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Dave

2008-Mar-19 15:33 UTC

[rspec-users] Stub / Mock - A little guidance?

Hi there,

I''m still trying to wrap my head around when to use a stub and a mock.
If I understand this right, I should be using a ''mock'' when
imitating
an object, but not its behavior. I should be using a stub when I want
to imitate the behavior of an object. Does that sound about right?

With that said, I''m struggling a little trying to spec out this
instance method that is available to a User object. The method takes
an OrderPaymentInfo object and copies its attributes onto the User''s
attributes (Ignore the clunky design... that''s just how it has to be).

The User''s instance method looks like so:

class User
	def update_billing_info(billing_info)
	  unless self.has_billing_address?
	    self.bill_to_address1             = billing_info.address1
	    self.bill_to_address2             = billing_info.address2
	    self.bill_to_address3             = billing_info.address3
	    self.bill_to_city                 = billing_info.city
	    self.bill_to_country_code         = billing_info.country_code
	    self.bill_to_state_province_code  = billing_info.state_province_code
	    self.bill_to_postal_code          = billing_info.postal_code
	    self.bill_to_phone_number         = billing_info.phone_number
	    self.bill_to_extension            = billing_info.extension
	    self.bill_to_fax                  = billing_info.fax_number
	    self.save ? true : false
	  else
	    true
	  end
end


Here''s the spec:

describe User, "when checking billing information" do
  before(:each) do
    @user = User.new(:id => 1)
    @order_payment_info = mock_model(OrderPaymentInfo,
                                    :id => 1,
                                    :user_id => @user.id,
                                    :address1 => "555 Rd.",
                                    :address2 => "Ste 2",
                                    :address3 => "line 3",
                                    :city => "Chicago",
                                    :country_code => "USA",
                                    :state_province_code => "IL",
                                    :psotal_code => "12345",
                                    :phone_number => "5551234321",
                                    :extension => "123",
                                    :fax_number => "5551234321")
    @user.stub!(:update_billing_info).with(@order_payment_info)
  end

  it "should update billing information when User''s billing info
is nil" do
    @user.should_receive(:update_billing_info).with(@order_payment_info)
    @user.update_billing_info(@order_payment_info)
    @user.stub!(:has_billing_address?).and_return(false)
    @user.bill_to_address1.should eql("555 Rd.")
    @user.bill_to_address2.should eql("Ste 2")
  end

end

When I run this spec I get an "error" of:

1)
''User when checking billing information should update billing
information when User''s billing info is nil'' FAILED
expected "555 Rd.", got nil (using .eql?)


I''m just wondering what the best way to approach this would be.

Thank you,
Dave Hoefler

Ivo Dancet

2008-Mar-19 16:01 UTC

head link

[rspec-users] Stub / Mock - A little guidance?

Op 19-mrt-08, om 16:33 heeft Dave het volgende geschreven:
> Hi there,
>
> I''m still trying to wrap my head around when to use a stub and a
mock.
> If I understand this right, I should be using a ''mock''
when imitating
> an object, but not its behavior. I should be using a stub when I want
> to imitate the behavior of an object. Does that sound about right?
>
> With that said, I''m struggling a little trying to spec out this
> instance method that is available to a User object. The method takes
> an OrderPaymentInfo object and copies its attributes onto the
User''s
> attributes (Ignore the clunky design... that''s just how it has to
be).
>
> The User''s instance method looks like so:
>
> class User
> 	def update_billing_info(billing_info)
> 	  unless self.has_billing_address?
> 	    self.bill_to_address1             = billing_info.address1
> 	    self.bill_to_address2             = billing_info.address2
> 	    self.bill_to_address3             = billing_info.address3
> 	    self.bill_to_city                 = billing_info.city
> 	    self.bill_to_country_code         = billing_info.country_code
> 	    self.bill_to_state_province_code  =  
> billing_info.state_province_code
> 	    self.bill_to_postal_code          = billing_info.postal_code
> 	    self.bill_to_phone_number         = billing_info.phone_number
> 	    self.bill_to_extension            = billing_info.extension
> 	    self.bill_to_fax                  = billing_info.fax_number
> 	    self.save ? true : false
> 	  else
> 	    true
> 	  end
> end
>
If this is activerecord you could use  
self.update_attributes(billing_info)
>
> Here''s the spec:
>
> describe User, "when checking billing information" do
>  before(:each) do
>    @user = User.new(:id => 1)
>    @order_payment_info = mock_model(OrderPaymentInfo,
>                                    :id => 1,
>                                    :user_id => @user.id,
>                                    :address1 => "555 Rd.",
>                                    :address2 => "Ste 2",
>                                    :address3 => "line 3",
>                                    :city => "Chicago",
>                                    :country_code => "USA",
>                                    :state_province_code =>
"IL",
>                                    :psotal_code => "12345",
>                                    :phone_number =>
"5551234321",
>                                    :extension => "123",
>                                    :fax_number =>
"5551234321")
>    @user.stub!(:update_billing_info).with(@order_payment_info)
>  end
You just stubbed update_billing_info (called with @order_payment_info)  
on @user, which means the real method will not be used anymore. Your  
tests will use the stub instead of the real method. Don''t stub the  
very thing you want to test!
>
>
>  it "should update billing information when User''s billing
info is
> nil" do
>     
> @user.should_receive(:update_billing_info).with(@order_payment_info)
>    @user.update_billing_info(@order_payment_info)
>    @user.stub!(:has_billing_address?).and_return(false)
>    @user.bill_to_address1.should eql("555 Rd.")
>    @user.bill_to_address2.should eql("Ste 2")
>  end
>
>
> end
>
> When I run this spec I get an "error" of:
>
> 1)
> ''User when checking billing information should update billing
> information when User''s billing info is nil'' FAILED
> expected "555 Rd.", got nil (using .eql?)
>
Try to test one thing at a time, you shouldn''t test everything about  
that method in one test. To me your test description does not tell a  
thing:

''User when checking billing information should update billing  
information when User''s billing info is nil''

This says much more:

''User instance object update_billing_info should update the billing  
address part 1''

You can build this up like this:

describe User, "instance object" do
	before(:each) do
		@user = User.create( ... )
	end
	describe "update_billing_info" do
		it "should update the billing address part 1" do
			@user.update_billing_info( @order_payment_info )
			@user.bill_to_address1.should == "555 Rd."
		end
		it "should ..." ...
	end
end


Try to make small tests (make a new test if the first works) and try  
to build the model with the tests instead of the other way around.

gr
Ivo

Dave

2008-Mar-19 16:32 UTC

head link

[rspec-users] Stub / Mock - A little guidance?

Ivo,

Thank you for that explanation! That was exactly what I needed. I feel
like I understand things more clearly after that. I just need to
remember to keep my tests small.

Thanks!
Dave

On Wed, Mar 19, 2008 at 11:01 AM, Ivo Dancet <ivo.dancet at gmail.com>
wrote:> Op 19-mrt-08, om 16:33 heeft Dave het volgende geschreven:
>
>
>
>  > Hi there,
>  >
>  > I''m still trying to wrap my head around when to use a stub
and a mock.
>  > If I understand this right, I should be using a
''mock'' when imitating
>  > an object, but not its behavior. I should be using a stub when I want
>  > to imitate the behavior of an object. Does that sound about right?
>  >
>  > With that said, I''m struggling a little trying to spec out
this
>  > instance method that is available to a User object. The method takes
>  > an OrderPaymentInfo object and copies its attributes onto the
User''s
>  > attributes (Ignore the clunky design... that''s just how it
has to be).
>  >
>  > The User''s instance method looks like so:
>  >
>  > class User
>  >       def update_billing_info(billing_info)
>  >         unless self.has_billing_address?
>  >           self.bill_to_address1             = billing_info.address1
>  >           self.bill_to_address2             = billing_info.address2
>  >           self.bill_to_address3             = billing_info.address3
>  >           self.bill_to_city                 = billing_info.city
>  >           self.bill_to_country_code         =
billing_info.country_code
>  >           self.bill_to_state_province_code  >  >
billing_info.state_province_code
>  >           self.bill_to_postal_code          =
billing_info.postal_code
>  >           self.bill_to_phone_number         =
billing_info.phone_number
>  >           self.bill_to_extension            = billing_info.extension
>  >           self.bill_to_fax                  = billing_info.fax_number
>  >           self.save ? true : false
>  >         else
>  >           true
>  >         end
>  > end
>  >
>
>  If this is activerecord you could use
>  self.update_attributes(billing_info)
>
>
>  >
>  > Here''s the spec:
>  >
>  > describe User, "when checking billing information" do
>  >  before(:each) do
>  >    @user = User.new(:id => 1)
>  >    @order_payment_info = mock_model(OrderPaymentInfo,
>  >                                    :id => 1,
>  >                                    :user_id => @user.id,
>  >                                    :address1 => "555
Rd.",
>  >                                    :address2 => "Ste 2",
>  >                                    :address3 => "line
3",
>  >                                    :city => "Chicago",
>  >                                    :country_code =>
"USA",
>  >                                    :state_province_code =>
"IL",
>  >                                    :psotal_code =>
"12345",
>  >                                    :phone_number =>
"5551234321",
>  >                                    :extension => "123",
>  >                                    :fax_number =>
"5551234321")
>  >    @user.stub!(:update_billing_info).with(@order_payment_info)
>  >  end
>
>  You just stubbed update_billing_info (called with @order_payment_info)
>  on @user, which means the real method will not be used anymore. Your
>  tests will use the stub instead of the real method. Don''t stub
the
>  very thing you want to test!
>
>
>  >
>  >
>  >  it "should update billing information when User''s
billing info is
>  > nil" do
>  >
>  > @user.should_receive(:update_billing_info).with(@order_payment_info)
>  >    @user.update_billing_info(@order_payment_info)
>  >    @user.stub!(:has_billing_address?).and_return(false)
>  >    @user.bill_to_address1.should eql("555 Rd.")
>  >    @user.bill_to_address2.should eql("Ste 2")
>  >  end
>  >
>  >
>  > end
>  >
>  > When I run this spec I get an "error" of:
>  >
>  > 1)
>  > ''User when checking billing information should update
billing
>  > information when User''s billing info is nil'' FAILED
>  > expected "555 Rd.", got nil (using .eql?)
>  >
>
>  Try to test one thing at a time, you shouldn''t test everything
about
>  that method in one test. To me your test description does not tell a
>  thing:
>
>
>  ''User when checking billing information should update billing
>  information when User''s billing info is nil''
>
>  This says much more:
>
>  ''User instance object update_billing_info should update the
billing
>  address part 1''
>
>  You can build this up like this:
>
>  describe User, "instance object" do
>         before(:each) do
>                 @user = User.create( ... )
>         end
>         describe "update_billing_info" do
>                 it "should update the billing address part 1" do
>
>                         @user.update_billing_info( @order_payment_info )
>                         @user.bill_to_address1.should == "555
Rd."
>                 end
>                 it "should ..." ...
>         end
>  end
>
>
>  Try to make small tests (make a new test if the first works) and try
>  to build the model with the tests instead of the other way around.
>
>  gr
>  Ivo
>  _______________________________________________
>  rspec-users mailing list
>  rspec-users at rubyforge.org
>  http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>

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