and "scripting syntax" thread.

I modified the scripting syntax again ( this schema is different from the one I emailed to the list on Friday).

It is  based upon Jacques suggestion for threaded/asynchronous test steps.

 

  Sorry it took so long to get this out. I had the flu last week and could not get caught up until today.

 

I believe that the XML syntax illustrated in the attached TestStep.jpg file would provide all of the suggested features

(Monica's either/or/concurrency/parallel and Jacques threads and exception handling) with a minimum of (2) new  XML tags.

 

A summary of features is:

 

A <TestStep> can contain either a "PutMessage" operation, "GetMessage" operation  or a group of one or more <TestStep> children..

A <TestStep>, based upon success (boolean "true") or failure (boolean "false"), can branch to an optional <Continue> or <Exception> tag  respectively

The <Continue> and <Exception> tags are optional, and only necessary if one wants to provide a branching option for a <TestCase>

 

A <Continue> and <Exception> branch leads to another <TestStep>  ( this is your if/then/else case )

 

A <TestStep> can be asynchronous ( parallel ) or synchronous ( serial ).  By default, it is synchronous unless the test writer sets the asynchronous attribute to "true".

 

 

A <TestStep> can contain a group of <TestStep> children, connected by "and" or "or", based on the value of the "connectivePredicate" attribute of the <TestStep>

 

<Exception> and <Continuation> branching is based on the boolean result of the <TestSteps> grouped by the  "and" or "or" predicate for that <TestStep>

 

<TestSteps> can be nested to any depth, with boolean evaluation beginning at the lowest level in the nesting and logically proceeding up to the top level.

 

 <TestSteps> are executed serially or in parallel, each based upon its asynchronous attribute value of "true/false".

Boolean <TestStep> forks are evaluated after completion of all asynchronous <TestSteps> for that fork.

 

Groups of <TestSteps> are executed in a single asynchronous thread if they are the children of an asynchronous <TestStep>.

 

You can have synchronous and asynchronous child <TestSteps> within an asynchronous parent <TestStep> thread.

 

This schema only adds 2 new ( and optional ) tags to the current schema <Exception> and <Continue>  ( plus an "asynchronous" and "connectivePrediate" attribute to <TestStep> )

 

This would add a lot of power and flexibility to the current scripting. 

 

I still need to test this model, and define BPSS use cases to generate some POC test cases.

 

 and I welcome any comments. 

 

 

Cheers,

Mike

 

 

 

test_framework_v1.1_01_12_04.zip

TestStep.jpg