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Updating for V7.1.

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Author:halw
Date:2012-05-12T21:11:45.000000Z


git-svn-id: https://svn.eiffel.com/eiffel-org/trunk@1102 abb3cda0-5349-4a8f-a601-0c33ac3a8c38
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halw
2012-05-12 21:11:45 +00:00
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documentation/current/eiffelstudio/eiffelstudio-guided-tour/using-autotest/using-generated-tests.wiki
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@@ -7,9 +7,9 @@ Generated tests fill a different role from either extracted or manual tests. The
#For any routine, what argument values are valid
#For the execution of any routine, what resulting states are acceptable
The first bit of knowledge comes from the ''preconditions'' of target routines. The second comes from ''postconditions'' of target routines and the ''invariants'' of target classes. Armed with this knowledge, we should be able to generate a series of invocations target routines using random (but valid) argument values, and evaluate the results. This is what is done by an internal facility of AutoTest that builds generated tests (this facility is often also referred to as AutoTest). After many of these randomly generated invocations, the Eiffel Testing Facility attempts to synthesize the results of these feature calls into new test classes. The tests in these new test classes contain the calls leading up and including calls that fail.
The first bit of knowledge comes from the ''preconditions'' of target routines. The second comes from ''postconditions'' of target routines and the ''invariants'' of target classes. Armed with this knowledge, we should be able to generate a series of invocations target routines using random argument values, and evaluate the results. This is what is done by an internal facility of AutoTest that builds generated tests (this facility is often also referred to itself as AutoTest). After many of these randomly generated invocations, the AutoTest attempts to synthesize the results of these feature calls into new test classes. The tests in these new test classes contain the calls leading up and including calls that fail. AutoTest will attempt to create only one test from each unique type of failure, so that your test directory doesn't get loaded with lots of duplicates.
You may look at a generated test class and think that it seems to be very long and to contain lots of stuff that you doubt is relevant. This is a fair assessment. The processes that AutoTest uses to build generated tests are constantly being improved. But for now, generated tests, although useful, are not always things of extraordinary beauty.
You may look at a generated test class and think that it seems to be very long and to contain lots of stuff that you doubt is relevant. This is a fair assessment. The processes that AutoTest uses to build and minimize generated tests are constantly being improved. But for now, generated tests, although useful, retain a certain amount of that randomness that was used in their creation.
So for the time being, unlike manual and extracted tests, you should not make generated tests a part of your permanent test suite. Rather, you should consider them a disposable means to an end. Use each generated test as a guide for building an effective and readable manual test.