XTest Frequently Asked Questions
Last modification: January 22, 2007
Content
- Why do I get ClassNotFoundException when I run
tests in IDE?
- Should I have to add SPL to test sources
- I don't like the complexity of all the scripts
and configuration files, is there any tool which can help me with it?
- My test contains several support classes, which are
used inside the regular test classes. Where do I place them?
- Where I can store data or resources required by
tests?
- When getting path to resources mounted in IDE's
filesystem repository, it returns weird String instead of the standard
path to the file.
- In my tests I need to use *.java files, but I don't
want them to be compiled.
- What does mean values for 'xtest.source.location'
property in test's build.xml file?
- Can I specify test which I would like to run from
command line?
- Is it possible to pass some system properties to
tests?
- My tests cannot find methods from NbTestCase,
although I have the recent version of nbjunit.jar mounted in the
filesystems.
- How do I find out what version of XTest I'm using?
- The jar with tests (tests.jar) contains only
.class, .jar, .xml, .ser and .properties files and all files in data
folders. I
would like to include files with other extensions.
- Why TransformXML task fails with "Provider
org.apache.xerces.jaxp.SAXParserFactoryImpl not found"?
- I would like to include other files than the ones
matching
to patterns listed in ${xtest.home}/ standard-test-includes.txt. How
should
I do it?
A: It can happen you get ClassNotFoundException when you run
tests inside NetBeans IDE. The exception says it cannot find a class
from your module. To solve it make sure your test is not in the same
package
as missing class. If it is true, use for your tests some different
package
name which cannot clash with existing one (e.g. org.myorg.module.test
or
test.uitest). The problem is that tests are loaded by the system
classloader and modules by the module classloader. And IDE cannot load
classes in the
same package using two different classloaders.
A: Yes, you should, test sources are integral part of netbeans
source repository and thus they have to contain SPL as well as any
other file inside the repository. Do not forget to place SPL to
build.xml files as well.
A: Yes, you can use TestTools module, which should help you
with the XTest setup, configuration and even test development (targeted
mostly at functional GUI tests). The module can be downloaded from
NetBeans's update center via your installation of NetBeans IDE
(Tools/Update Center). You can also look at the
TestTools homepage
, where you can read about it more.
A: Create the hidden sub-package of the package where your test
class lives.
If the support class has to be in the same package as your test class
append the Hidden to the class name. Then you should add folowing lines
to your build script, which will remove hidden classes from the junit
batch test (extend the batchtest element of junit tasks).
<exclude name="**/hidden/**"/>
<exclude name="**/*Hidden.*"/>
A: You should create package named 'data' and store your
data files under it. Only for files placed in package named 'data' is
guaranteed availibility for tests. For example you have test in package
mymodule.myfeature, you just need to create package data
(mymodule.myfeature.data) and place your files here. In your test you
can use the following code when you need to access file named
'myresource.xml' (please note, the NbTestCase.convertNBFSURL() method
is required when running the tests inside IDE and they are mounted in
the file repository (as usually are). For more information, please see
the next question):.
String pathToDataDir = NbTestCase.convertNBFSURL(this.getClass().getResource("data"));
File myResource = new File(pathToDataDir,'myresource.xml');
A: Becasue IDE uses a special protocol when accessing
files mounted in the filesystem repository, you need to convert the
URL to the standard path by NbTestCase.convertNBFSURL() method (see
example in the previous question). Please note, this method guarantees
the correct path is returned only for resources mounted as local
directories
in the IDE's filesystem repository, not for jar/zip archives, CVS
repositories, etc ....
A: You can create your own compiler and include only
files you need to compile. You can also use the standard compiler
(available in module_harness.xml file) and before compiling you
need to set 'compile.excludes' property to include all your files you
don't want to compile. This property is passed to Ant's 'javac' task as
values for attribute 'excludes'. For more details please see
'javac' task in Ant and 'compile-one-dir' target in the
module_harness.xml file.
Example: <property name="compile.excludes" value="**/data/**"/> - no files will be compiled in data directories
A: This property says against which code the tests will
be run. This property can be set to the following values:
- src - tests are run against compiled sources of the tested
code (usually in ${module}/src directory)
- jar - tests are run against built module/jar of the tested
code (usually in ${module}/netbeans/${module}.jar
- ide - tests are run against IDE
A: Yes, you can use the following properties:
- xtest.includes - to include tests to the selected testbag(s),
for example 'ant -Dxtest.includes=HelloWorldTest.class/testGreeting1'
would include test method testGreeting1 from class HelloWorldTest.
- xtest.excludes - to exclude tests from the selected testbag(s)
Please note, xtest.includes and xtest.excludes only adds or
remove additional tests to the current testbag. If you want to run
only one tests specified via command line, you need to create a special
testbag, which will contain no tests by default and use this testbag
when running the desired tests.
A: Yes, it's possible. All properties starting with
"xtest.userdata|" or "xtest.userdata(<attrib>)|", where
<attrib> is one
of attributes used for test execution, are passed to tests. The prefix
is removed before passing.
Examples:
A: You have probably installed JUnit module. This module
contains a slightly older version of nbjunit.jar, which is stored in
the lib/ext directory. You need to upgrade the JUnit module or to
either remove nbjunit.jar file from lib/ext directory or replace it
with the newer version available with XTest.
A: Switch to your ${xtest.home} directory and call 'ant
version'. This should give you the version number of XTest.
Q: The jar with tests (tests.jar) contains only
.class, .jar, .xml, .ser and .properties files and all files in data
folders. I would like to include files with other extensions.
A: When building tests (more exactly in your compiler
target) you can use jartests.includes and jartests.excludes properties
to
specify additional patterns (besides
${xtest.home}/standard-test-includes.txt
and ${xtest.home}/standard-test-excludes.txtx} to be used when packing
the
jar with tests. The format of these properties is the same as
includes/excludes attributes in jar ant task. So for example to include
all java sources in the tests.jar you need to specify
jartests.includes=**/src/*.java
A: You are probably using ant 1.5.x for release35 tests.
Make sure you are using ant 1.4(.1) for release35 - this version is the
only one officially supported for release35.
A: If you cannot (or don't want to) place these files to 'data'
subpackage of your tests, you need to can supply property
'jartests.includes'
to your compiler, which contains a patternset, which files you would
like
to include in the test distribution have to match. Please note, the
patternset
is relative to 'src' node of your tests. For example I would like
include
'.gif' files in my test distribution, so they can be used by tests -
here's
example of a simple compiler dealing with this:
<target name="unit-compiler" depends="set_classpath">
<ant dir="."
antfile="${xtest.module_harness.antfile}"
target="buildtests">
<!-- src dir of my tests -->
<property
name="compile.srcdir"
value="unit/src"/>
<!-- extra includes to test
distribution
-->
<property
name="jartests.includes"
value="**/*.gif"/>
</ant>
</target>
