Test Design Tools

Tools that help you decide what tests need to be executed or that generate test data.

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Tools Listed Elsewhere

 These tools fit better into a different category, but are worth mentioning here as well. Their main listing is in the other category.

DGL
Kind of Tool
Design tests from context-free grammars (freeware)
Organization
Peter Maurer
http://cs.ecs.baylor.edu/~maurer/
Software Description
"This report describes the data generation language "dgl." The language was originally designed to create general functional level tests for VLSI designs, but there is no inherent reason why this tool cannot be used for other purposes. In particular, there is no reason why this tool could not be used to generate tests for software systems as well as for other types of hardware. The tool is particularly adapted to situations requiring random selection and printing of data. The dgl language was designed to facilitate the construction of data generators that select items at random from a set of items described by a probabilistic context free grammar."
Platforms
UNIX

Entry updated July 10, 2003.
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Datatect
Kind of Tool
Test Data Generator
Organization
Banner Software Inc.
http://www.datatect.com/
Software Description
Test data generation program for generating realistic test data to ASCII flat files or directly to RDBMS including Oracle, Sybase, SQL Server, and Informix. Free demo available.
Platforms
Windows 95/NT

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T-VEC Test Generation System
Kind of Tool
Specification-based Test Vector Generator, Coverage Analysis and Test Driver Generation
Organization
T-VEC Technologies
http://www.t-vec.com/
Software Description
The toolset, called the T-VEC Factory, provides specification-based test vector generation, coverage analysis and test driver generation. The Factory tools are integrated in an environment to support the development and management of structured or object-oriented requirements specifications. This process supports both unit testing, integration and software system testing through hierarchical specifications. A Specification Compiler verifies the consistency of the specification and then transforms it into a form appropriate for test vector generation. The Test Vector Generator automatically generates tests by determining the input space boundaries for each requirement specification element, and then selects inputs along the boundaries; it uses the inputs to compute the expected output based on the specification. The Test Coverage Analyzer verifies that each requirement specification element has associated test vectors; if not, uncovered requirements are flagged. An execution/debug environment is included to aid in locating specification errors. The test execution can be fully automated from the specification-based tests. The environment supports generation and management of specification-to-implementation objects mappings that can be customized for any implementation language and test environment. The Test Driver Generator automatically creates test drives from the object mappings to support test execution and results analysis. The environment functionality is packaged in a visual environment that has a look and feel similar to the Microsoft WindowsNT Explorer and includes Visualization - a matrix representation of the test vectors and of artifact status.
Platforms
PC, WindowsNT

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DataFactory
Kind of Tool
Test Data Generator
Organization
Quest Software, Inc.
http://www.quest.com/datafactory/

Entry updated July 7, 2005.
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DARTT
Kind of Tool
Automated testing over subprogram parameter range
Organization
BSSE System and Software Enginering
http://www.bsse.biz/
Software Description
The DARTT tool (Dynamic Ada Random Test Tool) is a tool for verification of software and for quality analysis of the inspected code. It is currently available for Ada software but will also be provided for C software in future.

DARTT scans incrementally or randomly the full input range of subprogram parameters for exceptions or anomalies and generates test output. It evaluates the test results and provides textual or graphical reports.

DARTT sets up automatically the test environment for subprogram testing based on a subprogram's specification. As input it only needs a pattern of sources files which inlude the source code of the subprograms to be tested or which are referenced by the subprograms-under-test. Having received this information DARTT does everything what is needed to run the tests automatically and in background.

When DARTT is used as quality analysis tool it identifies unhandled exceptions or significant changes of output. Such changes help to determine test ranges for more detailed testing.

As test tool DARTT produces and documents the results over the full input parameter domain Such results may be subject of further manual or automatic analysis.

Platforms
PC, DOS / Windows 3.1x
Other platforms on request.

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TDGEN
Kind of Tool
Test Data Generation Tool
Organization
Software Research, Inc.
http://www.soft.com/TestWorks/
Software Description
TDGEN is a test data generator which works as a stand-alone product or as part of the fully integrated TestWorks/Advisor tool suite. TDGEN takes an existing test script and substitutes new random or sequential data values to create additional tests. With minimal work, TDGEN increases the size of a test suite to more fully exercise the application under test. TDGEN behaves as an intelligent macro processor. The user either creates new test data files or configures existing test scripts to substitute different data items for selected fields. With TDGEN, hundreds of additional tests can be created in a short amount of time.
Platforms
SPARC SunOS 4.1.3; SPARC Solaris 2.3, 2.4, 2.5, 2.5.1, 2.6; x86 Solaris 2.4, 2.5; RS-6000/AIX 3.2.5, 4.1.2, 4.2; HP-9000/7xx HP-UX 9.05, 10.10; HP-9000/8xx HP-UX 9.04, 10.01, 10.10; x86 SCO/ODT 2.0, 5.0(3.0); SGI Irix 5.3, 6.2; DEC-Alpha OSF1 3.2, 4.0; NCR 3000; SCO/UnixWare 2.1.1; DOS.

Entry updated October 23, 2003.
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Reactis Tester
Kind of Tool
Model-based automated testing
Organization
Reactive Systems, Inc.
http://www.reactive-systems.com/
Software Description
Reactis Tester generates test cases for implementations from models. These test cases may then be fed to the model and its implementation and the outputs compared to determine whether or not the code conforms to its model. A user may indicate how exhaustive the testing should be. The tool eliminates the need for producing test suites manually and reduces the time spent in testing by ensuring that unnecessary tests are avoided.
Platforms
Unix/Linux, Windows 95/98/NT

Entry added November 28, 2000.
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ALLPAIRS
Kind of Tool
Test Case Generation Tool (freeware)
Organization
Satisfice, Inc.
http://www.satisfice.com/tools.shtml
Software Description
Allpairs.pl is a Perl script that constructs a reasonably small set of test cases that include all pairings of each value of each of a set of parameters. Allpairs is a command-line executable based on a Perl script. Source is included.
Platforms
Platforms supported by Perl. No perl interpreter required on Windows.

Entry updated March 25, 2009.
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Multi
Kind of Tool
Generating test ideas from expressions with booleans and relational operators (freeware)
Organization
Exampler Consulting
http://www.exampler.com/testing-com/tools/multi/README.html
Software Description
A test idea is a brief statement of something that should be tested. For example, if you're testing a square root function, one idea for a test would be "test a number less than zero". The idea is to check if the code handles an error case.

Test ideas are gotten in a number of ways. This program helps derive test ideas from expressions that contain boolean operators and relational operators. The rationale behind the program is described in my "Testing for Programmers" course notes, beginning with the slide titled "A Program for Finding Faults in Boolean Expressions", currently slide 22.

Platforms
Java required

Entry updated February 24, 2002.
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SSW SQL Auditor
Kind of Tool
Database Tool
Organization
Superior Software for Windows Pty Ltd
http://www.ssw.com.au/
Software Description
Keep your SQL Server database free from design flaws with SSW SQL Auditor

Maintaining quality code across a large team is difficult. Even when standards are in place developers can make mistakes that will slip through QA. SSW SQL Auditor, built in VB .NET, allows a developer to set SQL Server design rules and then check the database for code or design elements that ignores those rules.

Platforms
Windows 98, ME, NT 4.0, 2000 or XP

Entry updated June 4, 2002.
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jenny
Kind of Tool
Cover all pairs of features, with restrictions (freeware)
Organization
Bob Jenkins
E-mail:
http://burtleburtle.net/bob/math/jenny.html
Software Description
Jenny generates testcases that cover all pairs (or triples) of features. For example, all feature pairs for 20 dimensions of 10 features each is covered by 210 testcases. You can specify restrictions (combinations of features not to cover), for example feature combinations that are supposed to raise errors. Similar to ALLPAIRS or AETG. Public Domain.
Platforms
Executable available for Windows. C code available for any platform that with a C compiler.

Entry updated July 7, 2003.
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TurboData

Kind of Tool
Test Data Generator and SQL Builder
Organization
Canam Software Labs, Inc.
http://www.turbodata.ca/
Software Description
TurboData is a test data generator. Simply read in the table and column information directly from your database, press 2 pushbuttons, and TurboData will load your database with valid test data, all the foreign keys will be correctly resolved!
Platforms
Runs on Windows 32. Targets databases: DB2, Jet (Microsoft Access), MS SQL Server, NonStop SQL, Oracle, Sybase

Entry updated October 3, 2002.
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Orchid

Kind of Tool
test case design tool
Organization
stag software private limited
http://www.stagsoftware.com/
Software Description
Orchid is a test case design tool that helps you to design effective test cases that are adequate and yet minimal

Key Benefits

Features

Platforms
Linux and Windows

Entry updated February 21, 2003.
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AllPairs.java

Kind of Tool
All-pairs test case generator (freeware)
Organization
Cunningham & Cunningham, Inc.
E-mail:
http://fit.c2.com/wiki.cgi?AllPairs
Software Description
AllPairs.java is a Java program that can design a set of tests using the all-pairs method, which reduces a potentially astronomical number of combinations of variables into a manageable set that still makes for an effective test suite in most situations.

Distributed under the GNU GPL.

Platforms
Platforms supported by Java

Entry updated July 25, 2003.
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Assertion Definition Language (ADL)

Kind of Tool
Automatic test generation tool (freeware)
Organization
The Open Group
Apex Plaza,
Forbury Road,
Reading,
Berkshire RG1 1AX,
UK
Phone: +44 (0)118 950 8311
Fax: +44 (0)118 950 0110
E-mail:
http://adl.opengroup.org/
Software Description
Assertion Definition Language (ADL) is a high-level language that provides a formal grammar for the expression of programmatic assertions. It can be used to automatically generate tests based on API specifications and to produce natural language representations of these assertions for documentation. The language has C/C++, IDL and Java dialects each of which are designed to reflect the syntax of those languages to help developers to better describe native APIs.
Platforms
Platforms supported by Java. Supports C, C++, IDL and Java interfaces.

Entry updated July 25, 2003.
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tsl

Kind of Tool
Test specification language compiler (freeware)
Organization
Central Iowa Railroad
P.O.Box 868013
Plano, TX 75086-8013
Phone: +1.214.674.8152
Fax: +1.972.881.8331
E-mail:
ftp://ftp.cirr.com/pub/cite
Software Description
Tsl is an implementation of an idea originally proposed by Ostrand and Balcer in CACM June '86 which has been enhanced to allow generation of test source instead of just a list of tests to be written. Tsl was written by Paco Romero and Peter Vogel.

Sources are under cite-4.4/src/tsl in the CITE 4.4 distribution (CONVEX Integrated Test Environment).

Platforms
HP-UX, SPP-UX, ConvexOS

Entry updated July 25, 2003.
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LOGAN Fault Tree Analysis
Kind of Tool
Fault & Event Tree Analysis Tool
Organization
Reliass
http://www.reliass.com/
Software Description
Features include:
Platforms
Windows

Entry updated April 17, 2003.
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LOGAN Monte Carlo Simulation
Kind of Tool
Availability Simulation Tool
Organization
Reliass
http://www.reliass.com/
Software Description
The LOGAN Monte Carlo Simulation package is designed to assess process availability. The system simulates both binary systems (working/not working) and systems capable of operating at various levels of production. The system has the following main features:
Platforms
Windows

Entry updated April 17, 2003.
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Raptor
Kind of Tool
Availability Simulation Tool
Organization
Reliass
http://www.reliass.com/
Software Description
Raptor software allows a reliability novice to quickly model a system. The graphical user interface and strong emphasis on human factors make Raptor the pre-eminent reliability analysis tool.

Using Raptor, you model your systems graphically by drawing reliability block diagrams (RBDs) and describing the way components fail and are repaired. By placing components within the workspace and connecting them with links and nodes, the series-parallel relationships of the components that make up a system can easily be described.

Platforms
Windows

Entry updated April 17, 2003.
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RAMP
Kind of Tool
Availability Simulation Tool
Organization
Reliass
http://www.reliass.com/
Software Description
RAMP is a powerful availability modelling package developed specifically for the analysis of process systems. RAMP models the effects of scheduled and unscheduled downtime on process throughput, establishing relationships between equipment reliability, configuration, maintenance strategy, spares and resources.
Platforms
Windows

Entry updated April 17, 2003.
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dadada
Kind of Tool
ASCII Test Data Generator (freeware)
Organization
Phuoc Can HUA
Carlton NSW 2218
Australia
E-mail:
http://www.huaonline.com/dadada
Software Description
dadada generates ASCII files for Data Driven Test. It allows user to separate the don't care data from the test data, so that he does not need to be distracted by the irrelevant data. Additionally, you can assign value with a meaningful name and make your data much more understandable.
Platforms
Windows (DOS)

Entry updated April 24, 2003.
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BenderRBT
Kind of Tool
Functional test case design
Organization
Bender RBT Inc.
http://benderrbt.com/
Software Description
BenderRBT contains multiple test case design engines. The Cause-Effect Graphing component supports test design via graphing. The Quick Design component supports both orthogonal pairs and optimized pairs.

Cause-Effect Graphing -
The graphing engine is the most rigorous test design approach. It identifies logical inconsistencies in the requirements - e.g. the pre-conditions do not match up with the intra-process rules. Problems with precedent relationships, implicit requirements, and missing requirements are also identified. It addresses a critical issue in test design - when you run the test, not only did you get the right answer, but did you get the right answer for the right reason. Defects can cancel each other out for some cases or something going right on one part of the path can hide something going wrong on another part. Tests designed via graphing propagate any potential errors to an observable point. This is the only test design technique which addresses this topic. All other approaches only address the problem of reducing the large number of possible combinations down to a manageable number. For business critical, mission critical, or safety critical functions, this is the recommended approach.

It can produce a detailed functional specification by sorting the test information. This is extremely useful on agile projects which often do not have fully documented requirements for the users to review.

Quick Design -
Quick Design supports orthogonal pairs and optimized pairs. Orthogonal pairs is highly useful in configuration testing and in creating seed tests for performance testing. Optimized is generally used for functional testing.

Both components contain full support for Constraints - exclusive, inclusive, one and only one, requires, and masks. Constraints identify combinations of inputs that are impossible due to the physical structure of the data and/or editing that has occurred prior to reaching this function. However, full negative testing is covered by the tests generated.

Platforms
BenderRBT runs on Windows. It can create test cases for any application running on any platform written in any language. It can also export those tests to various test managers.

Entry updated April 17, 2009.
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DTM Data Generator
Kind of Tool
test data enerator for database testing purposes
Organization
DTM soft
http://www.sqledit.com
Software Description
DTM Data Generator is a simple, powerful and fully customizable utility that generates data, tables, views, procedures, etc for database testing purposes: performance testing, QA testing, loading tests or usability testing.
Platforms
Windows 9x, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista

Entry updated December 4, 2006.
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LISA Business Process Validation
Kind of Tool
Provides a rich feature set for discovering, modeling and validating complex business workflows across multiple technologies.
Organization
iTKO, Inc.
http://www.itko.com/site/products/lisa/business_process.jsp
Software Description
For SOA, effectively managing quality within IT to support business processes requires deep collaboration between system architects, technical implementers and end business users. Working with your process tools, LISA Business Process Validation (LISA BPV) provides a rich feature set for discovering, modeling and validating complex business workflows across multiple technologies. LISA BPV maintains test awareness of the larger workflow, while providing visibility into every detailed behavior of the business process, uncovering the root causes of functional and performance issues before and after rollout of new functionality.
Platforms
Win XP/2000/Me/Vista, Mac OS X, Unix, Linux, Solaris

Entry updated December 11, 2007.
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