Re: Need suggestions on how to test observer.c

[Daniel Jacobowitz <drow@mvista.com>]

On Mon, Mar 10, 2003 at 02:43:56PM -0800, Joel Brobecker wrote:
> The last time I needed to do some unit-testing, it was for the xfullpath
> command, and it was pretty easy to test it inside gdb.gdb by debugging
> gdb itself, and use inferior function calls with appropriate parameters.
> It would be good to use the same approach one more time.  Unfortunately,
> it is not so easy this time. We could use the same trick, except that
> one of the parameters is a function pointer. That means we would need to
> find some functions in GDB that could be used as callbacks:

>   - Second case: we add 3 dummy functions to the GDB code that would
>     do exactly what that functions in my testdrive do: increment an
>     integer each time they are called. We would then use them as
>     callbacks, and use the integers to check that the notifiation
>     worked properly.

I have no objection to adding these dummies to observer.c; I think I
prefer that, because it tests observer code in the closer to the same
way it will be used.

> 
> So, to summarize, we have several options (in order of personnal
> preference):
>   1. Compile and run my little test_observer.c program outside of GDB
>      and check the output. To compile it, use the trick above to avoid
>      the dependency on the entire GDB code.
>   2. Update the makefile to give runtest the information necessary in
>      order to be able to find libgdb.a and all dependents. Then setup
>      the test to compile test_observer with that information. Run
>      this program outside of GDB, and check the output.
>   3. Add new benign functions inside observer.c to allow the testing
>      to be done via inferior function calls.
>   4. Find and use already defined functions in GDB, test the observer
>      via inferior function calls.
>   5. Do not add an observer-specific test. When a bug shows up due to
>      an observer.c bug, we'll then add a testcase as usual. The testing
>      coverage for observer.c will slowly increase.
> 
> Let me know what you prefer, and I'll go from there.
> 
> Thanks,
> -- 
> Joel
> 

-- 
Daniel Jacobowitz
MontaVista Software                         Debian GNU/Linux Developer