The ACVC is designed to demonstrate the conformity of an Ada
implementation with the Ada language standard. The ACVC is distributed
as a collection of test programs, support programs that facilitate
processing the tests, and an ACVC user’s guide that explains the
criteria for evaluating the results.
The ACVC Versions
During the transition period, there are three versions of the Ada
Compiler Validation Capability (ACVC): ACVC 1.11, for Ada 83; and ACVC
2.0 and 2.0.1, for Ada 95. For Ada 83 compilers, ACVC 1.11 will be in
use until 31 March 1997; validation certificates issued for this test
suite will expire 31 March 1998.
The current version of the test suite for Ada 95 compilers is ACVC
2.0.1; validation certificates issued for this test suite will also
expire on 31 March 1998. The transition period will end 1 April 1997
with the release of ACVC 2.1, which will become the only test suite for
Ada validation.
The ACVC for Ada 95
For Ada 95 compilers, compliance is measured only within the limits of
the collection of test programs contained in the ACVC for the core
language and specialized needs annexes. An Ada implementation passes a
given ACVC version if 1) it processes each test of the customized test
suite in accordance with criteria for individual tests and 2) the test
result profile matches the passing requirements for the specific ACVC
version.
Although most Ada implementations tested during the transition period
will exceed the passing requirements, matrices displaying the test
result profiles for Ada 95 Core Test Categories and Special Needs
Annexes are shown, for each compiler validated, both on a separate sheet
of paper attached to the validation certificate and in the Validation
Summary Report. The information contained in the matrix is reformatted
and provided in the Validated Compilers List (VCL) to allow easy access
for buyers and users who need to understand the levels of support
provided by early Ada 95 implementations.
Test Result Profiles for Ada 95 Compilers
The first matrix displays the number of tests that were Passed, Not
Applicable, Not Supported, and Withdrawn for each of seven test
categories: 9X Basic, Real-Time, OOP, Type Extensions in Child Units,
Child Library Units, Pre-defined Language Environment, and Mixed
Features. Exhibit A shows a list of the test categories and a short
description for each.
The second matrix displays the number of tests that were Passed, Not
Applicable, Not Supported, and Withdrawn for each of six Specialized
Needs Annexes: System Programming, Real-Time Systems, Distributed
Systems, Information Systems, Numerics, and Safety and Security. Tests
allocated to these annexes are processed only when the vendor claims
support.
Ada 95 Core Test Categories
| Test Category |
Description |
| 9X Basic |
This is the subset of tests from ACVC 1.11 after removal of
tests not applicable to Ada 95. These tests focus on support expected
from Ada for features of Ada 83 that have been updated to be compatible
with revised rules. |
| Note: The following subsets of tests validate features that are new to
Ada 95. Each test has been allocated into exactly one of several test
subsets, based upon a general categorization of Ada features used in the
test. These tests are designed to reflect the features that programmers
are likely to use to solve a programming problem. |
| Real-Time |
This subset is composed of tests for the new Ada 95 features
from Section 9: Tasks and Synchronization. These features include
protected objects, modifications to task types, select statements, and
delay alternatives. |
| OOP |
This subset of tests focuses on some necessary facilities for
achieving object-oriented programming in Ada 95. Features validated
include tagged types, class attributes, and abstract types and
subprograms. Other Ada 95 facilities commonly used in object-oriented
programs are included in subsequent subsets. |
| Type Extensions in Child Units |
Tests that focus on the interaction of
the two new Ada features of type extensions of tagged types and child
library units. This includes the related semantics of visibility,
accessibility, and calls on primitive operations of tagged types. |
| Child Library Units |
Tests that focus on the support for the new Ada
capability to provide a hierarchical organization of the compilation
units of an Ada program with the associated capabilities of granting
access to the contents of private declarations and of hiding selected
units within subsystems. |
| Pre-defined Language Environment |
This subset of tests include some Ada
83 facilities and some new features defined in Annex A. Annex A
provides specifications for root library units for Ada, Interface, and
System, character and string handling and input/output. |
| Mixed Features |
This relatively large subset of tests focuses on the
interaction of Ada features that are a mixture of familiar Ada 83 and
new Ada 95 features. |
How to Access the ACVC Test Suites
Versions 1.11, 2.0, 2.0.1, and 2.1 (unfrozen pre-release) of the ACVC test suites are available for downloading from the AdaIC's Internet host.
ACVC 1.11 is available from http://sw-eng.falls-church.va.us/AdaIC/compilers/acvc/83acvc
ACVCs 2.0.1 and 2.1 are available from http://sw-eng.falls-church.va.us/AdaIC/compilers/acvc/95acvc
How to Access the ACVC User’s & Implementer’s Guides
The Ada Compiler Validation Capability (ACVC), Version 2.0 User's
Guide is written to direct compiler designers in using version 2.0 of
the test suite. This document are available for downloading from the
AdaIC at
http://sw-eng.falls-church.va.us/AdaIC/compilers/acvc/95acvc.
The Ada Compiler Validation Capability Implementers' Guide (1986)
discusses the technical issues behind creating tests that verify a
compiler’s conformity with the language reference manual. The 800-page
document describes the implementation implications of the Ada 83
reference manual and the conditions to be checked by validation tests.
Available in hardcopy only, it may be purchased through the Defense
Technical Information Center (DTIC) and the National Technical
Information Service (NTIS), which sells to the general public.
Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC)
8725 John J. Kingman Road, Suite 0944
Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6218
Phone: 703/767-8274; DSN 427-8274
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
5285 Port Royal Road
Springfield, VA 22161
Phone: 703/487-4650
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