NAME

Test::Expect - Automated driving and testing of terminal-based programs

SYNOPSIS

  # in a t/*.t file:
  use Test::Expect;
  use Test::More tests => 13;
  expect_run(
    command => ["perl", "testme.pl"],
    prompt  => 'testme: ',
    quit    => 'quit',
  );
  expect("ping", "pong", "expect");
  expect_send("ping", "expect_send");
  expect_is("* Hi there, to testme", "expect_is");
  expect_like(qr/Hi there, to testme/, "expect_like");

DESCRIPTION

Test::Expect is a module for automated driving and testing of terminal-based programs. It is handy for testing interactive programs which have a prompt, and is based on the same concepts as the Tcl Expect tool. As in Expect::Simple, the Expect object is made available for tweaking.

Test::Expect is intended for use in a test script.

SUBROUTINES

expect_run

The expect_run subroutine sets up Test::Expect. You must pass in the interactive program to run, what the prompt of the program is, and which command quits the program:

  expect_run(
    command => ["perl", "testme.pl"],
    prompt  => 'testme: ',
    quit    => 'quit',
  );

The "command" may either be a string, or an arrayref of program and arguments; the latter for bypasses the shell.

expect

The expect subroutine is the catch all subroutine. You pass in the command, the expected output of the subroutine and an optional comment.

  expect("ping", "pong", "expect");

expect_send

The expect_send subroutine sends a command to the program. You pass in the command and an optional comment.

  expect_send("ping", "expect_send");

expect_is

The expect_is subroutine tests the output of the program like Test::More's is. It has an optional comment:

  expect_is("* Hi there, to testme", "expect_is");

expect_like

The expect_like subroutine tests the output of the program like Test::More's like. It has an optional comment:

  expect_like(qr/Hi there, to testme/, "expect_like");

expect_handle

This returns the Expect object.

expect_quit

Closes the Expect handle.

AUTHOR

Best Practical Solutions, LLC <modules@bestpractical.com>

Original module by Leon Brocard, <acme@astray.com>

BUGS

COPYRIGHT

This module is free software; you can redistribute it or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.