Sometimes the most complex part of using SimpleTest is making sure that everything is working as it should before you start your tests. This means setting up the correct modules and creating the correct content types in advance. Because SimpleTest works by issuing CURL requests to pages the most reliable way of doing certain tasks is to use the administration forms as you normally would. Taking an example, if you want to enable a block from a module you should submit the block form, adding the blocks you need to the various different regions this like.

SimpleTest is a great way to test your modules, but it can take a bit of setting up. For every test that is run SimpleTest effectively has a fresh install of Drupal, so if you need to test a particular function you need to have everything in place before you run the test. I was recently testing a migration module that I had written and needed to create nodes with a variety of CCK fields, which is quite common in Drupal site setups.

Drupal SimpleTest is a module that will allow you to unit test your own modules or unit test any patches you have made for third party modules. This module will be integrated into Drupal 7, but for Drupal 6 you have to do a couple of thngs before you can start testing. This article is a very quick introduction to Drupal SimpleTest and will be followed up by more articles in the future.