Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that automatically generates observations of program behavior for code testing purposes. During operation, the system analyzes the code-under-test to determine a set of test inputs. Next, the system exercises the code-under-test on the set of test inputs to produce a set of test results. Finally, the system analyzes the set of test results to automatically generate observations, wherein the observations are boolean-valued expressions containing variables and/or constants which are consistent with the set of test inputs and the set of test results.

Abstract: A test driver generator is provided for generating test drivers from test function designations and attribute value specifications of software interfaces. For each set of designations and specifications for a software interface, the test driver generator generates a test driver. The test driver executes the designated test functions selectively based on selections provided at its invocation, using the selected combinations of attribute values specified. For each selected combination of attribute values of each selected test function, the test driver creates the test data for the particular combination of attribute values, executes the selected test function and deletes the created test data. The test driver repeats the process for all selected combinations of attribute values of all selected test functions.

Abstract: An auto-checking testing funtion generator is provided for generating auto-checking testing functions for procedures of a software interface from a formal specification specifying the procedures. The procedures are specified with procedure semantic expressions identifying the procedures and specifying their arguments, returning results, raisable exceptions, exceptional and normal terminations. Each exception or normal termination specifies the correct post-execution exception or normal termination state for the procedure given a particular pre-execution state. The procedure semantic expressions are boolean expressions constructed using comparison and boolean operators, calls to the procedure, auxiliary and special functions. The auxiliary functions are user supplied, and the special functions are supplied by the auto-checking testing funtion generator. An auto-checking testing funtion is generated for each procedure.