# Testing Guide This page covers how to run, understand, and extend the test suite. All tests use synthetic fixtures. No real BIOS files, platform configs, or network access required. ## Running tests Run a single test module: ```bash python -m unittest tests.test_e2e -v python -m unittest tests.test_pack_integrity -v python -m unittest tests.test_mame_parser -v python -m unittest tests.test_fbneo_parser -v python -m unittest tests.test_hash_merge -v ``` Run the full suite: ```bash python -m unittest discover tests -v ``` The only dependency is `pyyaml`. No test framework beyond the standard library `unittest` module. ## Test architecture ### test_e2e.py The main regression suite. A single `TestE2E` class exercises every code path through the resolution, verification, pack generation, and cross-reference logic. **Fixture pattern.** `setUp` creates a temporary directory tree with: - Fake BIOS files (deterministic content for hash computation) - Platform YAML configs (existence mode, MD5 mode, inheritance, shared groups) - Emulator profile YAMLs (required/optional files, aliases, HLE, standalone) - A synthetic `database.json` keyed by SHA1 `tearDown` removes the temporary tree. **Test numbering.** Tests are grouped by category: | Range | Category | |-------|----------| | `test_01`--`test_14` | File resolution (SHA1, MD5, name, alias, truncated MD5, composite, zip contents, variants, hash mismatch) | | `test_20`--`test_31` | Verification (existence mode, MD5 mode, required/optional severity, zipped file, multi-hash) | | `test_40`--`test_47` | Cross-reference (undeclared files, standalone skip, alias profiles, data dir suppression, exclusion notes) | | `test_50`+ | Platform config (inheritance, shared groups, data directories, grouping, core resolution, target filtering, ground truth) | Each test calls the same functions that `verify.py` and `generate_pack.py` use in production, against the synthetic fixtures. ### Parser tests **test_mame_parser.** Tests the MAME C source parser that extracts BIOS root sets from driver files. Fixtures are inline C source snippets containing `ROM_START`, `ROM_LOAD`, `GAME()`/`COMP()` macros with `MACHINE_IS_BIOS_ROOT`. Tests cover: - Standard `GAME` macro detection - `COMP` macro detection - `ROM_LOAD` / `ROMX_LOAD` parsing (name, size, CRC32, SHA1) - `ROM_SYSTEM_BIOS` variant extraction - Multi-region ROM blocks - Macro expansion and edge cases **test_fbneo_parser.** Tests the FBNeo C source parser that identifies `BDF_BOARDROM` sets. Same inline fixture approach. **test_hash_merge.** Tests the text-based YAML patching module used to merge upstream BIOS hashes into emulator profiles. Covers: - Merge operations (add new hashes, update existing) - Diff computation (detect what changed) - Formatting preservation (comments, ordering, flow style) Fixtures are programmatically generated YAML/JSON files written to a temp directory. ## How to add a test 1. **Pick the right category.** Find the number range that matches the subsystem you are testing. If none fits, start a new range after the last existing one. 2. **Create synthetic fixtures.** Write the minimum YAML configs and fake files needed to isolate the behavior. Use `tempfile.mkdtemp` for a clean workspace. Avoid depending on the repo's real `bios/` or `platforms/` directories. 3. **Call production functions.** Import from `common`, `verify`, `validation`, or `truth` and call the same entry points that the CLI scripts use. Do not re-implement logic in tests. 4. **Assert specific outcomes.** Check `Status`, `Severity`, resolution method, file counts, or pack contents. Avoid brittle assertions on log output or formatting. 5. **Run the full suite.** After adding your test, run `python -m unittest discover tests -v` to verify nothing else broke. Example skeleton: ```python def test_42_my_new_behavior(self): # Write minimal fixtures to self.root profile = {"emulator": "test_core", "files": [...]} with open(os.path.join(self.emulators_dir, "test_core.yml"), "w") as f: yaml.dump(profile, f) # Call production code result = verify_platform(self.config, self.db, ...) # Assert specific outcomes self.assertEqual(result[0]["status"], Status.OK) ``` ### test_pack_integrity.py End-to-end pack verification. Extracts each platform ZIP to `tmp/` (in the repo, not `/tmp` which is tmpfs on WSL) and verifies that every file declared in the platform YAML: 1. Exists at the correct path on disk after extraction 2. Has the correct hash per the platform's native verification mode Handles inner ZIP verification for MAME/FBNeo ROM sets (checkInsideZip, md5_composite, inner ROM MD5) and path collision deduplication. 8 tests (one per active platform): RetroArch, Batocera, BizHawk, EmuDeck, Recalbox, RetroBat, RetroDECK, RomM. ```bash python -m unittest tests.test_pack_integrity -v # or via CLI: python scripts/generate_pack.py --all --verify-packs --output-dir dist/ ``` Integrated as pipeline step 6/8 (runs after consistency check, before README generation). Requires packs in `dist/` — skip with `--skip-packs`. ## Verification discipline The test suite is one layer of verification. The full quality gate is: 1. All unit tests pass (`python -m unittest discover tests`) 2. The full pipeline completes without error (`python scripts/pipeline.py --offline`) 3. No unexpected CRITICAL entries in the verify output 4. Pack file counts match verification file counts (consistency check) 5. Pack integrity passes (every declared file extractable with correct hash) If a change passes tests but breaks the pipeline, it's worth investigating before merging. Similarly, new CRITICAL entries in the verify output after a change usually indicate something to look into. The pipeline is designed so that all steps agree: if verify reports N files for a platform, the pack should contain exactly N files. Ideally, tests, code, and documentation ship together. When profiles and platform configs are involved, updating them in the same change helps keep everything in sync. ## CI integration The `validate.yml` workflow runs `test_e2e` on every pull request that touches `bios/` or `platforms/` files. The test job (`run-tests`) runs in parallel with BIOS validation, schema validation, and auto-labeling. Tests must pass before merge. If a test fails in CI, reproduce locally with: ```bash python -m unittest tests.test_e2e -v 2>&1 | head -50 ``` The `build.yml` workflow also runs the test suite before building release packs.