.. _`Preface`:


#######
Preface
#######


About The Vortex OpenSplice Tester User Guide
*********************************************

The *OpenSplice Automated Testing and Debugging Tool User Guide* is intended to
provide a complete reference on how to configure the tool and use it to test
applications generated with the Vortex OpenSplice software.

This *User Guide* is intended to be used after the Vortex OpenSplice software has been
installed and configured according to the instructions in the OpenSplice *Getting
Started Guide*.


Intended Audience
*****************

This *OpenSplice Automated Testing and Debugging Tool User Guide* is for
everyone using the tool (which is usually referred to as the *Tester*) to assist in
developing and debugging their DDS applications with Vortex OpenSplice software.


Organisation
************

:ref:`The Introduction <Introduction>` provides general information about 
the Automated Testing and Debugging Tool.

:ref:`Getting Started <Getting Started>` describes how to use 
the Tester’s main features.

Next, :ref:`some familiarization exercises <Familiarization Exercises>` 
show how to perform some typical tasks with step-by-step instructions.

The :ref:`Command Reference section <Command Reference>` has a complete list 
of all of the commands available, with fully-detailed descriptions of their use.

The :ref:`section on Scripting <Scripting>` describes how to automate repetitive 
testing procedures with scripts and macros, provides a list of all of the 
built-in script instructions, and shows how different scripting languages 
can be installed and used with the Tester.

:ref:`Message Interfaces <Message Interfaces>` has information about testing 
applications with non-DDS interfaces.

:ref:`Google Protocol Buffers <Google Protocol Buffers>` describes the 
Tester’s support for Google Protocol Buffers.

An :ref:`Appendix <Appendix A>` contains the complete 
:ref:`formal description of the Tester Scripting language <Scripting BNF>`
for reference.


Conventions
***********

The icons shown below are used in the Vortex product documentation 
to help readers to quickly identify information relevant to their 
specific use of Vortex OpenSplice.


 ========= ================================================================== 
 *Icon*    *Meaning*  
 ========= ================================================================== 
 |caution| Item of special significance or where caution needs to be taken.  
 |info|    Item contains helpful hint or special information.                
 |windows| Information applies to Windows (*e.g.* XP, 2003, Windows 7) only. 
 |unix|    Information applies to Unix-based systems (*e.g.* Solaris) only.  
 |linux|   Information applies to Linux-based systems (*e.g.* Ubuntu) only.  
 |c|       C language specific.                                              
 |cpp|     C++ language specific.                                            
 |csharp|  C# language specific.                                             
 |java|    Java language specific.                                           
 ========= ================================================================== 




.. |caution| image:: ./images/icon-caution.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |info|   image:: ./images/icon-info.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |windows| image:: ./images/icon-windows.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |unix| image:: ./images/icon-unix.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |linux| image:: ./images/icon-linux.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |c| image:: ./images/icon-c.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |cpp| image:: ./images/icon-cpp.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |csharp| image:: ./images/icon-csharp.*
            :height: 6mm
.. |java| image:: ./images/icon-java.*
            :height: 6mm