Getting Started¶

Prerequisites¶

• Python 3 (tested with Python 3.12)

• ecu.test 2026.1 or later

• Optional: Visual Studio Code for using the VSC extension

• Optional: Access to a test.guide project for uploading test reports

Obtaining ecu.test code¶

ecu.test code is available as “ecutest_code” on PyPI, so you can simply install it with any common python package manager such as pip. There are no additional licensing costs for using ecu.test code. If you use Visual Studio Code, you can install the extension via the VS Code Marketplace.

Setup¶

We provide example files for ecu.test code that you can use to get up and running quickly:

• Make sure you have the Visual Studio Code Extension for ecu.test code installed

• Download the example files from Github and unpack them

• Open <EXAMPLE_FILES>/examples/ in Visual Studio Code

• Open a terminal in VS Code and enter these commands:

  • python -m venv venv

    • This creates a virtual Python environment in the folder “venv”.

    • Choose “yes” when you are prompted whether you want to “use” it.

  • ./venv/scripts/activate

    • This “enters” the virtual environment, so, all subsequent python and pip commands use “venv” as their environment.

    • If you get an “execution policy” error, you may need to allow execution of unsigned scripts (see the PowerShell documentation).

  • pip install ecutest_code

    • Access to the internet or to a pypi mirror configured in your pip.ini is required.

    • This will install ecu.test code and its required dependencies.

• Set the interpreter of the virtual environment as standard interpreter of the VS Code project:

  

• To create test cases with auto-complete or to execute test cases, ecu.test must be started. There are the following options for doing this:

  1. Starting ecu.test from Visual Studio Code

     • Go to “File → Preferences → Settings → Extensions → ecu.test code” and set these file paths:

     • Path to ecu.test Executable or Runner (e.g., C:\Users\Bob\AppData\Local\ecu.test XXX\ecu.test.exe or C:\Program Files\ecu.test XXX\ecu.test.exe)

     • Workspace Directory Path (<EXAMPLE_FILES>\examples\ecu.test-code)

     • TBC-Path (<EXAMPLE_FILES>\examples\ecu.test-code\Configurations\Testlab_HiL_M.tbc)

     • TCF-Path (<EXAMPLE_FILES>\examples\ecu.test-code\Configurations\SW_Ver_1.tcf)

     • Select ecu.test code in the sidebar and click on “Start ecu.test”. This starts ecu.test and loads the configurations thereby enabling autocompletion for library calls, test values and tool jobs.

  2. Manual start of ecu.test in the workspace to be used

     • To do this, you must ensure that the web server for ecu.test lab is started.

  3. Start ecu.test via the Lifecycle API

• Start writing a testcase or experiment with the included example testcases:

  • test_driving_mode.py: Contains a simple context-manager-based testcase.

  • test_vehicle.py: Contains an example implementation of a pytest test class that tests a vehicle model loaded in ecu.test.

• Use the Testing section in the sidebar to combine ecu.test code with IDE support for unit tests.