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[wxWidgets.git] / docs / tech / tn0017.txt

                    How to write unit tests for wxWindows
                    =====================================

 Unit tests for wxWindows are written using small cppunit framework. To compile
(but not to run) them you need to have it installed. Hence the first part of
this note explains how to do it while the second one explains how to write the
test.

I. CppUnit Installation
-----------------------

1. Get it from http://www.sourceforge.net/projects/cppunit
   (latest version as of the time of this writing is 1.8.0)

2. Build the library:
 a) Under Windows using VC++ (both versions 6 and 7 work):
    - build everything in CppUnitLibraries.dsw work space
    - add include and lib subdirectories of the directory
      where you installed cppunit to the compiler search path
      using "Tools|Options" menu in VC IDEA

 b) Under Unix: run configure && make && make install as usual


II. Writing tests with CppUnit
------------------------------

1. Create a new directory tests/foo

2. Write a cpp file for the test copying, if you want,
   from one of the existing tests. The things to look for:
 a) #include "wx/cppunit.h" instead of directly including CppUnit headers
 b) don't put too many things in one test case nor in one method of a test
    case as it makes understanding what exactly failed harder later
 c) 'register' your tests as follows so that the test program will find and
    execute them:

    // register in the unnamed registry so that these tests are run by default
    CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE_REGISTRATION(MBConvTestCase);

    // also include in it's own registry so that these tests can be run alone
    CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE_NAMED_REGISTRATION(MBConvTestCase, "MBConvTestCase");

   Read CppUnit documentation for more.

3. add a '<sources>' tag for your source file to tests/test.bkl


III. Running the tests
----------------------

1. Regenerate the make/project files from test.bkl using bakefile_gen, e.g.:
        cd build/bakefile
        bakefile_gen ../../tests/test.bkl
   and if you're on a unix system re-run configure.

2. Build the test program using one of the make/project files in the tests
   subdirectory.

3. Run the test program with no arguments to run the default set of tests
   (which are all those registered with CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE_REGISTRATION).
   Or to list the tests without running them:
      test -l

4. Tests that have been registered under a name using
   CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE_NAMED_REGISTRATION can also be run separately. For
   example:
      test MBConvTestCase
   or to list the tests:
      test -l MBConvTestCase


IV. Notes
---------

1. You can register your tests (or a subset of them) just under a name, and not
   in the unnamed registry if you don't want them to be executed by default.

2. If you are going to register your tests both in the unnamed registry and
   under a name, then use the name that the tests have in the 'test -l'
   listing (which is often the name of the TestCase class). Then the top
   level names in a 'test -l' listing can be a hint as to the name those
   tests have been registered under.


=== EOF ===

Author:  VZ
Version: $Id$