Testing

ISETCam's automated tests help contributors check a focused change before sharing it. They are developer tools, not a prerequisite for installing or using ISETCam. Start MATLAB with ISETCam on the path, use a clean session for tutorial or example tests, and begin with the smallest relevant check.

Test levels

Change	First check	Broader check
A function or object component	The nearby _tests_ runner, such as sceneUnitTest	ieUnitTest
A tutorial in tutorials/	ieTutorialTest('selection', 't_name')	ieTutorialTest
An example in examples/	ieExampleTest('selection', 's_name')	ieExampleTest

ieUnitTest discovers and runs the function-based MATLAB tests in ISETCam's colocated _tests_ directories. Area runners, including sceneUnitTest, sensorUnitTest, opticsUnitTest, and displayUnitTest, are useful while developing because they limit the check to one component.

% Run the focused tests for a scene change.
results = sceneUnitTest;

% Run all ISETCam unit tests before a substantial shared change.
results = ieUnitTest;

The unit-test runner returns a MATLAB TestResult array and prints a summary.

Tutorial and example smoke tests

Tutorials (t_*.m) and examples (s_*.m) are executable teaching and workflow material. Their runners reset ISETCam state between scripts, so a script must not depend on objects or variables left by an earlier one.

% Check one tutorial or one example while editing it.
tutorialRun = ieTutorialTest('selection', 't_cameraIntroduction');
exampleRun  = ieExampleTest('selection', 's_metricsSPD');

% Run every tutorial or example.
tutorialRun = ieTutorialTest;
exampleRun  = ieExampleTest;

% Start at a named tutorial and continue through the path-sorted suite.
tutorialRun = ieTutorialTest('start', 't_cameraIntroduction');

'selection' accepts a script stem, filename, path relative to the tutorial or example directory, or full path. Use 'start' after correcting a failure in a long suite; it begins a new run rather than resuming an old one.

Scripts that cannot run unattended

If a tutorial or example genuinely needs unavailable data or hardware, manual interaction, an optional toolbox, or an impractically long run, place this marker on its own line in the script:

% SkipFile

Use it sparingly and document why the script is unsuitable for automated smoke testing. Scripts that create or refresh repository data should instead use the data_*.m naming convention; they are not tutorial or example smoke tests.

Read the results

All runners print a summary. ieTestReport can also report a unit-test result or list specific statuses from a tutorial/example run:

ieTestReport(results, 'ieUnitTest');
ieTestReport(tutorialRun, 'List', {'failed', 'skipped'});
ieTestReport(exampleRun, 'List', 'all');

Tutorial and example runs save a timestamped checkpoint, progress log, and planned-file list under ISETCam's local/ directory. If MATLAB closes before a run returns, pass the checkpoint file or its containing run directory to ieTestReport to inspect it.

Scope and further guidance

Use ISETCam's built-in runners for ordinary repository development. The separate ISETValidate project is for broader system and regression validation; it is not required for routine ISETCam use or a focused contribution.

For the current operational details, including authoring tests and diagnosing failures, see the source repository's testing workflow and the implementations of tutorial testing, example testing, and test reporting.