JPH11305822A - Simulation test method for process control computer and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the load of test inspection in the simulation test of the application program of a computer for process control, to simplify the inspection, and to sharply improve the productivity of soft development. SOLUTION: A computer simulation test device 1 for process control is provided with an inspection item designation table automatic generating part 12 for automatically generating an inspection item designation table 18 for setting an inspection item for each event of a test scenario at the time of registering the test scenario, inspection item inputting device 11 for setting the inspection item by inputting a designated item to the inspection item designation table 18, test scenario executing part 13 for executing the registered test scenario, and inspection item automatic outputting part 14 for automatically outputting an executed result for the item whose inspection is designated by referring to the inspection item designation table 18.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a simulation test method and a simulation test apparatus for a process control computer, and more particularly to a technique for verifying a result of a simulation test performed on an application program of the process control computer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Most of recent large-scale production processes in business establishments and factories are automated and controlled by a computer for process control. And with the complexity of processes and manufacturing equipment, application programs for process control computers are also becoming more and more complex, and the development, verification, and maintenance of these programs require a great deal of time and effort. Is coming.

Several methods for efficiently verifying an application program of a process control computer have been proposed. For example, JP-A-53-1090
No. 77 discloses that a control device is equipped with a test device including an input device, a display device, a recording device, a data transmission control device, and a test computer for operating these devices, and a simulation of the control computer. Is disclosed by a display device. In addition, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No.
In Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-58177, a process simulator having an input / output device independent of a process input / output device is provided.
A method is disclosed in which an application program of a process control computer can be verified only by operating and monitoring the simulator.

By using the above method, the verification of the application program of the process control computer can be comprehensively performed, and the procedure at the time of verification can be simplified.

[0005]

However, in the verification of the application program of the process control computer, it is necessary to simulate various operation cases. It is necessary to prepare various test scenarios and test repeatedly until debugging is completed. For this reason, there is a problem that the workload for test result verification is very large for the following reasons.

[0006] (A) "Which part of the test scenario is to be monitored in what part" must be specified in a specification or the like for each test. Therefore, the larger the application program is, the more labor is required for this specification work. Cost.

(B) During a test period of several to several tens of hours, a human (operating worker) must stick and continuously monitor the test output result. Is very inefficient because it is not possible to perform the tasks of

(C) There is also a method of outputting test results to a storage device and checking the verification results collectively later. However, from a large amount of result data of a long test, specific data to be verified is stored. Finding it is difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a process control computer capable of reducing the load of test verification and facilitating the verification and realizing a great improvement in the productivity of the simulation test of the application program of the process control computer. And a simulation test apparatus.

[0010]

A simulation test method for a process control computer according to the present invention is a simulation test method for verifying an application program of a process control computer using a test scenario, wherein a combination of verification items is determined in advance. The above-described combination is associated with each event in the test scenario, and target verification data is acquired.

[0011] The simulation test apparatus of the present invention comprises:
In a simulation test apparatus for verifying an application program of a process control computer using a test scenario, a verification item for automatically generating a verification item specification table for setting a verification item for each event in the test scenario when registering the test scenario A specification table automatic generation unit, a verification item input device for inputting specification items to the verification item specification table and thereby setting verification items for the verification item specification table, and a test scenario execution unit for executing the registered test scenario And a verification item automatic output unit that refers to the verification item specification table and automatically outputs an execution result for an item for which verification is specified.

In the simulation test apparatus for a process control computer according to the present invention, a combination of verification items is used as a verification group, and a verification item list table for describing the verification group is further provided. Is preferably set for each event.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a computer simulation test apparatus for process control according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, solid arrows indicate a processing flow, and broken arrows indicate a data flow.

The process control computer simulation test apparatus 1 is used for executing a simulation test on an application program of the process control computer, and is a test target application program (test target application program 2). , And the test result information 3 output from the test target application program 2 and accumulated in the process control computer when the process control computer executes the test target application program 2 is fetched. Is used to verify the test results. The test result information 3 includes, for example, memory information 31 indicating the state of the memory of the process control computer, message output buffer information 32 indicating the contents of a buffer storing messages (messages) output from the process control computer, It is composed of items such as screen information 33 indicating the display contents on the screen of the display device of the control computer, and form information 34 indicating the contents of the form printed out from the process control computer. A test result output device 4 for outputting a test result is connected to the computer simulation test apparatus 1 for process control.

The process control computer simulation test apparatus 1 includes a verification item input device 11 having a CRT, a keyboard, and the like, a verification item designation table automatic generation unit 12 which is a unit for actually executing processing, and a test scenario execution unit. 13 and a verification item automatic output unit 14, and stores a pre-registration test scenario file 15, a post-registration test scenario file 16, a verification item list table 17, and a verification item list for storing various data and scenarios used for executing a simulation test. Item designation table 18
have.

The verification item input device 11 allows a worker who executes a simulation test to create a pre-registration test scenario file 15 and a verification item list table 17.
It is also used to input necessary information for each event into the verification item specification table 18. The verification item specification table automatic generation unit 12 takes in the information described in advance in the pre-registration test scenario file 12 to generate the post-registration test scenario file 16 and, at the same time, generates the verification item list table 17 The verification item specification table 18 is automatically generated based on the pre-registration test scenario file 15.

The test scenario execution unit 13 automatically starts based on the time information of each event of the scenario registered in the test scenario file 16 after registration, and also starts the verification item automatic output unit 14. . Then, test data is generated based on the event information of the test scenario file 16 after registration, and the test data is output to the test target application program 2 of the process control computer. The verification item automatic output unit 14 obtains the specified verification item with reference to the verification item specification table 18 and fetches necessary information from the test result information 3 stored inside the process control computer. The test result is output to the test result output device 4.

Next, the procedure of a simulation test using the process control simulation test apparatus will be described with reference to the processing flowchart of FIG.

First, an operator creates a pre-registration scenario file 15 and a verification item list table 17 in advance using the verification item input device 11 (step 101). The pre-registration test scenario file 15, as shown in FIG. 3, describes a simulation scenario to be executed. For each event executed in the simulation, an event number (event number), an event name,
It consists of event occurrence time and occurrence data. The verification item list table 17 stores information on verification groups. As shown in FIG. 4, for each verification group, a verification group number (verification group number), a name of the verification group, and verification It consists of a designated flag. Here, the verification designation flag specifies which item of the test information result 3 is to be verified, and includes memory information and message information (information related to the output message among the message output buffer information). ,
Each item of screen information and form information can be individually specified. In the figure, if the verification designation flag is "1" (on),
Collect test information for the item and verify test results.

If the verification group numbers of various test patterns are defined in advance, each time a test is executed,
Verification item designation table 1 for describing verification group numbers to be described later
The verification item can be easily specified simply by inputting the information into the field 8.

Next, the post-registration test scenario file 16 is created from the pre-registration test scenario file 15 by the verification item specification table automatic generation unit 12 (step 1).
02) Also, the pre-registration test scenario file 15
Then, a verification item designation table 18 is created based on the contents of the verification item list table 17 (step 103).
The configuration of the test scenario file 16 after registration is the same as the configuration of the test scenario file 15 before registration. Also,
As shown in FIG. 5, the verification item designation table 18 stores an event number,
The event name, event occurrence time, and verification group number are automatically set by the verification item specification table automatic creation unit 12 by referring to the pre-registration test scenario file 15.

Next, the operator uses the verification item input device 11 to check the verification group number field for each event in the verification item specification table 18 and check the verification group created in the verification item list table 17. , The verification group number of the one having the target combination of verification contents is input (step 104). As a result, each event in the verification item specification table 18 is associated (associated) with the verification group number in the verification item list table 17.

Subsequently, the control is transferred to the test scenario execution unit 13, and the test scenario execution unit 13 executes the test data registered in the registered test scenario file 16 in accordance with the event occurrence time described in the registered test scenario file 16. Is generated and the test data is output to the test target application program 2 (step 1).
05). Then, the test scenario execution unit 13 activates the verification item automatic output unit 14 after a certain period of time from the output of the test data until the test target application program 2 completes its operation (step 106). Instead of waiting for a certain period of time, the operating status of all application programs is managed by flags and the like, and after confirming that the operation is completed, the verification item automatic output unit 14 is started. You may.

After being activated, the verification item automatic output unit 14 refers to the verification item specification table 18 as a verification item selection process, searches for an item whose verification specification flag is "1" for the event, and An item to be output is identified (step 107). In step 107, when the verification designation flag relating to the memory information is “1”, the verification item automatic output unit 14 takes in the memory information 31 of the test result information 3 and outputs it to the test result output device 4, whereby Then, the test result output device 4 prints out the memory information 31 (step 108). In step 107, if the verification designation flag relating to the message output buffer information is “1”, the verification item automatic output unit 1
4 is the message output buffer information 3 of the test result information 3
2 is output to the test result output device 4, and the test result output device 4 prints out the message output buffer information 31 (step 109). If the verification designation flag relating to the screen information is “1” in step 107, the verification item automatic output unit 14 takes in the screen information 33 of the specified screen from the test result information 3 and outputs it to the test result output device. 4 to display it on the screen of the CRT of the test result output device 4 (step 110), and print a hard copy of the screen (step 111). If the verification designation flag relating to the form information is “1” in step 107, the verification item automatic output unit 14 takes in the form information 34 of the test result information 3 and outputs the form information 34 to the test result output device 4. , Test result output device 4
Prints out the form 31 (step 112).

Steps 108, 109, 111, 1
After completing step 12, in step 113, it is determined whether or not the processing after step 107 has been completed for all the verification designation flags of “1” (step 113), and if not, the processing returns to step 107. The process is repeated, and if the process has been performed for all the verification designation flags of “1”, the process proceeds to step 114. In step 114, the test scenario file 16 after registration
It is determined whether or not the processing of steps 105 to 113 has been performed for all of the events. If the processing has been completed for all of the events in the scenario, the processing is terminated as it is. The process returns to step 105 to execute the processing of steps 105 to 113 for the next event. When returning to step 105, the test scenario execution unit 13 automatically starts the timer according to the time of the next event in the scenario.

With the above processing, the operator uses the verification item input device 11 to execute the test scenario file 15 before registration.
By simply creating a verification item list table and registering the verification group number in the verification item specification table 18, the simulation test of the application program of the process control computer is automatically executed, and the necessary verification item data is stored. The data is collected and printed out from the test result output device 4. As a result, it is not necessary for the operator to stick and monitor during the simulation test, and the productivity of software development is greatly improved.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, in the simulation test of the application program of the process control computer, the designation of the verification item is simplified, and the verification result can be automatically output at the time of execution. This eliminates the need for humans to stick and keep monitoring, greatly reducing the work load in simulation tests, and improving the productivity of software development. For example, taking a blast furnace control computer in the steel industry as an example of a process control computer,
When a simulation test of an application program is performed, usually, a plurality of test scenarios for 5 to 8 hours are prepared and the test is repeatedly performed. Conventionally, each time a test is executed, a work leader instructs another worker on verification items and verification timing in advance, and it is necessary for all workers to stick and monitor during the test period. By applying the present invention, the work leader can execute the test unattended only by inputting the verification items into the system in advance, and the test can be executed even at night when there are no people. . This allows each worker to:
It was possible to concentrate on tasks such as debugging, and by applying the present invention, software development productivity in a simulation test could be approximately doubled.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a configuration of a computer simulation test apparatus for process control according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a process flowchart showing an execution procedure of a simulation test using the apparatus of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a test scenario file before registration and a test scenario file after registration.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a verification item list table.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a verification item designation table.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Computer simulation test device for process control 2 Application program to be tested 3 Test result information 4 Test result output device 11 Verification item input device 12 Automatic generation table for verification item specification 13 Test scenario execution unit 14 Verification item automatic output unit 15 Before registration Test scenario file 16 Test scenario file after registration 17 Verification item list table 18 Verification item specification table 31 Memory information 32 Message output buffer information 33 Screen information 34 Form information 101 to 114 steps

Claims (3)

[Claims] In a simulation test method for verifying an application program of a process control computer using a test scenario, a combination of verification items is determined in advance, and the combination is associated with each event in the test scenario. A simulation test method for a computer for process control, characterized by acquiring verification data. 2. A simulation test apparatus for verifying an application program of a process control computer by using a test scenario, wherein a test item specification table for setting a verification item for each event in the test scenario is registered in the test scenario. A verification item specification table automatic generation unit that automatically generates a verification item at a time, a verification item input device that inputs a specification item to the verification item specification table and thereby sets a verification item for the verification item specification table, A process control computer, comprising: a test scenario execution unit that executes a test scenario; and a verification item automatic output unit that refers to the verification item specification table and automatically outputs an execution result for an item for which verification is specified. Simulation test equipment. 3. A verification item list table that describes the verification group with a combination of verification items as a verification group, wherein the verification group is set as the specified item in the verification item specification table for each event. Claim 2
3. A simulation test apparatus for a computer for process control according to claim 1.