Enhance Kht_test Portability & Resilience: A KhiopsML Guide

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Enhance Kht_test Portability & Resilience: A KhiopsML Guide

Introduction

Hey guys! Today, we're diving deep into enhancing the portability and resilience of kht_test within the LearningTestDiscussion category for KhiopsML. As you know, running systematic Khiops tests on LearningTest across various operating systems like Windows, Linux (Debian, Ubuntu, etc.), Mac, and Xonda has flagged a few alerts. These alerts primarily stem from the reference result comparison scripts, which need a thorough investigation. Let's get started and make kht_test more robust!

Addressing Portability Issues

When dealing with portability, the main goal is to ensure that our software behaves consistently across different environments. This means accounting for variations in operating systems, file systems, and system configurations. For kht_test, the initial step involves identifying the tests that exhibit inconsistent behavior across platforms. Once identified, we need to create platform-specific reference results to accommodate these differences. This ensures that the tests are comparing against the correct baseline for each operating system.

Platform-Specific Reference Results

The key to resolving many of our portability issues lies in creating reference results tailored to specific operating systems. This is particularly important for tests that are sensitive to subtle differences in how operating systems handle file paths, character encodings, or memory management. By having separate reference results for Linux and Mac, we can ensure that our tests are comparing against the correct baseline for each platform.

For the following test cases, we'll need to generate specific reference results for Linux or Mac:

  • TestKhiops/CrashTests/MaxLineLength_classifier
  • TestKhiops/CrashTests/MaxMTRecordNumber
  • TestKhiops/CharacterEncoding/MultipleEncodingsFileSystem
  • TestKhiops/CharacterEncoding/TransferAccentuatedDir

To create these reference results, run the tests on the target platform and save the output as the new baseline. Ensure that the scripts used for comparison are also updated to select the appropriate reference result based on the operating system. This approach will help us to mitigate inconsistencies caused by platform-specific behaviors.

Timeout Duration

Increasing the timeout duration can help mitigate sporadic issues caused by temporary system slowdowns or resource contention. This is a simple yet effective way to prevent tests from failing due to transient performance hiccups. By doubling the timeout duration for kht_test, we provide more leeway for tests to complete successfully, especially on systems that may be under heavy load.

Enhancing Resilience

Resilience is the ability of a system to recover from failures and continue to function correctly. In the context of kht_test, this means making the tests more robust to minor variations in output or environmental factors that could lead to false negatives. Let's look at how we can improve resilience in different areas.

Handling Minor Errors in Comparisons

Tests can sometimes fail due to minor variations in output that do not indicate a genuine problem. For example, slight differences in memory management can lead to discrepancies in the reported memory usage. To address this, we need to make our comparison scripts more tolerant of these variations. This can be achieved by setting a threshold for acceptable differences or by ignoring certain parts of the output that are known to be variable.

For example, the TestKhiops/TableCreationRules/MemoryLimit* tests on Mac have shown some sensitivity to memory variations. To handle this, we can modify the comparison scripts to allow for a certain percentage of difference in memory usage. This will prevent the tests from failing due to minor fluctuations in memory allocation.

Ignoring MPI Messages on Debian 13

On Debian 13, MPI messages can sometimes appear in the test output even when running in non-MPI mode. These messages can cause the comparison scripts to fail, even though the underlying test results are correct. To address this, we need to modify the comparison scripts to ignore these MPI messages.

For the TestKhiops/JsonParameters/Error* tests, we can filter out any lines that contain MPI-related messages before performing the comparison. This will prevent the tests from failing due to spurious MPI output.

Addressing KNI Errors on Debian

Investigating KNI errors on Debian is another crucial step in enhancing the overall reliability of our testing process. These errors, exemplified by the TestKNI/SmallInstability test, can be indicative of deeper issues within the interaction between Khiops and the underlying system. A systematic approach to debugging these errors involves the following steps:

  • Reproducing the Error: The first step is to reliably reproduce the error. This often involves running the test multiple times to ensure that the failure is consistent.
  • Examining Logs: Once the error is reproduced, examine the logs generated by Khiops and the system. Look for any error messages or warnings that could provide clues about the cause of the failure.
  • Debugging: Use debugging tools to step through the code and identify the exact point where the error occurs. Pay close attention to any interactions between Khiops and the operating system.
  • Testing: Once you have identified the cause of the error, implement a fix and test it thoroughly. Ensure that the fix does not introduce any new issues.

Detailed Steps to Improve Portability and Resilience

To ensure our kht_test setup is robust across different environments, let's break down the required actions into manageable steps. This will involve setting up specific reference results, adjusting timeout settings, and enhancing comparison resilience.

Step-by-Step Implementation Guide

  1. Identify Problematic Tests:
    • Review the test results from different operating systems (Windows, Linux, Mac, Xonda) to pinpoint tests that consistently fail or produce different results. Focus on tests like TestKhiops/CrashTests/MaxLineLength_classifier, TestKhiops/CrashTests/MaxMTRecordNumber, TestKhiops/CharacterEncoding/MultipleEncodingsFileSystem, and TestKhiops/CharacterEncoding/TransferAccentuatedDir.
  2. Create Platform-Specific Reference Results:
    • For each problematic test, run it on a clean environment of the target operating system (e.g., Linux, Mac).
    • Capture the output of the test and save it as a new reference result specifically for that OS. Name the files accordingly (e.g., MaxLineLength_classifier_linux.txt, MaxLineLength_classifier_mac.txt).
    • Update the test scripts to select the appropriate reference result based on the detected operating system.
  3. Adjust Timeout Duration:
    • Locate the configuration file or script where the timeout duration for kht_test is set.
    • Double the current timeout duration to provide more time for tests to complete, especially on slower or busier systems. For example, if the timeout is currently 300 seconds, increase it to 600 seconds.
  4. Improve Comparison Resilience:
    • For tests like TestKhiops/TableCreationRules/MemoryLimit*, which are sensitive to memory variations, modify the comparison scripts to allow for a certain percentage of difference in memory usage. For example, allow a 5-10% variance.
    • For tests like TestKhiops/JsonParameters/Error*, which may produce MPI messages on Debian 13, filter out any lines containing MPI-related messages before performing the comparison. Use regular expressions or string manipulation techniques to identify and remove these lines.
  5. Investigate KNI Errors:
    • Focus on the TestKNI/SmallInstability test and reproduce the error on a Debian environment.
    • Examine the logs for any error messages or warnings that could provide clues about the cause of the failure.
    • Use debugging tools to step through the code and identify the exact point where the error occurs.
    • Implement a fix and test it thoroughly to ensure that the issue is resolved without introducing new problems.

Conclusion

Alright guys, by implementing these steps, we can significantly improve the portability and resilience of kht_test within the LearningTestDiscussion category for KhiopsML. Creating platform-specific reference results, doubling the timeout duration, enhancing comparison resilience, and addressing KNI errors will lead to a more robust and reliable testing process. Keep up the great work, and let's make Khiops even better!