Zusammenfassung der Ressource
3.2.6 - Testing and Running a Solution
- Errors
- Syntax
- Occurs when a statement has
been written that breaks the rules
of that programming language.
- Common Syntax Errors:
- Missing or extra
punctuation.
- Not enough
arguments.
- Missing part of a
multi-line statement.
- Using unrecognised
identifiers.
- Type mismatch.
- Logical
- Occurs because of a mistake in
the algorithm that results in the
program doing something other
than what's expected to do.
- Don't usually produce
error messages.
- Discovered because the
computer is producing
unexpected results.
- Other common
causes are:
- Instructions in
the wrong order.
- Incorrect conditions for
IF statements or Loops.
- Run-time
- Occurs due to an
unexpected situation with
the data being processed.
- The program would
otherwise work normally.
- Generally occur when the
computer attempts impossible
arithmetic operations.
- Other common
causes are:
- Overflow error
- Uses a variable to store
a value to large for it.
- Stack overflow error
- Program runs out of
stack space to store
operations.
- Library error
- Referring to an external
library that does not exist.
- Exception Handling
- Handles errors that
are unavoidable.
- Reading from a file
that has been deleted.
- Dividing by zero.
- Types of Testing
- White Box
- Tests the algorithm to make
sure it functions as intended.
- Focused on testing
every path of execution
through a program.
- Path of execution is noted, so it
can be compared with other runs.
- Black Box
- Inputs and Outputs
- Not how the
program works.
- Test every
possible input.
- Are the results
expected?
- Three types of input
data to consider:
- Valid Data
- Data you would
expect to be input.
- Invalid Data
- Data which would
generate an error
message.
- Borderline Data
- Testing data at the
boundaries between
both cases.
- Alpha and Beta
- Carried out when the
software is nearly complete.
- Applies to commercial software
being developed for external users.
- Difference resides in the
stages and the tester.
- Alpha
- Limited to be tested by internal
employees and friends/family of
the company.
- Very early version
of the software.
- Normally full of bugs.
- Beta
- Opened up to a
wider audience.
- Almost in a finished state.
- Normally test things
such as load balancing.
- Acceptance
- Demonstrates to the end user
that the software works correctly.
- All desired features
have been implemented.
- Takes place after all development
and testing is complete.
- The software is ready to
be handed to the end user.
- Software is tested
against all requirements.
- Until the user accepts
the software is what is
originally requested.
- Running Solutions
- Dry Runs
- Used to locate the cause
and location of an error.
- You go through the code
manually executing and
recording each line of code.
- Use a trace table
to keep track of
all the variables.
- Debugging Tools
- Translator Diagnostics
- Messages generated by the translator,
while it's translating the source code into
object code.
- Often includes warnings where
there might be a logic error.
- Break Points and Stepping
- Breakpoints mark lines of code,
requesting the program stops
running when it gets to that line.
- Variable Checks
- Programmer can request variables to
be checked at any time in the program.
- This allows the programmer to compare
the value to what it should be at that time.
- Installation Routine
- Installing the program.
- The routine does the following:
- 1. Checks if there is
enough space.
- 2. Program copied to
destination folder.
- Data files are copied with it.
- 3. Library files are
copied and registered.
- 4. Executable file will create shortcut.
- 5. Allow user to configure
and customise installation.
- 6. Configuration saved
in system registry.