RE: [FR-devel] Unit Testing

[Rich Kilmer]

Well...we have a similar problem on the Java project I am on right now.
The project uses a multi-agent, distributed system to solve
computationally complex logistics problems.  Each agent supports a
plugin architecture and the question keeps arising on how best to test
these plugins. The plugins are connected to each other through a simple
blackboard with publish/subscribe.  

Simple unit tests don't cut it, since they need the support of the
infrastructure to execute, and that infrastructure is fairly complex.
Mock objects are also not possible.  

Our approach to solving the problem is a blackboard test harness that
lets you push data on the blackboard, and await responses.  

In the same fashion, a test harness (hopefully integrated into
test::unit) would use the FreeBASE databus to "simulate" other plugins
that are needed by the plugin being tested.  I will look at adding this
type of capability into FreeBASE.

Regards,

Rich

> -----Original Message-----
> From: address@hidden [mailto:freeride-
> address@hidden On Behalf Of Curt Hibbs
> Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 1:10 PM
> To: address@hidden
> Subject: RE: [FR-devel] Unit Testing
> 
> Yes, we should be using test::unit.
> 
> Here's something else to think about: is there any way that it would
make
> sense to add unit-testing support to FreeBASE as a service to plugins?
> Some
> sort of testing framework support that would make it easier to add
unit
> tests to plugins. I have not really thought about this, so it may or
may
> not
> make any sense -- I just wanted to pose the question.
> 
> Curt
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: address@hidden
> > [mailto:address@hidden Behalf Of
Rich
> > Kilmer
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 17, 2002 7:39 AM
> > To: FreeRIDE
> > Subject: [FR-devel] Unit Testing
> >
> >
> > All,
> >
> > Right now we include rubyunit in our "redist" directory.  I was
thinking
> > that it may be better to switch to test::unit instead since this is
the
> > future (and present) ruby testing package (all rubyunit devt is now
> > focused on test::unit).
> >
> > URL of package here:
> >
> > http://testunit.talbott.ws/
> >
> > The reason for this is I am going to embark on unit tests for
FreeBASE
> > and I want to write them against what will be (and is now) the
standard.
> > Also, I want to switch the utest_databus unit tests over to
test::unit.
> >
> > Thoughts?
> >
> > -Rich
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Freeride-devel mailing list
> > address@hidden
> > http://mail.freesoftware.fsf.org/mailman/listinfo/freeride-devel
> >
> 
> 
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