Generating Test Cases for Code Generators by Unfolding Graph Transformation Systems

Code generators are widely used in the development of embedded software to automatically generate executable code from graphical specifications. However, at present, code generators are not as mature as classical compilers and they need to be extensively tested. This paper proposes a technique for systematically deriving suitable test cases for code generators, involving the interaction of chosen sets of rules. This is done by formalising the behaviour of a code generator by means of graph transformation rules and exploiting unfolding-based techniques. Since the representation of code generators in terms of graph grammars typically makes use of rules with negative application conditions, the unfolding approach is extended to deal with this feature.