rspec users - May 2011 - [rails] undefined method `model_name' for NilClass:Class

Never seen the error above before, code:

describe "edit action" do
       it "edit action should render edit template" do
         food = Food.create(:name=>''mooo'')  # 
Food.any_instance.stubs(:valid?).returns(true)
         get :edit, :id => food.id
         response.should render_template(:edit)
       end
     end  
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I just found it bothersome to use stubs when testing rails controllers.

A far easier way to do this is to define what @food is in a before(:each)
block and then use it in your tests:

  describe "GET edit" do
    it "should assign the requested food to @food" do
      Food.should_receive(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)

      get :edit, :id => "1"

      assigns(:food).should be(@food)
    end
  end

This is still very fast, and it has the added benefit that you can use
"render_views" at the top of the spec to test your routes, erb code,
etc. ->
which is REALLY valuable.

Ken


On Fri, May 27, 2011 at 12:39 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Never seen the error above before, code:
>
> describe "edit action" do
>        it "edit action should render edit template" do
>          food = Food.create(:name=>''mooo'')  #
> Food.any_instance.stubs(:valid?).returns(true)
>          get :edit, :id => food.id
>          response.should render_template(:edit)
>        end
>      end
>
> _______________________________________________
> rspec-users mailing list
> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>
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You also want to make sure that @food has an id of some kind, or Rails
complains. For the ''new'' action, you want to set @food.id to
nil to make
sure the form works for the new action.

You might not think this is important, but it is. If you decide to move this
controller into a namespace for example, you are introducing a potential
problem where the new or edit form doesn''t work anymore. I have found
it
less trouble to actually test it to make sure Rails doesn''t throw some
error
about trying to find a ''show'' action when it''s not
supposed to.

Ken


On Sat, May 28, 2011 at 11:47 AM, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at
gmail.com>wrote:
> I just found it bothersome to use stubs when testing rails controllers.
>
> A far easier way to do this is to define what @food is in a before(:each)
> block and then use it in your tests:
>
>   describe "GET edit" do
>     it "should assign the requested food to @food" do
>       Food.should_receive(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)
>
>       get :edit, :id => "1"
>
>       assigns(:food).should be(@food)
>     end
>   end
>
> This is still very fast, and it has the added benefit that you can use
> "render_views" at the top of the spec to test your routes, erb
code, etc. ->
> which is REALLY valuable.
>
> Ken
>
>
> On Fri, May 27, 2011 at 12:39 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at
gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Never seen the error above before, code:
>>
>> describe "edit action" do
>>        it "edit action should render edit template" do
>>          food = Food.create(:name=>''mooo'')  #
>> Food.any_instance.stubs(:valid?).returns(true)
>>          get :edit, :id => food.id
>>          response.should render_template(:edit)
>>        end
>>      end
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> rspec-users mailing list
>> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
>> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>>
>
>
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Still getting the same error.  ugggh.

On Sat, May 28, 2011 at 10:50, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at gmail.com>
wrote:
> You also want to make sure that @food has an id of some kind, or Rails
> complains. For the ''new'' action, you want to set @food.id
to nil to make
> sure the form works for the new action.
>
> You might not think this is important, but it is. If you decide to move
> this controller into a namespace for example, you are introducing a
> potential problem where the new or edit form doesn''t work anymore.
I have
> found it less trouble to actually test it to make sure Rails
doesn''t throw
> some error about trying to find a ''show'' action when
it''s not supposed to.
>
> Ken
>
>
>
> On Sat, May 28, 2011 at 11:47 AM, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at
gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> I just found it bothersome to use stubs when testing rails controllers.
>>
>> A far easier way to do this is to define what @food is in a
before(:each)
>> block and then use it in your tests:
>>
>>   describe "GET edit" do
>>     it "should assign the requested food to @food" do
>>       Food.should_receive(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)
>>
>>       get :edit, :id => "1"
>>
>>       assigns(:food).should be(@food)
>>     end
>>   end
>>
>> This is still very fast, and it has the added benefit that you can use
>> "render_views" at the top of the spec to test your routes,
erb code, etc. ->
>> which is REALLY valuable.
>>
>> Ken
>>
>>
>> On Fri, May 27, 2011 at 12:39 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at
gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Never seen the error above before, code:
>>>
>>> describe "edit action" do
>>>        it "edit action should render edit template" do
>>>          food = Food.create(:name=>''mooo'')  #
>>> Food.any_instance.stubs(:valid?).returns(true)
>>>          get :edit, :id => food.id
>>>          response.should render_template(:edit)
>>>        end
>>>      end
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> rspec-users mailing list
>>> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
>>> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>>>
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> rspec-users mailing list
> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>


-- 
*"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle,
stand
like a rock."
Thomas Jefferson
*
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On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 2:38 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Still getting the same error.  ugggh.

Truly, you have to give us some more code to help you.
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The program works when I run it on the server.

describe FoodsController do
  render_views

   before(:each) do
     Food.delete_all
     login_as_admin
     Food.stubs(:find).with("1").returns(@food = mock_model(Food,
:save=>false))
   end

   #describe "stub_model(Food) with a hash of stubs" do
     #let(:food) do
      # stub_model Food, :id => 5, :food =>{:name =>
''brisket''}
     #end

     describe "GET edit" do
         it "should assign the requested food to @food" do
           #Food.should_receive(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)
           puts @food
           get :edit, :id => @food.id
           assigns(:food).should be(@food)
         end
       end
end
On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 13:50, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at gmail.com>
wrote:
>
> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 2:38 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at
gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Still getting the same error.  ugggh.
>
>
> Truly, you have to give us some more code to help you.
>
> _______________________________________________
> rspec-users mailing list
> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>


-- 
*"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle,
stand
like a rock."
Thomas Jefferson
*
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Full Error:

Failures:

  1) FoodsController should assign the requested food to @food
     Failure/Error: get :edit, :id => @food.id
     ActionView::Template::Error:
       undefined method `model_name'' for NilClass:Class
     # ./app/views/foods/_form.html.erb:1:in
`_app_views_foods__form_html_erb__2500079613968748019_2175296860__3835516174707068795''
     # ./app/views/foods/edit.html.erb:3:in
`_app_views_foods_edit_html_erb__1881942591214137850_2175310520__4134993942280106228''
     # ./app/controllers/foods_controller.rb:30:in `edit''
     # ./spec/controllers/foods_controller_spec.rb:21:in `block (2 levels)
in <top (required)>''


On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 13:57, Chris Habgood <chabgood at gmail.com>
wrote:
> The program works when I run it on the server.
>
> describe FoodsController do
>   render_views
>
>    before(:each) do
>      Food.delete_all
>      login_as_admin
>      Food.stubs(:find).with("1").returns(@food = mock_model(Food,
> :save=>false))
>    end
>
>    #describe "stub_model(Food) with a hash of stubs" do
>      #let(:food) do
>       # stub_model Food, :id => 5, :food =>{:name =>
''brisket''}
>      #end
>
>
>      describe "GET edit" do
>          it "should assign the requested food to @food" do
>           
#Food.should_receive(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)
>            puts @food
>
>            get :edit, :id => @food.id
>             assigns(:food).should be(@food)
>          end
>        end
> end
> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 13:50, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at
gmail.com>wrote:
>
>>
>> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 2:38 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at
gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Still getting the same error.  ugggh.
>>
>>
>> Truly, you have to give us some more code to help you.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> rspec-users mailing list
>> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
>> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>>
>
>
>
> --
> *"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle,
> stand like a rock."
> Thomas Jefferson
> *
>


-- 
*"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle,
stand
like a rock."
Thomas Jefferson
*
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On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 2:57 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at gmail.com>
wrote:
> The program works when I run it on the server.
>
> describe FoodsController do
>   render_views
>
>    before(:each) do
>      Food.delete_all
>      login_as_admin
>      Food.stubs(:find).with("1").returns(@food = mock_model(Food,
> :save=>false))
>    end
>
>    #describe "stub_model(Food) with a hash of stubs" do
>      #let(:food) do
>       # stub_model Food, :id => 5, :food =>{:name =>
''brisket''}
>      #end
>
>
In my earlier post, I''ve already told you not to use mocks for your
models.
It''s more hassle than it is worth.

before(:each) do
  @food = Food.new
  @food.id = 1
end

  describe "GET ''edit''" do
    it "should be successful" do
      Food.stub(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)

      get :edit

      assigns(:food).should == @food
    end
  end

^ This should work.


>
>      describe "GET edit" do
>          it "should assign the requested food to @food" do
>           
#Food.should_receive(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)
>            puts @food
>
>            get :edit, :id => @food.id
>            assigns(:food).should be(@food)
>          end
>        end
> end
> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 13:50, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at
gmail.com>wrote:
>
>>
>> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 2:38 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at
gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Still getting the same error.  ugggh.
>>
>>
>> Truly, you have to give us some more code to help you.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> rspec-users mailing list
>> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
>> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>>
>
>
>
> --
> *"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle,
> stand like a rock."
> Thomas Jefferson
> *
>
> _______________________________________________
> rspec-users mailing list
> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>
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Oh, don''t forget the :id in the call to edit

  before(:each) do
    @food = Food.new
    @food.id = 1
  end

  describe "GET ''edit''" do
    it "should be successful" do
      Food.stub(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)

      get :edit, :id => "1"

      assigns(:food).should == @food
    end
  end

Ken
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Ya, that is not working.  The code I gave you I was trying different things
out.
Rails 3.0
Rspec  rspec (2.6.0.rc6)

On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 14:35, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Oh, don''t forget the :id in the call to edit
>
>
>   before(:each) do
>     @food = Food.new
>     @food.id = 1
>   end
>
>   describe "GET ''edit''" do
>     it "should be successful" do
>       Food.stub(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)
>
>       get :edit, :id => "1"
>
>
>       assigns(:food).should == @food
>     end
>   end
>
> Ken
>
> _______________________________________________
> rspec-users mailing list
> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>


-- 
*"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle,
stand
like a rock."
Thomas Jefferson
*
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Dumb question, do you have required "spec_helper" at the top of the
file?

Ken


On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 4:03 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Ya, that is not working.  The code I gave you I was trying different things
> out.
> Rails 3.0
> Rspec  rspec (2.6.0.rc6)
>
> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 14:35, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at
gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Oh, don''t forget the :id in the call to edit
>>
>>
>>   before(:each) do
>>     @food = Food.new
>>     @food.id = 1
>>   end
>>
>>   describe "GET ''edit''" do
>>     it "should be successful" do
>>       Food.stub(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)
>>
>>       get :edit, :id => "1"
>>
>>
>>       assigns(:food).should == @food
>>     end
>>   end
>>
>> Ken
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> rspec-users mailing list
>> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
>> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>>
>
>
>
> --
> *"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle,
> stand like a rock."
> Thomas Jefferson
> *
>
> _______________________________________________
> rspec-users mailing list
> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>
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yes

On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 15:33, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at gmail.com>
wrote:
> Dumb question, do you have required "spec_helper" at the top of
the file?
>
> Ken
>
>
>
> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 4:03 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at
gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Ya, that is not working.  The code I gave you I was trying different
>> things out.
>> Rails 3.0
>> Rspec  rspec (2.6.0.rc6)
>>
>> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 14:35, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at
gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Oh, don''t forget the :id in the call to edit
>>>
>>>
>>>   before(:each) do
>>>     @food = Food.new
>>>     @food.id = 1
>>>   end
>>>
>>>   describe "GET ''edit''" do
>>>     it "should be successful" do
>>>       Food.stub(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)
>>>
>>>       get :edit, :id => "1"
>>>
>>>
>>>       assigns(:food).should == @food
>>>     end
>>>   end
>>>
>>> Ken
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> rspec-users mailing list
>>> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
>>> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> *"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of
principle,
>> stand like a rock."
>> Thomas Jefferson
>> *
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> rspec-users mailing list
>> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
>> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> rspec-users mailing list
> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>


-- 
*"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle,
stand
like a rock."
Thomas Jefferson
*
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On 2011-05-31 1:57 PM, Chris Habgood wrote:
> The program works when I run it on the server.
>
> describe FoodsController do
>   render_views
>
>    before(:each) do
>      Food.delete_all
>      login_as_admin
>      Food.stubs(:find).with("1").returns(@food = mock_model(Food,
> :save=>false))
>    end
>
>    #describe "stub_model(Food) with a hash of stubs" do
>      #let(:food) do
>       # stub_model Food, :id => 5, :food =>{:name =>
''brisket''}
>      #end
>
>      describe "GET edit" do
>          it "should assign the requested food to @food" do
>           
#Food.should_receive(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)
>            puts @food
>            get :edit, :id => @food.id <http://food.id>
If this is how you are actually making the ''get :edit'' call,
you might
try converting your @food.id to a string. When the controller gets the 
params, everything is a string, but if you give RSpec an integer, it 
will obediently pass it along.

get :edit, :id => @food.id.to_s

I should point out at this point that I have not yet really used the 
RSpec 2.x family, so I might be mistaken. But with 1.x, this is the case.

Peace,
Phillip

Can you give me the whole test code, with no comments? Just the stuff you
are running.

Thanks

Ken


On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 4:59 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at gmail.com>
wrote:
> yes
>
>
> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 15:33, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at
gmail.com>wrote:
>
>> Dumb question, do you have required "spec_helper" at the top
of the file?
>>
>> Ken
>>
>>
>>
>> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 4:03 PM, Chris Habgood <chabgood at
gmail.com>wrote:
>>
>>> Ya, that is not working.  The code I gave you I was trying
different
>>> things out.
>>> Rails 3.0
>>> Rspec  rspec (2.6.0.rc6)
>>>
>>> On Tue, May 31, 2011 at 14:35, Ken Egervari <ken.egervari at
gmail.com>wrote:
>>>
>>>> Oh, don''t forget the :id in the call to edit
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>   before(:each) do
>>>>     @food = Food.new
>>>>     @food.id = 1
>>>>   end
>>>>
>>>>   describe "GET ''edit''" do
>>>>     it "should be successful" do
>>>>       Food.stub(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)
>>>>
>>>>       get :edit, :id => "1"
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>       assigns(:food).should == @food
>>>>     end
>>>>   end
>>>>
>>>> Ken
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> rspec-users mailing list
>>>> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
>>>> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> *"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of
principle,
>>> stand like a rock."
>>> Thomas Jefferson
>>> *
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> rspec-users mailing list
>>> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
>>> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> rspec-users mailing list
>> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
>> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>>
>
>
>
> --
> *"In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle,
> stand like a rock."
> Thomas Jefferson
> *
>
> _______________________________________________
> rspec-users mailing list
> rspec-users at rubyforge.org
> http://rubyforge.org/mailman/listinfo/rspec-users
>
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> On 2011-05-31 1:57 PM, Chris Habgood wrote:
>
>> The program works when I run it on the server.
>>
>> describe FoodsController do
>>  render_views
>>
>>   before(:each) do
>>     Food.delete_all
>>     login_as_admin
>>     Food.stubs(:find).with("1").returns(@food =
mock_model(Food,
>> :save=>false))
>>   end
>>
>>   #describe "stub_model(Food) with a hash of stubs" do
>>     #let(:food) do
>>      # stub_model Food, :id => 5, :food =>{:name =>
''brisket''}
>>     #end
>>
>>     describe "GET edit" do
>>         it "should assign the requested food to @food" do
>>          
#Food.should_receive(:find).with("1").and_return(@food)
>>           puts @food
>>           get :edit, :id => @food.id <http://food.id>
>>
>
> If this is how you are actually making the ''get :edit''
call, you might try
> converting your @food.id to a string. When the controller gets the params,
> everything is a string, but if you give RSpec an integer, it will
obediently
> pass it along.
>
> get :edit, :id => @food.id.to_s
>
> I should point out at this point that I have not yet really used the RSpec
> 2.x family, so I might be mistaken. But with 1.x, this is the case.
>
> Peace,
> Phillip
>
>
I want to point that the @food.id =1 is not really part of the test, but is
to make "render_views" work. If @food is placed into a path, such as
edit_food_path(@food), the method will require that @food.id be set. By
setting it at the beginning of the test, you help Rails out.

As for the line that calls the controller action, it''s important to
pass a
string because this is what Rails would do. It will not convert it to an
integer. In fact, find("1") will still work in the real world - Rails
itself
will convert "1" to 1 internally. This is why you don''t have
to say,
Food.find(params[:id].to_i)

While it might be a bit confusing, the "1" and the @food.id = 1 are
not
related. Honestly, you can use id of 50 or whatever you wanted - it''s
just
best to make sure it''s not `nil`.

However, there is one exception to this rule. When you are testing the
controller''s `new` action, you SHOULD set @food.id = nil. Why? Because
you
want to test how the form_for in the _form.html.erb behaves given an object
without an id. It needs to work properly given objects with and without ids.
If you always set @food.id to some value, you won''t be testing the case
where _form.html.erb is given a new object - and this can spell surprises in
some cases.

Ken
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