High level language simulation
If software is written in a high level language, it is possible to test
large parts of it without the need for the hardware at all. Software that does
not need or use I/O or other system dependent facilities can be run and tested
on other machines, such as a PC or a engineering workstation. The advantage of
this is that it allows a parallel development of the hardware and software and
added confidence, when the two parts are integrated, that it will work.
Using this technique, it is possible to simulate I/O using the keyboard
as input or another task passing input data to the rest of the modules. Another
technique is to use a data table which contains data sequences that are used to
test the soft-ware.
This method is not without its restrictions. The most common mistake
with this method is the use of non-standard libraries which are not supported
by the target system com-piler or environment. If these libraries are used as
part of the code that will be transferred, as opposed to providing a user
interface or debugging facility, then the modifications needed to port the code
will devalue the benefit of the simulation.
The ideal is when the simulation system is using the same library
interface as the target. This can be achieved by using the target system or
operating system as the simulation system or using the same set of system
calls. Many operating systems support or provide a UNIX compatible library
which allows UNIX software to be ported using a simple recompilation. As a
result, UNIX systems are often employed in this simula-tion role. This is an
advantage which the POSIX compliant operating system Lynx offers.
This simulation allows logical testing of the software but rarely offers
quantitative information unless the simulation environment is very close to
that of the target, in terms of hardware and software environments.
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