Some thoughts about our tests and the build time

[Wols Lists]

On 17/05/16 02:14, Xen wrote:
> Markus Mohrhard schreef op 17-05-2016 2:37:
> 
>> I hope this long text gives you something to think about.
> 
> Just as an outsider:
> 
> Separating tests that are meaningful for a developer, and tests that are
> meaningful for a builder, seems most meaningful to me ;-).
> 
> Even as a developer, even if you were actively working, I don't think
> you would want to run the full suite more than once a week, even if you
> are making many changes daily, for instance.
> 
> So I think the goal is to reduce the incidence, to reduce the frequency
> of running the full set, by people that cannot gain much from it, as you
> indicated.
> 
> Just some thoughts, and just one opinion.
> 
Roughly what I was thinking.

Can we split "make tests" and create a bunch of targets like
"calc_tests", "writer-tests" etc all called from it? Plus, of course
"core_tests" which could either be called from "tests", or could be
called from all the subsection tests.

Over time move all the top-level tests into the lower tests, and only
add stuff to the lower tests.

So, as Xen says, if you're working on a section you only need to run the
tests for that section regularly, and the full tests occasionally. If
that reduces the cost enough, maybe even make the tests run as a matter
of course ...

Cheers,
Wol