Alternatively to sequential test cases (Doc TestCase) there is another way to define a test case using the TestCaseTable markup.
Normal usage#
The TestCaseTable markup allows to specify a test case in a tabular fashion. Each row specifies a set of values to be applied with a specified timestamp to the current problem solving session. Optionally we can define some checks to be performed after the current set of values was applied.
The first two columns of TestCaseTable are Name and Time. Both are optional. If both are present, Name must occure before Time. In the column Name you can give a name or description for the different test rows. In the column Time, you can specify the timestamp at which the values of the row will be applied and the checks will be executed. If there is no column Time, the rows will just be applied sequentially.
Following, each column can specify one question or solution. The cells of these columns will define the value to be set to that question or solution in this row. If such a cell is empty, the value of the variable will not change in that row.
Again optionally, you can add the column Checks. This column specifies checks to be executed in that row. All conditions from the rule markup can be used as checks.
%%TestCaseTable || Time || Engine noises|| "Check: Ignition timing."||"Average mileage /100km"|| Checks | 0s | ringing | | | Bad ignition timing = Suggested | 1s | ringing | ok | 10.0 | Bad ignition timing = Excluded @name: TableTestCase %
Renders as:
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The annotation name optionally specifies a name of the table, if no name is specified, the tables gets numbered.
Defining a Test Case with a another Test Case as its Prefix#
The TestCaseTable markup allows to define any other named TestCaseTable as its prefix. When viewed in the TestCasePlayer, both cases are stitched together and are viewed and run as one. This is useful, if you have many test cases for the same knowledge base, that for example share a common initialization or start sequence. This common initialization can then be defined as a prefix test case to be prepended to all the actual test cases.
The last row of the prefix test case and the first row of actual test case are merged into one, so it is advisable to define the last row in the prefix test case (or the first of the actual test case) empty with just a time stamp. This way, it is possible to define the time gap between the prefix and the actual test case. All time stamps in the actual test case are shifted to the future by the time it takes to run the prefix test case (defined by the timestamps of the prefix).
The prefix mechanism works recursively, so it is possible to set a test case that has a prefix as the prefix of yet another test case (and so forth).
Example for Usage of Prefixes#
First, we define our prefix test case where we initialize some variables like weight, height, and age. They will not change during the test case, so they can easily be extracted to the prefix. We add a second line, where we set the time stamp to 5 min. In the screenshot below, you will see, that all the time stamps will be shifted by 5 minutes because of this. (Since this is a simple example, the 5 minutes are not really necessary for this test case. They are for demonstration purposes only.)
Note the annotation @name, it will be referenced below.
%%TestCaseTable || Name || Time || Checks || Weight || Height || Age | Normal adult values | 0s | | 75 | 1.8 | 21 | | 5min | | | | @name: Initial Questions %
%%TestCaseTable || Name || Time || Checks || Heart rate || Physical activity of last 5 minutes | Being at rest for 5 minutes | 0s | Heart rate monitor = Normal | 65 | Non | | 1s | Heart rate monitor = Too high | 110 | | | 2s | Heart rate monitor = Too low | 45 | @name: At Rest @prefix: Initial Questions %
%%TestCaseTable || Name || Time || Checks || Heart rate || Physical activity of last 5 minutes | Hard physical activity| 0s | Heart rate monitor = Normal | 160 | Hard | | 1s | Heart rate monitor = Too high | 210 | | | 2s | Heart rate monitor = Too low | 90 | @name: Hard physical activity @prefix: Initial Questions %
Together with a TestCasePlayer it renders like this:
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