Re: [PATCH] input_validation_tests.py: Reduce overhead of multiple checkouts.

Branko Čibej <brane_at_e-reka.si> writes:

> We should not be optimising tests for performance over clarity, ever. In
> other words -- don't combine them. Anyone who has trouble with tests
> taking too long can use a RAMdisk, --bdb-txn-nosync, and other tweaks to
> make the tests run faster.

I do that. The time to run the testsuite keeps growing.

> I think you've all gone way off track here. Reality check, please? What
> is the purpose of tests? To validate the behaviour of the code, or to
> make developers' life easier?

To make it easy for developers to validate the code :)

Like all code it requires a judgement about how it should be organised.
I agree that complicated tests should be separate, but I think checking
that:

    "svn revert foo"

 and

    "svn resoved foo"

both report "foo is not a local path" doesn't require two completely
separate tests.

How far do you think we should go? A dozen separate tests for revert
alone:

    "svn revert versioned_and_modified"
    "svn revert versioned_and_unmodified"
    "svn revert url"
    "svn revert unversioned"
    "svn revert versioned_and_modified versioned_and_unmodified"
    "svn revert versioned_and_unmodified unversioned"
    etc

-- 
Philip