Automatic test-generation for predicates [software testing]

The authors propose a new technique for the automatic generation of test cases for predicates. Earlier, they proposed an efficient effective test generation strategy for Boolean expressions. They now extend this strategy to predicates. Their new strategy addresses several issues, including: analysis of dependencies between relational expressions in a predicate /spl Pscr/; generation of test constraints for /spl Pscr/ based on the detection of Boolean and relational operator faults in /spl Pscr/; and generation of actual tests according to the generated test constraints for /spl Pscr/. They propose: the use of constraint logic programming (CLP) to automate test-data generation for a predicate; and an incremental approach to apply CLP techniques to solve a constraint system. Since their technique is specification-based, it can facilitate generation of anticipated outputs for actual tests.