From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.4.4 (2020-01-24) on polar.synack.me X-Spam-Level: X-Spam-Status: No, score=-1.3 required=5.0 tests=BAYES_00,INVALID_MSGID autolearn=no autolearn_force=no version=3.4.4 X-Google-Language: ENGLISH,ASCII-7-bit X-Google-Thread: 103376,313a106b8dd38f30 X-Google-Attributes: gid103376,public From: "David Akister" Subject: Re: RATIONAL TESTMATE for ADA Testing - Any experiences to share ? Date: 1999/05/23 Message-ID: <7i9du6$1a2$1@lure.pipex.net>#1/1 X-Deja-AN: 481222250 References: <374667df@news.compd.com> <7i99ls$lv$1@ins8.netins.net> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V4.72.2106.4 X-Complaints-To: abuse@uk.uu.net X-Trace: lure.pipex.net 927480582 1346 193.149.80.42 (23 May 1999 17:29:42 GMT) Organization: UUNET WorldCom server (post doesn't reflect views of UUNET WorldCom NNTP-Posting-Date: 23 May 1999 17:29:42 GMT Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada Date: 1999-05-23T17:29:42+00:00 List-Id: Brian, Thanks for your response, I think you hit the nail on the head certainly with my impressions of the TESTMATE suite. It seems well integrated with the Apex environment, but the need to cross-compile on a non-Rational target compiler means that a lot of the advantage is lost. With the need for validated compilers for safety-critical use this does make life difficult. Additionally one of the main selling points appears to be the ability to provide code coverage listings based on 'Persistant Intermediate representations' ie object code. This is is good stuff if you're using the prescribed compiler.... Generally though the demonstration that I was party to was very impressive, and generation of simple test cases and stubs could be usefully auto-generated. Test-case replicators allow test-lists to be easily produced from the test case template. All good stuff in my opinion... a lot of time is usually spent manually reproducing test cases with varying parameters and managing them.This makes things pretty easy. Overall then, assuming that the end customer is happy with the choice of cross-compiler, it has my recommendation (for what its worth !) LDRA stands for Liverpool Data Research Associates and they produce a very good suite of tools for static analysis and dynamic code coverage. This generates some very useful complexity and knotting reports but in my experience it's used primarily for code coverage, with alternate forms of static analysis tools are used for assessment and possible proving. examples of these are Spark (excellent) and MALPAS (good output but heavy going). If you're interested, I'll try and dig out some contact numbers. Regards David Akister Brian Collins wrote in message <7i99ls$lv$1@ins8.netins.net>... >Dave, > >I have used the Testmate MCDC tool on many verification projects involving >embedded avionics software. If your code uses the Rational Ada compiler and >the workstation you are using it on is both the host and target environment, >then everything is very cool and this is a very slick tool to use. When you >deviate from those two rules the tool continues to operate, but it will take >a lot more effort to keep it going. You can still keep the test cases in >Testmate and keep track of your verification effort, but it becomes much >less automated. In our environment we have to deviate from both rules by >first using a non-Apex cross-compiler via RCI and by second having our >target environment in our actual hardware box and not on the workstation. >Breaking the first rule causes us some grief sometimes with code that simply >will not instrument, but this is pretty rare and usually has to do with the >differences between the cross-compiler's understanding of Ada and Apex's >understanding of Ada. Breaking the second rule is what hurts us the most by >not having the test cases automated which takes the most time to create each >test case and test by hand all of our decisions and conditions in our code >then giving Testmate the results. If you have an automated way of runing >through your test cases with scripts and collecting coverage, then you will >really like this tool. Where can I get information on the other tools you >mentioned? Thank you. > >Brian Collins >brian.collins@www.mebbs.com >bjcollin@rockwell.collins.com >http://www.math.swt.edu/~rambo > >David Akister wrote in message <374667df@news.compd.com>... >>I would like to know if anyone can share experience of using the Rational >>Testmate tool with Rational Apex on UNIX. Of particular interest is the >>management of code units, time taken developing and modifying test-sets and >>flexibility of the system. >> >>Oh, and before I forget how does the system compare with other test suites >>for ADA testing such as ADATEST and LDRA (for coverage metrics) ? >> >>Any help is much appreciated >>Regards >> >>Dave Akister >>Senior Software Engineer >>Wellgate Technology Ltd >> >> >> >> > >