Writing Test Cases

Test cases are the foundation of TESTMETRIX. Well-written test cases make runs reproducible and results meaningful.

Creating a Test Case

1. Open your project
2. Navigate to Test Cases → New Test Case
3. Fill in the form fields described below
4. Click Save

Test Case Fields

Required Fields

Field	Description	Example
Title	Short, action-oriented name	Verify CAN message on startup
Category	Module or functional area	Communication, Safety
Expected Result	Observable outcome for pass	CAN frame 0x100 transmitted within 50ms

Optional Fields

Field	Description
Description	Background context and purpose of the test
Preconditions	Required system state before execution
Steps	Numbered, reproducible execution steps
Priority	High / Medium / Low
Tags	Freeform labels for filtering
Linked Requirement	Requirement ID from your spec document

Writing Good Test Cases

Be specific about the expected result. Instead of:

✗ "The system should work correctly"

Write:

✓ "LED D3 blinks at 2 Hz within 100ms of powering up the board"

One test case = one thing to verify. Split complex scenarios into multiple test cases. This makes it clear exactly which behavior failed.

Include hardware preconditions. Embedded tests often depend on hardware state:

Preconditions:
- Board powered via bench supply at 12V ±0.5V
- CAN bus connected to PC with PEAK USB-CAN adapter
- DUT firmware version ≥ 2.1.0 flashed

Importing Test Cases via API

For bulk creation, use the API:

curl -X POST https://testmetrix.de/api/test-cases/ \
  -H "Authorization: Token YOUR_API_TOKEN" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "project": 1,
    "title": "Verify watchdog reset on timeout",
    "category": "Safety",
    "expected_result": "MCU resets within 2s of timeout event"
  }'