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diff --git a/TESTING.md b/TESTING.md new file mode 100644 index 000000000..cb792862f --- /dev/null +++ b/TESTING.md @@ -0,0 +1,198 @@ +:Authors: Jason Lowe-Power + Sean Wilson + +This file explains how to use gem5's updated testing infrastructure. Running +tests before submitting a patch is *incredibly important* so unexpected bugs +don't creep into gem5. + +gem5's testing infrastructure has the following goals: + * Simple for *all* users to run + * Fast execution in the simple case + * High coverage of gem5 code + +# Running tests + +Below is the most common way the tests are run. This will run all of the +"quick" tests for X86, ARM, and RISC-V. These tests make up our best-supported +platforms and use cases. When running these tests, you will likely want to us +the option `-j <CPUs>` where `CPUs` is as large as you can make it. +Additionally, it is often a good idea to run longer tests (e.g., linux boot) +before submitting your patch. + +```shell +cd tests +./main.py run +``` + +The above is the *minumum* you should run before posting a patch to +https://gem5-review.googlesource.com + +## Specifying a subset of tests to run + +You can use the tag query interface to specify the exact tests you want to run. +For instance, if you want to run only with `gem5.opt`, you can use + +```shell +./main.py run --variant opt +``` + +Or, if you want to just run X86 tests with the `gem5.opt` binary: + +```shell +./main.py run --length quick --variant opt --isa X86 +``` + + +To view all of the available tags, use + +```shell +./main.py list --all-tags +``` + +The output is split into tag *types* (e.g., isa, variant, length) and the +tags for each type are listed after the type name. + +You can specify "or" between tags within the same type by using the tag flag +multiple times. For instance, to run everything that is tagged "opt" or "fast" +use + +```shell +./main.py run --variant opt --variant fast +``` + +You can also specify "and" between different types of tags by specifying more +than one type on the command line. For instance, this will only run tests with +both the "X86" and "opt" tags. + +```shell +./main.py run --isa X86 --variant opt +``` + +## Running tests in batch + +The testing infrastructure provides the two needed methods to run tests in +batch. First, you can list all of the tests based on the same tags as above in +a machine-readable format by passing the `-q` flag. This will list all of the +*suites* that match the given tag(s). + +```shell +./main.py list -q --suites +SuiteUID:tests/gem5/hello_se/test_hello_se.py:testhello64-static-X86-opt +SuiteUID:tests/gem5/hello_se/test_hello_se.py:testhello64-dynamic-X86-opt +SuiteUID:tests/gem5/hello_se/test_hello_se.py:testhello32-static-X86-opt +SuiteUID:tests/gem5/hello_se/test_hello_se.py:testhello64-static-ARM-opt +SuiteUID:tests/gem5/hello_se/test_hello_se.py:testhello32-static-ARM-opt +SuiteUID:tests/gem5/m5_util/test_exit.py:m5_exit_test-X86-opt +SuiteUID:tests/gem5/test_build/test_build.py:build-X86-opt +SuiteUID:tests/gem5/test_build/test_build.py:build-RISCV-opt +SuiteUID:tests/gem5/test_build/test_build.py:build-ARM-opt +``` + +Next, you can run a single *suite* from the command line by passing the option +`--uid`. For instance, + +```shell +./main.py run --skip-build \ + --uid SuiteUID:tests/gem5/m5_util/test_exit.py:m5_exit_test-X86-opt +``` + +With this method, you can only run a *single* suite at a time. If you want to +run more than one uid, you must call `./main.py` multiple times. + +Currently, you must specify `--skip-build` if you want to run a single suite or +run in batch mode. Otherwise, you will build gem5 for all architectures. + +## Rerunning failed tests + +While developing software a common practice is to run tests, make a change, and +assert that the tests still pass. If tests fail you'll likely want to +rerun and fix those specific tests without running redundant ones. The testing +infrastructure allows you to rerun tests which failed in the last execution by +using the `rerun` command. + +```shell +./main.py run +# +# Some tests fail... +# + +# Rerun only the failed test suites (not the ones which passed). +./main.py rerun +``` + +# If something goes wrong + +The first step is to turn up the verbosity of the output using `-v`. This will +allow you to see what tests are running and why a test is failing. + +If a test fails, the temporary directory where the gem5 output was saved is kept +and the path to the directory is printed in the terminal. + +## Debugging the testing infrastructure + +Every command takes an option for the verbosity. `-v`, `-vv`, `-vvv` will +increase the verbosity level. If something isn't working correctly, you can +start here. + +Most of the code for the testing infrastructure is in ext/testlib. This code +contains the base code for tests, suites, fixtures, etc. The code in tests/gem5 +is *gem5-specific* code. For the most part, the code in tests/gem5 extends the +structures in ext/testlib. + +## Common errors + +You may see a number of lines of output during test discovery that look like +the following: + +```shell + Tried to load tests from ... but failed with an exception. + Tried to load tests from ... but failed with an exception. + ... +``` + +The testing library searches all python files in the `tests/` directory. The +test library executes each python file it finds searching for tests. It's okay +if the file causes an exception. This means there are no tests in that file +(e.g., it's not a new-style test). + + +# Binary test applications + +The code for test binaries that are run in the gem5 guest during testing are +found in `tests/test-progs`. +There's one directory per test application. +The source code is under the `source` directory. + +You may have a `bin` directory as well. +The `bin` directory is automatically created when running the test case that +uses the test binary. The binary is downloaded from the gem5 servers the first +time it is referenced by a test. + +## Updating the test binaries + +The test infrastructure should check with the gem5 servers to ensure you have +the latest binaries. However, if you believe your binaries are out of date, +simply delete the `bin` directory and they will be re-downloaded to your local +machine. + +## Building (new-style) test binaries + +In each `src/` directory under `tests/test-progs`, there is a Makefile. +This Makefile downloads a docker image and builds the test binary for some ISA +(e.g., Makefile.x86 builds the binary for x86). Additionally, if you run `make +upload` it will upload the binaries to the gem5 server, if you have access to +modify the binaries. *If you need to modify the binaries for updating a test or +adding a new test and you don't have access to the gem5 server, contact a +maintainer (see MAINTAINERS).* + + +# Running Tests in Parallel + +Whimsy has support for parallel testing baked in. This system supports +running multiple suites at the same time on the same computer. To run +suites in parallel, supply the `-t <number-tests>` flag to the run command. + +For example, to run up to three test suites at the same time:: + + ./main.py run --skip-build -t 3 + |