Re: [pdf-devel] unit testing & void* & design-doc

[jemarch]

   Hola,

Hello.

   I think that the check framework is adequate for unit testing.  Has a
   few quirks, but I haven't found anything better for C.

      http://check.sourceforge.net/

   I'm not sure what the best way to include it in the project is.  In
   the past I have just added the check source to ext/check or something
   like that and then built it when necessary.  Alternatively, we can
   just assert that if you want to run the unittest you have to download
   and install it yourself.

   Let's hear any thoughts on check or how it might be included.  Let me
   know if you have an alternate favorite unit testing framework for
   C.

I used check for a project once. It is in fact the best (simple,
documented and GPLv3 compatible) option I can think on.

I think that to ask the user to install check in order to compile and
run the testsuite is a reasonable approach. We can check the
availability of check.h using autoconf.

   On another topic, why are there so may void*  argument types in the
   code?  I believe this is asking for headaches later on.

void* arguments are used to provide generic interfaces. It is used in
two internal interfaces: the backend and filter interfaces to
streams, documented in pdf_stm.h.

   On yet another topic, I have not been able to find the design
   documents.  Is there a document (or wiki page) that outlines what
   the library will do?  A pseudo-code, fantasy api would be very
   helpful.  I have a hard time imagining what you are building
   without that. Who are the consumers of this library?  What are the
   inputs and outputs?  What is the memory management mechanism?

I am working in that issue right now. The development wiki
(http://gnupdf.org/wiki) is going to contain both the design of the
library and free documentation about the PDF format.

-- 
Jose E. Marchesi <address@hidden>

Project Engineer
Real Time System Division
Deimos Space, SL (http://www.deimos-space.com)