How to make the most of the config file

Requirements specification

[optional] - Any package specified will be checked.

Use cases:

  • A new feature is introduced and used in the test

  • Breaking change introduced with a new release

  • Specific package used in a test that does not belong to pykiso

#__________________________ Requirements section ________________________
# FEATURE: Check the environment before running the tests
#
# The version can be:
#   - specified alone (minimum version accepted)
#   - conditioned using <, <=, >, >=, == or !=
#   - no specified using 'any' (accept any version)
#
# /!\: If the check fail, the tests will not start and the mismatch
#      displayed
#_______________________________________________________________________
requirements:
  - pykiso: '>=0.10.1, <1.0.0'
  - robotframework: 3.2.2
  - pyyaml: any

Real-World Configuration File

 1auxiliaries:
 2  DUT:
 3    connectors:
 4        com: uart
 5    config: null
 6    type: pykiso.lib.auxiliaries.example_test_auxiliary:ExampleAuxiliary
 7connectors:
 8  uart:
 9    config:
10      serialPort: COM3
11    type: pykiso.lib.connectors.cc_uart:CCUart
12test_suite_list:
13- suite_dir: test_suite_1
14  test_filter_pattern: '*.py'
15  test_suite_id: 1

Activation of specific loggers

By default, every logger that does not belong to the pykiso package or that is not an auxiliary logger will see its level set to WARNING even if you have in the command line pykiso –log-level DEBUG.

This aims to reduce redundant logs from additional modules during the test execution. For keeping specific loggers to the set log-level, it is possible to set the activate_log parameter in the auxiliary config. The following example activates the jlink logger from the pylink package, imported in cc_rtt_segger.py:

auxiliaries:
  aux1:
    connectors:
      com: rtt_channel
    config:
      activate_log:
      # only specifying pylink will include child loggers
      - pylink.jlink
      - my_pkg
    type: pykiso.lib.auxiliaries.dut_auxiliary:DUTAuxiliary
connectors:
  rtt_channel:
    config: null
    type: pykiso.lib.connectors.cc_rtt_segger:CCRttSegger

Based on this example, by specifying my_pkg, all child loggers will also be set to the set log-level.

Note

If e.g. only the logger my_pkg.module_1 should be set to the level, it should be entered as such.

Ability to use environment variables

It is possible to replace any value by an environment variable in the YAML files. When using environment variables, the following format should be respected: ENV{my-env-var}. In the following example, an environment variable called TEST_SUITE_1 contains the path to the test suite 1 directory.

- suite_dir: ENV{TEST_SUITE_1}
  test_filter_pattern: '*.py'
  test_suite_id: 1
- suite_dir: ENV{TEST_SUITE_2=./test_suite_2}

It is also possible to set a default value in case the environment variable is not found. The following format should be used: ENV{my-env-var=my_default_value}.

In the following example, an environment variable called TEST_SUITE_2 would contain the path to the test_suite_2 directory. If the variable is not set, the default value will be taken instead.

    config: null

Specify files and folders

To specify files and folders you can use absolute or relative paths. Relative paths are always given relative to the location of the yaml file.

According to the YAML specification, values enclosed in single quotes are enforced as strings, and will not be parsed.

example_config:
    # this relative path will not be made absolute
    rel_script_path_unresolved: './script_folder/my_awesome_script.py'
    # this one will
    rel_script_path: ./script_folder/my_awesome_script.py
    abs_script_path_win: C:/script_folder/my_awesome_script.py
    abs_script_path_unix: /home/usr/script_folder/my_awesome_script.py

Warning

Relative path or file locations must always start with ./. If not, it will still be resolved but unexpected behaviour can result from it.

Include sub-YAMLs

Frequently used configuration parts can be stored in a separate YAML file. To include this configuration file in the main one, the path to the sub-configuration file has to be provided, preceded with the !include tag.

Relative paths in the sub-YAML file are then resolved relative to the sub-YAML’s location.

#__________________________ Connectors section _________________________
# FEATURE : yaml in yaml
#
# In order to call a yaml file inside a other yaml file, the special
# tag !include has to be used. The path could be in a relative or
# absolute form.
#_______________________________________________________________________
connectors:
  <chan>: !include ./channel_config/my_channel_config.yaml

Make a proxy auxiliary trace

Proxy auxiliary is capable of creating a trace file, where all received messages at connector level are written. This feature is useful when proxy auxiliary is associated with a connector who doesn’t have any trace capability (in contrast to cc_pcan_can or cc_rtt_segger for example).

Everything is handled at configuration level and especially at yaml file :

proxy_aux:
  connectors:
    # communication channel alias
    com: <channel-alias>
  config:
    # Auxiliaries alias list bound to proxy auxiliary
    aux_list : [<aux alias 1>, <aux alias 2>, <aux alias 3>]
    # activate trace at proxy level, sniff everything received at
    # connector level and write it in .log file.
    activate_trace : True
    # by default the trace is placed where pykiso is launched
    # otherwise user should specify his own path
    # (absolute and relative)
    trace_dir: ./suite_proxy
    # by default the trace file's name is :
    # YY-MM-DD_hh-mm-ss_proxy_logging.log
    # otherwise user should specify his own name
    trace_name: can_trace
  type: pykiso.lib.auxiliaries.proxy_auxiliary:ProxyAuxiliary

Delay an auxiliary start-up

All threaded auxiliaries are capable to delay their start-up (not starting at import level). This means, from user point of view, it’s possible to start it on demand and especially where it’s really needed.

Warning

in a proxy set-up be sure to always start the proxy auxiliary last otherwise an error will occurred due to proxy auxiliary specific import rules

In order to achieved that, a parameter was added at the auxiliary configuration level.

auxiliaries:
  proxy_aux:
    connectors:
        com: can_channel
    config:
      aux_list : [aux1, aux2]
      activate_trace : True
      trace_dir: ./suite_proxy
      trace_name: can_trace
      # if False create the auxiliary instance but don't start it, an
      # additional call of start method has to be performed.
      # By default, auto_start flag is set to True and "normal" ITF aux
      # creation mechanism is used.
      auto_start: False
    type: pykiso.lib.auxiliaries.proxy_auxiliary:ProxyAuxiliary
  aux1:
    connectors:
        com: proxy_com1
    config:
      auto_start: False
    type: pykiso.lib.auxiliaries.communication_auxiliary:CommunicationAuxiliary
  aux2:
    connectors:
        com: proxy_com2
    config:
      auto_start: False
    type: pykiso.lib.auxiliaries.communication_auxiliary:CommunicationAuxiliary

In user’s script simply call the related auxilairy start method:

    used for sending and the other one for the reception
    """

    def setUp(self):
        """If a fixture is not use just override it like below."""
        logging.info(
            f"--------------- SETUP: {self.test_suite_id}, {self.test_case_id} ---------------"