QA testing

Quality Assurance tests look at the functionality of Moodle from a user's point of view.

Real users systematically try each feature in Moodle and test that it works in the current version of the Moodle code.

These tests are repeated in series of cycles, usually just before major releases.

QA testing latest: Many thanks to everyone who helped with Moodle 2.0 QA Cycle 1. We will be starting a second QA cycle very soon when Moodle 2.0 RC1 is released. In the meantime, please continue posting in the Testing and QA forum about any 2.0 issues you come across and report any bugs in the Tracker. See also the current development/testing focus in the Moodle 2.0 Preview 4 release notes.

Getting involved

Testers can pass or fail QA tests and add comments

Would you like to help with QA testing? If so, please contact Helen.

All testers are members of the testers group in the Moodle Tracker, enabling them to pass or fail QA tests and add comments.

Running tests

1. Select a test from the list
2. Using either the Moodle QA Testing Site or your own test site running the latest Moodle 2.0 version, perform each of the steps listed in the test
3. Choose an appropriate workflow action:
   • Pass - Test runs perfectly :-)
   • Fail - Indicate in a comment where the test fails and include the MDL issue number of the report of the problem, creating a new Tracker issue if necessary (see below for more details)
   • Obsolete - Test is no longer relevant in the current Moodle version (unlikely for Moodle 2.0, but may occur when testing Moodle 2.1)

If in doubt whether to pass a test, give it a fail and perhaps ask someone else to have a look by adding them as a watcher then adding a comment.

Note: Always use today's version of Moodle 2.0 for testing. The Moodle QA Testing Site is updated daily.

When you pass or fail a test, you are automatically named as the assignee.Would you like to help with QA testing? If so, please contact

Failed tests

So you ran a test and it failed? Congratulations on finding a bug!Would you like to help with QA testing? If so, please contact

1. Make sure that the problem is reported as an MDL issue in the Tracker for developers to investigate and fix
2. Add a comment to the QA test, stating the MDL issue number
3. Link the MDL issue to the QA test
4. (Optional) Add yourself as a watcher to the MDL issue so that you receive email notification when the issue is fixed
5. When the MDL issue is fixed, the QA test can be reset
6. The reset QA test can then be run again

Note for developers:

After fixing a bug, please add a comment to the linked MDLQA test thanking the tester and informing them that the test can be run again, then click the reset link. The tester will then receive email notification that the bug is fixed and will hopefully decide to run the test again soon. (Otherwise when the test is reset, it's assigned to nobody, and if the tester isn't watching the MDL issue, they won't know about the bug being fixed.)

Writing new tests

Would you like to help with writing new QA tests? If so, you'll need to be a member of the test writers group in the Tracker. Please contact Helen about being added.

To create a new QA test:

1. Create a sub-task of MDLQA-1
2. Select Master copy as affected version
3. Select appropriate components including at least one of the following: User, Student, Teacher, Administrator
4. Leave the assignee as automatic (nobody)

New tests will be included in the next QA cycle.

Feedback

Feedback on all aspects of our QA testing process is welcome. If you have any questions or comments, please post in the Testing and QA forum in Using Moodle.