Use of CO-LaN test suite in vendor test procedures

03 FEBRUARY 2021

Logo of CO-LaN smallCO-LaN has distributed today a questionnaire to vendors of CAPE software. The questionnaire was developed by MR Woodman Consulting Ltd and by Oliver KOCH, representative of Linde in CO-LaN.

CO-LaN, which is responsible for maintenance and development of the CAPE-OPEN interface standards, is planning to develop a test suite to allow the testing of CAPE-OPEN interface implementations. This will eventually lead to the ability for a vendor to use the suite to test their own software during its development cycle and to apply for certification of their implementation from CO-LaN.

CO-LaN wants to be sure that the test suite can be integrated into each vendor’s normal testing procedures. So, CO-LaN needs to understand how each vendor tests their software and what interfaces might be required of the CO-LaN test suite to allow it to be integrated.

The following questions are asked with answers kept confidential within the CO-LaN Management Board and CO-LaN contractors, all of whom are covered by confidentiality agreements:

  • How do you test your software in general? (Automated, Manual, Both)
  • Is it identical for every product or software part?
  • Can you expand on the details of your test procedures (if you are happy to do so)
  • Please can you outline each of the test tool infrastructures you use, including the tools do you use for both manual or automated testing?
    • 3rd party tools (e.g. Google Test or MS Test)?
    • In-house tools, built on (for example)  Python, Powershell, …?
  • Is the testing of CAPE-OPEN interfaces included and where in the above frameworks?
  • If CO-LaN provides a test suite for Process Modelling Components (focusing on thermodynamic PMCs initially), when would you use this:
    • During the product development cycle? And how often?
    • Only prior to final release?
  • Would you consider requesting CO-LaN certification of your CAPE-OPEN implementation?
  • If you wanted to automate the use of the CO-LaN test suite, what interface(s) and tools would need to be provided for the test suite to allow this?
    • What adapters would you require to connect CO-LaN’s test suite to your test framework?

Should you want to help CO-LaN design its test suite to your requirements, fill free to pick up the questions above and send your answers before March 15, 2021 to CO-LaN CTO (technology officer at colan.org) who will forward your input to MR Woodman Consulting Ltd for analysis.