Add new module valgrind-tests.

5 files changed, 94 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index 8fcce2671e..7924d203ef 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -1,3 +1,11 @@
+2010-05-17  Simon Josefsson  <simon@josefsson.org>
+
+	* modules/valgrind-tests: New file.
+	* m4/valgrind-tests.m4: New file.
+	* doc/valgrind-tests.texi: New file.
+	* doc/gnulib.texi (Running self-tests under valgrind): New
+	section.
+
 2010-05-19  Bruno Haible  <bruno@clisp.org>
 
 	Clean up dead code in recent commit.
diff --git a/doc/gnulib.texi b/doc/gnulib.texi
index 62f969ed17..4cbc9e74b7 100644
--- a/doc/gnulib.texi
+++ b/doc/gnulib.texi
@@ -6416,6 +6416,7 @@ This list of functions is sorted according to the header that declares them.
 * func::
 * warnings::
 * manywarnings::
+* Running self-tests under valgrind::
 @end menu
 
 @node alloca
@@ -6514,6 +6515,8 @@ generated automatically.
 
 @include manywarnings.texi
 
+@include valgrind-tests.texi
+
 @node GNU Free Documentation License
 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
 
diff --git a/doc/valgrind-tests.texi b/doc/valgrind-tests.texi
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ec3720214a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/doc/valgrind-tests.texi
@@ -0,0 +1,38 @@
+@node Running self-tests under valgrind
+@section Running self-tests under valgrind
+
+For projects written in C or similar languages, running the self-tests
+under Valgrind can reveal hard to find memory issues.  The
+@code{valgrind-tests} module searches for Valgrind and declares the
+@code{VALGRIND} automake variable for use with automake's
+@code{TESTS_ENVIRONMENT}.
+
+After importing the @code{valgrind-tests} module to your project, you
+use it by adding the following to the @code{Makefile.am} that runs the
+self-tests:
+
+@smallexample
+TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(VALGRIND)
+@end smallexample
+
+This will run all self-checks under valgrind.  This can be wasteful if
+you have many shell scripts or other non-binaries.  Using the Automake
+parallel-tests feature, this can be avoided by using the following
+instead:
+
+@smallexample
+AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = parallel-tests
+TEST_EXTENSIONS = .pl .sh
+LOG_COMPILER = $(VALGRIND)
+@end smallexample
+
+Then valgrind will only be used for the non-.sh and non-.pl tests.
+However, this means that binaries invoked through scripts will not be
+invoked under valgrind, which could be solved by adding the following:
+
+@smallexample
+TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = VALGRIND='$(VALGRIND)'
+@end smallexample
+
+And then modify the shell scripts to invoke the binary prefixed with
+@code{$VALGRIND}.
diff --git a/m4/valgrind-tests.m4 b/m4/valgrind-tests.m4
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..e2434c6b83
--- /dev/null
+++ b/m4/valgrind-tests.m4
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+# valgrind-tests.m4 serial 1
+dnl Copyright (C) 2008, 2009, 2010 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+dnl This file is free software; the Free Software Foundation
+dnl gives unlimited permission to copy and/or distribute it,
+dnl with or without modifications, as long as this notice is preserved.
+
+dnl From Simon Josefsson
+
+# gl_VALGRIND_TESTS()
+# -------------------
+# Check if valgrind is available, and set VALGRIND to it if available.
+AC_DEFUN([gl_VALGRIND_TESTS],
+[
+  AC_ARG_ENABLE(valgrind-tests,
+    AS_HELP_STRING([--enable-valgrind-tests],
+                   [run self tests under valgrind]),
+    [opt_valgrind_tests=$enableval], [opt_valgrind_tests=yes])
+
+  # Run self-tests under valgrind?
+  if test "$opt_valgrind_tests" = "yes" && test "$cross_compiling" = no; then
+    AC_CHECK_PROGS(VALGRIND, valgrind)
+  fi
+
+  if test -n "$VALGRIND" && $VALGRIND -q true > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+    opt_valgrind_tests=yes
+    VALGRIND="$VALGRIND -q"
+  else
+    opt_valgrind_tests=no
+    VALGRIND=
+  fi
+
+  AC_MSG_CHECKING([whether self tests are run under valgrind])
+  AC_MSG_RESULT($opt_valgrind_tests)
+])
diff --git a/modules/valgrind-tests b/modules/valgrind-tests
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..b9f5682512
--- /dev/null
+++ b/modules/valgrind-tests
@@ -0,0 +1,11 @@
+Description:
+Macro to search for valgrind, for self-tests.
+
+Files:
+m4/valgrind-tests.m4
+
+License:
+unlimited
+
+Maintainer:
+Simon Josefsson