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

                    How to write unit tests for wxWidgets
                    =====================================

 Unit tests for wxWidgets 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/bakefiles
        bakefile_gen -b ../../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 test suites 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

5. Fault navigation.
   VC++ users can run the programs as a post build step (Projects/Settings/
   Post-build step) to see the test results in an IDE window. This allows
   errors to be jumped to in the same way as for compiler errors, for
   example by pressing F4 or highlighting the error and pressing return.
   
   Similarly for makefile users: makefiles can be modified to execute the
   test programs as a final step. Then you can navigate to any errors in the
   same way as for compiler errors, if your editor supports that.

   Another alternative is to run the tests manually, redirecting the output
   to a file. Then use your editor to jump to any failures. Using Vim, for
   example, ':cf test.log' would take you to the first error in test.log, and
   ':cn' to the next.

   If you would like to set a breakpoint on a failing test using a debugger,
   put the breakpoint on the function 'CppUnit::Asserter::fail()'. This will
   stop on each failing test.


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.

3. Tests which fail can be temporarily registered under "fixme" while the
   problems they expose are fixed, instead of the unnamed registry. That
   way they can easily be run, but they do not make regression testing with
   the default suite more difficult. E.g.:

    // register in the unnamed registry so that these tests are run by default
    //CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE_REGISTRATION(wxRegExTestCase);
    CPPUNIT_TEST_SUITE_NAMED_REGISTRATION(wxRegExTestCase, "fixme");

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

4. Tests which take a long time to execute can be registered under "advanced"
   instead of the unnamed registry. The default suite should execute reasonably
   quickly. To run the default and advanced tests together:
    test "" advanced


=== EOF ===

Author:  VZ & MW
Version: $Id$