aent(1)
NAME
aegis new test - add a new test to a change
SYNOPSIS
aegis -New_Test [ option... ][ filename... ]
aegis -New_Test -List [ option... ]
aegis -New_Test -Help
DESCRIPTION
The aegis -New_Test command is used to add a new test to a change. A
new file is created in the development directory.
New tests default to "automatic" unless otherwise specified.
File Name Interpretation
The aegis program will attempt to determine the project file names
from the file names given on the command line. All file names are
stored within aegis projects as relative to the root of the baseline
directory tree. The development directory and the integration
directory are shadows of this baseline directory, and so these
relative names apply here, too. Files named on the command line are
first converted to absolute paths if necessary. They are then
compared with the baseline path, the development directory path, and
the integration directory path, to determine a baseline-relative name.
It is an error if the file named is outside one of these directory
trees.
The -BAse_RElative option may be used to cause relative filenames to
be interpreted as relative to the baseline path; absolute filenames
will still be compared with the various paths in order to determine a
baseline-relative name.
The relative_filename_preference in the user configuration file may be
used to modify this default behavior. See aeuconf(5) for more
information.
Test Filename Generation
You may choose your own filename for a test, by specifying it on the
command line.
If no filename is specified on the command line, a test filename is
automatically generated. This is controlled by the new_test_filename
field of the project configuration file (see aepconf(5) for more
information. All automatically generated test filenames within a
project are numbered uniquely. The default pattern for new test
filenames is "test/XX/tXXXX[am].sh", where XX is the first 2 digits of
the test number, XXXX is the whole test number, and [am] is a for
automatic tests and m for manual tests.
Modifying Tests
Tests may be modified in future by adding them to a change with the
aecp(1) command. Tests are treated just like any other source file,
and are subject to the same process.
File Templates
When a new file is created in the development directory the project
config file is searched for a template for the new file. If a
template is found, the new file will be initialized to the template,
otherwise it will be created empty. See aepconf(5) for more
information.
The simplest form is to use template files, such as
file_template =
[
{
pattern = [ "*.c" ];
body = "${read_file ${source template/c abs}}";
},
{
pattern = [ "test/*/.sh" ];
body = "${read_file ${source template/test abs}}";
},
];
As you can see, the template files are part of the project source, so
you can add the appropriate copyright notices, and wrappers, etc. The
$source substitution locates them, if they are not part of the current
change (and they usually are not).
The template files themselves contain substitutions. The $filename
substitution is available, and contains the name of the file being
created. This can be manipulated in various ways when constructing
the appropriate file contents. See aesub(5) for more information
about substitutions.
It is also possible to run a command to create the new file. You can
do this instead of specifying a body string, viz:
file_template =
[
{
pattern = [ "*" ];
body_command = "perl ${source template.pl abs} $filename";
},
];
The command is run with a current directory set to the top of the
development directory. It is an error if the command fails to create
the file. You can mix-and-match the two techniques, body string and
body_command, if you want.
Be careful to make sure that the test filename template pattern
matches the new_test_filename field.
File Name Limitations
There are a number of controls available to limit the form of project
file names. All of these controls may be found in the project
configuration file, see aepconf(5) for more information. The most
significant are briefly described here:
maximum_filename_length = integer;
This field is used to limit the length of filenames. All new
files may not have path components longer than this. Defaults
to 255 if not set. For maximum portability you should set
this to 14.
posix_filename_charset = boolean;
This field may be used to limit the characters allowed in
filenames to only those explicitly allowed by POSIX. Defaults
to false if not set, meaning whatever your operating system
will tolerate, except white space and high-bit-on characters.
For maximum portability you should set this to true.
dos_filename_required = boolean;
This field may be used to limit filenames so that they conform
to the DOS 8+3 filename limits and to the DOS filename
character set. Defaults to false if not set.
windows_filename_required = boolean;
This field may be used to limit filenames so that they conform
to the Windows98 and WindowsNT filename limits and character
set. Defaults to false if not set.
shell_safe_filenames = boolean;
This field may be used to limit filenames so that they do not
contain shell special characters. Defaults to true if not
set. If this field is set to false, you will need to use the
${quote} substitution around filenames in commands, to ensure
that filenames containing shell special characters do not have
unintended side effects. Weird characters in filenames may
also confuse your dependency maintenance tool.
allow_white_space_in_filenames = boolean;
This field may be used to allow white space characters in file
names. This will allow the following characters to appear in
file names: backspace (BS, , 0x08), horizontal tab (HT, \t,
0x09), new line (NL, \n, 0x0A), vertical tab (VT, \v, 0x0B),
form feed (FF, \f, 0x0C), and carriage return (CR, \r, 0x0D).
Defaults to false if not set.
Note that this field does not override other file name
filters. It will be necessary to explicitly set shell_safe_
filenames = false as well. It will be necessary to set dos_
filename_required = false (the default) as well. It will be
necessary to set posix_filename_charset = false (the default)
as well.
The user must take great care to use the ${quote} substitution
around all file names in commands in the project
configuration. And even then, substitutions which expect a
space separated list of file names will have undefined
results.
allow_non_ascii_filenames = boolean;
This field may be used to allow file names with non-ascii-
printable characters in them. Usually this would mean a UTF8
or international charset of some kind. Defaults to false if
not set.
Note that this field does not override other file name
filters. It will be necessary to explicitly set shell_safe_
filenames = false as well. It will be necessary to set dos_
filename_required = false (the default) as well. It will be
necessary to set posix_filename_charset = false (the default)
as well.
filename_pattern_accept = [ string ];
This field is used to specify a list of patterns of acceptable
filenames. Defaults to "*" if not set.
filename_pattern_reject = [ string ];
This field is used to specify a list of patterns of
unacceptable filenames.
Please Note: Aegis also consults the underlying file system, to
determine its notion of maximum file size. Where the file system's
maximum file size is less than maximum_filename_length, the filesystem
wins. This can happen, for example, when you are using the Linux
UMSDOS file system, or when you have an NFS mounted an ancient V7
filesystem. Setting maximum_filename_length to 255 in these cases
does not alter the fact that the underlying file systems limits are
far smaller (12 and 14, respectively).
If your development directories (or your whole project) is on
filesystems with filename limitations, or a portion of the
heterogeneous builds take place in such an environment, it helps to
tell Aegis what they are (using the project config file's fields) so
that you don't run into the situation where the project builds on the
more permissive environments, but fails with mysterious errors in the
more limited environments.
If your development directories are routinely on a Linux UMSDOS
filesystem, you would probably be better off setting
dos_filename_required = true, and also changing the
development_directory_template field. Heterogeneous development with
various Windows environments may also require this.
Changing the Type of a File
If you want to change the type of a file (say, from a test to a source
file, or vice versa) you could do it as two changes, by first using
aerm(1) in one change and then using aenf(1) or aent(1) in a second
change, or you can combine both steps in the same change. Remember to
use the aerm -nowhiteout option or you will get a most peculiar new
file template.
Notification
The new_test_command in the project config file is run, if set. The
project_file_command is also run, if set, and if there has been an
integration recently. See aepconf(5) for more information.
TEST PROCESS
Each change is required to be accompanied by tests, and those tests
are required to be run against the built development directory, and
they must pass. This ensures that new functionality is accompanied by
tests to verify its correctness, and bug fixes are accompanied by
tests which confirm that the bug has been fixed.
Regression Tests
Tests are treated as any other source file, and are maintained in the
baseline and history with all other source files. The tests which
must accompany every change accumulate in the project baseline,
providing a definition of correct function for the baseline. These
accumulated tests may be executed using an "aegis -REGression"
command, to verify that the project will not "regress" as a result of
a change.
Baseline Tests
Bug fixes are required to have their tests fail against the project
baseline (in contrast to the development directory). This ensures
that the test actually demonstrates the bug in the baseline, as well
as demonstrating that it is fixed by the change. New functionality
trivially fails against the baseline, and so aegis does not attempt to
guess if a test is a bug fix test or new functionality test, it simply
requires tests to fail against the baseline.
This requirement applies both to new tests being created by a change
and also to tests which have been copied into a change for
modification.
Reviewing Tests
Reviewers may be confident that aegis has enforced the test
requirements; that a change must have tests, that the change must
build, that the tests pass against the development directory, and that
the tests fail against the baseline. These conditions are enforced by
aede(1) and the change will not be advanced to the being reviewed
state until these conditions are met. Reviewers should thus review
tests for completeness of coverage of the code in the change, and
insensitivity to changes in the execution environment (e.g. not date
sensitive). Reviewers should also use "aegis -list change_details" to
verify that a change does or does not have testing exemptions.
Exemptions
Various test exemptions may be granted by project administrators, see
aepa(1) and aepattr(5) for more information. Copying tests into a
change, or adding new tests to a change, may cancel those exemptions.
TEST CORRELATIONS
The "aegis -Test -SUGgest" command may be used to have aegis suggest
suitable regression tests for your change, based on the source files
in your change. This automatically focuses testing effort to relevant
tests, reducing the number of regression tests necessary to be
confident that you have not introduced a bug.
The test correlations are generated by the "aegis -Integrate_Pass"
command, which associates each test in the change with each source
file in the change. Thus, each source file accumulates a list of
tests which have been associated with it in the past. This is not as
exact as code coverage analysis, but is a reasonable approximation in
practice.
The aecp(1) and aenf(1) commands are used to associate files with a
change. While they do not actively perform the association, these are
the files used by aeipass(1) and aet(1) to determine which source
files are associated with which tests.
Test Correlation Accuracy
Assuming that the testing correlations are accurate and that the tests
are evenly distributed across the function space, there will be a less
than 1/number chance that a relevant test has not been run by the
"aegis -Test -SUGgest number" command. A small amount of noise is
added to the test weighting, so that unexpected things are sometimes
tested, and the same tests are not run every time.
Test correlation accuracy can be improved by ensuring that:
* Each change should be strongly focused, with no gratuitous file
inclusions. This avoids spurious correlations.
* Each item of new functionality should be added in an individual
change, rather than several together. This strongly correlates
tests with functionality.
* Each bug should be fixed in an individual change, rather than
several together. This strongly correlates tests with
functionality.
* Test correlations will be lost if files are moved. This is because
correlations are by name.
The best way for tests to correlate accurately with source files is
when a change contains a test and exactly those files relating to the
functionality under test. Too many spurious files will weaken the
usefulness of the testing correlations.
OPTIONS
The following options are understood;
-AUTOmatic
This option may be used to specify automatic tests. Automatic
tests require no human assistance.
-BAse_RElative
This option may be used to cause relative filenames to be
considered relative to the base of the source tree. See
aeuconf(5) for the corresponding user preference.
-CUrrent_RElative
This option may be used to cause relative filenames to be
considered relative to the current directory. This is usually
the default. See aeuconf(5) for the corresponding user
preference.
-Change number
This option may be used to specify a particular change within
a project. See aegis(1) for a complete description of this
option.
-Help
This option may be used to obtain more information about how
to use the aegis program.
-List
This option may be used to obtain a list of suitable subjects
for this command. The list may be more general than expected.
-MANual This option may be used to specify manual tests. Manual tests
require some human intervention, e.g.: confirmation of some
screen behavior (X11, for instance), or some user action,
"unplug ethernet cable now".
-Not_Logging
This option may be used to disable the automatic logging of
output and errors to a file. This is often useful when
several aegis commands are combined in a shell script.
-Output filename
This option may be used to specify a filename which is to be
written with the automatically determined test file name.
Useful for writing scripts.
-Project name
This option may be used to select the project of interest.
When no -Project option is specified, the AEGIS_PROJECT
environment variable is consulted. If that does not exist,
the user's $HOME/.aegisrc file is examined for a default
project field (see aeuconf(5) for more information). If that
does not exist, when the user is only working on changes
within a single project, the project name defaults to that
project. Otherwise, it is an error.
-TEMplate
This option may be used to specify that a new file template
should be used, even if the file already exists.
-No_TEMplate
This option may be used to specify that a new file template
should not be used, even if the file does not exist (any empty
file will be created).
-TERse
This option may be used to cause listings to produce the bare
minimum of information. It is usually useful for shell
scripts.
-Verbose
This option may be used to cause aegis to produce more output.
By default aegis only produces output on errors. When used
with the -List option this option causes column headings to be
added.
-Wait This option may be used to require Aegis commands to wait for
access locks, if they cannot be obtained immediately.
Defaults to the user's lock_wait_preference if not specified,
see aeuconf(5) for more information.
-No_Wait
This option may be used to require Aegis commands to emit a
fatal error if access locks cannot be obtained immediately.
Defaults to the user's lock_wait_preference if not specified,
see aeuconf(5) for more information.
See also aegis(1) for options common to all aegis commands.
All options may be abbreviated; the abbreviation is documented as the
upper case letters, all lower case letters and underscores (_) are
optional. You must use consecutive sequences of optional letters.
All options are case insensitive, you may type them in upper case or
lower case or a combination of both, case is not important.
For example: the arguments "-project, "-PROJ" and "-p" are all
interpreted to mean the -Project option. The argument "-prj" will not
be understood, because consecutive optional characters were not
supplied.
Options and other command line arguments may be mixed arbitrarily on
the command line, after the function selectors.
The GNU long option names are understood. Since all option names for
aegis are long, this means ignoring the extra leading '-'. The
"--option=value" convention is also understood.
RECOMMENDED ALIAS
The recommended alias for this command is
csh% alias aent 'aegis -nt \!* -v'
sh$ aent(){aegis -nt "$@" -v}
ERRORS
It is an error if the change is not in the being developed state.
It is an error if the change is not assigned to the current user.
EXIT STATUS
The aegis command will exit with a status of 1 on any error. The
aegis command will only exit with a status of 0 if there are no
errors.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
See aegis(1) for a list of environment variables which may affect this
command. See aepconf(5) for the project configuration file's
project_specific field for how to set environment variables for all
commands executed by Aegis.
SEE ALSO
aecp(1) copy an existing test into a change
aedb(1) begin development of a change
aentu(1)
remove a new test from a change
aerm(1) remove an existing test as part of a change
aet(1) run tests
aeuconf(5)
user configuration file format
COPYRIGHT
aegis version 4.24.3.D001
Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 Peter
Miller
The aegis program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY; for details use
the 'aegis -VERSion License' command. This is free software and you
are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions; for details
use the 'aegis -VERSion License' command.
AUTHOR
Peter Miller E-Mail: millerp@canb.auug.org.au
/\/\* WWW: http://www.canb.auug.org.au/~millerp/
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