Embedded World: Configuration-based Test cases added to test platform
New configuration-based testing capabilities for VectorCAST test automation tools were announced at Embedded World in Nuremberg. VectorCAST is designed to make testing easier and faster, and configuration-based test cases add the ability to efficiently test software that is intended to be run in multiple configurations. A common practice is to combine multiple software configurations into a single code module.
For example, a collision detection code module could have configuration variants for two or more embedded electronic control units.
The software is built using different build configuration settings to generate the software variant for each electronic control unit. Testing the variant code presents a problem as the expected behavior is dependent on the specific variant under test.
Configuration-based test cases resolve this by selecting the test cases that are specific to the configuration. These specialised test cases will only be run in the specific configuration they were defined for.
VectorCAST currently includes features including coverage on original source and Change-Based Testing that make the testing process easier and faster. Adding configuration-based test cases to the existing VectorCAST features further optimizes testing single-source software variants.
“Configuration-based test cases allow multiple configurations of single-source software to be efficiently tested, saving developers a significant amount of time,” said Jeffrey Fortin, head of product management at Vector Software.