rspec users - Aug 2008 - How to spec the existence of specs

I''m writing a Rails plugin that generates specs for Rails models.  
Obviously, I want to use RSpec to spec this plugin.

The plugin, called ModelSpeccer, contains a module with three methods.  
Each method generates specs depending on its arguments. How can my  
plugin''s specs check that each method in ModelSpeccer created the  
correct specs?

Thanks,
Nick

>Each method generates specs depending on its arguments
How does each method generate the specs?
* Using script/generate rspec...
or
* File handling and writing your own?

--
Joseph Wilk
http://www.joesniff.co.uk

Nick Hoffman wrote:
> I''m writing a Rails plugin that generates specs for Rails models.
> Obviously, I want to use RSpec to spec this plugin.
> 
> The plugin, called ModelSpeccer, contains a module with three methods.
> Each method generates specs depending on its arguments. How can my
> plugin''s specs check that each method in ModelSpeccer created the
> correct specs?
> 
> Thanks,
> Nick
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

On 2008-08-29, at 05:06, Joseph Wilk wrote:
>> Each method generates specs depending on its arguments
>
> How does each method generate the specs?
> * Using script/generate rspec...
> or
> * File handling and writing your own?
>
> --
> Joseph Wilk
> http://www.joesniff.co.uk
Hi again Joseph. Each method generates the specs by calling RSpec''s  
#describe and #it methods, like this:

def check_model_attributes_when_nil(model, ...
   ...
   columns_to_check.each do |attribute|
     describe model, "with ''#{attribute}'' set to
nil" do
       ...
       it "should be invalid" do
         @model_instance.should_not be_valid
       end
       ...
     end
   end

I''ve been giving this some thought, I''ve not had the chance to
test it
out yet,
but here are my examples:
--
it "should add a ''it'' test" do
  example_group = Class.new(Spec::Example::ExampleGroup)
  example_group.should_receive(:it).with(...) ...

  example.class_eval do
    describe_model_attribute(model, attribute, valid_values, 
invalid_values)
  end

end

describe "valid model"
  it "should generate a spec which will pass" do
    example_group = Class.new(Spec::Example::ExampleGroup) do
      describe_model_attribute(model, attribute, valid_values, 
invalid_values)
    end
    example_group.run.should be_true
  end
end
--

So this means the scope of ''it'' and
''describe'' are against ExampleGroup.
Giving you something to mock against to check
''it''/''describe''.

Invoking run on the ExampleGroup class will run the specs you generate, 
and then you can check if they succeed/fail. An alternative to checking 
the output could be to test that the model has the relevant methods 
invoked on it.

I hope that helps
--
Joseph Wilk
http://www.joesniff.co.uk

Nick Hoffman wrote:
> On 2008-08-29, at 05:06, Joseph Wilk wrote:
>>> Each method generates specs depending on its arguments
>>
>> How does each method generate the specs?
>> * Using script/generate rspec...
>> or
>> * File handling and writing your own?
>>
>> --
>> Joseph Wilk
>> http://www.joesniff.co.uk
> 
> Hi again Joseph. Each method generates the specs by calling
RSpec''s
> #describe and #it methods, like this:
> 
> def check_model_attributes_when_nil(model, ...
>    ...
>    columns_to_check.each do |attribute|
>      describe model, "with ''#{attribute}'' set to
nil" do
>        ...
>        it "should be invalid" do
>          @model_instance.should_not be_valid
>        end
>        ...
>      end
>    end
-- 
Posted via http://www.ruby-forum.com/.

On 2008-08-31, at 15:40, Joseph Wilk wrote:
> I''ve been giving this some thought, I''ve not had the
chance to test it
> out yet,
> but here are my examples:
> --
> it "should add a ''it'' test" do
>  example_group = Class.new(Spec::Example::ExampleGroup)
>  example_group.should_receive(:it).with(...) ...
>
>  example.class_eval do
>    describe_model_attribute(model, attribute, valid_values,
> invalid_values)
>  end
>
> end
>
> describe "valid model"
>  it "should generate a spec which will pass" do
>    example_group = Class.new(Spec::Example::ExampleGroup) do
>      describe_model_attribute(model, attribute, valid_values,
> invalid_values)
>    end
>    example_group.run.should be_true
>  end
> end
> --
>
> So this means the scope of ''it'' and
''describe'' are against
> ExampleGroup.
> Giving you something to mock against to check
''it''/''describe''.
>
> Invoking run on the ExampleGroup class will run the specs you  
> generate,
> and then you can check if they succeed/fail. An alternative to  
> checking
> the output could be to test that the model has the relevant methods
> invoked on it.
>
> I hope that helps
> --
> Joseph Wilk
> http://www.joesniff.co.uk
Hi Joseph. I just realised that I hadn''t responded to this email of  
yours. Thanks for thinking about it and showing me how you''d take a  
stab at it. I''m going to give it another shot in the next few days.  
When I do, I''ll post my results.

Cheers,
Nick