EXAM

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EXtended Automation Method (EXAM)
Basic data

developer MicroNova AG
Current  version 4.8
(March 2020)
category Test automation
License Freeware , GPL OpenSource
German speaking Yes
EXAM

EXAM (short for EX tended A utomation M ethod) is a methodology developed by MicroNova AG for Volkswagen AG since 2006 for the graphical development of test cases in the field of test automation . With the test development environment based on the Eclipse RCP , test cases can be graphically modeled, carried out and evaluated in Unified Modeling Language (UML). Areas of application are primarily hardware-in-the-loop simulation (HiL), software-in-the-loop simulation (SiL) and test bench automation in the automotive sector, but also in other industries such as wind energy.

Emergence

Audi and Volkswagen had EXAM developed by MicroNova electronic GmbH (today MicroNova AG) as a consolidated tool from the in-house tools ITS (Audi) and Tara (Volkswagen) in 2006. Since then, it has established itself in the Volkswagen Group as a group-wide test development environment. Porsche has also been using the tool since 2007 . Version EXAM 3.0 was released in 2011, followed by version 3.1 in June 2012 under the leadership of Capgemini. With version 4 MicroNova took over the scepter in the development; A striking innovation was the establishment of a layered architecture that bypasses the latency problem by optimizing access and thus enables worldwide use.

License

The test development environment EXAM is made available as freeware . The libraries contained are subject to the GPL open source license .

commitment

The software is used throughout the Volkswagen Group. In addition to Audi and Volkswagen, other group subsidiaries such as Seat , Bentley , Škoda and Porsche also use the tool for test automation of HiL simulators. Automotive suppliers such as ZF , Continental and Bosch also use EXAM to optimize the test process with the automotive manufacturers. The use as freeware is intended to support the exchange of function libraries in order to keep the distributed development at suppliers and manufacturers uniform.

methodology

In addition to its function as a test development environment, EXAM is also a method for the presentation, implementation and evaluation of test cases. The aim is to describe the test cases in UML models in such a formal way that they can be interpreted automatically and converted into executable test programs, regardless of the test system used. This means that test cases can be completely or partially exchanged and reused.

Test sequences can be modeled graphically in sequence diagrams with EXAM without programming knowledge and, since EXAM 3.0, also in activity diagrams.

The description of the test cases is done largely independently of the test system with abstract functions of the system to be tested (DUT Device Under Test) from the EXAM library. Testers can thus concentrate on the test content instead of the test system when creating the test cases.

Main features:

  • Abstract modeling of test cases
  • Platform-independent description of test content
  • Automatic generation of executable test scripts
  • Location-independent development of test cases in teams
  • Traceability through the entire test process

Components

The EXAM test development environment basically consists of three tools:

  • EXAM modeller for modeling the test cases; Test development environment SDK
  • EXAM testrunner for executing the test cases
  • EXAM report manager for evaluating and analyzing the test results

By using the Eclipse RCP , extension plugins can be integrated into the test development environment and thus adapted to the respective purpose. Since a cooperation with the French company All4Tec in 2010, test cases can be automatically generated based on guidelines using the test model designer MaTeLo with version EXAM 3.0. Furthermore, an integration of the Trace-Check from the company TraceTronic is also possible since EXAM 3.0.

Interfaces

EXAM has open interfaces (API) with which all leading HiL systems and many common development tools can be connected. A report interface based on Business Intelligence and Reporting Tools (BIRT) allows the generation of numerous report documents on the basis of templates or as an exchange format using XML files. In order to integrate EXAM into the test management process, there are interfaces to the requirement tool IBM DOORS and to Imbus Testbench (EXAM 3.0).

Scripting

The Groovy- based scripting enables model-based functions to be implemented in order to make changes to EXAM objects fully automatically. The associated editor offers syntax highlighting, code completion and generic script generation from template files as basic functions. Furthermore, scripts can be exchanged between the test designers using the XMI export.

Web links