2 Why We Need Model-Based Testing

320 Glossary
enabling condition. Apredicate associated with an action. The action is enabled
when its enabling condition is true. Enabling conditions control the sequence of
actions when a model program executes. Enabling conditions are also called preconditions
or guards.
end state. Next state.
environmental abstraction. Abstraction applied to control structure. A higher level
of environmental abstraction replaces control structure with nondeterminism.
event-driven system. Reactive system.
exhaustive. An analysis that considers every possibility. For example, exhaustive
exploration generates the true FSM. Exhaustive analysis of an “infinite” program
is not feasible.
explorable. Amodel program whose every parameter has a finite domain.
exploration. An analysis technique that generates an FSM from a model program.
factory method. A method that returns an object. In the NModel framework, factory
methods are applied to a library model program, anFSM model program, oran
FSM text file to create an instance of the ModelProgram class than can be used for
exploration or testing.
fail. Ofanassertion, to evaluate to false. Of a program, to experience a failure. Of
a test case, to cause a program to experience a failure.
failure. An occurrence where a program does not satisfy its specification or violates
conformance. Some failures are caused by defects.
fault. Defect.
feature. A group of related state variables and actions that might be included or
excluded from a model program.
feature-oriented modeling. Where a model program is built up by combining
separate features.
field map. A table that relates an object identifier to an associated data value. The
NModel framework uses field maps to support object-oriented modeling.
finish action. The second action in a split action, associated with the return of the
action method.
finite state machine (FSM). A finite collection of state transitions, along with an
identification of the initial state and any accepting states. An FSM can express a
scenario. Exploration generates an FSM from a model program.
finitely branching.Amodel program where only a finite number of transitions are
enabled in each state. A finitely branching model program is explorable. Contrast
to infinitely branching.
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