Testability and mocking RSS

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  dagda2

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  28 Posts

  Testability and mocking

  Jan 08, 2008 02:15 PM|LINK

  Hi all,

  I am just writing my first unit test to simply test the index of my home controller.

  There is a hell of a lot of interfaces I have to mock in order to run this test.

  Has anybody any clues how to cut down the amount of code I will need to write.

  So far I have this in my TestFixtureSetUp:

  #region

  protected MockRepository _mockRepository;

  protected IWindsorContainer _container;

  protected IControllerFactory _controllerFactory;

  protected IHttpContext _mockContext;

  protected RequestContext _context;

  protected RouteData _routeData;

  protected IViewFactory _mockViewFactory;

  #endregion

  [TestFixtureSetUp]

  public void StartUp()

  {

  if (_container != null)

  return;

  log4net.Config.XmlConfigurator.Configure();

  _mockRepository = new MockRepository();

  _container = new WindsorContainer();

  _mockContext = _mockRepository.DynamicMock<IHttpContext>();

  MockApplication application = new MockApplication(_container);

  Expect.Call(_mockContext.ApplicationInstance).Return(application);

  _routeData = new RouteData();_context = new RequestContext(_mockContext, _routeData);

  _mockRepository.ReplayAll();

  _mockViewFactory = _mockRepository.DynamicMock<IViewFactory>();

  _controllerFactory = new WindsorControllerFactory();

  }

   And hen in my test I have:

  [Test]

  public void IndexTest()

  {

  HomeController homeController =

  (HomeController) _controllerFactory.CreateController(_context, typeof (HomeController));

  ControllerContext contextMock = new ControllerContext(_context, homeController);

  IView mockView = _mockRepository.DynamicMock<IView>();

  Expect.Call(_mockViewFactory.CreateView(contextMock, "Index", string.Empty, homeController.ViewData)).

  Return(mockView);

  Expect.Call(delegate { mockView.RenderView(null); }).IgnoreArguments();

  _mockRepository.ReplayAll();

  homeController.ControllerContext = contextMock;

  homeController.ViewFactory = _mockViewFactory;

  homeController.Index();

  _mockRepository.VerifyAll();

  }

   That is a lot of mocking.  Obviously I will write helper methods but it is quite a lot of boiler plate to be running each time.

   Anybody come up with a good answer.

  Paul

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  dagda2

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  28 Posts

  Re: Testability and mocking

  Jan 08, 2008 03:13 PM|LINK

  Actually the test does not work.  I get the following error:

  Value cannot be null.
  Parameter name: tempData

  Can anyone show me how I can test RenderView from my controller?

  Cheers

   Paul

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  Momcilo

  Participant

  1477 Points

  251 Posts

  Re: Testability and mocking

  Jan 08, 2008 05:00 PM|LINK

  You will need to test against a subclass:

  http://haacked.com/archive/2007/12/09/writing-unit-tests-for-controller-actions.aspx

  http://haacked.com/archive/2007/12/06/test-specific-subclasses-vs-partial-mocks.aspx

  Cheers,
  M

  Writing software would be a lot easier if it weren't for customers
  • Edited by Momcilo on Jan 08, 2008 05:02 PM
  • Edited by Momcilo on Jan 08, 2008 05:02 PM
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  dagda2

  0 Points

  28 Posts

  Re: Testability and mocking

  Jan 08, 2008 05:19 PM|LINK

  I really do not like the subclass idea.

  I found everything I need here:

  http://yet-another-wannabe.blogspot.com/

  The text is in Russian but the code obviously is not.

  It sets TempData by using reflection like this:

  controller.GetType().GetProperty("TempData").SetValue(controller, new TempDataDictionary(httpContextMock), null);

  The code was actually everything I needed.

  Let me know what you think of it.

• • Reply
  

  Momcilo

  Participant

  1477 Points

  251 Posts

  Re: Testability and mocking

  Jan 08, 2008 05:54 PM|LINK

  I happen to know a little bit of Russian, the title says "ASP.NET MVC - when it all looks good only at first sight" [:)]

  If we are resolved to use mocks at all costs, that's without no doubt brilliant solution. But subclass seems very clean and simple approach to me, I use it all the time and feel very comfortable. A matter of taste.

  M

  Writing software would be a lot easier if it weren't for customers
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  CVertex

  Member

  147 Points

  128 Posts

  Re: Testability and mocking

  Jan 08, 2008 11:55 PM|LINK

  Is Haack implying partial mocking for controllers will work in the next CTP?

  I really prefer partial mocks cos they involve less coding, the subclass pattern requires too much duplicated code for each testable controller, it's a bit annoying.
   

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  Haacked

  Contributor

  6901 Points

  412 Posts

  Re: Testability and mocking

  Jan 09, 2008 06:34 AM|LINK

  Yes, the next CTP should make the partial mock situation possible. No need for a test-specific subclass pattern.

  Phil Haack (http://haacked.com/)
  Senior Program Manager, Microsoft
  
  What wouldn’t you do for a Klondike bar?
  • Marked as answer by Haacked on Jan 11, 2008 08:01 AM
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  dagda2

  0 Points

  28 Posts

  Re: Testability and mocking

  Jan 10, 2008 09:35 AM|LINK

  In the end I created my own mock class implentations for the HttpApplication, IHttpContext, IHttpRequest, IHttpResponse, IHttpServerUtility and IHttpSessionState.

  I think this better than having to mock everything.

  It gets messy when you have to it comes to replaying and verifying.

  Maybe the framework could provide these mock implementations?