RE: Automated Testing Tools -- BPCS-L

Here is a URL for a directory of software testing tools:

http://dmoz.org/Computers/Programming/Software_Testing/Software_Testing_
Tools/

All the tools I'm aware off are listed.

If you go to http://dmoz.org/Computers/Software/Testing_Services/ you'll
find a listing of over 200 testing services.

The least expensive way to implement a local test tool is to locate one
that operates off a PC, releasing standard application transactions from a
previously captured file of transactions.  However this type of tool
generally leaves the verification of transaction results up to a human.

Microsoft at one time offered Homer, a product that worked well in this
space.  However I have not seen any reference to Homer in over 4 years.

>From experience I can tell you the best way to implement the low end tools
is to think of the testing process as a benchmark - you are benchmarking
the new program against expected results or the prior version's results.
 But note you still need to capture/document the expected results prior to
the actual testing.

The high end tools such as Mercury Interactive go along way towards
automating the entire process but be prepared to write a very large check
for the license fee.  Oh yes, the initial effort at the high end is no less
daunting with tools such as Mercury than it is with tools like Homer.  You
still have to create and maintain the testing script and the data against
which the tool compares the results.

Even if you were able to secure a testing script from another BPCS site or
from SSAX you are still faced with the task of customizing the files to
your installation of BPCS.

And one other cautionary note:  firms operating with any of these tools,
regardless of the complexity, generally employ a separate staff.
 Programmers seem to make very poor testers, especially if the testing is
of their own work.

Good Luck!

Roy Luce

Main:   847-540-9635
Cell:   847-910-0884
Fax:    208-330-9032
Email:  lwl@ix.netcom.com


-----Original Message-----
From:   DAsmussen@aol.com [SMTP:DAsmussen@aol.com]
Sent:   Thursday, May 09, 2002 6:05 PM
To:     bpcs-l@midrange.com
Subject:        Re: Automated Testing Tools

--
[ Picked text/plain from multipart/alternative ]
Chick,

In a message dated 5/8/02 7:08:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
Cdoe@barton-instruments.com writes:


> by automated testing tools are we talking about testing of the BPCS
> programs, or are we talking about automated test systems on the mfg floor
> that test the products that you manufacture? we do quite a bit of the
> later, but it is completely outside the scope of BPCS. in fact we have a
> larger 'mfg software group' to support this application than we do to
> support the BPCS software itself.
>

No we're looking for products to test the BPCS programs themselves...

Dean Asmussen
Enterprise Systems Consulting, Inc.
Fuquay-Varina, NC  USA
E-mail:  DAsmussen@aol.com

"If a window of opportunity appears, don't pull down the shade." -- Tom
Peters
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