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Version: 2022

Unit tests

Introduction to unit tests​

A unit test is a way of testing one single unit of software. A unit is the smallest piece of code that can be logically isolated in a system. The purpose is to validate that each unit of the software performs as designed. In most programming languages, it is a function, a subroutine, or a method. In the Software Factory, you can write unit tests for the following logic concepts:

  • Defaults
  • Layouts
  • Contexts
  • Badges
  • Tasks
  • Processes
  • Subroutines (of type Procedure or Scalar Function only)
  • Triggers.

The image below shows the unit test screen. This is the place to create, maintain and execute unit tests.

This image shows the unit test screen Unit tests

Creating a unit test​

menu Quality > Unit tests > tab Maintenance > tab Overview

note

The list in tab Maintenance > Logic shows all the objects for which unit tests can be created. Badges indicate the amount of existing unit tests.

To create a unit test:

  1. Click on the Add new unit test Add task.
  2. Enter a name for the test in field Unit test.
  3. Select a Unit test type.
  4. Fill in at least the other mandatory fields. Which field are requested or mandatory, depends on the selected unit test type and object type.
  5. Click Execute.

Tab Maintenance > Overview is activated.

  1. Select the unit test you created.
  2. Open tab Form.
  3. Click Edit Edit.
  4. Indicate if the unit test should abort if it doesn't succeed, with the Should abort checkbox.
  5. Indicate whether you expect the code to do a rollback or not if an error occurs with the Should rollback checkbox.
  6. A preparation query can be used, for example, to influence parameter values. In tab Preparation, check the Use prepare query box to enable the query field.
  7. The outcome of a unit test can be tested with parameters (see below). But if no output is available, you can verify the outcome with an assertion query, for example, for specific tasks and triggers. The output parameters for a unit test are also available in the assertion query. In tab Assertion, check the Use assertion query box to enable the assertion query field. This field is filled with an example query by default, showing how the assertion result can be thrown when certain conditions are met.

This image shows the assertion query in the unit test screen Assertion query

Parameters in a unit test​

menu Quality > Unit tests > tab Maintenance > tab Overview

It is possible to add parameters to a unit test. Distinction is made between input parameters, output parameters and row filters.

  • The row filters are used in the 'where' clause when testing update or delete triggers.
  • The output parameters will be checked after the unit test has been executed.
  • You can also specify the expected messages. These will also be checked after performing a unit test.

When specific data is needed to meet certain conditions in the code, the best practice is not to rely on live data. Instead, you should use data sets as mock data. In this way, the necessary data is available for the test.

This image shows the mock data selection as detail of the unit test Mock data

(De)activate a unit test​

menu Quality > Unit tests > tab Maintenance > tab Overview

Sometimes a unit test is temporarily unnecessary and shouldn't be executed. Therefore, unit tests can be deactivated and activated again using the Activate unit test and Deactivate unit test tasks.

Deactivate Deactivate a unit test

Rename a unit test​

menu Quality > Unit tests > tab Maintenance > tab Overview

  1. Click the Rename unit test Rename task.
  2. Enter the new name.

Running a unit test​

***menu Quality > Unit tests ***

The Unit tests tab page shows an overview of all the unit tests for the selected project version. By selecting one or multiple rows you can execute the unit tests.

  • Run Run all unit tests.
  • Run selected Execute selected unit tests.

Functionality modeler​

Unit tests can also be created, maintained or executed from the Functionality modeler.

menu Business logic > Functionality > tab Unit tests

This image shows unit tests as a tab page in the functionality modeler Unit test in functionality modeler

The list shows all the unit tests that are directly connected with the program objects on the result page. For example, when a default procedure is created for Employee to combine the first and last name to display name, the written unit test that validates the email address is also shown in the list.

Also, all unit tests are shown that have the selected control procedure linked as primarily.

Coverage analysis​

The Analysis menu group provides two cubes to monitor the unit test code coverage.

note

These cubes rely on the presence of program objects in the model, ensure the definition of the model is fully generated.

Unit test control procedure coverage​

The Unit test control procedure coverage cube shows the ratio of control procedures covered by a unit test. Only control procedures of code groups that allow for unit tests are measured.

There are 3 cube views available:

  • Coverage per code group
  • Coverage per developer
  • General coverage

Coverage per code group Coverage per code group

The coverage status is determined as following. A control procedure can be either:

  • Covered - A program object item created by the control procedure is present in a program object involved directly in any active unit test.
  • Covered (linked only) - The control procedure is linked to an active unit test, but the program object items of this control procedure are not in any program object directly involved in an active unit test.
  • Not covered - The program object items created by this control procedure are part of program objects not directy involved in any unit test, nor is the control procedure linked to an active unit test.

Unit test program object coverage​

The Unit test program object coverage cube is similar to the control procedure coverage cube but measures the number of program objects instead. Only program objects of code groups that can have unit tests are measured.

There are two cube views available:

  • Coverage per code group
  • General coverage
note

The coverage for program objects is generally lower than the coverage for control procedures, as a dynamically assigned control procedure might not have a unit test on every program object where it is assigned.

Data sets for unit tests​

Data sets are collections of data that can be used for testing purposes. The data from this set only exists in the context of your unit test. Every time you run a unit test, the data from your defined data set is added in a transaction. This transaction is rolled back at the end, which means the data will never actually be added to your database.

menu Quality > Unit tests > tab Maintenance > tab Mock data sets

This image shows the data sets screen Data sets

When a data set is created, you can choose tables as data containers for this set. For each table, multiple rows can be added as data. When no rows are specified, the table will contain 0 records. In a data set, you don't need to take foreign key constraints into account. The data container table has references in this context.

The input values for unit test, don't need to exists in the data set. It depends on what you want to test. For example, if you wish to test a business rule to prevent a user from adding a duplicate value, you can add an input value that is already in the data set.

It is also possible to use Identity insert for your data set. If you leave the Identity column empty, an identity value is added automatically. If you define a static value into the Identity column, Identity insert is turned off, and your static value is added instead.

The created data sets can then be selected as mock data for a unit test.

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