Control system software development is usually performed by a small group. HoweverCONTROL ENGINEERING China版权所有, techniques commonly used by large groups can also be used effectively by small groups. For examplewww.cechina.cn, if you are using a waterfall development method, or the SCRUM (www.scrumalliance.org) and Agile (www.agilealliance.org) methodswww.cechina.cn, there are some large group techniques for handling Final Acceptance Tests (FAT) and Site Acceptance Tests (SAT) that work well for small group use.
        Employing these techniques is important because there is often management pressure to move to a SAT before you have finished a FAT. Unlike other engineering disciplines, in software engineering it is difficult to look at software and quickly see if it is ready for site deployment. This means that software sent to a site is sometimes not functional or has parts that do not work.
        One way to avoid this problem is to use a technique known as the Continual Build and Test (CBT) cycle, along with the use of multiple build directories. Continual builds may seem to be incompatible with a waterfall method of development控制工程网版权所有, but the CBT approach can be used during the coding and testing phases of the project. Using a CBT cycle means that you will always have a “ready-to-ship” system, but one without complete functionality. CBT starts by using an automated test-and-build system. This means that “make” files控制工程网版权所有, “Ant” files控制工程网版权所有, or command scripts are used to automatically build the software and run a set of tests. The best method is to run the CBT cycle every night with the automated tests used to validate the nightly build. When a new function or feature is added to the nightly build directory, related FATs must then also be developed and added to the nightly build directory. The new or modified FATs test the newly added elements. Commands to execute the FATs are included at the completion of th