Method and system for generating test matrices for software programs

A computer implemented method for testing a program module according to a test model comprising a set of one or more clusters for which a set of groups are defined, wherein each group defines a set of parameter elements corresponding to a particular usage of program module input parameters assigned to a cluster, and each parameter element comprises a set of equivalence classes for a parameter, the method comprising:

• creating a set of calls to the program module, wherein the creating step includes, for a call within the set of calls, the further sub-step of:
• first assigning a value to each one of a first set of parameters within a first cluster under test, wherein the first set of parameters exhibit cross-influence behavior between one another with regard to execution of the program module, the assigning step comprising the sub-steps of:
• first selecting, for the first cluster, a group, which is a formalization of a conditional relation between the parameter elements of a cluster,
• second selecting an equivalence class from each one of the set of parameter elements for the selected group, and
• designating, for each selected equivalence class, a representative value within the selected equivalence class with regard to verifying proper operation of the program module such that the representative value has the same behavioral results in the context of a particular use of the program module as other values within the selected equivalence class;
• and
• submitting the set of calls containing the designated representative values to the program module under test.

A computer-readable medium including computer-executable instructions for testing a program module according to a test model comprising a set of one or more clusters for which a set of groups are defined, wherein each group defines a set of parameter elements corresponding to a particular usage of program module input parameters assigned to a cluster, and each parameter element comprises a set of equivalence classes for a parameter, the computer-executable instructions facilitating executing the steps of:

• creating a set of calls to the program module, wherein the creating step includes, for a call within the set of calls, the further sub-step of:
• first assigning a value to each one of a first set of parameters within a first cluster under test, wherein the first set of parameters exhibit cross-influence behavior between one another with regard to execution of the program module, the assigning step comprising the sub-steps of:
• first selecting, for the first cluster, a group, which is a formalization of a conditional relation between the parameter elements of a cluster,
• second selecting an equivalence class from each one of the set of parameter elements for the selected group, and
• designating, for each selected equivalence class, a representative value within the selected equivalence class with regard to verifying proper operation of the program module such that the representative value has the same behavioral results in the context of a particular use of the program module as other values within the selected equivalence class;
• and
• submitting the set of calls containing the designated representative values to the program module under test.