- 2070 Bhadra · 3 marks
Testing and debugger
Short answer
Testing verifies requirements through unit, integration, system, and acceptance tests, including timing and hardware interaction. A debugger locates errors via single stepping, breakpoints, inspection of registers/memory. Embedded debuggers include simulator, ROM monitor, ICE, and JTAG/on-chip debug, often with logic analyser.
Explain the testing and debugger.
Testing is checking that the software or system meets its requirements and finding errors by running it with test inputs. Levels: unit, integration, system and acceptance testing; methods: black-box (inputs/outputs only) and white-box (internal logic). In embedded systems, tests must also check timing, interrupts, memory use and hardware interaction on the target.
Debugger is a tool that helps locate and remove the errors found by testing. It allows the developer to:
- run the program step by step (single stepping) and set breakpoints;
- inspect and change registers, memory and variables;
- trace the execution path and watch variables.
Types used in embedded work: simulator (host-based, no hardware), monitor/ROM debugger (a small resident program on the target talking over a serial link), in-circuit emulator (ICE) (replaces the processor, real-time control and tracing), and JTAG/on-chip debug (debug through a dedicated port on the chip). A logic analyser or oscilloscope can also be used for hardware timing problems.
✓ Answer checked by Claude Opus 5.5 (high effort)