IBM Support

Test case preparation for IBM XL compilers support

Troubleshooting


Problem

One of the services provided by the IBM XL compilers support team is the investigation of software defects reported by clients. To successfully investigate a reported defect, the support team requires a suitable test case. Without a suitable test case it can be difficult to make progress with the investigation of a reported defect.

Resolving The Problem

In order to investigate a reported defect, IBM XL compilers support requires users to submit a minimal, self-contained test case with supporting information that meets the following criteria:
  • Demonstrates a single problem; one problem per test case per PMR
  • Indicates what output or behavior is expected
  • Provides operating system version and compiler release
  • Contains only C, C++ or Fortran code
  • Does not exceed 100 lines of source code, except when reporting performance issues and internal compiler errors
  • Contains simple build instructions - large or complex makefiles may slow down an investigation
  • Depends only on the core operating system runtime libraries and XL compilers-shipped libraries (for example: C/C++/Fortran runtime libraries, SMP and MASS libraries, etc)
  • Does not include or depend on third-party code or libraries, including open source software except for the GNU runtime library and standard header files on Linux
  • Recreates the problem without needing a "special" environment, such as database instance, web server, diagnostic utilities, etc

Your support analyst will advise you if your test case does not meet the above criteria, in which case you may have to reduce it. The most effective approach is to prepare a suitable test case before opening a PMR. Click here for a guide which describes ways to isolate problems and reduce test cases.

If you do not have the time or skills to create a suitable test case, you may engage a consulting services provider such as IBM Global Services to assist you for an additional fee. Consultants may be able to perform tasks that are outside the scope of IBM Software Support, such as programming, debugging, troubleshooting, performance analyzing and tuning. The IBM Software Support Handbook [PDF] describes the responsibilities of different levels of software support.

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Document Information

Modified date:
13 September 2021

UID

swg21260804