Interrupt Testing

Introduction 

Interrupt Testing is a procedure where an otherwise unexpected disturbance is intentionally made to a running application to determine how the application responds during and after the disturbance. Interrupt Testing is used to check how the mobile application performs when an interrupt occurs.

In Interrupt Testing the user must be sure that the application is working properly after the interrupts are made and how the application responds to the interrupts.

• Incoming and Outgoing SMS and MMS.
• Incoming and Outgoing calls.
• Battery Removal.
• Data Cable Insertion and Removal.
• Network Provider outage and recovery.
• Device Power cycle.

Incoming and Outgoing SMS and MMS

These types of interrupts are given from another mobile device when the application is running in the mobile device. This is to check how the application behaves when this kind of Interrupt occurs. In this kind of situation the application should not be changed or closed abruptly.

For example an application is running in your mobile and you send a SMS/MMS from another mobile to your mobile. In this situation SMS/MMS notification should display for a while and then close and the application should contine to run.



Incoming and Outgoing calls

These types of interrupts are also given from one mobile device to another when the application is running. This is used to check the application behavior during or after the call. When the device receives an incoming call when the application is running then the user should be able to receive that call and then the call should end, the user should able to return successfully to the application without any error. The same behavior should occur with outgoing calls, when the user minimizes a running application and dials a number and returns to the application then the application should work without any error or crash.

For example: You are in a login page trying to login and you have just pressed the submit button that will take you to the application home page. This is a transition period because loading is happening. If we receive a call during this time then the application should not end abruptly or crash.

Battery Removal

This type of interrupt can occur in your mobile itself while the application is running. Therefore this checks the application to ensure it is running smoothly after rebooting the mobile device and restarts the application.

For example: If the application is running, remove the battery of your mobile and it will shut down. After rebootting the mobile, run the application again, it should run smoothly and without a crash.



Data Cable Insertion and Removal

This interrupt can be made by attaching a data cable to the mobile device while the application is running. This checks that the application does not crash or stop working after we return to the application from the USB Connection screen that appears when we connect the data cable.

For example: When the application is running, connect the USB Cable, the system should display "USB Connection Screen" and if the user returns to the application then the application should not crash or end abruptly.



Network Provider outage and recovery

To generate this "Network Outage" interrupt error we need to run the application from a high network area to a lower or non-existing network coverage area so that the application stops working. After the application stops working then again return from the low network area to the high network area and check if the application is working smoothly without any crash or error.

For example: When the application is running and the user moves to somewhere with a very low network or no network reception then the application will stop working and if the user returns to where the network area is good then the application should work as expected.



Low Battery

To generate this interrupt error we need to intentionally run the application when the mobile battery is very low. Once the battery is low an indication is displayed or an alert is displayed by the device. We then need to ensure the application works properly when the alert/indications appears.

Also we need to be sure that our device gets shut down when using that application due to a low battery. Then we need to reboot the device and the application should run properly.