Test input generation from cause–effect graphs

Cause–effect graphing is a well-known requirement-based and systematic testing method with a heuristic approach. Since it was introduced by Myers in 1979, there have not been any sufficiently comprehensive studies to generate test inputs from these graphs. However, there exist several methods for test input generation from Boolean expressions. Cause–effect graphs can be more convenient for a wide variety of users compared to Boolean expressions. Moreover, they can be used to enforce common constraints and rules on the system variables of different expressions of the system. This study proposes a new mutant-based test input generation method, Spectral Testing for Boolean specification models based on spectral analysis of Boolean expressions using mutations of the original expression. Unlike Myers’ method, Spectral Testing is an algorithmic and deterministic method, in which we model the possible faults systematically. Furthermore, the conversion of cause–effect graphs between Boolean...