Model-Based Filtering of Combinatorial Test Suites

Tobias is a combinatorial test generation tool which can efficiently generate a large number of test cases by unfolding a test pattern and computing all combinations of parameters. In this paper, we first propose a model-based testing approach where Tobias test cases are first run on an executable UML/OCL specification. This animation of test cases on a model allows to filter out invalid test sequences produced by blind enumeration, typically the ones which violate the pre-conditions of operations, and to provide an oracle for the valid ones. We then introduce recent extensions of the Tobias tool which support an incremental unfolding and filtering process, and its associated toolset. This allows to address explosive test patterns featuring a large number of invalid test cases, and only a small number of valid ones. For instance, these new constructs could mandate test cases to satisfy a given predicate at some point or to follow a given behavior. The early detection of invalid test cases improves the calculation time of the whole generation and execution process, and helps fighting combinatorial explosion. Taha Triki, Yves Ledru, Lydie du Bousquet, Frédéric Dadeau, Julien Botella. Model-based filtering of combinatorial test suites. Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Fundamental Approaches to Software Engineering (FASE 2012), 7212:439-454, LNCS, Tallinn, Estonia, mar 2012. LNCS proceedings are available at : http://rd.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-642-28872-2_30 This material is presented to ensure timely dissemination of scholarly and technical work. Copyright and all rights therein are retained by authors or by other copyright holders. All persons copying this information are expected to adhere to the terms and constraints invoked by each author's copyright. In most cases, these works may not be reposted without the explicit permission of the copyright holder. ©2012 Springer-Verlag. The copyright for this contribution is held by Springer. Model-based filtering of combinatorial test suites T. Triki, Y. Ledru, L. du Bousquet, F. Dadeau, and J. Botella 1 UJF-Grenoble 1/Grenoble-INP/UPMF-Grenoble 2/CNRS, LIG UMR 5217, F-38041, Grenoble, France {Taha.Triki, Yves.Ledru, Lydie.du-Bousquet}@imag.fr 2 LIFC INRIA CASSIS Project, 16 route de Gray, 25030 Besançon, FRANCE [email protected] 3 Smartesting, Besançon, France [email protected] Abstract. Tobias is a combinatorial test generation tool which can efficiently generate a large number of test cases by unfolding a test pattern and computing all combinations of parameters. In this paper, we first propose a model-based testing approach where Tobias test cases are first run on an executable UML/OCL specification. This animation of test cases on a model allows to filter out invalid test sequences produced by blind enumeration, typically the ones which violate the pre-conditions of operations, and to provide an oracle for the valid ones. We then introduce recent extensions of the Tobias tool which support an incremental unfolding and filtering process, and its associated toolset. This allows to address explosive test patterns featuring a large number of invalid test cases, and only a small number of valid ones. For instance, these new constructs could mandate test cases to satisfy a given predicate at some point or to follow a given behavior. The early detection of invalid test cases improves the calculation time of the whole generation and execution process, and helps fighting combinatorial explosion. Tobias is a combinatorial test generation tool which can efficiently generate a large number of test cases by unfolding a test pattern and computing all combinations of parameters. In this paper, we first propose a model-based testing approach where Tobias test cases are first run on an executable UML/OCL specification. This animation of test cases on a model allows to filter out invalid test sequences produced by blind enumeration, typically the ones which violate the pre-conditions of operations, and to provide an oracle for the valid ones. We then introduce recent extensions of the Tobias tool which support an incremental unfolding and filtering process, and its associated toolset. This allows to address explosive test patterns featuring a large number of invalid test cases, and only a small number of valid ones. For instance, these new constructs could mandate test cases to satisfy a given predicate at some point or to follow a given behavior. The early detection of invalid test cases improves the calculation time of the whole generation and execution process, and helps fighting combinatorial explosion.