---
name: "WWW::Search::Test"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "libwww-search-perl"
version: "2.51.90+~cs6.78-2"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/WWW::Search::Test"
---

# WWW::Search::Test(3pm)

utilities to aid in testing WWW::Search backends

## NAME

WWW::Search::Test - utilities to aid in testing WWW::Search backends

## SYNOPSIS

```
  $oTest = new WWW::Search::Test('HotBot,Yahoo,Excite');
  $oTest->test('HotBot', 'Kingpin', 'one', $sQuery, $TEST_RANGE, 1, 10);
```

## DESCRIPTION

See file test.pl in the WWW-Search-HotBot distribution for a detailed "real-world" example.

## METHODS AND FUNCTIONS

### find\_websearch

Returns the full path of an executable WebSearch program, or undef if none can be found.

### new

Create a new WWW::Search::Test object. All arguments are strings, names of backends that this object will be able to test. If no arguments are given, will be able to test all backends.

### mode

Set / get the test mode of this object. If an argument is given, sets the mode to that value. Returns the current (or newly set) value.

There are three test modes available.  They are:

```
  $MODE_INTERNAL: parse URLs out of saved pages (as a sanity check or regression test);
  $MODE_EXTERNAL: send the query to the search engine "live", parse the results, and compare them to the previously saved results;
and
  $MODE_UPDATE: send the query to the search engine "live", parse the results, and save them for future testing.
```

### relevant\_test

Given the name of a backend, returns true if this Test object is able to test that backend.

### eval\_test

Given the name of a backend, grabs the `$TEST_CASES` variable from that backend and evaluates it.

### test

Run test(s) for a backend. Arguments are, in order:  name of a backend to test (string, required); name of backend maintainer (string, if undef `$backend::MAINTAINER` will be used); filename for results storage/comparison (string, required); query to be sent to backend (string, required); test method (required, one of the following).

Several test methods are possible:

```
  $TEST_EXACTLY: list of URLs must match exactly (line for line, in order);
  $TEST_BY_COUNTING: test passes if number of resulting URLs is equal;
  $TEST_GREATER_THAN: test passes if we get more than N result URLs;
and
  $TEST_RANGE: like $TEST_GREATER_THAN but constrained on both ends.
```

### no\_test

Prints a message stating that this backend does not have a test suite. Takes two arguments, the backend name and the name of the maintainer.

### not\_working

Prints a message stating that this backend is known to be broken. Takes two arguments, the backend name and the name of the maintainer.

### not\_working\_with\_tests

Prints a message stating that this backend is known to be broken even though it has a test suite. Takes two arguments, the backend name and the name of the maintainer.

### not\_working\_and\_abandoned

Prints a message stating that this backend is known to be broken and is not being actively maintained. Takes two arguments, the backend name and the name of the maintainer.

### reset\_error\_count

Reset the counter of errors to zero. You probably want to call this before each call to **test()** or **eval\_test()**.

### wc\_l (private, not a method)

Given a filename, count the number of lines of text contained within the file.   (I.e. simulate running UNIX command `"wc -l"` on a file)

### diff (private, not a method)

Given two files, returns TRUE if contents are line-by-line different, or FALSE if contents are line-by-line same. (I.e. like the UNIX command diff, but just reports true or false)

### Shortcuts for running backend tests

WWW::Search::Test keeps its own count of test numbers, so if you want to mix-and-match these functions with your own tests, use the `$WWW::Search::Test::iTest` counter.

### new\_engine

One argument: the name of a backend suitable to be passed to **WWW::Search::new()**. Prints 'ok' or 'not ok' and the test number. Creates a WWW::Search object internally, to be used for all subsequent calls to run\_test and run\_gui\_test (see below).

### tm\_new\_engine

Same as **new\_engine()**, but uses Test::More instead of just printing 'ok'.

### run\_test

Three arguments: a query string, NOT escaped; a minimum number of expected results; and a maximum number of expected results. Optional fourth argument: integer value to be used as the search\_debug. Optional fifth argument: send any true value to dump the search results. Optional sixth argument: reference to hash of search options (see backend documentation). Optional seventh argument: send any true value to NOT escape the query string.

If the minimum is undef, assumes zero. If the maximum is undef, does not check.

Prints 'ok' or 'not ok' and the test number.

### run\_gui\_test

Same as **run\_test()**, but calls **gui\_query()** instead of **native\_query()**.

### tm\_run\_test

Same as **run\_test()**, but uses Test::More rather than just printing 'ok'.

Note: If you use this function inside a TODO block, you must set global variable `$TODO` rather than a local `$TODO`, and you must set the global `$TODO` back to empty-string (or undef) at the end of your TODO block. For example:

```
  TODO:
    {
    $TODO = 'I have not fixed this yet';
    tm_run_test(...);
    $TODO = '';
    } # end of TODO block
```

### tm\_run\_test\_no\_approx

Same as tm\_run\_test, but does NOT check the approximate\_result\_count.

### count\_results

Run a query, and return the actual (not approximate) number of hits. Required first argument determines which backend query method to call: 'gui' to call **gui\_query()**, anything else to call **native\_query()**. Remaining arguments are same as all the **run\_test()** arguments.

### skip\_test

You can call this function instead of **run\_test()** or **run\_gui\_test()** if the current test must be skipped for any reason.

### test\_most\_results

Given an arrayref of things to test, runs all those things against all the results of the most-recently executed test search.