[RESOLVED] Test Cases

Rodney_H_

Greetings and Salutations.

We are working on a project for a large corporation, and are developing an online application for them using PHP/MySQL.

They have requested that we write some "Test Cases" for the application, so they may use them during the testing phase.

Has anyone written, or have experience with, Test Cases?

Please advise best practices, or basic how-to. I have been Googling, but specific advice for PHP-ers would be a very helpful thing.

Thanks.

joshmpratt

I'm assuming that they want you to just put some stuff together for them to try. They would probably like to see and experience your work before they have you do something much bigger and elaborate.

Rodney_H_

joshmpratt,

That may be the case. They do want me to put something together that lists all the contingencies and possible results.

(hopefully they will like what we are doing for them, and want to hire us to do more/bigger things in the future. I could hardly imagine a better client than they have proven to be thus far... that is why we want to write out some thoughtful, helpful test cases.)

Thanks.

Blulagoon

When I've been asked for test cases, I've asked the client to describe some scenarios that they think might be typical for the application concerned, and then used that information to develop the test cases.

HTH - Blu

NogDog

The classic structure of a test case has three main parts for each case: (1) the initial conditions, (2) the input/action, and (3) the expected result. To those you'll probably want to add a test case ID, possibly a requirements traceability column (if you have formal requirements to which you can trace), and a catch-all "notes" column.

However, a caveat here is that the term "test case" is rather loosely used in many situations in this business, so the first thing I would ascertain is whether the above-described list of test cases is what they're really looking for, or if they really want more of a test procedure document that essentially provides a step by step narrative which a tester would follow in order to test the system or some aspect of it.

If you really want to dig into the whole subject of testing, I highly recommend the forums at www.QAForums.com .

MarkR

There are several types of test case you should consider:

Unit testing - testing that a given function (typically) works as described. Example: you have an IsValidEmail() function - write test cases which check that it produces the right answer with various valid and invalid inputs.
Integration / end-to-end testing - testing the entire application as if the end user were using it. These will test everything together (hence highly useful), but probably can't cover as many error paths as a unit test.

Both can be automated. Unit tests can be automated by things such as PHPUnit. Integration testing can be automated by things such as Selenium.

Integration testing is also sometimes done manually to a script. (e.g. "Put product T-shirt in basket, go to checkout, register a new customer" etc)

Mark

Roger_Ramjet

The purpose of a test case is to establish that a specific requirement has been met. This first implies that a formal Specification of Requirements exists. For each itemised requirement, or sub-requirement, you would specify where and how it has been met and the conditions and variables that can be used to prove that this is the case.

The actual methods and tools that the client will use is up to them, so a test case should be an abstract written document of inputs, conditions and expected outputs rather than a description or list of instructions.

Rodney_H_

Thanks, everyone.

I much appreciate your time/experience/expertise.

Peace.

Rodney_H_

(see below if you can help me/advise me how to improve what I have)

Rodney_H_

Here is what I have so far...

Any comments/advice would be appreciated. (I have never written these before, so, if they look incomplete, or not proper in formatting, please let me know.)

Again, thanks in advance.

Sweepstakes: Web-based Application
General Requirements:

1) Begins on March 1, 2007 at 12:00 a.m. ET

2) Ends on April 15, 2007 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET

3) Sweepstakes “micro-site” location: www.sweepstakes.com

4) Before and after the official “promotion period”, visitors to the “micro-site” will be redirected to the client’s main website

5) One entry per member

6) Entry must be made within official “promotion period”

7) Entrant must agree to the “official rules”

8) Entrant must be authenticated by: First name, last name and member ID.

9) Once a member enters the sweepstakes, they will have twenty-four hours to upload a photo (if they so choose), but this is not required.

10) Photo must be from a member vacation taken within the last three (3) years.

11) Photo must be a maximum size of 2MB.

12) Photo must be in JPEG, GIF, BMP, or PNG file format.

13) Photo must be uploaded via this form. No email or mail entries will be accepted.

14) Photo becomes the property of The Client.

15) After a photo has been uploaded, their registration “closes”, and they will not be provided an opportunity to add another image.

Test Cases:

Visit the micro-site to enter sweepstakes
Expected result: A sweepstakes entry form will be displayed allowing members to authenticate themselves, agree to the rules, and enter the sweepstakes.

Submit sweepstakes entry form without agreeing to rules
Expected result: An “Error Message” should be displayed urging you to agree to the official rules. The message should go on to state that you will not be allowed to proceed until you agree to the rules, but, should you not agree, you will be provided with a link to return from the micro-site to the main The Client website.

Submit sweepstakes entry form without entering every required item
Expected result: An “Error Message” should be displayed stating that there are required fields that have been left empty.

Submit sweepstakes entry form with “bogus” or incorrect information
Expected result: An “Error Message” should be displayed stating that the information that was entered on the form does not match any record in the database. In other words, the user has not been authenticated.

Submit sweepstakes entry form successfully for the first time
Expected result: A “Thank You Message” should be displayed stating that the member has successfully entered the sweepstakes.
Additionally, the form to allow members to upload photos should be displayed.

Submit sweepstakes entry form successfully for the second time within twenty four hours, and before uploading a photo
Expected result: A “Thank You Message” should be displayed stating that the member has successfully entered the sweepstakes.
Additionally, the form to allow members to upload photos should be displayed.

Submit sweepstakes entry form successfully for the second time within twenty four hours, and after uploading a photo
Expected result: An “Already Entered Message” should be displayed stating that the member was already entered in the sweepstakes, and reference the official rules. A link back to the main members’ website will be provided.

Submit sweepstakes entry form successfully for the second time after twenty four hours without having uploaded a photo
Expected result: A “Thank You Message” should be displayed stating that the member has successfully entered the sweepstakes. (The opportunity for them to upload an image no longer exists.)
Additionally, the form to allow members to upload photos should be displayed.

Submit photo upload form without agreeing to official release
Expected result: An “Error Message” should be displayed urging you to agree to the official photograph release. The message should go on to state that you will not be allowed to proceed until you agree to the rules, but, should you not agree, you will be provided with a link to return from the micro-site to the main The Client website.

Submit photo upload form without entering all of the required items
Expected result: An “Error Message” should be displayed stating that there are required fields that have been left empty.

Submit photo upload form with “old” photo
Expected result: An “Error Message” should be displayed stating that the photograph must be from the last 36 months.

Submit photo upload form with caption containing more than 25 chars.
Expected result: An “Error Message” should be displayed stating that the max. length for a caption is 25 characters.

Submit photo upload form successfully
Expected result: A “Thank You Message” should be displayed to thank the member for sharing their photograph. A link will be provided back to main website.

Roger_Ramjet

Good start, but I would formalise the layout more

Test case 1
Test site redirection and date parameters that trigger site redirection

Requirement: 4) Before and after the official “promotion period”, visitors to the “micro-site” will be redirected to the client’s main website:
Subsumes requirements
1) Begins on March 1, 2007 at 12:00 a.m. ET
and
2) Ends on April 15, 2007 at 11:59:59 p.m. ET

General condition 1:
Failure: any site other than main site or micro site displayed

Unit test 1:
Condition 1.1: set test server date to date prior to requirement 1)
Condition 1.2: set server date to date between req 1) and req 2)
Condition 1.3: set server date to date after req 2)

Input 1.1: location: www.sweepstakes.com

Unit test 1.1:
1.1.1: Set condition 1.1
1.1.2: submit input 1.1

Success: redirected to main site
Failure: not redirected and micro site displayed

Unit Test 1.2:
1.2.1: Set condition 1.2
1.2.2: submit input 1.1

Success: micro site displayed
Failure: redirected to main site

Unit test 1.3:
1.3.1: Set condition 1.1
1.3.2: submit input 1.1

Success: redirected to main site
Failure: not redirected and micro site displayed

If you have a documentation tool like Visio, or a GNU one from sourceforge, there are loads of them there, you can dress this up with a spiffy template layout that will make the drafting a lot easier and the presentation look really spiffy. Ask the client what test harness they will be using so that you can prepare compatible cases - see if they are for real 😉

Note:
From the sound of it they are trying to get some insight into your development process as much as do some actual testing; they should have specified that test cases were part of the spec.

[whinge] :mad:
Clients do this to you. I had a series of desktop applications that I wrote for Fedex. I priced them very reasobaly and delivered to everyones' satisfaction. When it came to app 6 they asked for user manual and documentation, ok so I priced for the time that takes.
Then they asked for the documentation for previous 5 and got stroppy about it - refusing to pay a couple of outstanding invoices untill I delivered. Fine, except I had not priced for the time. Their own team supervisors should have been writing the user manuals anyway since they knew the department procedures better than me and had been trained on the apps and using them for months.

Documentation can take longer than developing the app, especially when you code smart so apps 2, 3, 4 etc reuse loads of code from the framework developeed in app 1: and I priced them that way as well.

[end of whinge] :mad:

Rodney_H_

Thanks, Roger.

I appreciate all the advice. (Sorry to learn of your experience with FedEx, but glad that that is over with for you, and that we can learn from it.)

I am familiar with Visio, and I like your idea to formalize and jazz up the presentation of the info.

The company is very laid back, in that they are all mostly in good moods and like to joke around, and have fun. On the other hand, they do expect things to be done to the best of one's ability, with very little room for exceptions/excuses.

This is a fun and challenging project, but is rewarding, lucrative and fun, do to the good nature of the people from the company that I am dealing with.

Thanks again for all the advice.

Roger_Ramjet

I wish I had a client like that again, my last one was great for 5 years and I saved a fortune, but then Martin had a stroke and the company went out of business. Look after them and best of luck.