Visual Basic —

Destruction Testing

In this type of testing, the application is tested until it does something it's not supposed to-often in a totally unstructured fashion. You need to come up with a happy medium of what is appropriate. For example, you had 20 days allocated for this testing, and you could let 1 person do this for 20 days or you could let 40 people do this for half a day each. Ideally, about 5 or 6 people for 3 or 4 days each is the best proportion to get the maximum benefit.

Window Design Testing

This kind of test proves that each individual window (such as primary, secondary, pop-up, dialog box, message box) that the system consists of has been designed and built according to the project standards. The best method of ensuring this is in the form of a checklist-that is, points to be checked and signed off by the test reviewer. An example of such a checklist is shown in Table 15-2, but each project should come up with its own checklist for its own project standards and circumstances.

Table 15-2 Example Window Design Checklist

Checkpoints Checked
The form positioning is correct relative to other forms on the screen.
The form has the correct border style.
The form has the Max, Min, and Control box set on or off as required.
The control tabbing order is set and is logical to the user (upper left to lower right).
Correct colors (foreground, background, fill, and so on) are applied to all controls per project standards.
The first character of each word of text labels and menu choices is in uppercase text.
Controls are aligned correctly.
The text and captions of all controls are in the correct font and size.
All menus, command buttons, check boxes, and option buttons have mnemonics set.
All mnemonics are unique.
Ellipses (…) are included for all routing menu choices.
Shortcut keys for menu options are set if relevant.
Command button and menu bar choices are unique.
A Help menu option or Help command button exists if relevant.
Command buttons are positioned appropriately on the form.
A command button is set to be the Cancel default.
A command button is set to be the Enter default if appropriate.
Option buttons have a frame or group box.
A default option button is set for each group.
Combo box and list box entries are ordered appropriately.
Enabled and/or Visible control properties are set where relevant.
Date fields are formatted correctly.
Image control is used rather than picture control where appropriate.
3D and non-3D controls of the same type are not used on the same form.