rspec users - Jun 2008 - Cannot log in/authenticate within RSpec Story

I''ve been slamming my head against a wall for a while now, and would
like some help.  I believe this is session related.

I have a story that looks like:

--------------------------------------------------

    Given that a post exists
    And I am logged in
    When I visit the post details page
    Then there should be a link to add a new comment

--------------------------------------------------

I am using the following RSpec story functions to assist this scenario
(along with others):

--------------------------------------------------

  Given("I am logged in") do
    post ''/login/login'', {:name =>
''domain\\username'', :password =>
''password''}
    follow_redirect if redirect?
  end

  When "I visit the post details page" do
    get(''/posts/1'')
   end

   Then "there should be a link to add a new comment" do
    response.should have_text(/.*Add New Comment.*/)
  end

--------------------------------------------------

The "Add New Comment" text will only show up within the view if
!session[''username''].nil?

The login controller looks like this:

--------------------------------------------------

  def login
    if request.get?
      session[''username''] = nil
    else
      # Split username on domain and alias
      split_username = params[:name].split(''\\'', 2)
      if split_username.length != 2
        flash[:notice] = "You did not enter a properly formatted domain
and alias"
        redirect_to :action => ''login''
      else
        # Authenticate username and password
        domain = split_username[0]
        username = split_username[1]
        password = params[:password]
        isAuthenticated = authenticate(domain, username, password)
        if isAuthenticated
          # User has been authenticated
          session[''username''] = username
          redirect_back({:controller => ''posts'', :action
=> ''index''})
        else
          flash[:notice] = "Incorrect username or password"
          redirect_to :action => ''login''
        end
      end
    end
  end

--------------------------------------------------

After the post to login/login occurs, I''ve attempted to check the
session variable everywhere I could think to, and it does not contain a
username in the data hash.

Additionally, I''m told that session is a nil object within the login
controller if I try something like:

--------------------------------------------------

  Given("I am logged in") do
    @lc = LoginController.new
    @lc.authenticate(''domain'', ''username'',
''password'')
  end

--------------------------------------------------

I''ve also tried setting the session variable directly, but after that
particular Given .. do clause is finished, any settings I make directly
seem to be lost.

Questions:
1. Can controllers within rspec stories set/get session data?
2. What is the scope of the persistence of sessions in rspec? (Scenario?
Story?)
3. Any ideas on why my LoginController sets the
session[''username'']
variable, only to have my PostsController unable to read it?

Also, keep in mind that the code works when I''m actually using the
site,
but the rspec story fails because it''s not displaying an "Add New
Comment" link when it should be due to the PostsController thinking that
the user isn''t logged in.
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

Ben Men wrote:
> I''ve been slamming my head against a wall for a while now, and
would
> like some help.  I believe this is session related.
>
> I have a story that looks like:
>
> --------------------------------------------------
>
>     Given that a post exists
>     And I am logged in
>     When I visit the post details page
>     Then there should be a link to add a new comment
>
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> I am using the following RSpec story functions to assist this scenario
> (along with others):
>
> --------------------------------------------------
>
>   Given("I am logged in") do
>     post ''/login/login'', {:name =>
''domain\\username'', :password =>
> ''password''}
>     follow_redirect if redirect?
>   end
>
>   When "I visit the post details page" do
>     get(''/posts/1'')
>    end
>
>    Then "there should be a link to add a new comment" do
>     response.should have_text(/.*Add New Comment.*/)
>   end
>
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> The "Add New Comment" text will only show up within the view if
> !session[''username''].nil?
>
> The login controller looks like this:
>
> --------------------------------------------------
>
>   def login
>     if request.get?
>       session[''username''] = nil
>     else
>       # Split username on domain and alias
>       split_username = params[:name].split(''\\'', 2)
>       if split_username.length != 2
>         flash[:notice] = "You did not enter a properly formatted
domain
> and alias"
>         redirect_to :action => ''login''
>       else
>         # Authenticate username and password
>         domain = split_username[0]
>         username = split_username[1]
>         password = params[:password]
>         isAuthenticated = authenticate(domain, username, password)
>         if isAuthenticated
>           # User has been authenticated
>           session[''username''] = username
>           redirect_back({:controller => ''posts'',
:action => ''index''})
>         else
>           flash[:notice] = "Incorrect username or password"
>           redirect_to :action => ''login''
>         end
>       end
>     end
>   end
>
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> After the post to login/login occurs, I''ve attempted to check the
> session variable everywhere I could think to, and it does not contain a
> username in the data hash.
>
> Additionally, I''m told that session is a nil object within the
login
> controller if I try something like:
>
> --------------------------------------------------
>
>   Given("I am logged in") do
>     @lc = LoginController.new
>     @lc.authenticate(''domain'',
''username'', ''password'')
>   end
>
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> I''ve also tried setting the session variable directly, but after
that
> particular Given .. do clause is finished, any settings I make directly
> seem to be lost.
>
> Questions:
> 1. Can controllers within rspec stories set/get session data?
> 2. What is the scope of the persistence of sessions in rspec? (Scenario?
> Story?)
> 3. Any ideas on why my LoginController sets the
session[''username'']
> variable, only to have my PostsController unable to read it?
>
> Also, keep in mind that the code works when I''m actually using the
site,
> but the rspec story fails because it''s not displaying an "Add
New
> Comment" link when it should be due to the PostsController thinking
that
> the user isn''t logged in.
>   

I don''t have time to parse your entire post or send a lengthy reply.  
However, this blog post walks through how to do exactly what you are 
attempting:
http://www.glennfu.com/2008/03/31/easy-plaintext-stories-in-ruby-on-rails-using-webrat/

Good luck.

-Ben

Ben Mabey wrote:
> 
> I don''t have time to parse your entire post or send a lengthy
reply.
> However, this blog post walks through how to do exactly what you are
> attempting:
>
>http://www.glennfu.com/2008/03/31/easy-plaintext-stories-in-ruby-on-rails-using-webrat/
I wrote the login "Given" clause using Webrat and now the tests are 
working, though it does feel like a workaround rather than a solution. 
I''ve read over your Webrat post, as well as the linked article, and am 
happy using Webrat in the manner you''ve written about, though
I''d still
like to know why the session variables weren''t set upon trying to read 
them later when not using Webrat..
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.