Hi,

I'm working on a series of intelligent printers. These have reasonably 
complex applications in them, written in an antiquated version of 
BASIC i.e. no local variables, no parameters or return values for 
subroutines. I have to add some enhancements to these applications. 
I'm wondering if there are any tools that would help me implement 
automated testing. What I have in mind is that I would write stubs for 
all the hardware interfaces that would allow a serial-link-connected 
PC to inject inputs (e.g. key and button presses, inputs from sensors, 
data from files (the printers have an MSDOS-style file system in 
them), data from COM ports) and log outputs (things printed, 
information sent to the printer's 2-line 16-character display, 
indicator lights, data sent to COM ports, data saved in files). 

The PC would therefore be able to simulate all the intputs that the 
application would see in real life, and to sense all the outputs that 
it produces, via a serial protocol that I would specify. 

What I'm looking for though is some software that would run on a PC 
and would provide tools to help me specify automated test sequences 
(or possibly "learn" them by "watching" someone use the printer for 
real), run them, record the results, compare the results with those 
expected etc. 

Does such a thing exist? I think it would dramatically speed up the 
testing of these applications, and reduce the chances of bugs getting 
into the released product. 

Thanks - Rowan 

Hi!

rowan.bradley wrote:
> I'm working on a series of intelligent printers. These have reasonably 
> complex applications in them, written in an antiquated version of 
> BASIC i.e. no local variables, no parameters or return values for 
> subroutines. I have to add some enhancements to these applications. 
> I'm wondering if there are any tools that would help me implement 
> automated testing. What I have in mind is that I would write stubs for 
> all the hardware interfaces that would allow a serial-link-connected 
> PC to inject inputs (e.g. key and button presses, inputs from sensors, 
> data from files (the printers have an MSDOS-style file system in 
> them), data from COM ports) and log outputs (things printed, 
> information sent to the printer's 2-line 16-character display, 
> indicator lights, data sent to COM ports, data saved in files). 
> 
> The PC would therefore be able to simulate all the intputs that the 
> application would see in real life, and to sense all the outputs that 
> it produces, via a serial protocol that I would specify. 
> 
> What I'm looking for though is some software that would run on a PC 
> and would provide tools to help me specify automated test sequences 
> (or possibly "learn" them by "watching" someone use the printer for 
> real), run them, record the results, compare the results with those 
> expected etc. 
> 
> Does such a thing exist? I think it would dramatically speed up the 
> testing of these applications, and reduce the chances of bugs getting 
> into the released product. 

I'd recommend looking into QMTest:
http://www.python.org/workshops/2002-02/papers/01/index.htm
http://www.codesourcery.com/qmtest

Also see thread "Test framework for automated FW testing" from 
23.12.2009 (comp.arch.embedded).

--
Kind regards,
Tarmo kuuse