Test Argument

Go up to Terms and Definitions

A Test Argument identifies an input or output variable associated with a Sequenced Test Object.

A Test Argument specifies the variable independently of the value assigned during a particular occurrence of the Sequenced Test Object.

A Test Argument can identify:

• Its identity
• Its name
• Its description
• Its data type
• Its direction
• Whether a value is required
• The permitted number of values
• A default Test Argument Value
• Permitted values
• Applicable value constraints
• Its Provenance
• Its Traceability

The direction of a Test Argument can identify the variable as:

• An input
• An output
• Both an input and an output
• Unspecified

A Test Argument can be associated with a:

• Test Set
• Test Case
• Test Step
• Test Executable

A Sequence Step can assign a Test Argument Value to a Test Argument for a particular occurrence of the Sequenced Test Object within a Test Sequence.

identified input or output variable associated with a Sequenced Test Object

Adapted from:

• OMG Test Information Interchange Format (TestIF), Version 1.0 Beta 3, Section 7.2.1, Argument
• Sequenced Test Object
• Sequence Step
• Test Argument Value
• DIDO Reference Implementation Conceptual Model
• DIDO-TE draft Requirements Register

OMG TestIF uses Argument to specify an input or output parameter relevant to performing a step. The DIDO Solutions glossary uses Test Argument to distinguish the TestIF concept from the general-language meaning of argument.

A Test Argument defines a variable. A Test Argument Value assigns a value to that variable.

A Test Argument differs from an Attribute:

• A Test Argument explicitly identifies an input or output associated with a Sequenced Test Object
• An Attribute provides descriptive or extensible information about a Test Object

A Test Argument can define a default Test Argument Value. A Sequence Step can supply a different Test Argument Value when the applicable Test Definition permits the substitution.

A Test Argument can identify multiple values when its permitted multiplicity allows them.

A Test Argument does not prescribe a particular programming-language parameter, command-line option, message field, or serialization representation.

A Test Step submits a proposed DIDO transaction.

The Test Step defines the following Test Arguments:

• transaction as a required input
• targetNode as a required input
• submissionIdentifier as an output
• submissionStatus as an output

A Sequence Step assigns the proposed transaction and target Node as Test Argument Values for one occurrence of the Test Step.

During Test Execution, the resulting Test Run records the input and output Test Argument Values associated with the executed Sequence Step.