[Boost-users] [Boost.Test] Embedding unit testing in DLL projects

From: Tanner Davis (tanner.davis_at_[hidden])
Date: 2007-05-29 18:14:49

Hello-

 

What is the best practice for embedding test cases into library (versus
executable) projects?  I have successfully used the Boost.Test framework to
build and create EXE targeted, testing specific (MSVS) projects.  However,
much of what I need to unit-test is compiled into a Win32 DLLs, and I would
much rather embed the test cases directly within that DLL project code
(inside define blocks of course), rather than having to define a separate
project to produce an EXE to execute the tests for each DLL.  When I say "I
would rather", it really means my manager demands it.  It appears that the
boost.test MACROs nicely obfuscate the normal main()-ish entry point for the
testing.  I have searched for information on overriding or extending the
kick-off of whatever calls the init_unit_test_suite() so I could write my
own custom entry points for testing the DLL as a post-build step, but have
not found what I am looking for. 

 

So, my question is this. Is there a provided framework for testing code
within a DLL project?  And if not, is there a way to kick start the testing
from a non-main method (say a custom DLL entry point), and would this
strategy work within the confines of Boost.Test?  I believe that other well
known unit testing framework (which shall remain nameless) supports such a
thing, and I would suspect Boost.Test does also.

 

I apologize if this question is often asked or obviously documented
elsewhere.

Thank you for the assistance.