NAME

Test::Valgrind - Test Perl code through valgrind.

VERSION

Version 0.06

SYNOPSIS

use Test::More;
eval 'use Test::Valgrind';
plan skip_all => 'Test::Valgrind is required to test your distribution with valgrind' if $@;

# Code to inspect for memory leaks/errors.

DESCRIPTION

This module lets you run some code through the valgrind memory debugger, to test it for memory errors and leaks. Just add use Test::Valgrind at the beginning of the code you want to test. Behind the hood, Test::Valgrind::import forks so that the child can basically exec 'valgrind', $^X, $0 (except that of course $0 isn't right there). The parent then parses the report output by valgrind and pass or fail tests accordingly.

You can also use it from the command-line to test a given script :

perl -MTest::Valgrind leaky.pl

Due to the nature of perl's memory allocator, this module can't track leaks of Perl objects. This includes non-mortalized scalars and memory cycles. However, it can track leaks of chunks of memory allocated in XS extensions with Newx and friends or malloc. As such, it's complementary to the other very good leak detectors listed in the "SEE ALSO" section.

CONFIGURATION

You can pass parameters to import as a list of key / value pairs, where valid keys are :

• supp => $file

  Also use suppressions from $file besides perl's.

• no_supp => $bool

  If true, do not use any suppressions.

• callers => $number

  Specify the maximum stack depth studied when valgrind encounters an error. Raising this number improves granularity. Default is 12.

• extra => [ @args ]

  Add @args to valgrind parameters.

• diag => $bool

  If true, print the raw output of valgrind as diagnostics (may be quite verbose).

• no_test => $bool

  If true, do not actually output the plan and the tests results.

• cb => sub { my ($val, $name) = @_; ...; return $passed }

  Specifies a subroutine to execute for each test instead of Test::More::is. It receives the number of bytes leaked in $_[0] and the test name in $_[1], and is expected to return true if the test passed and false otherwise. Defaults to

  sub {
   is($_[0], 0, $_[1]);
   (defined $_[0] and $_[0] == 0) : 1 : 0
  }

CAVEATS

You can't use this module to test code given by the -e command-line switch.

Results will most likely be better if your perl is built with debugging enabled. Using the latest valgrind available will also help.

This module is not really secure. It's definitely not taint safe. That shouldn't be a problem for test files.

If your tests output to STDERR, everything will be eaten in the process. In particular, running this module against test files will obliterate their original test results.

DEPENDENCIES

Valgrind 3.1.0 (http://valgrind.org).

Carp, POSIX (core modules since perl 5) and Test::More (since 5.6.2).

Perl::Destruct::Level.

SEE ALSO

Devel::Leak, Devel::LeakTrace, Devel::LeakTrace::Fast.

AUTHOR

Vincent Pit, <perl at profvince.com>, http://www.profvince.com.

You can contact me by mail or on #perl @ FreeNode (vincent or Prof_Vince).

BUGS

Please report any bugs or feature requests to bug-test-valgrind at rt.cpan.org, or through the web interface at http://rt.cpan.org/NoAuth/ReportBug.html?Queue=Test-Valgrind. I will be notified, and then you'll automatically be notified of progress on your bug as I make changes.

SUPPORT

You can find documentation for this module with the perldoc command.

perldoc Test::Valgrind

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Rafaël Garcia-Suarez, for writing and instructing me about the existence of Perl::Destruct::Level (Elizabeth Mattijsen is a close second).

H.Merijn Brand, for daring to test this thing.

COPYRIGHT & LICENSE

Copyright 2008 Vincent Pit, all rights reserved.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

cpanm Test::Valgrind

perl -MCPAN -e shell
install Test::Valgrind