diff --git a/cop/collection.go b/cop/collection.go
index 8a4c980..4f806c5 100644
--- a/cop/collection.go
+++ b/cop/collection.go
@@ -17,8 +17,8 @@ import (
 	"gitea.mmo.to/ppForge/ppforge/protocol"
 )
 
-// globalCOP is the global variable holding the protocol collections
-var globalCOP ProtocolCollectionList
+// GlobalCOP is the global variable holding the protocol collections,
+var GlobalCOP *ProtocolCollectionList = &ProtocolCollectionList{[]COP{}}
 
 // ProtocolCollectionList is a list of all databases, with the most simple interface
 type ProtocolCollectionList struct {
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ func (pcl *ProtocolCollectionList) WriteCache() error {
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}
-	err = os.WriteFile(path.Join(globals.CollectionOfProtocolsDir, globals.COPCacheFileName), data, fs.ModeAppend)
+	err = os.WriteFile(path.Join(globals.CollectionOfProtocolsDir, globals.COPCacheFileName), data, 0644)
 	return err
 }
 
@@ -57,19 +57,30 @@ type ProtocolCollectionEntry struct {
 
 // Init initializes the databases, opens the default one and checks for others if available
 func init() {
-	// initialize main list
-	globalCOP := ProtocolCollectionList{[]COP{}}
+	Init()
+}
+
+// Init the global COP
+func Init() {
 	// initialize default db
 	fdb := FileCOP{COP{map[string]ProtocolCollectionEntry{}, false}, globals.CollectionOfProtocolsDir}
-	fdb.Open(globals.CollectionOfProtocolsDir)
-	fdb.Sync()
-	globalCOP.PCs = append(globalCOP.PCs, fdb.COP)
-	log.Printf("Amount of databases available %d", len(globalCOP.PCs))
+	err := fdb.Open(globals.CollectionOfProtocolsDir)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Error opening global COP dir: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+	err = fdb.Sync()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Error on initial syncing of the global COP dir: %v", err)
+		return
+	}
+	GlobalCOP.PCs = append(GlobalCOP.PCs, fdb.COP)
+	log.Printf("Amount of databases available %d", len(GlobalCOP.PCs))
 }
 
 // GetCOP returns the global collection of Protocols
-func GetCOP() ProtocolCollectionList {
-	return globalCOP
+func GetCOP() *ProtocolCollectionList {
+	return GlobalCOP
 }
 
 // COP represents a Collection of Protocols
@@ -102,14 +113,26 @@ type FileCOPFromGitRemote struct {
 	gitRepo             git.Repository
 }
 
+// NewFileCOP returns a new FileCOP instance from a given path
+func NewFileCOP(path string) (*FileCOP, error) {
+	fCOP := &FileCOP{}
+	err := fCOP.Open(path)
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Error opening file COP at %s: %v", path, err)
+		return nil, err
+	}
+	err = fCOP.Sync()
+	return fCOP, err
+}
+
 // Open the database
 func (fd *FileCOP) Open(path string) error {
 	fileinfo, err := os.Stat(path)
 	if err == os.ErrNotExist {
 		return err
 	}
-	if !fileinfo.IsDir() {
-		return fmt.Errorf("Path %s is not a directory", path)
+	if fileinfo == nil || !fileinfo.IsDir() {
+		return fmt.Errorf("Path %s is not a directory or does not exist", path)
 	}
 	fd.Path = path
 	fd.closed = false
diff --git a/cop/collection_test.go b/cop/collection_test.go
index fadfea7..1e45973 100644
--- a/cop/collection_test.go
+++ b/cop/collection_test.go
@@ -1,40 +1,93 @@
-package cop
+package cop_test
 
 import (
+	"errors"
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
+	"os/user"
 	"path"
+	"runtime"
+	"strings"
 	"testing"
+
+	"gitea.mmo.to/ppForge/ppforge/cop"
+	"gitea.mmo.to/ppForge/ppforge/globals"
 )
 
+func getCurrentDir() string {
+	_, filename, _, _ := runtime.Caller(0)
+	return path.Dir(filename)
+}
+
+func getRepoDir(start string) (string, error) {
+	var repoPath string
+	entries, err := os.ReadDir(start)
+	for _, v := range entries {
+		if strings.HasSuffix(v.Name(), ".git") {
+			repoPath = start
+		}
+	}
+	if repoPath == "" {
+		return getRepoDir(path.Dir(start))
+	}
+	return repoPath, err
+}
+
+func setupSuite(t *testing.T) func(t *testing.T) {
+	// setup
+	// setup testing home dir
+	repo, err := getRepoDir(getCurrentDir())
+	if err != nil {
+		t.Error(err)
+	}
+	testUserHome := path.Join(repo, "test", "home")
+	globals.ConfigDirectoryList = []string{testUserHome, ".config", "ppforge"}
+	globals.ConfigDirectory = path.Join(globals.ConfigDirectoryList...)
+	globals.CollectionOfProtocolsDir = path.Join(globals.ConfigDirectory, "cop")
+
+	globals.MockUserCurrent = func() (*user.User, error) {
+		mu := user.User{}
+		mu.HomeDir = testUserHome
+		return &mu, nil
+	}
+
+	// teardown
+	return func(t *testing.T) {
+		globals.MockUserCurrent = user.Current
+	}
+}
+
 func TestOpen(t *testing.T) {
-	fcop := FileCOP{}
-	wd, err := os.Getwd()
+	td := setupSuite(t)
+	defer td(t)
+
+	fcop := cop.FileCOP{}
+	wd, err := getRepoDir(getCurrentDir())
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("Os error: %s", err)
 		t.Fail()
 	}
-	fcop.Open(path.Join(wd, "..", "test", "cop"))
+	fcop.Open(path.Join(wd, "test", "cop"))
 	l, err := fcop.Protocols()
 	if err != nil {
 		t.Fail()
 	}
-	for k, v := range fcop.protocols {
-		fmt.Printf("%s->%s\n", k, v.Path)
-	}
 	for _, pce := range l {
 		fmt.Printf("%s//%s\n", pce.Path, pce.Protocol.Name)
 	}
 }
 
 func TestClosed(t *testing.T) {
-	fcop := FileCOP{}
-	wd, err := os.Getwd()
+	td := setupSuite(t)
+	defer td(t)
+
+	fcop := cop.FileCOP{}
+	wd, err := getRepoDir(getCurrentDir())
 	if err != nil {
 		fmt.Printf("Os error: %s", err)
 		t.Fail()
 	}
-	fcop.Open(path.Join(wd, "..", "test", "cop"))
+	fcop.Open(path.Join(wd, "test", "cop"))
 	fcop.Close()
 	l, err := fcop.Protocols()
 	if err == nil || l != nil {
@@ -57,3 +110,53 @@ func TestClosed(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Fail()
 	}
 }
+
+func TestGlobalCOP(t *testing.T) {
+	td := setupSuite(t)
+	defer td(t)
+	cop.Init()
+	gcop := cop.GlobalCOP
+	pcs := gcop.PCs
+	fmt.Printf("Length of all Protocol Collections: %d\n", len(pcs))
+	if len(pcs) != 1 {
+		fmt.Println("Length != 1")
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+	wd, _ := getRepoDir(getCurrentDir())
+	fcop, err := cop.NewFileCOP(path.Join(wd, "test", "cop"))
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("Error on loading new FileCOP", err)
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+	gcop.PCs = append(gcop.PCs, fcop.COP)
+
+	fmt.Printf("Length of all Protocol Collections: %d\n", len(gcop.PCs))
+	if len(gcop.PCs) != 2 {
+		fmt.Println("Amount of COPs is not 2")
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCOPCache(t *testing.T) {
+	td := setupSuite(t)
+	defer td(t)
+
+	gcop := cop.GlobalCOP
+	err := gcop.WriteCache()
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("Writing the cache file failed")
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+	fpath := path.Join(globals.CollectionOfProtocolsDir, globals.COPCacheFileName)
+	if _, staterr := os.Stat(fpath); errors.Is(staterr, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		fmt.Println("File not existing ", fpath)
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+
+	err = gcop.ReadCache()
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("Reading the cache file failed")
+		t.Fail()
+	}
+
+}
diff --git a/globals/globals.go b/globals/globals.go
index 65e49d9..bd5c576 100644
--- a/globals/globals.go
+++ b/globals/globals.go
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 package globals
 
+import "os/user"
+
 // Global variables, Mocks, etc.
 // This package shall not have any dependency towards the application itself!
 // [impl->dsn~properly-defined-globals~1>>utest]
@@ -15,5 +17,9 @@ var ConfigDirectory string
 // CollectionOfProtocolsDir is the default directory for protocol collections
 var CollectionOfProtocolsDir string
 
-// COPCacheFileName
+// COPCacheFileName is the filename for the cache
 var COPCacheFileName string = "cop-cache.json"
+
+// Global Mockings
+
+var MockUserCurrent = user.Current
diff --git a/globals/globals.linux.go b/globals/globals.linux.go
index 6c4065f..1e02a95 100644
--- a/globals/globals.linux.go
+++ b/globals/globals.linux.go
@@ -4,12 +4,11 @@ package globals
 // This package shall not have any dependency towards the application itself!
 import (
 	"log"
-	"os/user"
 	"path"
 )
 
 func init() {
-	user, err := user.Current()
+	user, err := MockUserCurrent()
 	if err != nil {
 		log.Printf("Current user not obtainable: %s", err)
 		log.Fatal("Impossible to open default database")
diff --git a/globals/globals.windows.go b/globals/globals.windows.go
index cfd6a80..f8a127b 100644
--- a/globals/globals.windows.go
+++ b/globals/globals.windows.go
@@ -3,14 +3,20 @@ package globals
 // Global variables, Mocks, etc.
 // This package shall not have any dependency towards the application itself!
 import (
-	"os/user"
+	"log"
 	"path"
 )
 
 func init() {
+	user, err := MockUserCurrent()
+	if err != nil {
+		log.Printf("Current user not obtainable: %s", err)
+		log.Fatal("Impossible to open default database")
+	}
+
 	// ConfigDirectoryList Configuration directory list Windows TODO
-	var ConfigDirectoryList []string = []string{user.HomeDir, TODO!!!}
+	ConfigDirectoryList = []string{user.HomeDir /*TODO!!!*/}
 
 	// ConfigDirectory Configuration directory string Windows
-	var ConfigDirectory string = path.Join(ConfigDirectoryList...)
+	ConfigDirectory = path.Join(ConfigDirectoryList...)
 }
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index 8eae54b..9c25be1 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/go-text/typesetting v0.0.0-20230905121921-abdbcca6e0eb // indirect
 	github.com/godbus/dbus/v5 v5.1.0 // indirect
 	github.com/golang/groupcache v0.0.0-20210331224755-41bb18bfe9da // indirect
+	github.com/golang/mock v1.6.0 // indirect
 	github.com/gopherjs/gopherjs v1.17.2 // indirect
 	github.com/jbenet/go-context v0.0.0-20150711004518-d14ea06fba99 // indirect
 	github.com/jsummers/gobmp v0.0.0-20230614200233-a9de23ed2e25 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 0ac6bf1..d1eccb0 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -140,6 +140,8 @@ github.com/golang/mock v1.4.1/go.mod h1:UOMv5ysSaYNkG+OFQykRIcU/QvvxJf3p21QfJ2Bt
 github.com/golang/mock v1.4.3/go.mod h1:UOMv5ysSaYNkG+OFQykRIcU/QvvxJf3p21QfJ2Bt3cw=
 github.com/golang/mock v1.4.4/go.mod h1:l3mdAwkq5BuhzHwde/uurv3sEJeZMXNpwsxVWU71h+4=
 github.com/golang/mock v1.5.0/go.mod h1:CWnOUgYIOo4TcNZ0wHX3YZCqsaM1I1Jvs6v3mP3KVu8=
+github.com/golang/mock v1.6.0 h1:ErTB+efbowRARo13NNdxyJji2egdxLGQhRaY+DUumQc=
+github.com/golang/mock v1.6.0/go.mod h1:p6yTPP+5HYm5mzsMV8JkE6ZKdX+/wYM6Hr+LicevLPs=
 github.com/golang/protobuf v1.2.0/go.mod h1:6lQm79b+lXiMfvg/cZm0SGofjICqVBUtrP5yJMmIC1U=
 github.com/golang/protobuf v1.3.1/go.mod h1:6lQm79b+lXiMfvg/cZm0SGofjICqVBUtrP5yJMmIC1U=
 github.com/golang/protobuf v1.3.2/go.mod h1:6lQm79b+lXiMfvg/cZm0SGofjICqVBUtrP5yJMmIC1U=
@@ -598,6 +600,7 @@ golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20201208233053-a543418bbed2/go.mod h1:emZCQorbCU4vsT4f
 golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20210105154028-b0ab187a4818/go.mod h1:emZCQorbCU4vsT4fOWvOPXz4eW1wZW4PmDk9uLelYpA=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.0.0-20210106214847-113979e3529a/go.mod h1:emZCQorbCU4vsT4fOWvOPXz4eW1wZW4PmDk9uLelYpA=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.1.0/go.mod h1:xkSsbof2nBLbhDlRMhhhyNLN/zl3eTqcnHD5viDpcZ0=
+golang.org/x/tools v0.1.1/go.mod h1:o0xws9oXOQQZyjljx8fwUC0k7L1pTE6eaCbjGeHmOkk=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.1.2/go.mod h1:o0xws9oXOQQZyjljx8fwUC0k7L1pTE6eaCbjGeHmOkk=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.1.5/go.mod h1:o0xws9oXOQQZyjljx8fwUC0k7L1pTE6eaCbjGeHmOkk=
 golang.org/x/tools v0.1.8-0.20211022200916-316ba0b74098/go.mod h1:LGqMHiF4EqQNHR1JncWGqT5BVaXmza+X+BDGol+dOxo=
diff --git a/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/blabla.protocoljson b/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/blabla.protocoljson
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..022ae3a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/blabla.protocoljson
@@ -0,0 +1,34 @@
+{
+  "Metadata": {
+    "Revision": 2,
+    "Name": "blabla",
+    "Version": "",
+    "TCPIPLayer": 0,
+    "ExtensionTo": "",
+    "Description": "",
+    "RequiredJSFunctions": null,
+    "LowerLayerIdentification": null
+  },
+  "Structure": [
+    {
+      "Name": "asdfasdf",
+      "Desc": "",
+      "Regex": "",
+      "Size": 8,
+      "SubFields": null,
+      "Optional": false,
+      "Payload": false
+    },
+    {
+      "Name": "asdfasdfasdf",
+      "Desc": "test",
+      "Regex": "",
+      "Size": 24,
+      "SubFields": null,
+      "Optional": false,
+      "Payload": false
+    }
+  ],
+  "DefaultValues": null,
+  "JavaScript": ""
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/blah.protocoljson b/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/blah.protocoljson
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..13a71f0
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/blah.protocoljson
@@ -0,0 +1,61 @@
+{
+  "Metadata": {
+    "Revision": 1,
+    "Name": "blah",
+    "Version": "",
+    "TCPIPLayer": 0,
+    "ExtensionTo": "",
+    "Description": "",
+    "RequiredJSFunctions": null,
+    "LowerLayerIdentification": null
+  },
+  "Structure": [
+    {
+      "Name": "test",
+      "Desc": "",
+      "Regex": "",
+      "Size": 32,
+      "SubFields": null,
+      "Optional": false,
+      "Payload": false
+    },
+    {
+      "Name": "",
+      "Desc": "",
+      "Regex": "",
+      "Size": 32,
+      "SubFields": null,
+      "Optional": false,
+      "Payload": false
+    },
+    {
+      "Name": "",
+      "Desc": "",
+      "Regex": "",
+      "Size": 8,
+      "SubFields": null,
+      "Optional": false,
+      "Payload": false
+    },
+    {
+      "Name": "",
+      "Desc": "",
+      "Regex": "",
+      "Size": 4,
+      "SubFields": null,
+      "Optional": false,
+      "Payload": false
+    },
+    {
+      "Name": "",
+      "Desc": "",
+      "Regex": "",
+      "Size": 20,
+      "SubFields": null,
+      "Optional": false,
+      "Payload": false
+    }
+  ],
+  "DefaultValues": null,
+  "JavaScript": ""
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/test.protocoljson b/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/test.protocoljson
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..06c9f73
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/test.protocoljson
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+{
+  "Metadata": {
+    "Revision": 1,
+    "Name": "test",
+    "Version": "",
+    "TCPIPLayer": 0,
+    "ExtensionTo": "",
+    "Description": "test",
+    "RequiredJSFunctions": null,
+    "LowerLayerIdentification": null
+  },
+  "Structure": [
+    {
+      "Name": "test",
+      "Desc": "test",
+      "Regex": "",
+      "Size": 128,
+      "SubFields": null,
+      "Optional": false,
+      "Payload": false
+    }
+  ],
+  "DefaultValues": null,
+  "JavaScript": ""
+}
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/testprotocolempty.protocoljson b/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/testprotocolempty.protocoljson
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9e26dfe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/home/.config/ppforge/cop/testprotocolempty.protocoljson
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{}
\ No newline at end of file