JPH10133901A - Test support tool - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve the development efficiency and implementation efficiency of the test support tool by adopting a virtual I/O implementing technique as the test support tool, and patterning and tabling the selection of test items. SOLUTION: The test support tool 40 is under the control of an os 50 and is composed of an interface processing part 60 and a test execution part 70. The test execution part 70 is composed of a virtual I/O part 110 which mediates between a test item execution part 90 for interpreting and executing a test pattern described in a test execution item table 30 wherein test items are described without being aware of hardware information and a hardware process function library 110 as a library of functions actually gaining direct access to a hardware group 130 according to a hardware constitution information table 120 wherein detailed information respective hardware parts is described. Consequently, the detailed information on the respective hardware parts to be tested is put together in the hardware constitution information table 120 to separate a hardware-dependent part and a nondependent part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to improvement of development efficiency in test support tool development and improvement of test execution efficiency in a system using a computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional test support tool performs a test for hardware alone, and has developed the tool for each hardware even if the test patterns are similar. Therefore, there are the following problems.

(1) Since a plurality of similar tools are created, the amount of program development is large.

[0004] (2) Since tools are different for each hardware, it is difficult to test because the usage of tools (how to test) is not standardized.

(3) The development period is short.

(4) The development budget is small.

(5) The test execution period is short.

In an actual operating environment of a system using a computer, a plurality of hardware operate intertwined (competing). However, the conventional test support tool has a problem that it is difficult to perform a test in a system operating environment because the test is performed using only the hardware to be tested.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above problems, it is an object of the present invention to develop a test support tool by the method of the present invention to improve the tool development efficiency and the test execution efficiency.

[0010]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention employs a virtual I / O method as a test support tool, and patterns the test item selection into a table. Also, the OS of the target system
Operable under management.

The use of the virtual I / O method has the following effects.

(1) By minimizing the hardware-dependent part of the test support tool, programs of similar hardware in tool development need only be created in the hardware-dependent part, leading to a reduction in the development period.

(2) When responding to new hardware, it is possible to respond only by creating a hardware-dependent part.
It leads to shortening of development period.

(3) Since the test items can be described in common by all the hardware without being aware of the hardware information in the test execution section, the time for creating the test items can be reduced.

Further, since the test execution items are patterned and made selectable in a table, the time required for creating test items can be reduced.

[0016]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One embodiment of the present invention will be described below in detail.

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a test support tool operating under the control of os and the procedure of test execution.

In FIG. 1, the test support tool 40 is os
50, and roughly classified into the interface processing unit 6
0 and a test execution unit 70. The test execution unit 7
Reference numeral 0 denotes a test item execution unit 90 that interprets and executes a test pattern described in a test execution item table 30 in which test items are described without being aware of hardware information, and a library of functions that directly access the hardware group 130. It comprises a virtual I / O unit 100 that bridges with the hardware processing function library 110 according to a hardware configuration information table 120 that describes detailed information of each hardware. In this test support tool, detailed information of each hardware to be tested is aggregated in the hardware configuration information table, so that it can be divided into hardware dependent parts and non-dependent parts. It was possible to test all hardware with the same test item pattern as other hardware without being conscious of information.

Next, a description will be given of a large flow of test execution. Test execution item table 3 created by the user in advance
At 0, the operator 10 instructs the test execution unit 70 via the user interface 20 to execute the test. Upon receiving the command, the test execution unit 70 uses the test item execution unit 90 to interpret the test pattern in the test execution item table 30 and issues a command for the virtual I / O unit 100. In the virtual I / O unit 100, a command described in common to the hardware group 130 is stored in the hardware configuration information table 120.
, The target hardware is tested by executing the corresponding hardware processing function library 110 one line. The test execution result is not directly output from the test execution unit 70 to the user interface 20, but is sent to the interface processing unit 60, which outputs the result to the user interface 20. If the target system is a multi-task environment, the user-created test item table 3
A task for executing a plurality of tests is generated by issuing a plurality of commands such that the operator 10 executes a test to the test execution unit 70 via the user interface 20 with 0 (either the same test item or another test item). Then, a plurality of test execution units 70 are generated, and each task executes a test of the content described in the specified test item table 30. In this way, by accessing a plurality of hardware by a plurality of tasks, not only a test close to the system operating environment can be performed, but also an overload test of the system can be easily performed.

Next, referring to FIG. 2, a detailed configuration of the test execution unit 70 employing the virtual I / O method and a procedure up to hardware access will be described.

The test execution unit 70 includes a test item interpretation unit 2
00 and a test item execution unit 90 including a check processing unit 210 for executing various check patterns, and a virtual I / O including a command group for commonly accessing various hardware.
O processing unit 100 and similar hardware in the hardware group 130 are collectively regarded as one virtual I / O, and a hardware processing function library 1 including a processing function group for accessing these virtual I / Os
10. As a procedure up to hardware access, first, the test item interpreter 200 extracts test information described in the test item table 30 for each hardware name, and calls a corresponding check process with a corresponding check pattern. In the called check processing, the specified check pattern information is interpreted and the command of the virtual I / O unit 100 is executed. Virtual I
The / O unit 100 searches the hardware name in the hardware configuration information table 120 for an entry address to the processing function to determine which virtual I / O processing function of the hardware processing function library 110 the executed command calls. To decide. Called hardware processing function library 1
The virtual I / O processing function in 10 converts the given test item common to each hardware into a corresponding hardware access form and accesses the hardware.

Next, the configuration of the interface processing unit 60 and the procedure up to the output of the test result will be described with reference to FIG.

The user interface processing unit 60 comprises a result receiving process 300 for receiving a test result, and an interface library 350 for outputting the test result to each user interface 20. As a procedure until the test result is output, the test execution result is received from the test execution unit 70 in the result receiving process 300, and the information is edited. The information is passed to the user interface output function in the interface library 350, and the execution result is output to the user interface 20.

As described above, the test support tool 40 in FIG. 1 divides the test execution unit 70 into a hardware non-dependent unit 80 and a dependent unit by employing a virtual I / O method, and minimizes the dependent unit. As a result, even if there are a plurality of hardware to be tested, development of a program requires only creating a plurality of hardware processing function libraries 110 and a plurality of hardware configuration information tables. Also, by creating test execution information, it is not necessary to be aware of hardware information, so test items can be patterned in common with hardware, and by tabulating them, it is easy to assemble execution test items and ,
The usability of the test support tool has been improved. By outputting the test results via the interface processing unit 60, the interface dependent unit is localized, and various user interfaces can be easily handled in the interface processing unit. If the OS 50 supports multitasking,
When the operator 10 issues an execution instruction to the test execution unit 70 a plurality of times, a plurality of hardware tests can be executed at the same time.

[0025]

By developing a test support tool according to the method of the present invention, even if there are a plurality of hardware to be tested, only a plurality of programs need to be created in a hardware-dependent part, and even if the user interface is changed. Since the change portion is localized, it can be easily remodeled, which is effective in improving the program development efficiency. In addition, test items are patterned into common hardware, and this is tabulated, making it easier to assemble test patterns and improving the efficiency of test execution by easily reproducing an environment close to the actual operating environment of the system. Is effective.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a test support tool according to an embodiment developed using the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing a test execution unit and hardware access in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of an interface processing unit and a test result output of FIG. 1;

[Explanation of symbols]

10 operator, 20 user interface, 30
... test execution item table, 40 ... test support tool,
50 OS of target system 60 interface processing unit 70 test execution unit 80 hardware independent unit 90 test item execution unit 100 virtual I / O
Unit, 110: hardware processing function library, 120: hardware configuration information table, 130: hardware group.

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Toru Nemoto 832 Nagakubo Horiguchi, Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Prefecture Within Hitachi Measurement Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Naotaka Adachi 832 Nagakubo Horiguchi Hitaguchi City, Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki 2 Hitachi Measurement Engineering Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Takamichi Shiragaki 882 Momo, Oaza, Hitachinaka City, Ibaraki Pref.Hitachi, Ltd.

Claims (5)

[Claims] The test support tool is under the control of an operating system and comprises an interface processing unit and a test execution unit. The test execution unit comprises a test item interpretation unit and a check processing unit for executing various check patterns. A test item execution unit, a virtual I / O unit composed of a command group for commonly accessing various hardware, and a processing function group for accessing similar hardware in the hardware group as one virtual I / O A test support tool comprising a hard processing function library. 2. The test support tool according to claim 1, wherein all hardware information is aggregated in a hardware configuration information table, and the hardware support portion is retained in a hardware processing function library by a test support tool, thereby minimizing the test. 3. The test support tool according to claim 1, wherein the test item execution unit can execute the test items common to all hardware without being aware of hardware information. 4. The test support tool according to claim 1, further comprising a test execution item table in which test item descriptions are patterned and tabulated. 5. The test support tool according to claim 1, wherein the test result is not output directly to the interface device but an output processing unit is interposed.