diff --git a/tests/BlockUniTensor_test.h b/tests/BlockUniTensor_test.h
index 75c874f9..f4b975a1 100644
--- a/tests/BlockUniTensor_test.h
+++ b/tests/BlockUniTensor_test.h
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@ using namespace cytnx;
 using namespace TestTools;
 class BlockUniTensorTest : public ::testing::Test {
  public:
-  std::string data_dir = "../../tests/test_data_base/common/BlockUniTensor/";
+  std::string data_dir = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/BlockUniTensor/";
 
   Bond B1 = Bond(BD_IN, {Qs(0) >> 1, Qs(1) >> 2});
   Bond B2 = Bond(BD_IN, {Qs(0), Qs(1)}, {3, 4});
diff --git a/tests/CMakeLists.txt b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
index 94e198dd..965365e7 100644
--- a/tests/CMakeLists.txt
+++ b/tests/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -2,6 +2,12 @@
 if(BACKEND_TORCH)
 else()
 
+# Define the path to the test data directory
+set(CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/test_data_base")
+
+# Add the preprocessor definition for CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR
+add_compile_definitions(CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR="${CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR}")
+
 add_executable(
   test_main
   test_tools.cpp
diff --git a/tests/DenseUniTensor_test.h b/tests/DenseUniTensor_test.h
index cab2ff0a..f859a588 100644
--- a/tests/DenseUniTensor_test.h
+++ b/tests/DenseUniTensor_test.h
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ using namespace std;
 using namespace TestTools;
 class DenseUniTensorTest : public ::testing::Test {
  public:
-  std::string data_dir = "../../tests/test_data_base/common/DenseUniTensor/";
+  std::string data_dir = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/DenseUniTensor/";
 
   UniTensor ut_uninit;
   UniTensor utzero345;
diff --git a/tests/Storage_test.cpp b/tests/Storage_test.cpp
index d07cd33c..227f1f45 100644
--- a/tests/Storage_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/Storage_test.cpp
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ TEST_F(StorageTest, from_vec_cf) {
 
 // create suite for all real types (exclude bool)
 using vector_typelist = testing::Types<cytnx_int64, cytnx_uint64, cytnx_int32, cytnx_uint32,
-                                       cytnx_double, cytnx_float, cytnx_uint16, cytnx_int64>;
+                                       cytnx_double, cytnx_float, cytnx_uint16, cytnx_int16>;
 template <class>
 struct vector_suite : testing::Test {};
 TYPED_TEST_SUITE(vector_suite, vector_typelist);
diff --git a/tests/Tensor_test.h b/tests/Tensor_test.h
index 8a91068d..3388f159 100644
--- a/tests/Tensor_test.h
+++ b/tests/Tensor_test.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ using namespace cytnx;
 using namespace std;
 class TensorTest : public ::testing::Test {
  public:
-  std::string data_dir = "../../tests/test_data_base/common/Tensor/";
+  std::string data_dir = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/Tensor/";
 
   Tensor tzero345;
   Tensor tone345;
diff --git a/tests/common_data_generator.cpp b/tests/common_data_generator.cpp
index e8991ef5..ac95dee3 100644
--- a/tests/common_data_generator.cpp
+++ b/tests/common_data_generator.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ using namespace TestTools;
 
 namespace CommonDataGen {
 
-  std::string dataRoot = "../../tests/test_data_base/common/";
+  std::string dataRoot = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/";
   static std::vector<unsigned int> dtype_list1 = {
     Type.ComplexDouble,
     Type.Double,
diff --git a/tests/gpu/BlockUniTensor_test.h b/tests/gpu/BlockUniTensor_test.h
index e558330f..8a633514 100644
--- a/tests/gpu/BlockUniTensor_test.h
+++ b/tests/gpu/BlockUniTensor_test.h
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ using namespace TestTools;
 
 class BlockUniTensorTest : public ::testing::Test {
  public:
-  std::string data_dir = "../../../tests/test_data_base/common/BlockUniTensor/";
+  std::string data_dir = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/BlockUniTensor/";
 
   Bond B1 = Bond(BD_IN, {Qs(0) >> 1, Qs(1) >> 2});
   Bond B2 = Bond(BD_IN, {Qs(0), Qs(1)}, {3, 4});
diff --git a/tests/gpu/DenseUniTensor_test.h b/tests/gpu/DenseUniTensor_test.h
index 26970711..388e664b 100644
--- a/tests/gpu/DenseUniTensor_test.h
+++ b/tests/gpu/DenseUniTensor_test.h
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ using namespace std;
 using namespace TestTools;
 class DenseUniTensorTest : public ::testing::Test {
  public:
-  std::string data_dir = "../../../tests/test_data_base/common/DenseUniTensor/";
+  std::string data_dir = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/DenseUniTensor/";
 
   UniTensor utzero345;
   UniTensor utone345;
diff --git a/tests/gpu/Tensor_test.h b/tests/gpu/Tensor_test.h
index 09805f99..36c61b9b 100644
--- a/tests/gpu/Tensor_test.h
+++ b/tests/gpu/Tensor_test.h
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@ using namespace cytnx;
 using namespace std;
 class TensorTest : public ::testing::Test {
  public:
-  std::string data_dir = "../../../tests/test_data_base/common/Tensor/";
+  std::string data_dir = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/Tensor/";
 
   Tensor tzero345;
   Tensor tone345;
diff --git a/tests/gpu/common_data_generator.cpp b/tests/gpu/common_data_generator.cpp
index e8991ef5..ac95dee3 100644
--- a/tests/gpu/common_data_generator.cpp
+++ b/tests/gpu/common_data_generator.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ using namespace TestTools;
 
 namespace CommonDataGen {
 
-  std::string dataRoot = "../../tests/test_data_base/common/";
+  std::string dataRoot = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/";
   static std::vector<unsigned int> dtype_list1 = {
     Type.ComplexDouble,
     Type.Double,
diff --git a/tests/gpu/linalg_test/GeSvd_test.cpp b/tests/gpu/linalg_test/GeSvd_test.cpp
index 385b9aab..3437b5a9 100644
--- a/tests/gpu/linalg_test/GeSvd_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/gpu/linalg_test/GeSvd_test.cpp
@@ -14,9 +14,8 @@ namespace GesvdTest {
   bool ReComposeCheck(const UniTensor& Tin, const std::vector<UniTensor>& Tout);
   bool CheckLabels(const UniTensor& Tin, const std::vector<UniTensor>& Tout);
   bool SingularValsCorrect(const UniTensor& res, const UniTensor& ans);
-  std::string data_root = "../../../tests/test_data_base/";
-  std::string src_data_root = data_root + "common/";
-  std::string ans_data_root = data_root + "linalg/Gesvd/";
+  std::string src_data_root = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/";
+  std::string ans_data_root = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/Gesvd/";
   // normal test
 
   /*=====test info=====
diff --git a/tests/gpu/linalg_test/Lanczos_Gnd_test.cpp b/tests/gpu/linalg_test/Lanczos_Gnd_test.cpp
index a922b63b..f58c241c 100644
--- a/tests/gpu/linalg_test/Lanczos_Gnd_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/gpu/linalg_test/Lanczos_Gnd_test.cpp
@@ -19,11 +19,11 @@ class MyOp2 : public LinOp {
  public:
   UniTensor H;
   MyOp2(int dim) : LinOp("mv", dim) {
-    Tensor A = Tensor::Load("../../../tests/test_data_base/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_A.cytn")
+    Tensor A = Tensor::Load(CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_A.cytn")
                  .to(cytnx::Device.cuda);
-    Tensor B = Tensor::Load("../../../tests/test_data_base/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_B.cytn")
+    Tensor B = Tensor::Load(CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_B.cytn")
                  .to(cytnx::Device.cuda);
-    Tensor C = Tensor::Load("../../../tests/test_data_base/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_C.cytn")
+    Tensor C = Tensor::Load(CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_C.cytn")
                  .to(cytnx::Device.cuda);
     Bond lan_I = Bond(BD_IN, {Qs(-1), Qs(0), Qs(1)}, {9, 9, 9});
     Bond lan_J = Bond(BD_OUT, {Qs(-1), Qs(0), Qs(1)}, {9, 9, 9});
diff --git a/tests/gpu/linalg_test/Svd_test.cpp b/tests/gpu/linalg_test/Svd_test.cpp
index ed7848b8..917a07d7 100644
--- a/tests/gpu/linalg_test/Svd_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/gpu/linalg_test/Svd_test.cpp
@@ -14,9 +14,8 @@ namespace SvdTest {
   bool ReComposeCheck(const UniTensor& Tin, const std::vector<UniTensor>& Tout);
   bool CheckLabels(const UniTensor& Tin, const std::vector<UniTensor>& Tout);
   bool SingularValsCorrect(const UniTensor& res, const UniTensor& ans);
-  std::string data_root = "../../../tests/test_data_base/";
-  std::string src_data_root = data_root + "common/";
-  std::string ans_data_root = data_root + "linalg/Svd/";
+  std::string src_data_root = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/";
+  std::string ans_data_root = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/Svd/";
   // normal test
 
   /*=====test info=====
diff --git a/tests/gpu/linalg_test/linalg_test.h b/tests/gpu/linalg_test/linalg_test.h
index f2fe0976..183cc180 100644
--- a/tests/gpu/linalg_test/linalg_test.h
+++ b/tests/gpu/linalg_test/linalg_test.h
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@ class linalg_Test : public ::testing::Test {
   Tensor eye3x3cd = eye(3, Type.ComplexDouble).to(cytnx::Device.cuda);
   Tensor zeros3x3cd = zeros(9, Type.ComplexDouble).reshape(3, 3).to(cytnx::Device.cuda);
 
-  std::string data_dir = "../../../tests/test_data_base/linalg/";
+  std::string data_dir = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/";
   // ==================== svd_truncate ===================
   Bond svd_I = Bond(BD_OUT, {Qs(1), Qs(-1)}, {1, 1});
   Bond svd_J =
diff --git a/tests/linalg_test/GeSvd_test.cpp b/tests/linalg_test/GeSvd_test.cpp
index c72ed186..6782f584 100644
--- a/tests/linalg_test/GeSvd_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/linalg_test/GeSvd_test.cpp
@@ -14,9 +14,8 @@ namespace GesvdTest {
   bool ReComposeCheck(const UniTensor& Tin, const std::vector<UniTensor>& Tout);
   bool CheckLabels(const UniTensor& Tin, const std::vector<UniTensor>& Tout);
   bool SingularValsCorrect(const UniTensor& res, const UniTensor& ans);
-  std::string data_root = "../../tests/test_data_base/";
-  std::string src_data_root = data_root + "common/";
-  std::string ans_data_root = data_root + "linalg/Gesvd/";
+  std::string src_data_root = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/";
+  std::string ans_data_root = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/Gesvd/";
   // normal test
 
   /*=====test info=====
diff --git a/tests/linalg_test/Lanczos_Gnd_test.cpp b/tests/linalg_test/Lanczos_Gnd_test.cpp
index 4e602bcb..05fceefd 100644
--- a/tests/linalg_test/Lanczos_Gnd_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/linalg_test/Lanczos_Gnd_test.cpp
@@ -17,9 +17,9 @@ class MyOp2 : public LinOp {
  public:
   UniTensor H;
   MyOp2(int dim) : LinOp("mv", dim) {
-    Tensor A = Tensor::Load("../../tests/test_data_base/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_A.cytn");
-    Tensor B = Tensor::Load("../../tests/test_data_base/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_B.cytn");
-    Tensor C = Tensor::Load("../../tests/test_data_base/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_C.cytn");
+    Tensor A = Tensor::Load(CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_A.cytn");
+    Tensor B = Tensor::Load(CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_B.cytn");
+    Tensor C = Tensor::Load(CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/Lanczos_Gnd/lan_block_C.cytn");
     Bond lan_I = Bond(BD_IN, {Qs(-1), Qs(0), Qs(1)}, {9, 9, 9});
     Bond lan_J = Bond(BD_OUT, {Qs(-1), Qs(0), Qs(1)}, {9, 9, 9});
     H = UniTensor({lan_I, lan_J});
diff --git a/tests/linalg_test/Svd_test.cpp b/tests/linalg_test/Svd_test.cpp
index 8addd4fc..4c38febd 100644
--- a/tests/linalg_test/Svd_test.cpp
+++ b/tests/linalg_test/Svd_test.cpp
@@ -14,9 +14,8 @@ namespace SvdTest {
   bool ReComposeCheck(const UniTensor& Tin, const std::vector<UniTensor>& Tout);
   bool CheckLabels(const UniTensor& Tin, const std::vector<UniTensor>& Tout);
   bool SingularValsCorrect(const UniTensor& res, const UniTensor& ans);
-  std::string data_root = "../../tests/test_data_base/";
-  std::string src_data_root = data_root + "common/";
-  std::string ans_data_root = data_root + "linalg/Svd/";
+  std::string src_data_root = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/common/";
+  std::string ans_data_root = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/Svd/";
   // normal test
 
   /*=====test info=====
diff --git a/tests/linalg_test/linalg_test.h b/tests/linalg_test/linalg_test.h
index 773c84fe..e45b0da3 100644
--- a/tests/linalg_test/linalg_test.h
+++ b/tests/linalg_test/linalg_test.h
@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ class linalg_Test : public ::testing::Test {
   UniTensor ones3x3cd_ut = UniTensor(ones3x3cd, false, -1);
   UniTensor invertable3x3cd_ut = UniTensor(invertable3x3cd, false, -1);
 
-  std::string data_dir = "../../tests/test_data_base/linalg/";
+  std::string data_dir = CYTNX_TEST_DATA_DIR "/linalg/";
   // ==================== svd_truncate ===================
   Bond svd_I = Bond(BD_OUT, {Qs(1), Qs(-1)}, {1, 1});
   Bond svd_J =