Decision Table-Based Testing

Chapter 7

Introductory question
! What is a decision table?
! A simple non-technical answer?

! A detailed technical answer?
DTT2
DTT3
Decision Tables - Wikipedia
! A precise yet compact way to model complicated logic
! Associate conditions with actions to perform
! Can associate many independent conditions with several
actions in an elegant way
DTT4
Decision Table Terminology
Stub Rule 1 Rule 2
Rules
3,4
Rule 5 Rule 6
Rules
7,8
c1 T T T F F F
c2 T T F T T F
c3 T F - T F -
a1 X X X
a2 X X
a3 X X
a4 X X
condition stubs condition entries
action stubs action entries
DTT5
Decision Table Terminology 2
condition stubs condition entries
action stubs action entries
! Condition entries restricted to binary values
! We have a limited entry table
! Condition entries have more than two values
! We have an extended entry table
DTT6
Printer Troubleshooting DT


Conditions
Printer does not print
Y Y Y Y N N N N
A red light is flashing
Y Y N N Y Y N N
Printer is unrecognized
Y N Y N Y N Y N



Actions
Check the power cable
X
Check the printer-computer
cable
X X
Ensure printer software is
installed
X X X X
Check/replace ink
X X X X
Check for paper jam
X X
A complete limited entry table
DTT7
Decision Table Interpretation
! How are condition entries in a decision table
interpreted with respect to a program?
DTT8
Decision Table Interpretation 2
! Conditions are interpreted as
! Input
! Equivalence classes of inputs
DTT9
Decision Table Interpretation 3
! How are action entries in a decision table
interpreted with respect to a program?
DTT10
Decision Table Interpretation 4
! Actions are interpreted as
! Output
! Major functional processing portions
DTT11
Decision Table Interpretation 5
! What is the relationship between decision tables
and test cases?
DTT12
Decision Table Interpretation 5
! With a complete decision table
! Have a complete set of test cases
DTT13
Triangle Decision Table
C1: <a, b,c > forms a triangle? F T T T T T T T T
C3: a = b? T T T T F F F F
C4: a = c? T T F F T T F F
C5: b = c? T F T F T F T F
A1: Not a Triangle X
A2: Scalene X
A3: Isosceles X X X
A4: Equilateral X
A5: Impossible X X X
Action added by a tester showing impossible rules
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
DTT14
Triangle Decision Table refined
C1-1: a < b+c? F T T T T T T T T T T
C1-2: b < a+c? F T T T T T T T T T
C1-3: c < a+b? F T T T T T T T T
C2: a = b? T T T T F F F F
C3: a = c? T T F F T T F F
C4: b = c? T F T F T F T F
A1: Not a Triangle X X X
A2: Scalene X
A3: Isosceles X X X
A4: Equilateral X
A5: Impossible X X X
Similar to equivalence classes we can refine the conditions
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
DTT15
Triangle Test Cases
Case ID a b c Expected Output
1 4 1 2 Not a Triangle
2 1 4 2 Not a Triangle
3 1 2 4 Not a Triangle
4 5 5 5 Equilateral
5 ??? ??? ??? Impossible
6 ??? ??? ??? Impossible
7 2 2 3 Isosceles
8 ??? ??? ??? Impossible
9 2 3 2 Isosceles
10 3 2 2 Isosceles
11 3 4 5 Scalene
Admission to University
! Students in
! The range [80%, 100%] gpa are admitted and receive a
scholarship.
! The range [70%, 80%) gpa are admitted but have no
scholarship.
! The range [60%, 70%) gpa are admitted if they have no
failures.
! Otherwise they are not admitted.
DTT16
DTT17
Don't Care Entries and Rule Counts
! Limited entry tables with N conditions have 2
N
rules.

! Don't care entries reduce the number of explicit rules by
implying the existence of non-explicitly stated rules.
! How many rules does a table contain including all the
implied rules due to don't care entries?
DTT18
Don't Care Entries and Rule Counts 2
! Each don't care entry in a rule doubles the count for the
rule
! For each rule determine the corresponding rule count
! Total the rule counts
DTT19
Don't Care Entries and Rule Counts 3
C1-1: a < b+c? F T T T T T T T T T T
C1-2: b < a+c? F T T T T T T T T T
C1-3: c < a+b? F T T T T T T T T
C2: a = b? T T T T F F F F
C3: a = c? T T F F T T F F
C4: b = c? T F T F T F T F
Rule count 32 16 8 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
+/ = 64
= 2
6

1
2
3
4
5
6
DTT20
Don't Care Entries and Rule Counts 4
! How many rules do extended entry tables have?
! What is the rule count with don't care entries?
! See DDT-27..28 (NextDate 2'nd try)
! See DDT-30-31 (NextDate 3'rd try)

DTT21
Don't Care Entries and Rule Counts 5
! Is it useful to count the rules in a decision table?
! Why?

Don't Care Entries and Rule Counts 6
! Less rules than combination rule count

! Indicates missing rules

! More rules than combination rule count

! Could indicate redundant rules
! See Table 7.9, page 107
! Could indicate inconsistent table
! See Table 7.10, page 108

DTT22
DTT23
NextDate Decision Table
! The NextDate problem illustrates the correspondence
between equivalence classes and decision table structure
! The NextDate problem illustrates the problem of
dependencies in the input domain
! Decision tables can highlight such dependencies
! Impossible dates can be clearly marked as a separate action
DTT24
NextDate Equivalence Classes for 1st try
M1 = {month : 1 .. 12 | days(month) = 30 }
M2 = {month : 1 .. 12 | days(month) = 31 }
M3 = {month : {2} }
D1 = {day : 1 .. 28}
D2 = {day : {29} }
D3 = {day : {30} }
D4 = {day : {31} }
Y1 = {year : 1812 .. 2012 | leap_year (year) }
Y2 = {year : 1812 .. 2012 | common_year (year) }
As in discussion for
equivalence classes
DTT25
NextDate Decision Table mutually exclusive conditions
C1: month in M1? T
C2: month in M2? T
C3: month in M3? T
A1: Impossible
A2: Next Date
Because a month is in an equivalence class
we cannot have T for more than one entry.
The do not care entries are really F.
DTT26
NextDate DT (1st try - partial)
C1: month in M1? T T T T T T T T
C2: month in M2? T T T T
C3: month in M3?
C4: day in D1? T T T T
C5: day in D2? T T T T
C6: day in D3? T T
C7: day in D4? T T
C8: year in Y1? T T T T T T
C9: year in Y2? T T T T T T
A1: Impossible X X
A2: Next Date X X X X X X X X X X
How many rules
for a complete table?
with don't care entries?
DTT27
NextDate Equivalence Classes for 2nd try
M1 = {month : 1 .. 12 | days(month) = 30 }
M2 = {month : 1 .. 12 | days(month) = 31 }
M3 = {month : {2} }
D1 = {day : 1 .. 28}
D2 = {day : {29} }
D3 = {day : {30} }
D4 = {day : {31} }
Y1 = {year : {2000} }
Y2 = {year : 1812 .. 2012 | leap_year (year) ! year ! 2000 }
Y3 = {year : 1812 .. 2012 | common_year (year) }
Handle leap year better
DTT28
NextDate DT (2nd try - part 1)
C1: month in M1 M1 M1 M1 M2 M2 M2 M2
C2: day in D1 D2 D3 D4 D1 D2 D3 D4
C3: year in
A1: Impossible X
A2: Increment day X X X X X
A3: Reset day X X
A4: Increment month X ???
A5: reset month ???
A6: Increment year ???
Extended entry table more refined actions
This table has 16 rules. How many rules for a complete table?
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
DTT29
NextDate DT (2nd try - part 2)
C1: month in M3 M3 M3 M3 M3 M3 M3 M3
C2: day in D1 D1 D1 D2 D2 D2 D3 D3
C3: year in Y1 Y2 Y3 Y1 Y2 Y3
A1: Impossible X X X X
A2: Increment day X
A3: Reset day X X X
A4: Increment month X X X
A5: reset month
A6: Increment year
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
DTT30
New Equivalence Classes for 3rd try
M1 = {month : 1 .. 12 | days(month) = 30 }
M2 = {month : 1 .. 12 | days(month) = 31 ! month ! 12 }
M3 = {month : {12} }
M4 = {month : {2} }
D1 = {day : 1 .. 27}
D2 = {day : {28} }
D3 = {day : {29} }
D4 = {day : {30} }
D5 = {day : {31} }
Y1 = {year : 1812 .. 2012 | leap_year (year) }
Y2 = {year : 1812 .. 2012 | common_year (year) }
Handle end of month and
year better
DTT31
NextDate DT (3rd try - part 1)
C1: month in M1 M1 M1 M1 M1 M2 M2 M2 M2 M2
C2: day in D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D1 D2 D3 D4 D5
C3: year in
A1: Impossible X
A2: Increment day X X X X X X X
A3: Reset day X X
A4: Increment month X X
A5: reset month
A6: Increment year
A 22 rule table
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
DTT32
NextDate DT (3rd try - part 2)
C1: month in M3 M3 M3 M3 M3 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4 M4
C2: day in D1 D2 D3 D4 D5 D1 D2 D2 D3 D3 D4 D5
C3: year in Y1 Y2 Y1 Y2
A1: Impossible X X X
A2: Increment day X X X X X X
A3: Reset day X X X
A4: Increment month X X
A5: reset month X
A6: Increment year X
11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
DTT33
Decision Table - Equivalence Class Comparison
! It has been shown that equivalence classes and decision
tables can be closely related.

! What benefit do we get from using equivalence
classes in place of decision tables?

! What benefit do we get from using decision tables in
place of equivalence classes?
DTT34
DT Applicability
! The specification is given or can be converted to a
decision table .
! The order in which the predicates are evaluated does not
affect the interpretation of the rules or resulting action.
! The order of rule evaluation has no effect on resulting
action .
! Once a rule is satisfied and the action selected, no other
rule need be examined.
DTT35
DT Applicability 2
! The order of executing actions in a satisfied rule is of no
consequence.

! The restrictions do not eliminate many applications.
! In most applications, the order in which the predicates are
evaluated is immaterial.
! Some specific ordering may be more efficient than some
other but in general the ordering is not inherent in the
program's logic.
DTT36
Decision Table Properties
! You have constructed a decision table
! Before deriving test cases, what properties should
the decision table have?
DTT37
Decision Tables Properties 2
! Before deriving test cases, ensure that
! The rules are complete
! Every combination of predicate truth values is in the
decision table
! The rules are consistent
! Every combination of predicate truth values results in
only one action or set of actions
DTT38
Guidelines and Observations
! Decision Table testing is most appropriate for programs
where one or more of the conditions hold.
! What are those conditions?
DTT39
Guidelines and Observations 2
! Decision Table testing is most appropriate for programs
where
! There is a lot of decision making
! There are important logical relationships among input
variables
! There are calculations involving subsets of input variables
! There is complex computation logic (high cyclomatic
complexity)
! There are cause and effect relationships between input and
output ???
DTT40
Guidelines and Observations 3
! What are some problems with using decision tables?
DTT41
Guidelines and Observations 4
! Decision tables do not scale up very well
! May need to
! Use extended entry decision tables
! Algebraically simplify tables
! Decision tables need to be iteratively refined
! The first attempt may be far from satisfactory
! Similar to using equivalence classes
DTT42
Guidelines and Observations 5
! Look for redundant rules
! More rules than combination count of conditions
! Actions are the same
! Too many test cases
! See Table 7.9, page 107
! Look for inconsistent rules
! More rules than combination count of conditions
! Actions are different for the same conditions
! See Table 7.10, page 108
! Look for Missing rules
! Incomplete table