Test::Simple(3p) Perl Programmers Reference Guide Test::Simple(3p) #
Test::Simple(3p) Perl Programmers Reference Guide Test::Simple(3p)
NNAAMMEE #
Test::Simple - Basic utilities for writing tests.
SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS #
use Test::Simple tests => 1;
ok( $foo eq $bar, 'foo is bar' );
DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN #
** If you are unfamiliar with testing rreeaadd TTeesstt::::TTuuttoorriiaall ffiirrsstt!! **
This is an extremely simple, extremely basic module for writing tests
suitable for CPAN modules and other pursuits. If you wish to do more
complicated testing, use the Test::More module (a drop-in replacement for
this one).
The basic unit of Perl testing is the ok. For each thing you want to
test your program will print out an "ok" or "not ok" to indicate pass or
fail. You do this with the "ok()" function (see below).
The only other constraint is you must pre-declare how many tests you plan
to run. This is in case something goes horribly wrong during the test
and your test program aborts, or skips a test or whatever. You do this
like so:
use Test::Simple tests => 23;
You must have a plan.
ookk
ok( $foo eq $bar, $name );
ok( $foo eq $bar );
"ok()" is given an expression (in this case "$foo eq $bar"). If it's
true, the test passed. If it's false, it didn't. That's about it.
"ok()" prints out either "ok" or "not ok" along with a test number
(it keeps track of that for you).
# This produces "ok 1 - Hell not yet frozen over" (or not ok)
ok( get_temperature($hell) > 0, 'Hell not yet frozen over' );
If you provide a $name, that will be printed along with the "ok/not
ok" to make it easier to find your test when if fails (just search
for the name). It also makes it easier for the next guy to
understand what your test is for. It's highly recommended you use
test names.
All tests are run in scalar context. So this:
ok( @stuff, 'I have some stuff' );
will do what you mean (fail if stuff is empty)
Test::Simple will start by printing number of tests run in the form
"1..M" (so "1..5" means you're going to run 5 tests). This strange
format lets Test::Harness know how many tests you plan on running in case
something goes horribly wrong.
If all your tests passed, Test::Simple will exit with zero (which is
normal). If anything failed it will exit with how many failed. If you
run less (or more) tests than you planned, the missing (or extras) will
be considered failures. If no tests were ever run Test::Simple will
throw a warning and exit with 255. If the test died, even after having
successfully completed all its tests, it will still be considered a
failure and will exit with 255.
So the exit codes are...
0 all tests successful
255 test died or all passed but wrong # of tests run
any other number how many failed (including missing or extras)
If you fail more than 254 tests, it will be reported as 254.
This module is by no means trying to be a complete testing system. It's
just to get you started. Once you're off the ground its recommended you
look at Test::More.
EEXXAAMMPPLLEE #
Here's an example of a simple .t file for the fictional Film module.
use Test::Simple tests => 5;
use Film; # What you're testing.
my $btaste = Film->new({ Title => 'Bad Taste',
Director => 'Peter Jackson',
Rating => 'R',
NumExplodingSheep => 1
});
ok( defined($btaste) && ref $btaste eq 'Film', 'new() works' );
ok( $btaste->Title eq 'Bad Taste', 'Title() get' );
ok( $btaste->Director eq 'Peter Jackson', 'Director() get' );
ok( $btaste->Rating eq 'R', 'Rating() get' );
ok( $btaste->NumExplodingSheep == 1, 'NumExplodingSheep() get' );
It will produce output like this:
1..5
ok 1 - new() works
ok 2 - Title() get
ok 3 - Director() get
not ok 4 - Rating() get
# Failed test 'Rating() get'
# in t/film.t at line 14.
ok 5 - NumExplodingSheep() get
# Looks like you failed 1 tests of 5
Indicating the FFiillmm::::RRaattiinngg(()) method is broken.
CCAAVVEEAATTSS #
Test::Simple will only report a maximum of 254 failures in its exit code.
If this is a problem, you probably have a huge test script. Split it
into multiple files. (Otherwise blame the Unix folks for using an
unsigned short integer as the exit status).
Because VMS's exit codes are much, much different than the rest of the
universe, and perl does horrible mangling to them that gets in my way, it
works like this on VMS.
0 SS$_NORMAL all tests successful
4 SS$_ABORT something went wrong
Unfortunately, I can't differentiate any further.
NNOOTTEESS #
Test::Simple is eexxpplliicciittllyy tested all the way back to perl 5.6.0.
Test::Simple is thread-safe in perl 5.8.1 and up.
HHIISSTTOORRYY #
This module was conceived while talking with Tony Bowden in his kitchen
one night about the problems I was having writing some really complicated
feature into the new Testing module. He observed that the main problem
is not dealing with these edge cases but that people hate to write tests
aatt aallll. What was needed was a dead simple module that took all the hard
work out of testing and was really, really easy to learn. Paul Johnson
simultaneously had this idea (unfortunately, he wasn't in Tony's
kitchen). This is it.
SSEEEE AALLSSOO #
Test::More
More testing functions! Once you outgrow Test::Simple, look at
Test::More. Test::Simple is 100% forward compatible with Test::More
(i.e. you can just use Test::More instead of Test::Simple in your
programs and things will still work).
Look in Test::More's SEE ALSO for more testing modules.
AAUUTTHHOORRSS #
Idea by Tony Bowden and Paul Johnson, code by Michael G Schwern
<schwern@pobox.com>, wardrobe by Calvin Klein.
MMAAIINNTTAAIINNEERRSS #
Chad Granum <exodist@cpan.org>
CCOOPPYYRRIIGGHHTT #
Copyright 2001-2008 by Michael G Schwern <schwern@pobox.com>.
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
under the same terms as Perl itself.
See _h_t_t_p_:_/_/_w_w_w_._p_e_r_l_._c_o_m_/_p_e_r_l_/_m_i_s_c_/_A_r_t_i_s_t_i_c_._h_t_m_l
perl v5.36.3 2023-02-15 Test::Simple(3p)