340238 - Doc: Test cases: Dependencies: "parent"/"child" is confusing

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Testopia :: General, defect)

Description

[gekacheka]

"parent"/"child" is confusing --> use "prerequisite"

> If a test case depends on another test case it would be prevented
> from being passed if that parent case fails. ... Depends on makes 
> this test case a child of another[.] ... Blocks makes it a parent.

"Parent" and "child" are confusing terms here.  
* A biological parent may have many children, but not vice versa.  
  An integration test may depend on many unit tests, so the unit tests 
  do not fit the metaphor as 'parents' of the integration test.
* "Parent" and "child" are typically used to describe nodes in tree
  data structures, where the 'parent' node encompasses many 'children'.  
  But here they are introduced in an inverted example: the child has
  a collection of many parents.
As a result, it is easy for readers to interpret this backwards.

"Prerequisite" would be better than "parent".  Possible rewording:

  If test case B *depends on* test case A, then whenever test case A
  fails, test case B will also fail (so A should run before B, and B
  should not be run if A fails). ... *Depends on* makes 
  another test case a prerequisite for this test case.  *Blocks* makes
  this test case a prerequisite for another."

Comment 1

[Greg Hendricks]

Thank you. I have updated the docs accordingly.