# phpman > perldoc > Test::Unit::Runner

## NAME
    [Test::Unit::Runner](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Test%3A%3AUnit%3A%3ARunner/markdown) - abstract base class for test runners

## SYNOPSIS
        my $runner = [Test::Unit::TestRunner](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Test%3A%3AUnit%3A%3ATestRunner/markdown)->new();
        $runner->filter(@filter_tokens);
        $runner->start(...);

## DESCRIPTION
    This class is a parent class of all test runners, and hence is not intended to be used directly.
    It provides functionality such as state (e.g. run-time options) available to all runner classes.

  suites_running()
    Returns an array stack of the current suites running. When a new suite is started, it is pushed
    on the stack, and it is popped on completion. Hence the first element in the returned array is
    the top-level suite, and the last is the innermost suite.

  filter([ @tokens ])
    Set the runner's filter tokens to the given list.

  reset_filter()
    Clears the current filter.

## AUTHOR
    Copyright (c) 2000-2002, 2005 the PerlUnit Development Team (see [Test::Unit](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Test%3A%3AUnit/markdown) or the AUTHORS file
    included in this distribution).

    All rights reserved. This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it
    under the same terms as Perl itself.

## SEE ALSO
    [Test::Unit::HarnessUnit](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Test%3A%3AUnit%3A%3AHarnessUnit/markdown), [Test::Unit::TestRunner](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Test%3A%3AUnit%3A%3ATestRunner/markdown), [Test::Unit::TkTestRunner](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/perldoc/Test%3A%3AUnit%3A%3ATkTestRunner/markdown)