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# QTestLib Manual

The QTestLib framework, provided by Trolltech, is a tool for unit testing Qt based applications and libraries. QTestLib provides all the functionality commonly found in unit testing frameworks as well as extensions for testing graphical user interfaces.

Table of contents:

- QTestLib Features
- QTestLib API
- QTestLib Tutorial
- Building a Test
- QTestLib Command Line Arguments

- Syntax
- Options

## QTestLib Features

QTestLib is designed to ease the writing of unit tests for Qt based applications and libraries:

Feature | Details
--- | ---
Lightweight | QTestLib consists of about 6000 lines of code and 60 exported symbols.
Self-contained | QTestLib requires only a few symbols from the Qt Core library for non-gui testing.
Rapid testing | QTestLib needs no special test-runners; no special registration for tests.
Data-driven testing | A test can be executed multiple times with different test data.
Basic GUI testing | QTestLib offers functionality for mouse and keyboard simulation.
IDE friendly | QTestLib outputs messages that can be interpreted by Visual Studio and KDevelop.
Thread-safety | The error reporting is thread safe and atomic.
Type-safety | Extensive use of templates prevent errors introduced by implicit type casting.
Easily extendable | Custom types can easily be added to the test data and test output.

Note: For higher-level GUI and application testing needs, please see the Qt testing products provided by Trolltech partners.

## QTestLib API

All public methods are in the QTest namespace. In addition, the QSignalSpy class provides easy introspection for Qt's signals and slots.

## QTestLib Tutorial

This tutorial gives a short introduction to how to use some of the features of the QTestLib framework. It is divided into four chapters:

1. Writing a Unit Test
2. Data Driven Testing
3. Simulating GUI Events
4. Replaying GUI Events

## Building a Test

If you are using `qmake` as your build tool, just add the following to your project file:

        CONFIG += qtestlib

If you are using other buildtools, make sure that you add the location of the QTestLib header files to your include path (usually `include/QtTest` under your Qt installation directory). If you are using a release build of Qt, link your test to the `QtTest` library. For debug builds, use `QtTest_debug`.

See Writing a Unit Test for a step by step explanation.

## QTestLib Command Line Arguments

### Syntax

The syntax to execute an autotest takes the following simple form:

        testname [options] [testfunctions[:testdata]]...

Substitute `testname` with the name of your executable. `testfunctions` can contain names of testfunctions to be executed. If no `testfunctions` are passed, all tests are run. If the name of an entry in the test function's test data is appended to the test function's name, the test function will be run only with that testdata.

For example:

            /myTestDirectory$ testQString toUpper

Runs the test function called `toUpper` with all available test data.

            /myTestDirectory$ testQString toUpper toInt:zero

Runs the `toUpper` test function with all available test data, and the `toInt` test function with the testdata called `zero` (if the specified test data don't exists, the associated test will fail).

            /myTestDirectory$ testMyWidget -vs -eventdelay 500

Runs the testMyWidget function test, outputs every signal emission and waits 500 milliseconds after each simulated mouse/keyboard event.

### Options

The following command line arguments are understood:

- `-help`
  outputs the possible command line arguments and give some useful help.
- `-functions`
  outputs all test functions available in the test.
- `-v1`
  verbose output; outputs information on entering and exiting test functions.
- `-v2`
  extended verbose output; also outputs each QCOMPARE() and QVERIFY()
- `-vs`
  outputs every signal that gets emitted
- `-xml`
  outputs XML formatted results instead of plain text
- `-eventdelay` ms
  if no delay is specified for keyboard or mouse simulation (QTest::keyClick(), QTest::mouseClick() etc.), the value from this parameter (in milliseconds) is substituted.
- `-keydelay` ms
  like -eventdelay, but only influences keyboard simulation and not mouse simulation.
- `-mousedelay` ms
  like -eventdelay, but only influences mouse simulation and not keyboard simulation.
- `-keyevent-verbose`
  output more verbose output for keyboard simulation