diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index cd55e75..eedd853 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -67,6 +67,19 @@ Changes in version 1.12.0
   * pck-update - Davide Madrisan:
     Do not reinitialize the tests counter before executing a new test battery.
 
++ improvement
+  * lib/libtest.lib - Davide Madrisan:
+    New library containing the test framwork code and functions.
+
+  * lib/Makefile - Davide Madrisan:
+    Updated by adding the library libtest.lib.
+
+  * pck-update - Davide Madrisan:
+    Move code for test to the new library libtest.lib.
+
+  * i18n - Davide Madrisan:
+    Updated. Add a .po file for libtest.lib.
+
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
 Changes in version 1.10.0
diff --git a/lib/Makefile b/lib/Makefile
index 8794488..d69cf81 100644
--- a/lib/Makefile
+++ b/lib/Makefile
@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 # Makefile for autospec
-# Copyright (C) 2008,2010 by Davide Madrisan <davide.madrisan@gmail.com>
+# Copyright (C) 2008,2010,2012 by Davide Madrisan <davide.madrisan@gmail.com>
 
 # This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under
 # the terms of version 2 of the GNU General Public License as published by the
@@ -18,7 +18,8 @@ srcdir = ..
 
 include $(srcdir)/Makefile.env
 
-pck_libs := libapse.lib libcfg.lib libmsgmng.lib libnetwork.lib libspec.lib README.API
+pck_libs := libapse.lib libcfg.lib libmsgmng.lib libnetwork.lib libspec.lib \
+            libtest.lib README.API
 pck_libs_infiles := $(wildcard *.in)
 
 all:
diff --git a/lib/libtest.lib.in b/lib/libtest.lib.in
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c7a53cf
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/libtest.lib.in
@@ -0,0 +1,156 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# libtest.lib -- @package@ library used by the test framework
+# Copyright (C) 2012 Davide Madrisan <davide.madrisan@gmail.com>
+
+[ -z "$BASH" ] || [ ${BASH_VERSION:0:1} -lt 3 ] &&
+ { echo $"this script requires bash version 3 or better" >&2 && exit 1; }
+
+me=(${0##*/} "@version@" "@date@")
+
+[ -r @libdir@/libmsgmng.lib ] ||
+ { echo "$me: "$"library not found"": @libdir@/libmsgmng.lib" 1>&2
+   exit 1; }
+. @libdir@/libmsgmng.lib
+
+if [[ -z "$LANG" && -r /etc/sysconfig/i18n ]]; then
+   . /etc/sysconfig/i18n
+   [ "$LANG" ] && export LANG
+fi
+TEXTDOMAIN="libtest"; export TEXTDOMAIN
+
+[ -n "$testdir" ] ||
+   notify.error "\`testdir': "$"unset in the configuration files"
+[ -d "$testdir" ] ||
+   notify.error $"no such file or directory"": \`$testdir'"
+
+# do parse the list of skipped test to set 'ignore_test_list_value[]'
+ignore_test_list_value=()
+OIFS="$IFS"; IFS=','
+for token in $ignore_test_list; do
+   IFS='='; set -- $token
+   ignore_test_list_value[${#ignore_test_list_value[*]}]="$1";
+   IFS=','
+done
+IFS="$OIFS"
+notify.debug "ignore_test_list_value = (${ignore_test_list_value[*]})"
+
+# function test.rpms_extract()
+#     extract the files contained in all the rpm archives build by
+#     by a single specfile
+# args:
+#     -i|--infofile  the file containing infos about packages to extract
+#     -t|--tmpdir    the directory where the files will be extracted to
+function test.rpms_extract() {
+   local rpminfofile tmpextractdir
+   TEMP=`LC_ALL=C getopt \
+      -o i:t: --long infofile:,tmpdir: -n "$FUNCNAME" -- "$@"`
+   [[ $? = 0 ]] || return 1
+   eval set -- "$TEMP"
+
+   while :; do
+      case "$1" in
+      -i|--infofile)
+         rpminfofile="$2"
+         shift
+      ;;
+      -t|--tmpdir)
+         tmpextractdir="$2"
+         shift
+      ;;
+      --) shift; break ;;
+       *) notify.error $"\
+(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"\`getopt' error" ;;
+      esac
+      shift
+   done
+
+   [ "$rpminfofile" ] || notify.error $"\
+(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"missing mandatory arg"" (--infofile)"
+   [ -r "$rpminfofile" ] || notify.error $"\
+(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"cannot read"" \`$rpminfofile'"
+
+   [ "$tmpextractdir" ] || notify.error $"\
+(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"missing mandatory arg"" (--tmpdir)"
+   [ -d "$tmpextractdir" ] || notify.error $"\
+(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"no such file or directory"" \`$tmpextractdir'"
+
+   . $rpminfofile
+
+   local i=0
+   for pck in ${rpmpkg_name[@]}; do
+      [[ -e "$pck" ]] || notify.error $"package not found"": \`$pck'"
+
+      mkdir -p $tmpextractdir/$i 2>/dev/null
+      [ $? -eq 0 ] || notify.error $"\
+can't create temporary directory"": $tmpextractdir/$i"
+
+      pushd $tmpextractdir/$i >/dev/null
+      rpm2cpio $pck > rpm_extract_tmp.cpio
+      [ $? -eq 0 ] ||
+         notify --error $"cannot extract files from rpm archive"
+
+      cpio --quiet --extract --make-directories < rpm_extract_tmp.cpio
+      [ $? -eq 0 ] ||
+         notify --error $"cannot extract files from cpio archive"
+
+      rm -f rpm_extract_tmp.cpio
+      popd >/dev/null
+      let "i += 1"
+   done
+}
+
+function test.skip() {
+   local test n found
+
+   test="$1"
+   let "found = 0"
+
+   for n in ${ignore_test_list_value[*]}; do
+      [ "$n" = "$test" ] && let "found = 1"
+   done
+
+   return $((!$found))
+}
+
+function test.num2str() {
+   [ $test_number -le 9 ] && echo "   $test_number" || echo "  $test_number"
+}
+
+function test.runall() {
+   local ARGS
+   ARGS=`LC_ALL=C getopt \
+      -o d: --long testdir: \
+      -n "$FUNCNAME" -- "$@"`
+   [ $? = 0 ] || notify.error $"(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"\`getopt' error"
+
+   local testdir
+
+   eval set -- "$ARGS"
+   while :; do
+      case "$1" in
+      -d|--testdir)
+         testdir="$2"
+         shift
+      ;;
+      --) shift; break ;;
+      *) notify.error $"\
+(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"\`getopt' error: bad command \`$1'" ;;
+      esac
+      shift
+   done
+
+   [ -n "$testdir" ] ||
+      notify.error "\`testdir': "$"unset in the configuration files"
+   [ -d "$testdir" ] ||
+      notify.error $"no such file or directory"": \`$testdir'"
+
+   local test_number=1
+   local fname
+
+   for fname in $testdir/*; do
+      notify.debug "$FUNCNAME: running test: \`$fname'"
+      . $fname
+      alltests --infofile "$tmpextractdir/rpmpkg.info" \
+               --tmpdir "$tmpextractdir"
+   done
+}
diff --git a/plugins/pck-update.in b/plugins/pck-update.in
index 20e7e53..c099aa1 100644
--- a/plugins/pck-update.in
+++ b/plugins/pck-update.in
@@ -2629,8 +2629,6 @@ pck_newver = \"$pck_newver\", pck_newrel = \"$pck_newrel\""
          [[ "$pck_newver" != $SPEC_VERSION ]] &&
             notify.error $"release for new package required"
 
-         local i
-
          local pck_rpmversion
          # use the value provided by user via command line when available
          pck_rpmversion=${pck_newver:-$SPEC_VERSION}
@@ -2652,6 +2650,7 @@ pck_newver = \"$pck_newver\", pck_newrel = \"$pck_newrel\""
          #  - rpmpkg_name[] : name of the rpm packages
          #  - data saved in '$infofile'
 
+         local i
          local pcknew_name
          > $tmpextractdir/rpmpkg.info
          i=0
@@ -2677,95 +2676,17 @@ $pck-$pck_rpmversion-$pck_rpmrelease$DISTRO_rpm.$target_cpu.rpm"
             let "i += 1"
          done
 
-         # function rpms.extract()
-         #     extract the files contained in all the rpm archives build by
-         #     by a single specfile
-         # args:
-         #     -i|--infofile  the file containing infos about packages to extract
-         #     -t|--tmpdir    the directory where the files will be extracted to
-         function rpms.extract() {
-            local rpminfofile tmpextractdir
-            TEMP=`LC_ALL=C getopt \
-               -o i:t: --long infofile:,tmpdir: -n "$FUNCNAME" -- "$@"`
-            [[ $? = 0 ]] || return 1
-            eval set -- "$TEMP"
+         [ -r @libdir@/libtest.lib ] ||
+          { echo "$me: "$"library not found"": @libdir@/libtest.lib" 1>&2
+            exit 1; }
+         . @libdir@/libtest.lib
 
-            while :; do
-               case "$1" in
-               -i|--infofile)
-                  rpminfofile="$2"
-                  shift
-               ;;
-               -t|--tmpdir)
-                  tmpextractdir="$2"
-                  shift
-               ;;
-               --) shift; break ;;
-               *) notify.error $"\
-(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"\`getopt' error" ;;
-               esac
-               shift
-            done
-
-            [ "$rpminfofile" ] || notify.error $"\
-(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"missing mandatory arg"" (--infofile)"
-            [ -r "$rpminfofile" ] || notify.error $"\
-(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"cannot read"" \`$rpminfofile'"
-
-            [ "$tmpextractdir" ] || notify.error $"\
-(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"missing mandatory arg"" (--tmpdir)"
-            [ -d "$tmpextractdir" ] || notify.error $"\
-(bug)"" -- $FUNCNAME: "$"no such file or directory"" \`$tmpextractdir'"
-
-            . $rpminfofile
-
-            i=0
-            for pck in ${rpmpkg_name[@]}; do
-               [[ -e "$pck" ]] || notify.error $"\
-package not found"": \`$pck'"
-
-               mkdir -p $tmpextractdir/$i 2>/dev/null
-               [ $? -eq 0 ] || notify.error $"\
-can't create temporary directory"": $tmpextractdir/$i"
-
-               pushd $tmpextractdir/$i >/dev/null
-               rpm2cpio $pck > rpm_extract_tmp.cpio
-               [ $? -eq 0 ] ||
-                  notify --error $"cannot extract files from rpm archive"
-
-               cpio --quiet --extract --make-directories < rpm_extract_tmp.cpio
-               [ $? -eq 0 ] ||
-                   notify --error $"cannot extract files from cpio archive"
-
-               rm -f rpm_extract_tmp.cpio
-               popd >/dev/null
-               let "i += 1"
-            done
-         }
-
-         rpms.extract \
+         test.rpms_extract \
             --infofile "$tmpextractdir/rpmpkg.info" \
             --tmpdir "$tmpextractdir" || exit 1
 
          # execute all the available tests...
-
-         [ -n "$testdir" ] ||
-            notify.error "\`testdir': "$"unset in the configuration files"
-         [ -d "$testdir" ] ||
-            notify.error $"no such file or directory"": \`$testdir'"
-
-         function test_number_str() {
-            [ $test_number -le 9 ] &&
-               echo "   $test_number" || echo "  $test_number"
-         }
-
-         ( local test_number=1
-           for fname in $testdir/*; do
-              notify.debug "$FUNCNAME: running test: \`$fname'"
-              . $fname
-              alltests --infofile "$tmpextractdir/rpmpkg.info" \
-                 --tmpdir "$tmpextractdir"
-           done )
+         test.runall --testdir "$testdir"
 
          # temporary files cleanup
          rm -fr $tmpextractdir
diff --git a/po/it/libtest.po b/po/it/libtest.po
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..118cdef
--- /dev/null
+++ b/po/it/libtest.po
@@ -0,0 +1,47 @@
+# translation of it.po to Italiana
+# Copyright (C) 2012 Davide Madrisan
+# Davide Madrisan <davide.madrisan@gmail.com>
+
+msgid ""
+msgstr ""
+"Project-Id-Version: it\n"
+"POT-Creation-Date: 2012-05-19 12:04+0200\n"
+"PO-Revision-Date: 2012-05-19 12:04+0200\n"
+"Last-Translator: Davide Madrisan <davide.madrisan@gmail.com>\n"
+"Language-Team: Italiana <it@li.org>\n"
+"MIME-Version: 1.0\n"
+"Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8\n"
+"Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit\n"
+
+# lib/libtest
+
+msgid "\\`getopt' error"
+msgstr "errore in \\`getopt'"
+
+msgid "\\`getopt' error: bad command \\`$1'"
+msgstr "errore in \\`getopt': comando errato \\`$1'"
+
+msgid "missing mandatory arg"
+msgstr "parametro mancante"
+
+msgid "cannot read"
+msgstr "impossibile leggere"
+
+msgid "no such file or directory"
+msgstr "file o cartella non trovata"
+
+msgid "package not found"
+msgstr "pacchetto non trovato"
+
+msgid "can't create temporary directory"
+msgstr "impossibile creare la cartella temporanea"
+
+msgid "cannot extract files from rpm archive"
+msgstr "impossibile estrarre i file dall'archivio rpm"
+
+msgid "cannot extract files from cpio archive"
+msgstr "impossibile estrarre i file dall'archivio cpio"
+
+msgid "unset in the configuration files"
+msgstr "non configurato nei file di configurazione"
+
diff --git a/tests/test01_pkgquality.in b/tests/test01_pkgquality.in
index 04dad9d..75ad172 100644
--- a/tests/test01_pkgquality.in
+++ b/tests/test01_pkgquality.in
@@ -69,7 +69,9 @@ function alltests() {
    #  - symlinks to files in the buildroot directory for rpm
    #    (usable for a symlink attacks)
    #  - symlinks not pointing to existing files
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"\
+   
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
 $"checking for wrong symbolic links""${NORM}..."
 
    # local rpmbuildroot=`sed -n "/%description/q;{
@@ -107,21 +109,24 @@ wrong symlink"": \`${NOTE}${f/./}${NORM}' --> \`${NOTE}$(readlink $f)${NORM}'"
       done
       popd >/dev/null
       let "i += 1"
-   done
+   done; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    # check for `%buildroot' strings
+   test.skip $test_number || {
    if [ "$rpm_ignores_buildroot" = 1 ]; then
-      [ "$SPEC_BUILDROOT" ] &&
+      if [ "$SPEC_BUILDROOT" ]; then
          notify.note \
-"$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"\
+"$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
 $"checking for \`$SPEC_BUILDROOT' (%buildroot) strings"\
-"${NORM}... "$"skipped" ||
+"${NORM}... "$"skipped"
+      else
          notify.note \
-"$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"\
+"$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
 $"checking for %buildroot strings""${NORM}... "$"N/A"
+      fi
    else
-      notify.note "$(test_number_str). "\
+      notify.note "$(test.num2str). "\
 $"checking for \`$SPEC_BUILDROOT' (%buildroot) strings"
 
       [ "$SPEC_BUILDROOT" ] || notify.error \
@@ -143,12 +148,13 @@ sed "s,$SPEC_BUILDROOT\(.*\),    - [%buildroot]\1,")"
          popd >/dev/null
          let "i += 1"
       done
-   fi
+   fi; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    # check for `%_builddir' strings
    BUILDDIR="$(rpm --eval=%_builddir 2>/dev/null)"
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"\
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
 $"checking for \`$BUILDDIR' (%_builddir) strings""${NORM}... "
 
    [ "$BUILDDIR" ] ||
@@ -169,13 +175,14 @@ sed "s,$BUILDDIR,[%_builddir],g;s,.*,    - &,")"
       done
       popd >/dev/null
       let "i += 1"
-   done
+   done; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    # check for suspected plugins (.la, .so) in devel packages
    # note: pure plugins must be in the main package, not in devel
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"$"\
-checking for suspicious plugins in devel packages""${NORM}..."
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
+$"checking for suspicious plugins in devel packages""${NORM}..."
 
    let "i = 0"
    for pck in ${rpmpkg_name[@]}; do
@@ -193,12 +200,13 @@ grep ' shared object,' | sed -n 's/.\(.*\):.*/\1/p'`; do
       done
       popd >/dev/null
       let "i += 1"
-   done
+   done; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    # check for wrong file attributes in lib and bin dirs
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"$"\
-checking for wrong file attributes in bin and lib directories""${NORM}..."
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
+$"checking for wrong file attributes in bin and lib directories""${NORM}..."
 
    warning=0
    let "i = 0"
@@ -231,12 +239,13 @@ ${NOTE}"$"Hint"":${NORM}
    %defattr(-,root,root)
    ...
    %attr(0755,root,root) %{_bindir}/<program>
------------------------------"
+-----------------------------"; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    # check for libraries with undefined symbols
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"$"\
-checking for libraries with undefined symbols after relocation""${NORM}..."
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
+$"checking for libraries with undefined symbols after relocation""${NORM}..."
 
    let "i = 0"
    local undefsyms
@@ -261,12 +270,13 @@ $(LC_ALL=C ldd -d -r "$f" 2>/dev/null |& grep "undefined symbol")"
       done
       popd >/dev/null
       let "i += 1"
-   done
+   done; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    # check for binary files in etc (see FHS-2.2)
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"$"\
-checking for binary files installed in /etc (see FHS)""${NORM}..."
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
+$"checking for binary files installed in /etc (see FHS)""${NORM}..."
 
    warning=0
    let "i = 0"
@@ -292,12 +302,13 @@ ${NOTE}"$"Hint"":${NORM}
    %defattr(-,root,root)
    ...
    %attr(0644,root,root) %{_sysconfdir}/<...file>
------------------------------" #|| exit 1
+-----------------------------"; } #|| exit 1
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    # check for installation code needed by info pages
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"$"\
-checking if the info catalog is updated when necessary""${NORM}..."
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
+$"checking if the info catalog is updated when necessary""${NORM}..."
 
    error=0
    let "i = 0"
@@ -338,12 +349,13 @@ $([[ "$rpm_macro_uninstallinfo" ]] &&
 exit 0
 ---------------------------------------"
          let "total_issues += $error"; }
-   done
+   done; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    # check packages for wrong user and/or group ownerships
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"$"\
-checking packages for wrong user and/or group ownerships""${NORM}..."
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
+$"checking packages for wrong user and/or group ownerships""${NORM}..."
 
    error=0
    idun="$(id -un)" idgn="$(id -gn)"
@@ -363,12 +375,13 @@ package not found"": \`${pck##*/}'"
               let "total_issues += 1"
            fi
         done )
-   done
+   done; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    # check for desktop files installed in non standard applnk dir
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"$"\
-checking packages for desktop files installed in the applnk dir""${NORM}..."
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
+$"checking packages for desktop files installed in the applnk dir""${NORM}..."
 
    warning=0
    rpmdatadir=$(rpm --eval %_datadir 2>/dev/null)
@@ -393,11 +406,12 @@ checking packages for desktop files installed in the applnk dir""${NORM}..."
 ${NOTE}"$"Hint"":${NORM}
    "$"create desktop files for:"" ${rpmdatadir}/applications
    "$"see:"" <http://www.freedesktop.org/>
------------------------------"
+-----------------------------"; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    # check if a package that do not contains binaries is tagged noarch
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"\
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
 $"checking for packages with bad BuildArch tag""${NORM}..."
 
    warning=0
@@ -421,7 +435,7 @@ ${NOTE}"$"Hint"":${NORM}
 BuildArch:     noarch
 -----------------------------"
          let "total_issues += 1"; }
-   fi
+   fi; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    notify.note "
diff --git a/tests/test02_pkgsecurity.in b/tests/test02_pkgsecurity.in
index 1b5dbbc..0c17889 100644
--- a/tests/test02_pkgsecurity.in
+++ b/tests/test02_pkgsecurity.in
@@ -70,7 +70,8 @@ function alltests() {
 
    local total_issues=0
 
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"\
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
 $"checking for RPATH vulnerabilities""${NORM}..."
 
    let "i = 0"
@@ -91,10 +92,11 @@ $"checking for RPATH vulnerabilities""${NORM}..."
       done
       popd >/dev/null
       let "i += 1"
-   done
+   done; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"\
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
 $"checking for setuid binaries""${NORM}..."
 
    let "i = 0"
@@ -108,10 +110,11 @@ $"checking for setuid binaries""${NORM}..."
       done
       popd >/dev/null
       let "i += 1"
-   done
+   done; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"\
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
 $"checking for setgid directories""${NORM}..."
 
    let "i = 0"
@@ -123,11 +126,12 @@ $"checking for setgid directories""${NORM}..."
       done
       popd >/dev/null
       let "i += 1"
-   done
+   done; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    # checking for unsecure use of $$ as random source in shell scripts
-   notify.note "$(test_number_str). ${NOTE}"\
+   test.skip $test_number || {
+   notify.note "$(test.num2str). ${NOTE}"\
 $"checking for unsecure use of \`\$\$' in shell and perl scripts""${NORM}..."
 
    vulnerable=0
@@ -165,7 +169,7 @@ ${NOTE}"$"Hint for bash scripts (\`mktemp' required)"":${NORM}
 ${NOTE}"$"Hint for perl scripts"":${NORM}
    use File::Temp qw/ tempfile /;
    (\$fh,\$file) = tempfile ('<script_name>.XXXXXX');
------------------------------"
+-----------------------------"; }
    test_number=$(($test_number + 1))
 
    notify.note "