Tracking Problems

TestMap Extensions provides several functions to help your test scripts track whether problems still exist or have they been fixed. This can help you in two ways. First, if multiple test cases are failing at the same point in interfacing to the application under test, those duplicate errors will be identified with the appropriate problem number for future test executions. Secondly, when the application has been fixed, the test script will announce that the fix has been verified.

This is supported by injecting function calls around the spot in your test script where the problem was first detected. Just ahead of the part in your test script that provided the input that resulted in the error, add a call to TmBeginProblem specifying the new problem number as the only parameter. After the point where the problem was detected add a call to TmEndProblem with the same problem number parameter. Whenever this section of the test script is executed without error the success is noted. If it fails, the failure will be noted in the results file. A summary at the end of your test execution reports all problem numbers encountered and how many times they passed or failed. This report is provided by the TmReportProblems function that is called as part of the standard test script exit routine.

These functions form the basis for tracking problems within your test execution. They also integrate the data for problem failures into the test results that you can direct to an ASCII file or a database. Your test results database will be automatically updated to show which problems are still being encountered.

The additional functions that support problem symptom recognition work with these basic problem tracking functions so that those problems are also tracked.