X-Git-Url: http://git.marmaro.de/?a=blobdiff_plain;f=test%2FREADME;h=1932cd7639eac2627d6816c69f70758b985735ab;hb=587e977a97865f091131355f6dd250ece99f7adb;hp=6d391624c090ceeaa3a7219f9e6d8b7a3323b61e;hpb=6ce3e60f25c94b31e5d090ea03dee09d70dc1f7b;p=mmh

diff --git a/test/README b/test/README
index 6d39162..1932cd7 100644
--- a/test/README
+++ b/test/README
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ designed to work with Automake.  To run these tests you can do "make check"
 via the top-level Makefile.  This is also done automatically via
 "make distcheck".
 
-WARNING:  The test suite installs nmh and run the tests on that test
+WARNING:  The test suite installs nmh and runs the tests on that test
 installation.  If you run tests individually, they will not remove
 that test installation or check to see if it remains up to date with
 your nmh workspace.  You can run test/clean after a test to remove the
@@ -41,3 +41,44 @@ If you wish to write a new test script, here are the steps:
   that you access these files relative to the $srcdir environment variable.
 
 - Verify that the test works with both "make check" and "make distcheck".
+
+Please use only Bourne shell and bare-bones POSIX program constructs
+in the test scripts.  In particular:
+
+- Use `` instead of $().
+
+- Wrap shell variables with "" if they could possibly contain
+  whitespace or special characters that would affect syntax.
+
+- Use the arith_eval() function in common.sh instead of $(()) or expr.
+  It detects at run time if $(()) is available.
+
+- Use grep >/dev/null instead of grep -q.
+
+- Don't use egrep, grep -E, fgrep, grep -F, or other non-portable grep
+  functionality.  The built-in case statement supports alternation (|).
+
+- Don't use ! to negate conditions.  Instead, use something like:
+    <condition> || <statement>
+  or
+    if <condition>; then :; else <statements> fi
+
+- Separate variable assignment from export (don't assign in export
+  statements).
+
+- Use sed >tmpfile and mv instead of sed -i.
+
+- Avoid depending on the exact format of output from system (non-nmh)
+  programs.
+
+The Heirloom Bourne Shell, http://heirloom.sourceforge.net/sh.html,
+catches many non-portable shell constructs, such as $(), $(()), !, and
+assignment in export statements.
+
+checkbashisms, available at http://sourceforge.net/projects/checkbaskisms/,
+might help some catch problems.  Though it misses all of the troublesome
+constructs, except for assignment in an export statement, listed above.
+
+The "Portable Shell" section of the Autoconf info manual has a wealth
+of tips for avoiding portability problems in shell scripts.  It might
+be available by entering:  info autoconf portable.