Re: [tag] TA Model

["Dave Pawson" <dave.pawson@gmail.com>]

On 22/09/2007, stephen.green@systml.co.uk <stephen.green@systml.co.uk> wrote:

> > Without  a test result the test is a waste of time. It may be an interim
> > result eventually discarded, but there needs to be a result.
> >
>
>
> So following this through, if the result is a mandatory element
> of the flow but the other elements (I use the term element not
> necessarily in the XML sense) are all optional,

In what sense are you using 'element'? We seem to have
quite different vocabularies.

A test? A TA? Something else?


then a flow can
> at its simplest be just a formalization (perhaps in an expression
> language evaluating to a boolean) of the prose or pointer
>
> -TA
> --prose
> --pointer
> --flow
> ---result

flow? The above list looks like its the process steps from reading
a requirement through to running a test?



>
> The more complex flow would cover joining flows together with in
> a series say where conditions guard the join between a result and
> the next trigger
>
> -TA
> --prose
> --pointer
> --flow
> ---trigger
> ---result
> ---post
> --flow
> ---pre
> ---trigger
> ---result


Interpreting this into a test environment, is this the same as
saying that running test n+1 depends on the success / failure
of test n?

If that's the case, I'd agree, and note that 'test flow', i.e. the sequence
of tests to be followed on any test run, has not been clearly addressed.
Most generally, it utilizes the test numbers/ID values of tests.
Then any test has

if pass, goto TestNumber XXX | Test(id='XXX')
else
  goto TestNumber YYYY | Test(id='YYYY')
fi

>
> >
> >> Perhaps an attribute in each element

Suggest that's insufficient, if my understanding of the terms is accurate.


> >
> > I've not seen any evidence that XML is helpful here.
> >
>
> I was thinking there could be something in the model which
> describes the evaluation of the expression used (irrespective
> of whether it is XML), like:
>
> -TA
> --prose isTrueFalse=true
> --pointer isTrueFalse=false
> --flow
> ---result isTrueFalse=true

Sorry Stephen. I've no context into which that may be placed.
I dont understand it.



> I still think any constraints forbidding keywords 'MUST' are best applied
> just to the flow, not to the prose and certainly (of necessity) not to
> the pointer/reference.

I think it would be folly to prohibit words from any TA.
All it needs is clarity in terms.

regards




-- 
Dave Pawson
XSLT XSL-FO FAQ.
http://www.dpawson.co.uk