test purpose

Concept

In the provided microprocessor test-generation evidence, a test purpose is a predicate or constraint used in a test specification to restrict generated test cases to a relevant subset of instructions or instruction sequences, such as load/store, arithmetic, branching, or logic operations. Test purposes guide HOL-TestGen case splitting, test-data selection, test granularity, and state-space control.

First seen 5/26/2026

Last seen 5/26/2026

Evidence 5 chunks

Wiki v1

WIKI

Definition

In Brucker et al.'s microprocessor test-generation case study, a test purpose is used as a constraint in a test specification to reduce the domain of generated tests to operations of interest. For example, the predicate is_load_store is introduced in the precondition of a test specification to restrict generated tests to load/store operations, while is_arith restricts tests to arithmetic operations and is_branch restricts tests to branching operations. [Test purposes constrain generated domains]

Role in test specifications

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NEIGHBORHOOD

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RELATIONSHIPS

4 connections

symbolic test case generation part of → 90% 2e

Test purposes are pre-conditions used in symbolic test case generation to constrain generated tests.

is_load_store predicate uses → 100% 1e

is_load_store is used as a test purpose to constrain test generation to load/store operations.

is_arith predicate uses → 90% 1e

is_arith is used as a test purpose to constrain test generation to arithmetic operations.

is_branch predicate uses → 90% 1e

is_branch is used as a test purpose to constrain test generation to branch operations.

LINKED ENTITIES

3 links

HOL-TestGen uses_test_purposes_for_generation The evidence describes HOL-TestGen using predicates such as is_load_store and is_arith in test specifications, followed by gen_test_cases and gen_test_data.

arithmetic operations example_test_purpose_domain The evidence describes constraining tests with the test purpose is_arith to arithmetic operations.

state-space explosion mitigated_by_test_purpose_constraints The evidence states that sequence tests are vulnerable to state-space explosion and that constraints at the level of test purposes reduce the generated sequence space.

CITATIONS

12 sources

12 citations — click to expand

[1] Test purposes constrain generated domains Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study

[2] Load/store test-purpose use Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study

[3] Arithmetic test-purpose use Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study

[4] Branch test-purpose use Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study

[5] Sequence test-purpose use Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study

[6] Schematic tests and concrete witnesses Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study

[7] Sequence tests reveal interaction faults Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study

[8] Granularity via test-purpose refinements Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study

[9] Coverage via constrained domains Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study

[10] State-space reduction by test purposes Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study

[11] Unit versus sequence tradeoff Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study

[12] Branching depends on flags Test Program Generation for a Microprocessor: A Case Study