Re: [Koha-devel] interest in improving automated tests with a testing database

[Nathan Gray]

On Thu, Mar 27, 2008 at 01:43:18PM -0500, Andrew Moore wrote:
> I'd like to have a 'make' target similar to 'make test' that would
> build a nearly empty, skeleton database that we could run some
> automated tests against. Since this would not be the same database
> that live data is held in, we wouldn't have to worry about deleting or
> overwriting any useful data. The testing could insert example data and
> data known to trigger past bugs to ensure that they don't recur. I
> don't imagine making this a standard part of 'make test', at least at
> first, since I don't imagine that all end users want to have a second
> database built just to test against. I think it could be immensely
> useful for us developers, though, right away.

The DBIx::Class framework, and perhaps others, have modules that
create and destroy test databases, which are called in the test
scripts.

I am (ever so slowly), working on a refactor of the DBIx::Class test
module as Test::DBIC.  After it proves itself, it will probably
replace the current test module used by DBIx::Class (if I or someone
else finds enough volunteer hours to do it).

I do not know if you would be able to use it directly for Koha, but
you may want to code dive and see if there are tricks you might like
to copy or mimic.

> I have a small working prototype of this, but before I get much
> further, I want to ask if you have any suggestions or advice for this.
> Please let me know if this sounds like something that would be useful
> to you, and if there's anything I need to make sure I consider.

Sounds like a great idea.

-kolibrie

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