valgrind-tests.texi

@node Running self-tests under valgrind
@section Running self-tests under valgrind

For projects written in C or similar languages, running the self-tests
under Valgrind can reveal hard to find memory issues.  The
@code{valgrind-tests} module searches for Valgrind and declares the
@code{VALGRIND} automake variable for use with automake's
@code{TESTS_ENVIRONMENT}.

After importing the @code{valgrind-tests} module to your project, you
use it by adding the following to the @code{Makefile.am} that runs the
self-tests:

@smallexample
TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = $(VALGRIND)
@end smallexample

This will run all self-checks under valgrind.  This can be wasteful if
you have many shell scripts or other non-binaries.  Using the Automake
parallel-tests feature, this can be avoided by using the following
instead:

@smallexample
AUTOMAKE_OPTIONS = parallel-tests
TEST_EXTENSIONS = .pl .sh
LOG_COMPILER = $(VALGRIND)
@end smallexample

Then valgrind will only be used for the non-.sh and non-.pl tests.
However, this means that binaries invoked through scripts will not be
invoked under valgrind, which could be solved by adding the following:

@smallexample
TESTS_ENVIRONMENT = VALGRIND='$(VALGRIND)'
@end smallexample

And then modify the shell scripts to invoke the binary prefixed with
@code{$VALGRIND}.