parted-1.8.7/debug/test/HOWTO

==============================================================================
			PARTED REGRESSION TEST HOWTO
==============================================================================

	by Andrew Clausen

	Copyright (C) 2002 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
	This document may be distributed and/or modified
	without restriction


CONTENTS
--------

1	Introduction
2	What you need
3	Setting up testrc
4	Running the tests

5	How the tests work


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1	INTRODUCTION
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This document describes how to safely configure and run the GNU Parted
regression tests.

Regression tests are a set of "test cases" (or program inputs, whatever),
that have a well defined "correct" and "broken".  The idea is to run
regression tests after making changes, to check you didn't break anything.
They are also useful for testing Parted in a new environment... perhaps
you're computer has something peculiar that breaks it.

Therefore, it's helpful for you to run Parted regression tests.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2	WHAT YOU NEED
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You need:
 * a spare hard drive (for GNU/Linux... haven't tried GNU/Hurd)
   This is because only gendisk block devices can have partition tables.
 * msdos partition table support in the kernel (for Linux).  (FIXME: can
   use our shiny new partprobe!)
 * file system support for ext2 and fat
 * a reasonably standard GNU system, with diff(1), bash(1), e2fsck(8),
   dosfsck(8), etc.
 * parted, compiled in it's source directory.  i.e. ./configure && make
 * a test data source, between 100 and 150 Mb, that contains all
   lower-case filenames, and no symlinks.  It must have a significant
   (i.e. at least 5%) amount of data in a subdirectory.
	You can convert filenames to lowercase with:

	cd /data-source
	echo 'mv $1 $( echo $1 | tr A-Z a-z )' > tolower
	chmod a+x tolower
	find | grep [A-Z] | xargs -l1 ./tolower
	rm tolower

	(Hint: if you don't trust me, stick an "echo" before mv, and
	it'll print out what it's going to do ;)


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3	SETTING UP TESTRC
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The testrc must be configured for your system.  The tests will refuse
to run if you don't.  I'll work from top-to-bottom, describing how
to fill in each value:


3.1	TEST_HOST
-----------------
This field must match the output of hostname(1).  This is just a safety
check, so you don't use the wrong testrc file, and destroy the wrong
data ;)

Example:
	TEST_HOST=mirkwood

3.2	TEST_PARTED_BASE
------------------------
This is the directory where you untarred and compiled parted:

Example:
	TEST_PARTED_BASE=~clausen/parted-1.4.20

3.3	TEST_PARTED_COMMAND
---------------------------
You shouldn't need to change this.  It's just where to find parted.

Example:
	TEST_PARTED_COMMAND=$TEST_PARTED_BASE/parted/parted

3.4	TEST_PARTED_CLEARFAT
----------------------------
You shouldn't need to change this.  It's just where to find clearfat,
a special tool to help test Parted's fat code.  All it does is zero
out unused (meta)data.  (There were cases in the past where stale
metadata was making it appear that parted was working, when it wasn't)

Example:
	TEST_PARTED_CLEARFAT=$TEST_PARTED_BASE/debug/clearfat/clearfat

3.5	TEST_DRIVE
------------------
The drive to be completely clobbered!  i.e. where testing will occur.
Needless to say, I hope you don't have anything important there.
Example:

Example:
	TEST_DRIVE=/dev/hdc

3.6	TEST_DRIVE
------------------
The size of the disk, in megabytes, excluding the fractional part (decimal
point).  You can get this from Parted's print output.  (Geometry of
/dev/hdc is 0.0-*THIS IS IT*).

Example:
	TEST_DRIVE_SIZE=8063

3.7	TEST_MOUNT_POINT
------------------------
A mount point that the tests can use, to mount $TEST_DRIVE.  Obviously, you
need to create it with mkdir(1).

Example:
	TEST_MOUNT_POINT=/mnt/test

3.8	TEST_DATA
-----------------
Where to get test data from.  See advice in section 2 for requirements
on the test data.

Example:
	TEST_DATA=/var/www

3.9	TEST_DATA_HOLE
----------------------
A directory inside $TEST_DATA, that will be deleted to create some
fragmentation.  It should be at least 5% and at most 80% of the
test data.

Example:
	TEST_DATA_HOLE=icons

3.10	TEST_FS_USE_DISK_LABEL
------------------------------
Which disk label to use for testing file systems.  At the moment, only
msdos is supported/tested, although most should work.

Example:
	TEST_FS_USE_DISK_LABEL=msdos

3.11	QUIET_KERNEL
--------------------
Set to 1 if you want to shut up the kernel's annoying messages

Example:
	QUIET_KERNEL=1

3.12	VERBOSE_LOGS
--------------------
Set to 1 if you want logging of everything, including successful tests.

Example:
	VERBOSE_LOGS=1

3.13	MALLOC_TRACE
--------------------
Uncomment this if you want to do malloc() debugging with mtrace.
TODO: document this.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
4	RUNNING THE TESTS
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4.1	Starting the tests
--------------------------
To run the tests, you must be root.  To run all tests, type:

	./test

To run a subset of tests, you can type part of the file name of
those tests.  For example, to run all partition table tests, type:

	./test disk

Or the FAT tests:

	./test fat

4.2	Stopping the tests
--------------------------
If you want to interrupt the tests, the easiest way is:

	(1) hit ctrl-z on the controlling virtual console / terminal
	(2) run "ps", with no arguments
	(3) run "kill -9 [PID]", where [PID] is the process id of
	    "test"

4.3	Examining the logs
--------------------------
In progress logs are written to test_out.  After each test completes,
it's output (from test_out), among other things is appended to test_log

To check if any tests failed, type:

	grep failed test_log > /dev/null && echo FAILED || echo PASSED

If some tests failed, check the logs to see what the problem is.  You
may have set up the regression tests incorrectly.

4.4	Sending bug reports
---------------------------
If you think it's a bug (or you're not sure), email us!

	bug-parted@gnu.org

Please attach the test_log.  Gzip it first ;)


------------------------------------------------------------------------------
5	HOW THE TESTS WORK
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Parted has regression tests for all partition table formats, and for
the ext2, fat and linuxswap.  The partition table tests are mainly
"Create problem X and test that parted complains about it".  It
doesn't compare output... only if parted reports error, and that it
doesn't segfault.
	The file system tests are mainly "do some operation on the
file system, and check it's still got the same data", via diff(1).
Also, it runs dosfsck(1) and e2fsck(1).