Thunderbird 3 Alpha 3 Release Candidate Test Instructions

Overview

Release Candidate builds for Alpha, Beta and ... provided by builders must be tested by volunteers and the QA team according to a rigorous process in order to certify that a release candidate build is worthy for public release.

We have just a few days to complete testing, so we need all available hands. Thank you for your interest and (we hope) your enthusiastic participation. As always, if you need help, it is available on IRC and in the newsgroups.

We have several types of tests (most of which utilize litmus), and you can choose which to run based on your available time. BFT testing and l10n, and Mac platform tests are our greatest need.

• BFT (Basic Functionality Tests) - touches most functional areas. If you do not have enough time to do BFT tests we hope that you will ...
• Smoketest - touches a handful of functional areas (a much reduced BFT)
• Spot check - a visual "look see"
• l10n (localization) - A set of litmus tests just for localized builds. If you can test a localized version of Thunderbird, we would appreciate you doing so.

If you can't help before the scheduled testing period ends, please stop back and run the tests as soon as you are able.

You are not required to run a full test set to completion. So it's OK if you don't have much time or think you might run out of time. In fact, we'd rather have you do a short amount of good testing than no testing at all. Tests done using litmus get recorded as you go through the list, so stop whenever you need ... and return later when (and if) you are able. Leave the test session open in the browser, or remember which test you did last, then start at the next step after starting up the litmus test process when you return.

Details

Important

• Use only the specified builds. Do not use a nightly build, nor a previous alpha or beta. We are qualifying on the a specific set of builds.
• Please file a bug whenever you encounter a problem.
• If a litmus testcase:
  • Is not run (you skipped it) - please do not mark it in any way with a comment, passing or failed.
  • Fails - please comment in the test, file a bug, and include URL of testcase in bug
  • Is unclear - please comment with steps and wording you think would make it more clear
• QA/Thunderbird3/TestResults/Alpha3 documents the release details. You want to check sections 1.1 to 1.6, especially the release notes. Contact methods are also listed.

Builds

Builds to be tested are listed in the release details. Use a localized version if possible.

BFT

Basic Functionality Tests is organized into subgroups listed below. It is a large list, but to shorten your testing time (running the full set takes 4-6 hours) you can focus by subgroups as follows:

• * indicates priority items - if you have the resource required please do * groups before others
• All indicates items we hope everyone will test
• AL and MZ - indicates please run that group if your last name/surname is in the range A-to-L or M-to-Z

If you start running out of time and think you won't be able to return (or have time left after doing the assigned subgroups), you might return to the litmus menu "Select a Testgroup and Subgroup to Test" and pick one or two subgroups that show the least amount of testing coverage.

Getting started with litmus:

1. You've already read the release notes, of course.
2. Login to litmus.mozilla.org (create an account if you don't have one)
3. Visit https://litmus.mozilla.org/run_tests.cgi?test_run_id=34
4. Complete all information about your setup - paste buildid, set platform, OS, and locale (note: there is only one linux OS selection). NOTE: help|about will not give you buildid. builid must be 10 or 14 digits of the form YYYYMMDDHH or YYYYMMDDHHMMSS. Two ways to get buildid:
   • copy to clipboard using NTT after installing Nightly Tester Tools extension
   • application.ini file in Thunderbird program directory (mine for windows is "20081006095651")
5. Click "submit configuration"
6. You're off and running the tests! For BFT please do * items first. Plan 2.5-3.5 hours to do half the list (as assigned)

Subgroup assignments for BFTs
 
  All-Install, shutdown, uninstall
   MZ-Migration (from other mail systems)
   MZ-Import (from other mail systems)
   MZ-Window configuration
  All-Toolbars and menus
  All-Account settings & Preferences (Options)
   *  IMAP accounts
   *  POP accounts (exclude Global Inbox)
   *  Global inbox
  All-Mail composition
   MZ-Spell checker
   MZ-RSS account & subscriptions
   MZ-Newsgroups
  All-Navigating and displaying messages
   AL-Downloading and saving
   AL-Image blocking
   AL-Return receipts
   *  Proxies
   MZ-Offline, disk space
  All-Moving, copying, deleting messages
  All-Views and labeling messages
   MZ-Message filters
   MZ-Message search
   AL-Address search
   AL-Saved Search folders
   AL-Message Grouping
  All-Message Aging
  All-Quicksearch
   MZ-Address books
   MZ-Junk mail
   MZ-Extensions
   AL-Theme management
   AL-Help
   AL-Printing
   AL-Master Passwords & password management
   *  Phishing, spoof detection
   *  Secure connections
   *  Digital signing, encrypting messages
   AL-Software Update

smoketest

Access litmus using the "Getting started" steps above for BFT, but use the smoketest URL: https://litmus.mozilla.org/run_tests.cgi?test_run_id=33. Should take about 1.5 hours. (Ignore "Subgroup assignments" listed above - it is not relevant)

Spot check

Spot check takes little time because is just a casual visual inspection and does not require the use of litmus. Install, poke around, inspect, test and try what you can, then visit spot check results and update the wiki.

locale

You can do one of the tests described above using localized build, then update the wiki at Thunderbird3/TestResults/Alpha3/L10N to help us track which locales have been tested.

Also, you can run the l10n trunk baseline tests that focus on checking that localized language strings are correct. The results are recorded in litmus.