As a task, different software components in different configurations are to be tested in sequence with different hardware components. Many tests are identical in the process, but should be executed in different SW/HW combinations.

We have developed a generic test environment for such scalable JAVA test scopes. With the help of ANT, several thousand tests with different environmental and execution parameters are automatically generated from a manageable number of test cases.

The individual tests are written in the form of unit tests. These tests are performed in a complex test environment with different SW and HW components. In the headers of the test cases, parameter sets are defined that are interpreted and written to an XML control file for the ANT Framework for execution.

Exemplary categories of the parameter sets:

• Software components
• Hardware components
• Validity of combinations of parameters
• Switching connected hardware components on and off
• Switching of simulations

For the further automation of test processes, we have developed modules for different tasks for a project.

Application for setting configurations
Some software components under test require specific settings in their configuration files. Some of these settings must be changed for test runs. For this purpose, we have developed a module that can set these configurations automatically.

Windows service to monitor running tests
Depending on the execution state, test environments have corresponding status messages,.B such as "Wait for order", "Test running", "Cancel", and other configurable messages. This module consists of a Windows service that is loaded at the start of Windows. Based on the status messages of the test environment, the Windows service can monitor the state of the test environment and perform configurable actions for each state. This allows test runs to be restarted or multiple test jobs to be executed one after the other.

Procedure for rebooting Windows versions on a PC
Some tests should be performed on multiple versions of Windows. As soon as a series of tests on one system is finished, it can be booted to another Windows.

Interface to fill test results in Excel files
Results of test runs are required in readable and evaluable formats. Many test frameworks offer different ways to display these results in HTML. With this interface we have created a possibility to fill Excel files with test results.

E-mail module for status reporting
Especially during long test runs, an automated status message is important in order to detect failures in good time. This minimizes idle times in which a test environment is at a standstill. With a module configurable to different triggers, a corresponding status can be sent to an e-mail address.

A tool for controlling various hardware (laboratory power supply units, OBD multiplexers, etc.) and simulations. In some test environments, there is a need to change some environmental parameters before, during, or after testing. With the ITCM, various components can be specifically controlled for this purpose. The ITCM also works remotely on other computers.

Features of the ITCM:

• Remote capability through client-server architecture
• Operable via your own GUI, command line and from JAVA test cases
• Control of hardware:
  • EA Laboratory Power Supply Units
  • OBD Multiplexer (by ACTIA)
  • CAN Multiplexer (by ACTIA)
  • IP sockets
• Control of software components:
  • CANoe Simulations
  • Batch Files

For validation tests against CANoe residual bus simulations, we have developed a test suite in which tests - written in C# - can be integrated and executed. The test environment supports the CAPL interface for controlling the CANoe simulations.