XTS

HELP	Node Specifications	Semantic Requirements	Test Cases
Introduction	Introduction	Introduction	Introduction
Node frame	X3D Concepts
Viewer frame	Node Reference
Banner frame	Fields and Events
	Conformance Requirements

This XML encoded X3D test suite is in development. Tests in this suite test against the current X3D Draft Specification Document for browsers that read and render XML encoded content conforming to the X3D VRML97 Profile. We currently have approximately 1000 test files in this suite. These test files should be considered "experimental" until the finalized Draft X3D specification and DTD are delivered. These tests are generated against the x3d-compromise.dtd .

The X3D Test Suite ( XTS ) is a software tool that can aid in the evaluation of X3D browsers for compliance with the Draft Specification in reading and rendering VRML97 Profile XML encoded source files. The X3D Test Suite works as a group of three HTML "frames" that provide a testing environment for an individual node. The three frames consist of a Banner frame at the top of the screen, a Node frame on the left-hand side and a large Viewer frame on the right ( the frame in which you are currently reading this document ). Together, these three frames create an environment for comparing a node's specification, semantic requirements, actual test worlds, and expected test results in a single WWW browser window.

The Node frame to the left allows you to select a particular node group, and associated elements for testing. The Viewer frame is the window into which test worlds, node specifications semantic requirements and online and will be displayed for a selected node. The Banner frame provides overall control of the testing environment, presenting options for selecting a node's specification, semantic requirements or individual test cases for viewing.

The Node frame:

When you first enter the XTS application, the Nodeframe on the left displays a list of all node groups. The XTS breaks the nodes into 11 functional categories ( called "Node Groups" ).

After selecting a node group from the Node frame, the frame is updated with a list of all VRML97 profile nodes that belong to the node group that you selected. For example, if the Appearance node group were selected, the list of nodes belonging to the Appearance group would be displayed.

Above the list of nodes is a link to the general description of the node group, as defined in the specification. Below the node list is a "link arrow" that will take you back to the list of VRML97 profile node groups. Selecting a particular node will update the Banner Frame with links to that node's specification, semantic requirements and test cases.

The Node frame also will display image files and sample mpeg movies of expected test results, if such files exist for a particular node test.

The Banner frame:

When a X3D Node is selected from the Node frame on the left, the Banner frame changes its links to display four items.

They are:

Node: ( this element will change to the name of the node you select. )
Specification ( a link to the VRML Specification for the node you select )
Semantic Requirements ( a link to the list of semantic requirements for the node you select. )
Test Cases ( a link to the list of test cases for the node you select )

**The Viewer frame:**

The Viewer frame is used to display test related information, including test worlds, semantic requirements, node specifications, and online help.

The Node Specification:

The VRM Specification is an ISO Standard 14772-1:1997.

The primary portion of the VRML Specification that is used to specify a node's characteristics is the Node Reference. The Node Reference contains a list of all nodes, and a detailed definition of the syntax and semantics of each node in the specification. Additionally, the Conformance and Minimum Support Requirements section of the VRML Specification is used to specifically minimum conformance requirements of each individual X3D node. This includes basic features that must be supported by an X3D browser. In addition, a node's functionality is further specified with the Field and Event Reference portion of the specification. The Field and Event Reference defines the acceptable format of data fields for nodes.The Concepts portion of the VRML Specification is also used to describe a node's behavior in relation to other nodes and to the world itself.

Semantic Requirements:

Semantic requirements are functional descriptions of what defines a node, and how it is defined. Unlike the more detailed Node Reference,semantic requirements are a series of concise, axiomatic statements to represent any node parameters that may alter the behavior of a node, including other nodes. For each node, a list of semantic requirements exists that define the key functional properties of that node. Each of these semantic requirements will then be represented in a X3D test world so that the user can determine whether his/her browser properly executes that semantic requirement for a particular node.

Test Cases:

Each node will have a suite of test cases that measure a particular characteristic of the node for conformance. The test cases will be presented in a list, with each list item containig a description of the test case, and a hypertext link to a X3D world that tests a browser's implementation of the described conformance characteristic.

The test world source code containins documentation on what semantic requirement is being tested, a description of the test and expected results, and the name of the author of the test.

In addition, if sample test results are available, they will be presented in the Node frame as images, mpeg movies or as sound files ( depending on the type of node test ).