randgen team mailing list archive

["John H. Embretsen" <John.Embretsen@xxxxxxx>]

Blueprint changed by John H. Embretsen:

Whiteboard changed:
+ Added 2010-02-18:
+ 
+ Philip Stoev provided feedback on the following:
+    - It should be possible to make a test file self-contained. This means that it should be possible to embed grammars etc. in the test definition file itself. This may reduce the number of configuration files present in the repository. Note that is should still be possible to refer to independent grammar files, in case several tests use the same grammar. This feature would also make it easier to report bugs and reproduce test failures, as only one file reference would be needed.
+    - The RQG framework should be able to generate such test files based on its current set of options, grammar etc. This is especially useful in relation to RQG's simplification mechanisms, which may give the user a grammar and/or a set of options that is not pre-packaged in any file.
+ 
+ 
  Current proposal:
  ----------------------------
  
  Utilize the RQG's Properties.pm module. WIth this, it is easy to read
  options from both the command-line and a separate file, and to merge
  these automatically.
  
  Examples which use this facility already are utilities such as util
  /simplify-mysqltest.pl, util/bughunt.pl, gentest.pl.
  
  The file containing the test configuration defines an anonymous Perl
  hash, with possible nested hashes for special groups of options.
  
  Example format:
  ---------------------------
  
  example_test.cfg (extension either ".cfg" or ".test"):
  
  -----------------------------
  # Comments here, for describing the test, why settings are as they are, etc.
  #
  # We may introduce options for providing test descriptions and such as well, 
  # so that it may be passed along to reporting systems.
  #
  # Some variables may have default values set by the RQG framework or wrapper scripts.
  # Full set and explanation of options to be provided later.
  
  {
      name        => 'rqg_example_test',
      category    => 'runtime',
      candidate   => 'true',
      grammar     => 'conf/example.yy',
      threads     => 10,
      mysqld      => {
          'log-output' => 'file'
      }
  }
  
  -----------------------------
  
  Here, options for the wrapper script (interpreter) or the RQG framework itself are defined on the top level.
  Options for external products such as the database server under test are defined as a nested structure (hash). In this example one option is set for mysqld, the MySQL Server.
  
  -----------------------------
  
  We will introduce a script (perhaps later even a module) that is able to
  kick-start a test based on options taken from the configuration file
  and/or command-line options.
  
  Command-line options will be able to override options from file.
  
  
  Other considered formats: 
   - XML. Universal and pretty standard, well-supported format. However, parsing requires non-core perl modules with possibly known issues on some platforms.
   - JSON (JavaScript Object Notation). Although standard and with relatively good Perl support, there are no apparent advantages compared to the other suggested format. Somewhat increased complexity that is not needed at this time. Requires non-core Perl modules.
  
  Since we, for now, assume that we will stick to perl within the RQG, and
  that we may relatively easily create tools for converting tests from
  perl data structures to other formats if necessary, perl data structures
  seem like the best choice.
  
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------

-- 
Introduce test definitions in separate files
https://blueprints.launchpad.net/randgen/+spec/test-definitions