-:Authors: Jason Lowe-Power
- Sean Wilson
-
This file explains how to use gem5's updated testing infrastructure. Running
tests before submitting a patch is *incredibly important* so unexpected bugs
don't creep into gem5.
## Binary test applications
-The code for test binaries that are run in the gem5 guest during testing are
-found in `tests/test-progs`.
+The code for some test binaries that are run in the gem5 guest during
+testing can be found in `tests/test-progs`.
There's one directory per test application.
The source code is under the `source` directory.
You may have a `bin` directory as well.
The `bin` directory is automatically created when running the test case that
-uses the test binary. The binary is downloaded from the gem5 servers the first
+uses the test binary.
+This is not the case when a test is run via the --bin-path option.
+In that scenario a bin directory will be created in the selected path
+rather than in `tests/test-progs`.
+The binary is downloaded from the gem5 servers the first
time it is referenced by a test.
+Some other tests (like Linux-boot) don't have sources inside gem5 and
+are simply downloaded from gem5 servers.
+
## Updating the test binaries
The test infrastructure should check with the gem5 servers to ensure you have