The test language dilemma

Accompanying the spreading popularity of Automatic Test Equipment (ATE), there has been a proliferation of test languages. These languages attempt to bridge the communications gap between the hardware (test equipment) oriented engineer, who must devise the procedure for testing a Unit Under Test (UUT), and the ATE system which generally is controlled by a computer-like control system. As various test languages evolved from machine-orientation through assembly languages, translators and compilers, each ATE manufacturer developed his own standards for his “ideal” language. Most have pursued the development of an ATE language and associated processor under the following delusions: The perfect test programming language will provide an easy bridge between engineer and computer, and Having built this bridge, all of the problems plaguing test program production will vanish.