A transformation-based approach to testing concurrent programs using UML activity diagrams

UML activity diagrams are widely used to model concurrent interaction among multiple objects. In this paper, we propose a transformation-based approach to generating scenario-oriented test cases for applications modeled by UML activity diagrams. Using a set of transformation rules, the proposed approach first transforms a UML activity diagram specification into an intermediate representation, from which it then constructs test scenarios with respect to the given concurrency coverage criteria. The approach then finally derives a set of test cases for the constructed test scenarios. The approach resolves the difficulties associated with fork and join concurrency in the UML activity diagram, and enables control over the number of the resulting test cases. We further implemented a tool to automate the proposed approach, and studied its feasibility and effectiveness using a case study. Experimental results show that the approach can generate test cases on demand to satisfy a given concurrency coverage criterion, and can detect up to 76.5% of seeded faults when a weak coverage criterion is used. With the approach, testers can not only schedule the software test process earlier, but can also better allocate the testing resources for testing concurrent applications

Testing-based process for component substitutability

Software components have emerged to ease the assembly of software systems. However, updates of systems by substitution or upgrades of components demand careful management due to stability risks of deployed systems. Replacement components must be properly evaluated to identify if they provide the expected behaviour affected by substitution. To address this problem, this paper proposes a substitutability assessment process in which the regular compatibility analysis is complemented with the use of black-box testing criteria. The purpose is to observe the components' behaviour by analysing their internal functions of data transformation, which fulfils the observability testing metric. The approach is conceptually based on the technique Back-to-Back testing. When a component should be replaced, a specific Test Suite TS is built in order to represent its behavioural facets, viz. a Component Behaviour TS. This TS is later exercised on candidate upgrades or replacement components with the purpose of identifying the required compatibility. Automation of the process is supported through the testooj tool, which constrains the conditions and steps of the whole process in order to provide a rigorous and reliable approach.Fil: Flores, Andrés Pablo. Universidad Nacional del Comahue. Facultad de Informática. Departamento Ingeniería de Sistemas; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Patagonia Confluencia; ArgentinaFil: Polo, Macario. Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha; Españ

Automatic model - based test case generation for uml diagrams using tree travelsal algorithm

The foundation of any model-based testing (MBT) with Unified Modelling Language (UML) diagrams is test case generation (TCG) which predicts the expected functionalities of a system under test (SUT). However, problems associated with existing test case generation methods are lack of integration with various UML diagrams and tools, inability to cover all the model elements of UML diagrams, failure to generate comprehensive test cases based on adequate coverage criteria and lack of support tools for automatic generation of test cases. To address these challenges, efficient mapping strategies for model elements that engenders effective artefacts extraction and test case generation processes were proposed. The methodology employed in this research comprised constructing relevant models and algorithms as well as implementing with the use of Java programming language. Specifically, an enhanced elements mapper, artefacts extractor (parser) and test case generator were developed and integrated to produce the support tool. The elements mapper yielded an accuracy result of 99.31%. The artefacts extractor recorded 99.64% accuracy while the test case generator recorded 100% accuracy. The improved methods proved to be more robust and efficiently generated quality test cases with eliminated redundancies based on all the descriptive attributes of UML diagrams. Limitations of existing the methods were addressed in the proposed method which is able to integrate more diagrams to generate quality test cases

The effects of monetary and non-monetary incentives on respondent attrition in longitudinal survey

Longitudinal studies are essential for governments and organizations as they help in making decisions that are based on factual data. Longitudinal studies collect data repeatedly from a set of participants over a period of time, enabling the tracking and studying of entity behaviour at individual, organizational, and national levels. One major challenge facing longitudinal data collection is the attrition of subjects during the course of the study, which is the continuous loss of participants during a longitudinal survey due to verbal drop-outs and non-response. Attrition can render datasets useless due to incomplete entries, making it one of the most significant weaknesses of longitudinal surveys. In order to explore the effects of incentives on attrition, this research project studies the effects of monetary and non-monetary incentives on explicit (subject says s/he does not want to be part of the study) and implicit (non-response) attrition. In particular, this study uses telephonically delivered feedback, derived from participant responses, as non-monetary incentives. To measure the effects of incentives on attrition, the study gave four treatments groups —50 participants each—mobile credit, verbally delivered feedback, machine delivered feedback and no incentive. After monitoring their attrition, over a 12-week period that involved bi-weekly surveys, a generalised linear model and Cochran’s q-test were used to find that monetary incentives remain the strongest in under-served community settings. It was not only found that monetary incentive treatments completed the most surveys most weeks, but also had the least explicit attrition. Surprisingly it was also found that machine delivered feedback performed similarly to mobile credit when the cost, social impact and participant behaviour in terms of their survey completion and attrition is assessed

Testabdeckungsmaße für den Integrationstest von E/E-Systemen im Fahrzeug

Die vorliegende Masterarbeit beschäftigt sich mit Testabdeckungsmaßen für den Integrationstest von E/E-Systemen. E/E-Systeme bestehen aus E/E-Komponenten (z.B. Steuergeräte, Sensoren und Aktoren) und sind fester Bestandteil bzw. Zukunftstrend in der Automobilindustrie. Beispielsweise befinden sich in einer modernen Mercedes-Benz S-Klasse je nach Ausstattung ca. 100 Steuergeräte. Komponenten der E/E-Systeme werden i.d.R. von Zulieferern isoliert entwickelt, getestet und als Black-Box an den Fahrzeughersteller (OEM) übergeben. Letzterer integriert die Komponenten zu Sub-/Systemen und testet deren Zusammenwirken. Oft wird zur Bewertung der Testgüte lediglich die Anforderungsabdeckung gemessen. Ziel dieser Arbeit war die Entwicklung von ergänzenden Testabdeckungsmaßen für den black-box-orientierten Integrationstest. Weiterhin sollte ein Konzept zur Nutzung der entwickelten Maße in einer erweiterten Teststrategie entworfen werden. Da es sich bei den E/E-Komponenten um Black-Boxes handelt, sind auch die beim Softwareintegrationstest einsetzbaren Testabdeckungsmaße wie Anweisungs-, Zweig- und Pfadüberdeckung nicht direkt einsetzbar. In der Literatur konnten keine veröffentlichten Testabdeckungsmaße zu diesem Thema ermittelt werden. Daher wurden aus dem Softwaretest bekannte Testabdeckungsmaße auf den Integrationstest von E/E-Systemen übertragen. Diese basieren auf Architektur- und Schnittstellenbeschreibungen, Zustandsautomaten und Kommunikationsmatrizen. Zur Evaluierung wurde der Einsatz der Testabdeckungsmaße anhand von Fallbeispielen demonstriert und durch Expertenbefragungen bewertet