Itse1359-1720-doctest

Table of contents

• Preface
  • What you have learned
  • What you will learn
  • Viewing tip
    • Figures
    • Listings
• General background information
• Discussion and sample code
  • An interactive session
  • An automated interactive session
    • The test file named Py1359_1720_01
    • The batch the named Py1359_1720_01
    • The output
  • A more substantive example
    • The module named Py1359_1720_02
    • The test file named Py1359_1720_02
    • The batch file named Py1359_1720_02
    • The output
  • Embedding a test in a docstring
    • What is a docstring?
    • The module named Py1359_1720_03
    • The batch file named Py1359_1720_03
    • The output
• Run the program
• What's next?
• Miscellaneous

Preface

This module is one in a collection of modules on Python designed for teaching ITSE 1359 Introduction to Scripting Languages: Python at Austin Community College in Austin, TX.

What you have learned

In previous modules, you have learned the basics of Python programming, control flow, classes and objects, input/output, and GUI programming.

What you will learn

In this and the following module, you will learn how to use the Python doctest module to test your Python programs.

Viewing tip

I recommend that you open another copy of this module in a separate browser window and use the following links to easily find and view the Figuresand the Listings while you are reading about them.

(Note to blind and visually impaired students: all of the Figures and Listings inthis module are presented in plain text format and should be accessible using an audio screen reader or a braille display. Note however that the requiredindentation may not be properly represented by an audio screen reader.)

Figures

• Figure 1 . Simple interactive session.
• Figure 2 . Output produced by the test file named Py1359_1720_01.txt.
• Figure 3 . Output produced by the test file named Py1359_1720_02.txt.
• Figure 4 . Output produced by the test embedded in the docstring.

Listings

• Listing 1 . Contents of the test file named Py1359_1720_01.txt.
• Listing 2 . Contents of the file named Py1359_1720_01.bat.
• Listing 3 . Contents of the file named Py1359_1720_02.py.
• Listing 4 . Contents of the test file named Py1359_1720_02.txt.
• Listing 5 . Contents of the batch file named Py1359_1720_02.bat.
• Listing 6 . Contents of the file named Py1359_1720_03.py.
• Listing 7 . Contents of the batch file named Py1359_1720_03.bat.

General background information

According to The Python Standard Library -- 26. Development Tools ,

"The doctest and unittest modules contain frameworks for writing unit tests that automatically exercise code and verify that the expected outputis produced."

The material in this module is based heavily on The Python Standard Library -- 26.2 doctest -- Test interactive Python examples . According to that document,

"The doctest module searches for pieces of text that look like interactive Python sessions, and then executes those sessions to verify thatthey work exactly as shown."

Stated differently, the doctest module can be used to automate the execution of code that you might otherwise execute in an interactive session. However,instead of having the computer present the result to you, you specify the required result and the computer tests the required result against the actualresult and notifies you when the two fail to match.