How do you test your application?

[PaulAmmoun]

Hello,
I have 2 questions.
1-I upgraded the version of alpha, I just have 1 server (not alpha cloud) how do you test your application on the new version?
Do you install a new instance of the version? how will SSL work then?

2-how do you test the modifications or improvement you make? In alpha there is no unit test that I am aware of.
do you use any methodology or you just do "basic test" Run the updated module and try it.
This what I do now, but sometimes I am having issues with the live app.

Any input will be nice, it is always nice to know how others are doing it :)


Thank you,

[Ted Giles]

Big subject Paul.
I don't do Alpha Web but have run some big test teams in government intranet apps.
There are a few levels, but the first thing to draw is an INTERFERENCE MODEL.
What that should show you is where one table or process is dependent upon another. Change one and you need to check the other.
Next, levels of testing.
Desk check. Like reviewing your code for typos.
Functional check. The code works at this level.
Linked testing. Does what I have done affect the next level .This is where the IM comes in.
System test. Follow the changes through to completion.look at all results.
Regression test. Full blown test starting from documented data with written expected results and reentered on a virgin system. Rare, but sometimes necessary.

Writing out test dialogs is always useful as they can be followed explicitly and you know what results are expected and you can identify a bug more easily if the expectations are not met.

Then, The Idiot Test. Give the app to someone with no knowledge of it. See what havoc they can wreak!

I always found that people closest to the app skip the detailed testing as "of course it's OK, I wrote it".

In life critical stuff, that won't wash.

[CharlesParker]

OK, so I am probably too brave for doing it this way but here goes - for a new "component" the first thing I do is actually test out the component with my data live on the server with security settings such that ONLY I can see it - then if all goes well I open it up to everyone else and see what happens. For a new server version, I simply install it use a few of the critical components, then see what happens. One of the best things about AA is I can so easily roll back to the previous WORKING version if I see something critical that I cannot fix due to a bug or some other anomaly.
I always send an announcement that the server software has been updated - users are well aware that things can be wonky the first few days or NOT. Most often of late it's been a date issue, or a button doesnt seem to work. Users know what is supposed to be happening and I get a call immediately when things are off. Again, I can roll back very quickly and users know what to expect when theres a server update.

[Ted Giles]

Luv it!
The "suck it and see" approach.
There is realy no failsafe and warning friendly users is a great idea.
I've had stuff tested to destruction, go live, and Mandy Lifeboats in Social care completely stuffs it.

[PaulAmmoun]

Luv it!
The "suck it and see" approach.
There is realy no failsafe and warning friendly users is a great idea.
I've had stuff tested to destruction, go live, and Mandy Lifeboats in Social care completely stuffs it.

That's why I asked the question, 😀
I found out the best test is to do a demo of the app.
That's why I demo my app to an imaginary person 😀😃. While doing it I take note of the issues and we reschedule 😉

[Ted Giles]

I have imaginary friends too

[dfricke10]

I too demo to imaginary clients.

I use IIS for my server. I have a second IIS website setup as dev.(domain).com and got a cheap ssls.com certificate for a few bucks just to make everything work. I'll publish to that first, test it all out, then publish to the production site if everything is good.

[Ted Giles]

That's interesting. I have a temporary url set up and when it's OK, port it to my domain name with the SSL.

[dfricke10]

I have a couple things that won't work without the SSL. That's the only reason I have the certificate for the dev site.

[Ted Giles]

Got it. Some browsers won't accept a temp url.
I also have a Demo setting which does everything except any actual data transactions in the app.
Do you use Cloudflair?

[dfricke10]

No, I don't use Cloudflair. I manage all my own servers, etc. I have an AWS server of my own with IIS and my own SQL server. Security is open to what I need it to do.