Any chance the core alpha/beta team for XOOPS 3.0 could write and validate some PhpUnit tests as part of the test process? Having a set of defined test cases would significantly improve the confidence in a new core. Running a validation test on core classes and methods on both the current XOOPS core and then on the new 3.0 core showing the same results would really help.

Having this completed as part of a alpha/beta release stage could give some direction to the test methodology and could really help for all future releases (both major and minor). The XOOPS core should come out of this process much stronger and poised for the future.

One of the concerns everyone (both developers and end users) express with any new release is backward compatibility. That's really what PhpUnit test is designed to provide. Well designed test cases can significantly improve backward compatibility. Writing test cases on 'new' classes/methods now will ensure that any future releases maintain compatibility with the initial 3.0 release.

These 'standard' test cases can also help in the future when any refactoring needs to be done to make sure that compatibility is maintained.

Unfortunately the current test 'plan' appears to be to install the new core, plug in a few favorite modules and see what happens. Some developers may actually try and do a code read on some sections, although I doubt many do. It's time consuming and often subtle compatibility issues will be missed. It appears that there's nothing in the test process that ensures we don't have every tester testing exactly the same routines, leaving others completely untouched...

I say this, not to be critical, but to point out a unique opportunity - now is the time to create, and run, these new 'automated' test cases on the current and new core BEFORE the new core is released. I'm not 'married' to PhpUnit test, another automated tool may be better but using even a rudementary tool is better than nothing.

I've used similar tools in the past to validate function input/output to prevent 'stupid' mistakes from making it into 'expensive' test phases and on to Fortune 100 companies.

Just food for thought...

Yes, using PHPUnit for testing of new releases would be very good. Fortunately, Zend Framework is using it a lot, but it would be good to implement PHPUnit from the very beginning in any new X3 modules.

I started a new thread about PHP Quality Assurance, so hopefully we'll be able to identify the right tools and processes and start implementing them in order to improve the quality of our modules.

I would be happy to help testing XE

I already tried 3 times in last 2 monthes... but i always meet pb, during the install or after to access admin...

I also didn't well understand how to make it works : do the module renamed in applications or do applications are something else ?

Are the existing module basicly compatible or will it be necessary to update them all ?

Let me know how to test !

Regards