Computer system having improved regression testing

• US 5,778,169 A
• Filed: 08/07/1995
• Issued: 07/07/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 08/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Synopsys Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Synopsys Incorporated
• Inventors: Reinhardt, Tilman
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): VALES, PHILLIP
• Application Number:
  US08/511,905
• Time in Patent Office: 1,065 Days
• Field of Search: 395/183.14, 395/183.1, 395/183.11, 395/703, 395/704, 364/267-267.91
• US Class Current: 714/38.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3676 for coverage analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3696 Methods or tools to render software testable

Abstract

A method of testing a computer program in a computer system is described. The computer system includes a source code corresponding to the computer program, and a number of tests. The method includes the following steps. A coverage point is inserted into the source code to correspond to a statement in the source code. An executable, corresponding to the source code, is executed using the tests. This generates a result. The result is used to generate a subset of tests that executed the coverage point and tested the statement. Test a second executable using the subset of tests. The second executable corresponds to the source code.

Claims

1. A method of testing a computer program in a computer system, said computer system including a first source code version of said computer program, and a plurality of tests, said method comprising the steps of:

inserting a first coverage point into said first source code version, said first coverage point identifying a first statement in said first source code version;

testing said first source code version of said computer program using said plurality of tests to generate a first result;

using said first result, generating a first tests subset of said plurality of tests that executed said first coverage point and tested said first statement;

modifying said first source code version of said computer program to produce a second source code version of said computer program; and

testing said second source code version of said computer program using said first tests subset.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said inserting said first coverage point includes:

editing said first source code version to insert said first coverage point, where said first coverage point includes a coverage point identifying statement.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first source code version includes a plurality of hardware description language statements and wherein said inserting said first coverage point into said first source code version includes:

inserting said first coverage point into said plurality of hardware description language statements.

4. The method of claim 1 said computer system includes a first computer and a second computer, said first computer being different than said second computer, and wherein said method further comprises:

said first computer compiling said first source code version into a first executable; and

wherein said testing said first source code version of said computer program is performed by said second computer executing said first executable.

5. The method of claim 1 said computer system includes a first computer and a second computer, said first computer being different than said second computer, and wherein said method further comprises:

said first computer compiling said first source code into a first executable; and

wherein said testing said first source code version of said computer program is performed by said second computer executing said first executable.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first coverage point includes an output statement and wherein said testing said first source code version of said computer program includes:

executing said output statement a first time resulting in a first coverage point indicator to be output to said first result.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein said executing said first source code version of said computer program includes:

executing said output statement a second time and not resulting in a second coverage point indicator being output to said first result.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said first statement is a function and wherein said inserting said first coverage point includes:

inserting said first coverage point inside of said function.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein said first statement is a loop and wherein said inserting said first coverage point includes:

inserting said first coverage point in front of said loop.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein said using said first result, generating said first tests subset of said plurality of tests that executed said first coverage point and tested said first statement includes:

accessing said first result to generate a plurality of tests names, each test name of said plurality of tests names corresponding to a test of said plurality of tests that exercised said first statement.

11. A computer comprising:

a memory for storing

a source code version of a computer program having a plurality of statements and a plurality of coverage points, each coverage point of said plurality of coverage points corresponding to a statement of said plurality of statements, and

a plurality of tests; and

a processor for executing

a regression test tool, said regression test tool having a computer program input and a regression tests results output and a test coverage output, said test coverage output identifying which tests of said plurality of tests executed which coverage points of said plurality of coverage points, and

a test coverage tool having a test coverage input, a coverage point selection input, and a tests subset output, said tests subset output outputting a first tests subset to said regression test tool in response to receiving a first coverage point selection.