Bored with writing your own unit tests? PEX! | The Coffeehouse

blowdart
Peek-a-boo

http://research.microsoft.com/Pex/

Pex (Program EXploration) is an intelligent assistant to the programmer. From a parameterized unit test, it automatically produces a traditional unit test suite with high code coverage. In addition, it suggests to the programmer how to fix the bugs. Watch the screencast!

Pex generates Unit Tests from hand-written Parameterized Unit Tests through Automated Exploratory Testing based on Dynamic Symbolic Execution.

• Unit Tests: parameterless methods that test a single unit of code

• Parameterized Unit Tests: same as above, but with parameters

• Automated Exploratory Testing: A tool-supported process of running, learning and testing code at the same time

• Dynamic Symbolic Execution: A combination of static analysis and runtime monitoring to compute test inputs

Dr Herbie
Horses for courses

Ooh! I've been waiting for this ... VS2008 only is a shame as we're still on 2005 at work, but I think it might be time to experiment with this at home ...

Hebrie

PerfectPhase
"This is not war, this is pest control!" - Dalek to Cyberman

I like the look of this! No external x64 support though, might have to go build a 32Bit vm to have a play.

Charles, you need to go and visit these people with your camera Smiley

Bas
It finds lightbulbs.

Are you in full-time Eagle-mode now? Tongue Out

Looks good. Writing extensive unit tests is a terrible pain and I just don't bother anymore for my hobby projects. Having a tool take over part of it for me sounds like a dream come true.

stevo_
Human after all

I was dubious, but the screen cast actually looked impressive.. I wonder how it deals with more complicated types.. would it try and mock them? or use some sort of DI?

Bas
It finds lightbulbs.

~~That screencast-link gives me a message that an unknown error has occurred in the forums, and I can't seem to find it in the Screencasts section. What's up with that?~~

Probably the fact that it tried to link to simply the local "screencast.aspx" page, which isn't on C9, but rather here.