Use a consistent testing framework

Oct 13, 2025 by wbrum.org 102 views

Introduction

Dyalog is a high-performance, multi-threaded, and multi-process APL (A Programming Language) implementation that provides a robust and efficient environment for developing and executing APL applications. As with any software development project, ensuring the quality and reliability of the code is crucial. Code coverage is a measure of the percentage of code that has been executed during testing. In this documentation, we will guide you through the process of getting Dyalog Code Coverage reports.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have the following:

A Dyalog APL environment installed on your system.
Familiarity with the Dyalog APL language and its syntax.
A testing framework set up for your APL code (e.g., Test::Unit or Dyalog's built-in testing framework).

Step 1: Setting up Code Coverage

To generate code coverage reports, you need to set up the code coverage tool. In Dyalog, you can use the built-in COVERAGE system variable to enable code coverage. Here's how to do it:

Enabling Code Coverage

To enable code coverage, you need to set the COVERAGE system variable to 1. You can do this by executing the following code in the Dyalog APL environment:

COVERAGE←1

Configuring Code Coverage

You can configure code coverage by setting the COVERAGE system variable to a specific value. For example, to set the coverage threshold to 80%, you can execute the following code:

COVERAGE←80

Step 2: Running Tests with Code Coverage

Once you have set up code coverage, you need to run your tests with the code coverage tool. You can do this by executing the following code:

COVERAGE RUN TESTS

This will run your tests and generate a code coverage report.

Step 3: Analyzing Code Coverage Reports

After running your tests with code coverage, you can analyze the generated report to see which parts of your code have been executed and which parts have not. You can do this by executing the following code:

COVERAGE REPORT

This will display a report showing the code coverage percentage, the number of lines executed, and the number of lines not executed.

Step 4: Improving Code Coverage

Based on the analysis of your code coverage report, you can identify areas of your code that need improvement. You can do this by executing the following code:

COVERAGE IMPROVE

This will provide suggestions on how to improve your code coverage.

Tips and Best Practices

Here are some tips and best practices to keep in mind when working with code coverage in Dyalog:

Use a consistent testing framework: Use a consistent testing framework throughout your project to ensure that your tests are reliable and accurate.
Run tests regularly: Run your tests regularly to ensure that your code is working as expected.
Analyze code coverage reports: Analyze your code coverage reports regularly to identify areas of your code that need improvement.
Improve code coverage: Improve your code coverage by addressing areas of your code that have low coverage.

Conclusion

In this documentation, we have guided you through the process of getting Dyalog Code Coverage reports. We have covered the prerequisites, setting up code coverage, running tests with code coverage, analyzing code coverage reports, and improving code coverage. By following these steps and tips, you can ensure that your code is reliable, efficient, and meets the required quality standards.

Additional Resources

For more information on code coverage in Dyalog, you can refer to the following resources:

Dyalog Documentation: The official Dyalog documentation provides detailed information on code coverage, including setup, configuration, and analysis.
Dyalog Community Forum: The Dyalog community forum is a great resource for asking questions, sharing knowledge, and getting help from other Dyalog users.
Dyalog Code Coverage Tool: The Dyalog code coverage tool is a powerful tool that provides detailed information on code coverage, including coverage percentage, lines executed, and lines not executed.
Dyalog Code Coverage Q&A ==========================

Frequently Asked Questions

In this article, we will answer some of the most frequently asked questions about Dyalog Code Coverage.

Q: What is Dyalog Code Coverage?

A: Dyalog Code Coverage is a tool that measures the percentage of code that has been executed during testing. It provides a detailed report on which parts of the code have been executed and which parts have not.

Q: Why is Code Coverage Important?

A: Code coverage is important because it helps ensure that your code is reliable, efficient, and meets the required quality standards. It also helps identify areas of the code that need improvement.

Q: How Do I Set Up Code Coverage in Dyalog?

A: To set up code coverage in Dyalog, you need to enable the COVERAGE system variable by executing the following code:

COVERAGE←1

Q: How Do I Configure Code Coverage in Dyalog?

A: You can configure code coverage in Dyalog by setting the COVERAGE system variable to a specific value. For example, to set the coverage threshold to 80%, you can execute the following code:

COVERAGE←80

Q: How Do I Run Tests with Code Coverage in Dyalog?

A: To run tests with code coverage in Dyalog, you need to execute the following code:

COVERAGE RUN TESTS

Q: How Do I Analyze Code Coverage Reports in Dyalog?

A: To analyze code coverage reports in Dyalog, you need to execute the following code:

COVERAGE REPORT

This will display a report showing the code coverage percentage, the number of lines executed, and the number of lines not executed.

Q: How Do I Improve Code Coverage in Dyalog?

A: To improve code coverage in Dyalog, you need to address areas of your code that have low coverage. You can do this by executing the following code:

COVERAGE IMPROVE

This will provide suggestions on how to improve your code coverage.

Q: What are Some Best Practices for Code Coverage in Dyalog?

A: Here are some best practices for code coverage in Dyalog:

Use a consistent testing framework: Use a consistent testing framework throughout your project to ensure that your tests are reliable and accurate.
Run tests regularly: Run your tests regularly to ensure that your code is working as expected.
Analyze code coverage reports: Analyze your code coverage reports regularly to identify areas of your code that need improvement.
Improve code coverage: Improve your code coverage by addressing areas of your code that have low coverage.

Q: Where Can I Find More Information on Code Coverage in Dyalog?

A: For more information on code coverage in Dyalog, you can refer to the following resources:

Dyalog Documentation: The official Dyalog documentation provides detailed information on code coverage, including setup, configuration, and analysis.
Dyalog Community Forum: The Dyalog community forum is a great resource for asking questions, sharing knowledge, and getting help from other Dyalog users.
Dyalog Code Coverage Tool: The Dyalog code coverage tool is a powerful tool that provides detailed information on code coverage, including coverage percentage, lines executed, and lines not executed.

Conclusion

In this article, we have answered some of the most frequently asked questions about Dyalog Code Coverage. We hope this information has been helpful in understanding how to use code coverage in Dyalog to ensure that your code is reliable, efficient, and meets the required quality standards.