From daf189dc8dd86db047f93a8284d4edd32cfd10c3 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: jlamothe Date: Thu, 23 Nov 2023 01:04:36 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] more minor edits to README.md I think I have a problem. Someone stop me. --- README.md | 100 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------------------- 1 file changed, 53 insertions(+), 47 deletions(-) diff --git a/README.md b/README.md index c88c597..113b85f 100644 --- a/README.md +++ b/README.md @@ -40,11 +40,11 @@ argument. ## `run_tests()` -This will typically be the first function you call. It sets up the -testing framework, creates an initial `TestState` value, runs the -tests provided to it, and displays a log and summary at the end. If -any of the provided tests fail, it will cause the test program to exit -with a status of `"test(s) failed"`. Its prototype follows: +This will typically be the first function called. It creates an +initial `TestState` value, runs the tests, and displays a test log and +summary at the end. If any of the tests fail, it will cause the test +process to exit with a status of `"test(s) failed"`. Its prototype +follows: ```C void run_tests(void (*)(TestState *)); @@ -56,13 +56,13 @@ created `TestState` value will be passed to this function. ## Simple Tests -The simplest form of test can be represented as a function resembling +The simplest form of test can be represented by a function resembling the follwoing: ```C TestResult my_test(TestState *s) { - // ... + // test code goes here... } ``` @@ -74,7 +74,7 @@ unsurprisingly) the result of the test. The options are as follows: - `test_pending`: the test is pending, and should be ignored for now Tests of this type can be run by passing a pointer to them to the -`run_test()` function, which has the following prototype: +`run_test()` function which has the following prototype: ```C void run_test( @@ -83,9 +83,9 @@ void run_test( ) ``` -This function will run the provided test and update the state to -reflect the result of the test. Thus, the above hypothetical test -could by run as follows: +This function will call the provided test function, and update the +provided `TestState` to reflect the result. Thus, the above +hypothetical test could by run as follows: ```C void @@ -103,24 +103,26 @@ main() ``` Passing a null `TestState` pointer will cause nothing to happen. This -is true of all functions in this library. Passing a null function -pointer to `run_test()` will be interpreted as a pending test. +is true of all functions in this library. (This behaviour might be +reconsidered later, so don't count on it.) Passing a null function +pointer to `run_test()` is interpreted as a pending test. ## Passing Values to Tests -Since C supports neither lambdas nor closures, this leaves one with -little choice but to come up with a unique name for each test -function. This, while possible, would definitely be rather -inconvenient. To combat this, it is helpful to be able to pass data -into a generic test so that it can be reused multiple times. +Since C supports neither lambdas nor closures, this would leave one +with little choice but to come up with a unique name for each +individual test function. This, while possible, would definitely be +rather inconvenient. To combat this shortcoming, it is helpful to be +able to pass data into a generic test function so that it can be +reused multiple times. ### The `ptr` Value The `TestState` struct has a value called `ptr` which is a `void` pointer that can be set prior to calling `run_test()` (or any other -function, really). This value can then be read by the test function, -giving you the ability to essentially pass in *any* type of data you -may need. While not ideal, it's *a* solution. +function, really). This value can then be referenced by the test +function, giving you the ability to essentially pass in (or out) *any* +type of data you may need. While not ideal, it's *a* solution. The library does not perform any kind of validation or automatic memory management on the `ptr` value (this is C after all), so the @@ -129,13 +131,13 @@ tests. ### Convenience Functions -As the tests become more and more complex, managing a single `ptr` -value can become increasingly burdensome. For this reason, there are -a few convenience functions that provide an alternate mechanism of -passing data into a function, without altering the `ptr` value. (They -actually do internally, but they restore the original value before -passing the state on.) Two such functions are `run_test_with()` and -`run_test_compare()`. +As the test suite becomes more and more complex, managing a single +`ptr` value can become increasingly burdensome. For this reason, +there are a few convenience functions that provide an alternate +mechanism for passing data into a function without altering the `ptr` +value. (They actually do alter it internally, but they restore the +original value before passing the state on.) Two such functions are: +`run_test_with()`, and `run_test_compare()`. `run_test_with()` has the following prototype: @@ -154,8 +156,8 @@ the third argument is the pointer that gets passed into the test function. `run_test_compare()` is similar, but it allows *two* pointers to be -passed into the test. This is useful for comparing the actual output -of a function to an expected value, for instance. +passed into the test function. This is useful for comparing the +actual output of a function to an expected value, for instance. The prototype for `run_test_compare()` follows: @@ -168,18 +170,20 @@ void run_test_compare( ); ``` +The pointers will be passed into the test function in the same order +they are passed into `run_test_compare()`. + ## Test Contexts It is useful to document what your tests are doing. This can be achieved using contexts. Contexts are essentially labelled -collections of related tests. Contexts can be nested into +collections of related tests. Contexts can be nested to create hierarchies. This is useful both for organization purposes as well as creating reusable test code. There are several functions written for managing these contexts. Each of these functions takes as its first two arguments: a pointer to the current `TestState`, and a pointer to -a pointer to a string describing the context it defines. If the -pointer to the string is null, the tests are run as a part of the -existing context. +a string describing the context it defines. If the pointer to the +string is null, the tests are run as a part of the existing context. ### `test_context()` @@ -193,7 +197,9 @@ void test_context( This function takes a pointer to the current `TestState`, a string describing the context, and a function pointer that is used the same -way as the pointer passed to `run_tests()`. +way as the one passed to `run_tests()`. This function will be called +and its tests will be run within the newly defined context. Nothing +prevents this function from being called again in a different context. ### `test_context_with()` @@ -206,11 +212,11 @@ void test_context_with( ); ``` -This funciton allows for the passing of a `void` pointer into the test -function in much the same way as the `run_test_with()` function. Its -arguments are (in order), a pointer to the current state, the context -description, a pointer to the test function, and the pointer being -passed into that function. +This funciton works similarly to `test_context()`, but allows for the +passing of a `void` pointer into the test function in much the same +way as the `run_test_with()` function. Its arguments are (in order), +a pointer to the current state, the context description, a pointer to +the test function, and the pointer to be passed into that function. ### `test_context_compare()` @@ -238,8 +244,8 @@ void single_test_context( ``` This function applies the context label to a *single* test. The -function passed in is expected to operate in the same way as a -function passed to `run_test()`. +function passed in is expected to operate in the same way as the one +passed to `run_test()`. ### `single_test_context_with()` @@ -272,12 +278,12 @@ I assume you get the idea at this point. ## Logging When `run_tests()` finishes running the tests, it displays a log and -summary. The summary is simply a count of the number of tests run, +summary. The summary is simply a tally of the number of tests run, passed, failed, and pending. While this is useful (and probably all -you need to know when all the tests pass) you probably want more -detail when something goes wrong. To facilitate this, tests can -append to the test log, which is automatically displayed just before -the summary. There are two functions for doing this. +you need to know when all the tests pass) it is likely desirable to +have more detail when something goes wrong. To facilitate this, tests +can append to the test log, which is automatically displayed just +before the summary. There are two functions for doing this. ### `append_test_log()`