Hello, My first time here, and I''m pretty new to rspec, and indeed BDD/TDD, so bear with me I am trying to spec a fairly simple controller update action for an account. The account belongs_to :user and user has_one :account. the route is PUT: /users/1/account here''s the action def update @account = @user.account respond_to do |format| if @account.update_attributes(params[:account]) flash[:notice] = '' Account was successfully updated.'' format.html { redirect_to(user_account_path( @user)) } else format.html { render :action => "edit" } end end end I''m trying to avoid fixtures, and I''m using rspec''s own mock framework In normal operation the @user instance variable is assigned in a before_filter (get_user) - so i figured if I stub that I could then assign user: before(:each) do controller.stub!(:get_user).and_return(true) instance_variable_set(''@user'', mock_model(User)) end I tried other variations on this - like instance_variable_set(''@user'', User.new) and others but @user is never assigned -- (actually I did have that bit working when I started this mail, but I messed it up somehow) .. anyway - then the problem I couldn''t get past after that - and the reason I started writing this mail was: .... how do I stub out that user''s call to :account and get it to return an account, so that update_attributes is called? -- ( when I was using mocha.. which I abandoned for other reasons - there was "any_instance_of" but I can''t find similar in rspecs own mocking - and it felt a bit wishy-washy anyway.) It seems there is plenty of help around on speccing RESTful controllers, but not when resources are nested Any input on this will be much appreciated, and really improve my understanding of mocking. So thanks in advance! Julian -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://rubyforge.org/pipermail/rspec-users/attachments/20090228/68f32901/attachment.html>
julian mann wrote:> Hello, > > My first time here, and I''m pretty new to rspec, and indeed BDD/TDD, > so bear with meWelcome Julian! See my comments inline below...> > I am trying to spec a fairly simple controller update action for an > account. The account belongs_to :user and user has_one :account. > > the route is PUT: /users/1/account > > here''s the action > > def update > @account = @user.account > respond_to do |format| > if @account.update_attributes(params[:account]) > flash[:notice] = '' Account was successfully updated.'' > format.html { redirect_to(user_account_path( @user)) } > else > format.html { render :action => "edit" } > end > end > end > > I''m trying to avoid fixtures, and I''m using rspec''s own mock framework > > In normal operation the @user instance variable is assigned in a > before_filter (get_user) - so > > i figured if I stub that I could then assign user: > > before(:each) do > controller.stub!(:get_user).and_return(true) > instance_variable_set(''@user'', mock_model(User)) > end > > I tried other variations on this - like instance_variable_set(''@user'', > User.new) and others > > but @user is never assignedWhen you use instance_variable_set you are setting the variable inside the example group (the test) and not the actual controller it self. In order to use your mock user in your controller you need to stub whatever your get_user method uses to find the user. You do not want to stub out the get_user method otherwise your controller will never be able to set the user object. For example, say you have this: def get_user @user = User.find(session[:user]) end In order to stub this correctly you would not stub get_user but instead stub the find call on User, like so: before(:each) do User.stub!(:find).and_return( @user = mock_model(User)) end Doing this will stub the user in the controller and also allow you to access the same object (as @user) in your example group. ( The fact that I named it @user in the example has nothing to do with it- that is just to be consistent.) On another note, what many rails apps do is instead of using filters to set instance variables you can extract it into an accessor method that caches it. For example, instead of having the get_user method as a filter you could simply have this: def current_user @current_user ||= User.find(session[:user]) end Then in your action: def update @account = current_user.account .... end To stub this you could do what I listed above or stub out the current_user method like so: before(:each) do controller.stub!(:current_user).and_return( @current_user = mock_model(User)) end In general you should not stub or mock methods on the object you are trying to test. That said, stubbing current_user on the controller is something that is done often and is usually a low-risk thing to do. (I just thought I would point out the bad smell.) Now, to stub out the account on user, in your examples you would just need to say something like: @current_user.stub!(:account).and_return(mock_model(Account)) Or create the account stub inline with the user mock creation: mock_model(User, :account => mock_model(Account)) HTH, Ben
> Welcome Julian! See my comments inline below...Thanks Ben!> > >> I am trying to spec a fairly simple controller update action for an >> account. The account belongs_to :user and user has_one :account. >> >> >> here''s the action >> >> def update >> @account = @user.account >> respond_to do ... >> end >> >> I''m trying to avoid fixtures, and I''m using rspec''s own mock framework >> >> In normal operation the @user instance variable is assigned in a >> before_filter (get_user) - so >> >> i figured if I stub that I could then assign user: >> >> before(:each) do >> controller.stub!(:get_user).and_return(true) >> instance_variable_set(''@user'', mock_model(User)) >> end >> >> I tried other variations on this - like instance_variable_set(''@user'', >> User.new) and others >> >> but @user is never assigned >> > > When you use instance_variable_set you are setting the variable inside the > example group (the test) and not the actual controller it self.Ah ok - got it now. Thanks for clearing that up ! Although it does leave me slightly confused as to what the object is that performs the test - i.e. who that instance variable belongs to (not that I need it now). I mean - unlike Test::Unit, there is no ''class AccountTest '' - I''ll dig around and find out. In order to use your mock user in your controller you need to stub whatever> your get_user method uses to find the user. You do not want to stub out the > get_user method otherwise your controller will never be able to set the user > object. For example, say you have this: > > def get_user > @user = User.find(session[:user]) > end > > In order to stub this correctly you would not stub get_user but instead > stub the find call on User, like so: > > before(:each) do > User.stub!(:find).and_return( @user = mock_model(User)) > end >Excellent - I will do this - makes sense now ;)> > Doing this will stub the user in the controller and also allow you to > access the same object (as @user) in your example group. ( The fact that I > named it @user in the example has nothing to do with it- that is just to be > consistent.) >I see.. so returning ( @user = mock_model(User) ) means the example_group can access the user as @user. but returning only ( mock_model(User)) would mean @user is still set up in the controller, but not available the example group. On another note, what many rails apps do is instead of using filters to set> instance variables you can extract it into an accessor method that caches > it. For example, instead of having the get_user method as a filter you > could simply have this: > > def current_user > @current_user ||= User.find(session[:user]) > end> > Then in your action: > > def update > @account = current_user.account > .... > endCool -I''ll do this! its a minor adjustment to what I have at the moment.> > > To stub this you could do what I listed above or stub out the current_user > method like so: > > before(:each) do > controller.stub!(:current_user).and_return( @current_user > mock_model(User)) > end > > > In general you should not stub or mock methods on the object you are trying > to test.That said, stubbing current_user on the controller is something that is done> often and is usually a low-risk thing to do. (I just thought I would point > out the bad smell.)Yes I could smell it too -- It seems obvious, in hindsight, that if you stub out methods on the object you are testing, then you are not really testing it. So thanks for bringing that up.> > Now, to stub out the account on user, in your examples you would just need > to say something like: > > @current_user.stub!(:account).and_return(mock_model(Account)) > > Or create the account stub inline with the user mock creation: > > mock_model(User, :account => mock_model(Account)) > > HTH, > > Yes it absolutely does help! Things are really falling into place nicelynow. Thankyou! Julian -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: <http://rubyforge.org/pipermail/rspec-users/attachments/20090228/ad2011ca/attachment.html>
> When you use instance_variable_set you are setting the variable > inside the example group (the test) and not the actual controller > it self. > > > Ah ok - got it now. Thanks for clearing that up ! > Although it does leave me slightly confused as to what the object is > that performs the test - i.e. who that instance variable belongs to > (not that I need it now). I mean - unlike Test::Unit, there is no > ''class AccountTest '' - I''ll dig around and find out.RSpec''s DSL creates these classes and objects for you. You can think of ''describe'' as an alias to ''class'' in a way. (It is of course more complicated than that.) -Ben