Method of testing interfaces between computer program modules
First Claim
1. A method of operating a digital computer to test an interface between a first program module and a second program module, each of said first and second program modules having associated input variables and an associated cause/effect chart comprising a plurality of cases each having an input condition comprising values of input variables, said method comprisinginitiating the execution of said first program module,suspending the execution of said first program module at a point where said first program module calls said second program module andverifying that the values of those input variables associated with said second program module that are defined at the time the execution of said first program module is suspended, are consistent with the input condition of at least one of the cases of the cause/effect chart associated with said second program module.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method of testing interfaces between computer program modules. The individual cause/effect charts of each of the modules are used to test the interfaces between the modules by executing the test cases in the charts in such manner that each test case need only be executed once. The variables passed between modules are monitored and compared with the input conditions in the charts.
56 Citations
18 Claims
-
1. A method of operating a digital computer to test an interface between a first program module and a second program module, each of said first and second program modules having associated input variables and an associated cause/effect chart comprising a plurality of cases each having an input condition comprising values of input variables, said method comprising
initiating the execution of said first program module, suspending the execution of said first program module at a point where said first program module calls said second program module and verifying that the values of those input variables associated with said second program module that are defined at the time the execution of said first program module is suspended, are consistent with the input condition of at least one of the cases of the cause/effect chart associated with said second program module.
-
2. A method of operating a digital computer to test an interface between a first program module and a second program module, each of said first and second program modules having associated input variables and an associated cause/effect chart comprising a plurality of cases each having an input condition comprising values of input variables, said method comprising
initiating the execution of said first program module, suspending the execution of said first program module at a point where said first program module calls said second program module, executing said second program module and verifying that the value of those input variables associated with said first program module that are defined at the time that the execution of said second program module is completed, are consistent with the input condition of at least one of the cases of the cause/effect chart associated with said first program module.
-
3. A method of testing an interface between a first program module and a second program module wherein said first program module, when executed on a digital computer, calls said second program module and wherein each of said first and second program modules has associated input variables and an associated cause/effect chart comprising a plurality of cases each having an input condition comprising values of input variables, said method comprising
generating a first error indication upon a determination that the values of those input variables associated with said second program module that are defined at the time that said first program module calls said second program module, are not consistent with the input condition of any of the cases of the cause/effect chart associated with said second program module, executing said second program module and generating a second error indication upon a determination that the values of those input variables associated with said first program module that are defined at the time that the execution of said second program module is completed, are not consistent with the input condition of any of the cases of the cause/effect chart associated with said first program module.
-
4. A method of operating a digital computer to test an interface between a first program module and a second program module, each of said first and second program modules having associated input variables and an associated cause/effect chart comprising a plurality of cases each having an input condition comprising values of input variables, said method comprising
storing said first program module and the cause/effect chart associated with said first program module, storing said second program module and the cause/effect chart associated with said second program module, initiating the execution of said first program module, suspending the execution of said first program module at a point where said first program module calls said second program module and generating a first error indication upon a determination that the values of those input variables associated with said second program module that are defined at the time that the execution of said first program module is suspended, are not consistent with the input condition of any of the cases of said stored cause/effect chart associated with said second program module.
-
6. A method of operating a digital computer to verify an interface between a first program module and a second program module, each of said first and second program modules having associated input variables and an associated cause/effect chart comprising a plurality of cases each having an input condition comprising values of input variables, said method comprising the steps of
(A) storing said first program module and the cause/effect chart associated with said first program module, (B) storing said second program module and the cause/effect chart associated with said second program module, (C) initializing the input variables associated with said first program module that are arguments and the input variables associated with said first program module that are external variables, in accordance with the input condition of at least one unexecuted case in said stored cause/effect chart associated with said first program module, (D) initiating the execution of said first program module, (E) suspending the execution of said first program module at a point where said first program module calls said second program module and (F) verifying that the values of the input variables associated with said second program module that are defined at the time that the execution of said first program module is suspended, define a base equivalence class of cases in said stored cause/effect chart associated with said second program module.
-
12. A method of operating a digital computer to verify an interface between a first program module and a second program module, each of said first and second program modules having associated input variables and an associated cause/effect chart comprising a plurality of cases each having an input condition comprising values of input variables, said method comprising the steps of
(A) storing said first program module and the cause/effect chart associated with said first program module, (B) storing said second program module and the cause/effect chart associated with said second program module, (C) initializing the input variables associated with said first program module that are arguments and the input variables associated with said first program module that are external variables, in accordance with the input condition of at least one case that is marked as not exercised, of the cases in said stored cause/effect chart associated with said first program module, (D) initiating the execution of said first program module, (E) suspending the execution of said first program module at a point where said first program module calls said second program module and (F) verifying that the values of the input variables associated with said second program module that are defined at the time that the execution of said first program module is suspended, define a base equivalence class of cases in said stored cause/effect chart associated with said second program module.
Specification