Re: [Vala] [RFC] Testing framework improvements

[Julien Peeters <jj peeters gmail com>]

Hi Jan,

We made work about that in LibGee. We wrote a TestFixture class which wraps
the TestCase class of GLib.Test namespace and make tests use Vala style
coding.

Our work in only in the master branch of libgee (see tests/testfixture.vala)
for the moment. I have planned to improve this little framework and make it
become an independant library if that will make sense.

I advice you to also see and follow this bug report
http://bugzilla.gnome.org/show_bug.cgi?id=590237

Best,

Julien.

2009/8/6 Jan Hudec <bulb ucw cz>

> Hello Folks,
>
> The current binding for the testing framework has two disadvantages
> compared
> to similar frameworks in other languages (C#, Java, Python, etc.):
>  - One has to manually add each test case.
>  - It's hard to actually use fixtures, because there is no GLib.Test.add or
>   GLib.Test.add_vtable. (it's possible via new TestCase, but you loose the
>   convenience of using the path)
>
> I have three (alternative) ideas how to improve it:
>
> Option 1) The test code would be compiled to a library and a special runner
> program would use the .gir file to find test methods by their name and
> create
> and run test cases from them using the gobject-introspection library.
>
>  Pros:
>    + No changes to vala
>    + Somewhat useful ouside of vala
>    + Runner is generic, so advanced alternate runner interfaces are
> possible
>  Cons:
>    - The invocation process is somewhat complicated
>    - Enforces naming (but so does JUnit, python unitest and perl
> Test::Unit)
>
> Option 2) The test code would be compiled to a library and a tool would
> generate a runner program from the .gir file.
>
>  Pros:
>   + No changes to vala
>   + Somewhat useful outside of vala
>  Cons:
>   - Complicates building (two stages needed)
>   - Enforces naming
>
> Option 3) The test methods would be decorated with [TestMethod] attribute
> and
> their containing class with [TestClass(path=...)] attribute. Valac would
> generate test registration code from that.
>
>  Pros:
>   + Matches C# (NUnit)
>   + No extra tools involved
>   + No naming restrictions
>  Cons:
>   - Needs to be implemented in valac (or is there a plugin system to add
>     attributes already?)
>   - Probably more complicated.
> To show what I think the code would be like, the first sample from
> http://live.gnome.org/Vala/TestSample would convert to:
>
> Under option 1 and 2:
>
>  class Tests : GLib.TestFixture {
>    public void test_string_addition() {
>      assert ("foo" + "bar" == "foobar");
>    }
>  }
>
> Under option 3:
>
>  [TestClass]
>  class Tests {
>    [TestMethod]
>    public void string_addition() {
>      assert ("foo" + "bar" == "foobar");
>    }
>  }
>
> Obviously the main point is, that the function is not (does not have to be
> --
> it still could) static and that new object is constructed before each
> invocation and destroyed again after the test completes.
>
> So, what do you people think?
>
> Regards,
> Jan
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Vala-list mailing list
> Vala-list gnome org
> http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/vala-list



-- 
Student in electronics and engineering
Institut de Formation des Ingénieurs de Paris-Sud (IFIPS)
Orsay, France
LinkedIn profile : http://www.linkedin.com/in/julienpeeters
Website : http://www.julienpeeters.fr