NAME
Test::Command - Test routines for external commands
VERSION
Version 0.01
SYNOPSIS
Test the exit status, STDOUT or STDERR of an external command.
use Test::Command;
## testing exit status
my $cmd = 'true';
exit_is_num($cmd, 0);
exit_cmp_ok($cmd, '<', 10);
$cmd = 'false';
exit_isnt_num($cmd, 0);
## testing STDOUT
$cmd = [qw/ echo out /]; ## run as "system @$cmd"
my $file_exp = 'echo_stdout.exp';
stdout_is_eq($cmd, "out\n");
stdout_isnt_eq($cmd, "out");
stdout_is_file($cmd, $file_exp);
## testing STDERR
$cmd = 'echo err >&2';
stderr_like($cmd, /err/);
stderr_unlike($cmd, /rre/);
stderr_cmp_ok($cmd, 'eq', "err\n");
## run-once-test-many-OO-style
## the first test lazily runs command
## second test uses cached results
my $echo_test = Test::Command->new( cmd => 'echo out' );
$echo_test->exit_is_num(0);
$echo_test->stdout_is_eq("out\n");
## force a re-run of the command
$echo_test->run;
DESCRIPTION
Test::Command
intends to bridge the gap between the well tested functions and objects you choose and their usage in your programs. By examining the exit status, STDOUT and STDERR of your program you can determine if it is behaving as expected.
This includes testing the various combinations and permutations of options and arguments as well as the interactions between the various functions and objects that make up your program.
The various test functions below can accept either a command string or an array reference for the first argument. If the command is expressed as a string it is passed to system
as is. If the command is expressed as an array reference it is dereferenced and passed to system
as a list. See 'perldoc -f system
' for how these may differ.
The final argument for the test functions, $name
, is optional. By default the $name
is a concatenation of the test function name, the command string and the expected value. This construction is generally sufficient for identifying a failing test, but you may always specify your own $name
if desired.
Any of the test functions can be used as instance methods on a Test::Command
object. This is done by dropping the initial $cmd
argument and instead using arrow notation.
All of the following exit_is_num
calls are equivalent.
exit_is_num('true', 0);
exit_is_num('true', 0, 'exit_is_num: true, 0');
exit_is_num(['true'], 0);
exit_is_num(['true'], 0, 'exit_is_num: true, 0');
my $cmd = Test::Command->new( cmd => 'true' );
exit_is_num($cmd, 0);
exit_is_num($cmd, 0, 'exit_is_num: true, 0');
$cmd->exit_is_num(0);
$cmd->exit_is_num(0, 'exit_is_num: true, 0');
$cmd = Test::Command->new( cmd => ['true'] );
exit_is_num($cmd, 0);
exit_is_num($cmd, 0, 'exit_is_num: true, 0');
$cmd->exit_is_num(0);
$cmd->exit_is_num(0, 'exit_is_num: true, 0');
EXPORT
All of the test functions mentioned below are exported by default.
METHODS
new
my $test_cmd_obj = Test::Command->new( cmd => $cmd )
This constructor creates and returns a Test::Command
object. Use this to test multiple aspects of a single command execution while avoiding repeatedly running commands which are slow or resource intensive.
The cmd
parameter can accept either a string or an array reference for its value. The value is dereferenced if necessary and passed directly to the system
builtin.
run
$test_cmd_obj->run;
This instance method forces the execution of the command specified by the invocant.
You only need to call this when you wish to re-run a command since the first test method invoked will lazily execute the command if necessary. However, if the state of your inputs has changed and you wish to re-run the command, you may do so by invoking this method at any point between your tests.
FUNCTIONS
Testing Exit Status
The test routines below compare against the exit status of the executed command right shifted by 8 (that is, $? >> 8
).
exit_is_num
exit_is_num($cmd, $exp_num, $name)
If the exit status of the command is numerically equal to the expected number, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
exit_isnt_num
exit_isnt_num($cmd, $unexp_num, $name)
If the exit status of the command is not numerically equal to the given number, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
exit_cmp_ok
exit_cmp_ok($cmd, $op, $operand, $name)
If the exit status of the command is compared with the given operand using the given operator, and that operation returns true, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
Testing STDOUT
Except where specified, the test routines below treat STDOUT as a single slurped string.
stdout_is_eq
stdout_is_eq($cmd, $exp_string, $name)
If the STDOUT of the command is equal (compared using eq
) to the expected string, then this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stdout_isnt_eq
stdout_isnt_eq($cmd, $unexp_string, $name)
If the STDOUT of the command is not equal (compared using eq
) to the given string, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stdout_is_num
stdout_is_num($cmd, $exp_num, $name)
If the STDOUT of the command is equal (compared using ==
) to the expected number, then this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stdout_isnt_num
stdout_isnt_num($cmd, $unexp_num, $name)
If the STDOUT of the command is not equal (compared using ==
) to the given number, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stdout_like
stdout_like($cmd, $exp_regex, $name)
If the STDOUT of the command matches the expected regular expression, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stdout_unlike
stdout_unlike($cmd, $unexp_regex, $name)
If the STDOUT of the command does not match the given regular expression, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stdout_cmp_ok
stdout_cmp_ok($cmd, $op, $operand, $name)
If the STDOUT of the command is compared with the given operand using the given operator, and that operation returns true, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stdout_is_file
stdout_is_file($cmd, $exp_file, $name)
If the STDOUT of the command is equal (compared using eq
) to the contents of the given file, then this passes. Otherwise it fails. Note that this comparison is performed line by line, rather than slurping the entire file.
Testing STDERR
Except where specified, the test routines below treat STDERR as a single slurped string.
stderr_is_eq
stderr_is_eq($cmd, $exp_string, $name)
If the STDERR of the command is equal (compared using eq
) to the expected string, then this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stderr_isnt_eq
stderr_isnt_eq($cmd, $unexp_string, $name)
If the STDERR of the command is not equal (compared using eq
) to the given string, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stderr_is_num
stderr_is_num($cmd, $exp_num, $name)
If the STDERR of the command is equal (compared using ==
) to the expected number, then this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stderr_isnt_num
stderr_isnt_num($cmd, $unexp_num, $name)
If the STDERR of the command is not equal (compared using ==
) to the given number, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stderr_like
stderr_like($cmd, $exp_regex, $name)
If the STDERR of the command matches the expected regular expression, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stderr_unlike
stderr_unlike($cmd, $unexp_regex, $name)
If the STDERR of the command does not match the given regular expression, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stderr_cmp_ok
stderr_cmp_ok($cmd, $op, $operand, $name)
If the STDERR of the command is compared with the given operand using the given operator, and that operation returns true, this passes. Otherwise it fails.
stderr_is_file
stderr_is_file($cmd, $exp_file, $name)
If the STDERR of the command is equal (compared using eq
) to the contents of the given file, then this passes. Otherwise it fails. Note that this comparison is performed line by line, rather than slurping the entire file.
AUTHOR
Daniel B. Boorstein, <danboo at cpan.org>
BUGS
Please report any bugs or feature requests to bug-test-command at rt.cpan.org
, or through the web interface at http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Test-Command. I will be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your bug as I make changes.
SUPPORT
You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command.
perldoc Test::Command
You can also look for information at:
AnnoCPAN: Annotated CPAN documentation
CPAN Ratings
RT: CPAN's request tracker
Search CPAN
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Test::Builder by Michael Schwern allowed me to focus on the specifics related to testing system commands by making it easy to produce proper test output.
COPYRIGHT & LICENSE
Copyright 2007 Daniel B. Boorstein, all rights reserved.
This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.
DEVELOPMENT IDEAS
optionally save the temp files with STDOUT and STDERR for user debugging
if user defines all options and sample arguments to basic command
create tool to enumerate all possible means of calling program
allow testing with randomized/permuted/collapsed opts and args
make use of POSIX::W* constants and macros to test exit by signal
potential test functions:
time_lt($cmd, $seconds)
time_gt($cmd, $seconds)
stdout_line_custom($cmd, \&code)
stderr_line_custom($cmd, \&code)
SEE ALSO
Test::Builder provides the testing methods used in this module.
Test::Builder::Module is the superclass of this module.