The Well House Newsletter - Saturday, 15th November 2025
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Public Transport Training from Well House Consultants And also ... Tcl, Tcl/Tk and Expect Programming in Lua Python Programming Well House Manor - Hotel and Training Centre Apache HTTP and Tomcat Servers The Perl Programming Language and its use Ruby and Ruby on Rails PHP - the language and its application C and C++ Programming Linux and Shell Programming Melksham SQL and MySQL For the Webmaster, Postmaster and moderator Java and the Java Environment Fun and Flames Running a training and hotel company Around, about and nearby to Wiltshire Client Side Languages (HTML, CSS, Javascript) Keynote Articles General Programming Topics
Keynote article ...

Regression testing - via a very short C testing framework

Code testing is important. Separation of code into separate, managable sections is important. Retesting of code running all the old tests is important when the code sections are enhanced / debugged.

At the end of this week's C course, we wrote a whole series of pieces of logic relating to web server log files - loading data into dynamic (realloc'd arrays of structs, and then extracting data from those structures. And we wrote an initial main routine to run and test from the command line. For initial development, that's great but ...
... the main couldn't remain as we started to build with the logic
... lots of sections / routine groups need testing.

Solution?
• Rename main to a different name such as test_access and leave it in the original file
• build a tiny test harness that runs each set of tests and correlates the results
• have the test harness send standard output (stdout) within the tests to a file

Result?
A rudemintary regression testing system, where each time you add a new set of routines or change something, you can rerun all the tests and get an automated set of replies.

The results of running the test suite look a bit boring:

  WomanWithCat:cj16 grahamellis$ ./framework
  
  .F..
  Failed 1 test(s) out of 4, passed 3
  
  WomanWithCat:cj16 grahamellis$


Commented framework source is [here] and tests and routines to be tested [here] and [here].
(this article written on 2016-01-29)

Other articles ...

Linux and Shell Programming
[4587] shell - bash. Writing conditional tests and statements - the options available
[4586] Extending your bash shell with aliases, functions and extra commands
[4585] What is make? What is gcc?
[4584] Bash ... some new scripts to - handling user input
[4487] Starting MySQL. ERROR! The server quit without updating PID file - how we fixed it.
Top or Show all for Linux and Shell Programming

Apache HTTP and Tomcat Servers
[4708] Scons - a build system in Python - building hello world
[4491] Web Server Admin - some of those things that happen, and solutions
[4434] Public training courses - upcoming dates
[4432] Java web application for teaching - now with sessions and clustering / load balancing demonstrations
[4431] A Java servlet that is also a stand alone program. And a server that is also a web client.
Top or Show all for Apache HTTP and Tomcat Servers

C and C++ Programming
[4635] Encapsulating logic in functions and structs - the C approach to Object Oriented techniques
[4633] String handling in C - new examples of extracting integers from a string
[4566] C - why is slow to write and debug) but fast to run?
[4565] Allocation of memory for objects in C++ - Stack v Heap
[4563] Formatting and outputting your own classes in C++
Top or Show all for C and C++ Programming

Melksham
[4738] Melksham Chamber of Commerce - my final Presidents report
[4706] Melksham trial train service is to be made permanent
[4704] Three months in community rail pictures
[4703] What do people use the bus for in Wiltshire - survey interim results.
[4701] Pretty at the station too
Top or Show all for Melksham

Training from Well House Consultants
[4769] Python, Tcl, Lua and other Open Source programming courses for 2018
[4751] Final day of training at Well House Manor - Python, Lua, Tcl and C/C++ continue at The Spa, Melksham
[4705] Course dates - from October 2016 to December 2017
[4689] Training Course schedule for summer and autumn 2016
[4671] Ruby training, half a world away
Top or Show all for Training from Well House Consultants

Running a training and hotel company
[4613] Our best hotel customers help us ... to help them ... be our best customers.
[4603] Happy New Year. Our customers are our ambassadors
[4543] Saturday morning at Well House Manor
[4521] Should we get an AA or Visit Wiltshire hotel assessment?
[4468] Four in a Bed - most popular answers
Top or Show all for Running a training and hotel company

Well House Manor - Hotel and Training Centre
[4715] Well House Manor - Still five out of five!
[4644] In your room at Well House Manor, Melksham, Wiltshire
[4582] A near-empty plate of pastries - sign of a breakfast enjoyed
[4567] Japanese and Malaysian food in Melksham
[4379] Well House Consultants / Well House Manor - Prices for 2015
Top or Show all for Well House Manor - Hotel and Training Centre

For the Webmaster, Postmaster and moderator
[4651] Pressure selling in the fire safety business
[4520] No cold sales calls please - but delighted to hear from others!
[4492] Almost so wrong, but perhaps it's right for some?
[4474] Effect on external factors on traffic to our web sites - an update
[4426] FileMaker Day to Unix Time conversion
Top or Show all for For the Webmaster, Postmaster and moderator

General Programming Topics
[4763] Regex Reference sheet
[4707] Some gems from an introduction to Python
[4673] Separating detailed data code from the main application - Ruby example
[4663] Easy data to object mapping (csv and Python)
[4656] Identifying the first and last records in a sequence
Top or Show all for General Programming Topics

PHP - the language and its application
[4655] Image indexer / thumbnail display scripts in PHP
[4642] A small teaching program - demonstration of principles only
[4627] Caching results in an object for efficiency - avoiding re-calculation
[4626] Singleton design pattern - examples and uses
[4483] Moving from mysql to mysqli - simple worked example
Top or Show all for PHP - the language and its application

Java and the Java Environment
[4428] Using the lead - passing arrays and other collections in Java
[4427] Java example - for loop and conditionals from course exercise
[4422] Objects - from physical to virtual or abstract - Java
[4420] Flexibility in input - read from file, web resource or keyboard
[4419] Java Inheritance example - group of classes - step by step
Top or Show all for Java and the Java Environment

Around, about and nearby to Wiltshire
[4702] Up and down TransWilts - some pictures off the rails!
[4653] Coats of arms - towns and authorities in Wiltshire
[4622] Frosty morning, beauty of Wiltshire
[4265] A lovely meal in Swindon - just a short walk from the station
[4233] Open for the new year - Imber
Top or Show all for Around, about and nearby to Wiltshire

The Perl Programming Language and its use
[4700] Obfurscated code - it might work, but is it maintainable?
[4620] Perl 6 - a Practical Extraction and Reporting example!
[4611] Hungarian, Camel, Snake and Kebab - variable naming conventions
[4610] Sorting by key or by comparator - Perl 6
[4609] Mapping an array / list without a loop - how to do it in Perl 6
Top or Show all for The Perl Programming Language and its use

Client Side Languages (HTML, CSS, Javascript)
[4037] Cascading Style Sheets and formatting your web page
[4036] HTML tags uses in these blog articles
[4035] Special characters in HTML
[4034] The VERY basics of a web page ... and web site
[3532] Sharing the user experience - designing a form with the customer in mind
Top or Show all for Client Side Languages (HTML, CSS, Javascript)

Ruby and Ruby on Rails
[4682] One line scripts - Awk, Perl and Ruby
[4681] Ruby testing with RSpec - a new example
[4680] Processing data line by line - iterator in Ruby with yield
[4679] Reading in XML in Ruby with xmlsimple
[4676] Running shell (operating system) commands from within Ruby
[4675] Exceptions in Ruby - throwing, catching and using
[4674] Alternating valuses / flip-flop / toggle - example in Ruby
[4580] Easy example - data record to object and object to data record mapping in Ruby
[4579] Behaviour and test driven development in Ruby using RSpec
[4553] RUby - loading, using, changing, storing JSON format data
[4552] Scenario outlines - tables of values to test - in Gherkin / Cucumber
[4551] Testing your new class - first steps with cucumber
[4550] Build up classes into applications sharing data types in Ruby
[4549] Clarrissa-Marybelle - too long to really fit?
[4544] RSpec - Ruby testing (stand alone example / no cucumber)
[4504] Where does Ruby load modules from, and how to load from current directory
[4503] Separating your code for easier testing, understanding and re-use; example in Ruby
[4502] Reading and parsing a JSON object in Ruby
[4501] Defining the behaviour of your web site and testing that it works
[4499] Significant work - beyond helloworld in Ruby
[4498] Ruby - where one statement ends and the next begins
[4402] Finding sum, minimum, maximum and average in Python (and Ruby)
[4389] Cucumber example - test::unit, scenario outlines, datafile driven test
[4388] Global Regular Expression matching in Ruby (using scan)
[4386] Guide exercise to help you learn Gherkin, Cucumber and Rspec
[4384] Installing Cucumber on Ubuntu - cannot load such file -- mkmf (LoadError) message
[4383] Improved test in Cucumber with RSpec
[4382] Second step Cucumber and Gherkin - beyond Hello World
[4381] Installing Cucumber (Ruby)
[4370] Conditionals, loops and methods in Ruby - a primer with simple examples
[4369] Ruby - the second rung of learning the language
[4368] Shuffling a list - Ruby and Python
[4294] A bright new gem - updated Ruby training
[4010] Really Simple Rails
[4009] Clear, concise examples - Ruby classes and objects.
[4008] Reading and checking user inputs - first lessons - Ruby
[4003] Web and console - same principle, same code - Ruby example
[3799] Ruby Documentation through rdoc
[3783] Load path, load and require in Ruby, and a change from 1.8 to 1.9
[3782] Standard methods available on all objects in Ruby
[3781] Private, Protected, Public in Ruby. What about interfaces and abstract classes in Ruby?
[3780] Ruby of Rails - cleanly displaying model data in the view
[3779] Adding validation to form entries and sticky fields - Ruby on Rails
[3778] Providing a form to allow the user to add data to the model - Ruby on Rails
[3777] Multiple views in a single appication - sharing common parts of the template - Ruby on Rails
[3773] Ruby on the web - a simple example using CGI
[3772] Hello World - Ruby on Rails - a checklist of each step
[3769] Muttable v immutable and implications - Ruby
[3760] Why you should use objects even for short data manipulation programs in Ruby
[3758] Ruby - standard operators are overloaded. Perl - they are not
[3757] Ruby - a teaching example showing many of the language features in short but useful program
[3756] Ruby on Rails - how it flows, and where the files go
[3623] Some TestWise examples - helping use Ruby code to check your web site operation
[3622] Loading Ruby classes - where does Ruby look?
[3621] Matching regular expressions, and substitutions, in Ruby
[3619] Ruby v Perl - a comparison example
[3435] Sorta sorting a hash, and what if an exception is NOT thrown - Ruby
[3432] 3 digit HTTP status codes - what are they, which are most common, which should be a concern?
[3431] Ruby at both extremes of your website
[3430] Sigils - the characters on the start of variable names in Perl, Ruby and Fortran
[3428] How many days to Christmas?
[3426] Automed web site testing scripted in Ruby using watir-webdriver
[3424] Divide 10000 by 17. Do you get 588.235294117647, 588.24 or 588? - Ruby and PHP
[3422] Assigning values to variables within other statements - Ruby
[3421] Ruby off the Rails?
[3260] Ruby - a training example that puts many language elements together to demonstrate the whole
[3255] Process every member of an array, and sort an array - Ruby
[3254] Multiple inputs, multiple out, ruby functions
[3253] Is this number between? Does this list include? - Ruby
[3158] Ruby training - some fresh examples for string handling applications
[3156] Splitting data reading code from data processing code - Ruby
[3155] Rake - a build system using code written in Ruby
[3154] Changing a class later on - Ruby
[2980] Ruby - examples of regular expressions, inheritance and polymorphism
[2979] Ruby - yield; parallel routines
[2977] What is a factory method and why use one? - Example in Ruby
[2976] Creating, extending, traversing and combining Ruby arrays
[2975] Why do I need brackets in Ruby ... or Perl, Python, C or Java
[2974] Formatting your output - options available in Ruby
[2893] Exclamation marks and question marks on ruby method names
[2892] Alternative loops and conditionals in Ruby and Perl
[2866] Ruby - how does it compare and where is it the right language?
[2826] Ruby - training for automated testing users
[2714] A simple example - XML from a Ruby program
[2711] For loop - checked once, or evety time? Ruby v Perl comparison and contrast
[2651] Calculation within objects - early, last minute, or cached?
[2623] Object Oriented Ruby - new examples
[2621] Ruby collections and strings - some new examples
[2620] Direct access to object variable (attributes) in Ruby
[2619] Passing code to procedures and yield in Ruby
[2618] What are Ruby Symbols?
[2617] Comparing floating point numbers - a word of caution and a solution
[2615] String to number conversion with error trapping in Ruby
[2614] Neatly formatting results into a table
[2613] Constants in Ruby
[2610] Cheat Sheet - what do you need for Ruby on Rails?
[2609] Scope of variables - important to Ruby on Rails
[2608] Search and replace in Ruby - Ruby Regular Expressions
[2607] Answers on Ruby on Rails
[2606] Sorting arrays and hashes in Ruby
[2605] Ruby on Rails - a sample application to teach you how
[2603] Ruby objects - a primer
[2601] Ruby - is_a? v instance_of? - what is the difference?
[2296] Variable scope - what is it, and how does it Ruby?
[2293] Regular Expressions in Ruby
[2292] Object Orientation in Ruby - intermediate examples
[2291] Collection objects (array and hash) in Ruby
[2290] Opening and reading files - the ruby fundamentals
[2287] Learning to program in Ruby - examples of the programming basics
[2286] New to programming? It is natural (but needless) for you to be nervous
[2104] Ruby Programming and Rails - 4 different courses in one
[1891] Ruby to access web services
[1890] MySQL database from Ruby - an example
[1889] Ruby mixins, modules, require and include
[1887] Ruby Programming Course - Saturday and Sunday
[1875] What are exceptions - Python based answer
[1720] Some Ruby lesser used functions
[1588] String interpretation in Ruby
[1587] Some Ruby programming examples from our course
[1586] Variable types in Ruby
[1582] Ruby, C, Java and more - getting out of loops
[1302] Ruby, Ruby, Ruby. Rails, Rails, Rails.
[1050] The HTML++ Metalanguage
[1041] Learnt in London - Ruby, Martini, Coral and the Core
[1027] Cue the music, I'm happy.
[995] Ruby's case - no break
[991] Adding a member to a Hash in Ruby
[990] Ruby - Totally Topical
[987] Ruby v Perl - interpollating variables
[986] puts - opposite of chomp in Ruby
[985] Equality in Ruby - == eql? and equal?
[983] Blessing in Perl / Member variable in Ruby
[962] Breaking a loop - Ruby and other languages
[960] 1st, 2nd, 3rd revisited in Ruby
[664] Ruby course - oops - it's not happening
[550] 2006 - Making business a pleasure
[184] MTBF of coffee machines
Top or Show all for Ruby and Ruby on Rails

SQL and MySQL
[4493] Forgotten / lost MySQL root password
[4481] Extracting data from backups to restore selected rows from MySQL tables
[4436] Accessing a MySQL database from Python with mysql.connector
[4406] Fixing damaged MySQL tables - Error 1712 and Error 2013
[4390] Checking MySQL database backups have worked (not failed)
Top or Show all for SQL and MySQL

Tcl, Tcl/Tk and Expect
[4762] Coverage map in Tcl - how many times has each proc been called?
[4678] Expect with Ruby - a training example to get you started
[4616] Still teaching Tcl in 2016?
[4525] What does Tcl do if you try to run a command that is not defined?
[4524] Tcl - a new example for data reformatting
Top or Show all for Tcl, Tcl/Tk and Expect

Programming in Lua
[4753] Lua, Tcl, Python, C and C++ courses - at our Melksham HQ or on your site - forward from July 2017
[4575] Learning not just what a program does, but how to design it in the first place.
[4574] repeat until in Lua - a one or more rather than a zero or more loop
[4573] Classic style OO code - in Lua
[4572] Tables with values and code in Lua - looks like an object?
Top or Show all for Programming in Lua

Python Programming
[4724] From and Import in Python - where is the module loaded from?
[4723] Conditional operators in Python
[4722] Embedding more complex code into a named block
[4721] When to check an object type - Python isinstance example
[4719] Nesting decorators
Top or Show all for Python Programming

And also ...
[4768] 2017 - the final six months
[4767] Some thoughts on 2017, and looking forward to 2018
[4761] Looking forward to the autumn.
[4759] Sale of effects and furniture - 12th and 13th August 2017
[4756] Learning how to be a more effective community partner
Top or Show all for And also ...

Public Transport
[4770] GW franchise - my response
[4765] Breich Station - current pictures, and future options
[4764] Some thoughts on the closure proposal for Breich station
[4760] Rotary Talk, 25/7/2017
[4727] Learning from travelling further afield
Top or Show all for Public Transport

Fun and Flames
[4392] Interview conditions,and other instructions to staff
[4354] Wiltshire Police - assuming someone is guilty just on the say-so of a member of the public?
[4329] Does Santa Claus need a CRB check?
[4304] Please do not ask me to be the chair!
[4282] On tipping - and the expectation of a tip
Top or Show all for Fun and Flames

Keynote Articles
[2483] Clustering on Tomcat
[2384] Looking ahead to the Autumn season of training and accommodation
[2144] Looking for a career change - Physician to Web Site Designer
[1955] How to avoid duplicating web page maintainance
[1857] November and December Public Course Schedule
Top or Show all for Keynote Articles

Unclassfied Articles
[4766] Moving on from Sunnyside and Devizes
[4758] Even more images!
[4757] Images ... continued
[4733] Python examples - updates under way
[4732] Reviewing TransWilts performance 2015-16
Top or Show all for unclassified

Public Transport Training from Well House Consultants And also ... Tcl, Tcl/Tk and Expect Programming in Lua Python Programming Well House Manor - Hotel and Training Centre Apache HTTP and Tomcat Servers The Perl Programming Language and its use Ruby and Ruby on Rails PHP - the language and its application C and C++ Programming Linux and Shell Programming Melksham SQL and MySQL For the Webmaster, Postmaster and moderator Java and the Java Environment Fun and Flames Running a training and hotel company Around, about and nearby to Wiltshire Client Side Languages (HTML, CSS, Javascript) Keynote Articles General Programming Topics

A little more about this newsletter ...

At Well House Consultants, we run niche IT training courses ... and we run a hotel for delegates on those courses and other visitors to Melksham too. And we make a lot of friends - have a lot of ambassadors with whom we want to keep in touch. So every day Graham (that's me, writing this piece) puts together an article or two which might include the latest sample programs that I've written during the current course, new information about Well House Manor - our business hotel, tips on search engine optimisation, announcements of upcoming public courses, pictures of local places, and even (on occasions) rants and whimsical pieces to keep those friends up to date and in touch. The feeds are available directlt via the Blog - "The Horse's Mouth", they're on our Twitter Feed and you can find me at my LinkedIn profile. But most people just want to look us up occasionally - every month or two, and then to catch up on the latest news just for their particular subjects of interest ... and that's what this newsletter is about

You'll find above the titles of ALL the new articles written in the last two months, listed by major subject area, and showing as (new) with their date of publication. You'll find additional articles in each category too - topping each category up to a minimum of five articles. And you'll find a link at the end of each section which lets you expand that section to show the titles of every article that's been published in that section. After all, "the old ones are often the best ones", aren't they?

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