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List:       perl5-porters
Subject:    Re: Test simplification (was Re: Dropping 5.5 support from my
From:       "A. Pagaltzis" <pagaltzis () gmx ! de>
Date:       2007-11-30 1:36:32
Message-ID: 20071130013632.GB30766 () klangraum
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* Michael G Schwern <schwern@pobox.com> [2007-11-30 01:10]:
> Gerard Goossen wrote:
> > I would propose to move the platform specific tests to
> > 't/arch/<platform>.t' or 't/arch/<platform>/*.t'.
> 
> I understand the problem, I don't think this is a good
> solution.
> 
> It's too simplistic. A test often spans many platforms, indeed
> there are many meta platforms like "case insensitive
> filesystem". For example, where does this test go?
> 
>     skip "Environment tainting tests skipped", 4
>       if $Is_MSWin32 || $Is_NetWare || $Is_VMS || $Is_Dos || $Is_MacOS;
> 
> And then there's the problem of splitting up the tests at all
> and the duplication that will entail. A lot of tests do a bunch
> of setup before running. Moving them into different files will
> entail duplicating that.

Another issue the "out of sight, out of mind" effect. Segregating
platform-specific tests from the rest of the tests makes people
patching tests, particularly those making minor contributions,
less likely to consider the implications of platforms and
metaplatforms they aren't currently working on. Having them all
mixed into the mainline test suite acts as a built-in "sure
you're not making any unportable assumptions, bucko?" reminder.

Regards,
-- 
Aristotle Pagaltzis // <http://plasmasturm.org/>
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