We present a strategy for the automatic generation of test cases from parametrised use case templates that capture control flow, state, input and output. Our approach allows test scenario selection based on particular traces or states of the model. The templates are internally represented as CSP processes with explicit input and output alphabets, and test generation is expressed as counter-examples of refinement checking, mechanised using the FDR tool. Soundness is addressed through an input–output conformance relation formally defined in the CSP traces model. This purely process algebraic characterisation of testing has some potential advantages, mainly an easy automation of conformance verification and test case generation via model checking, without the need to develop any explicit algorithm.
Abstract. This paper contributes to a testing theory, based on the CSP process algebra, whose conformance relation (cspio) distinguishes input and output events. Although cspio has been defined in terms of the standard CSP traces model, we show that our theory can be immediately extended to address deadlock, outputlock and livelock situations if a special output event is used to represent quiescence. This is formally established by showing that this broader view of cspio is equivalent to Tretmans' ioco relation. Furthermore, we address compositional conformance verification, establishing compositionality properties for cspio with respect to process composition operators. Our testing theory has been adopted in an industrial context involving a collaboration with Motorola, whose focus is on the testing of mobile applications. Some examples are presented to illustrate the overall approach.
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