Cucumber test question

rubyonrails-talk
1

Hello all,

I am trying to understand when I try to run a test in cucumber what I am missing that it is failing. I am using FactoryGirl to create my records and using cucumber to test my logic however I know that I am doing something wrong in my testing I just can’t seem to figure out what. Here is what I have:

Feature:

Feature: All features related to staff info Scenario: notification for empty shirt size Given there is at least 1 staff info record When the shirt size field is empty And the shirt size check is run Then the system should send an email notification

Steps:

Given(/^there is at least (\d+) staff info record$/) do |arg1| assert_difference(‘StaffInfo.count’, 1) do @staff_info = FactoryGirl.create :staff_info end end

When(/^the shirt size field is empty$/) do assert @staff_info.update_attribute(:shirt_size, nil) end

When(/^the shirt size check is run$/) do StaffInfo.check_empty_shirt_fields end

Then(/^the system should send an email notification$/) do pending # express the regexp above with the code you wish you had end

Model:

class StaffInfo < ActiveRecord::Base belongs_to :person scope :empty_shirt_fields, → { where(‘shirt_size in (?)’, [nil, ‘’]) }

def self.check_empty_shirt_fields staff_with_missing_shirt_sizes = StaffInfo.empty_shirt_fields debugger send_empty_shirt_size_notification staff_with_missing_shirt_sizes if staff_with_missing_shirt_sizes.size > 0 end

def send_empty_shirt_size_notification(staff_records) Mailer.missing_shirt_size(staff_records).deliver end end

What is happening is, when I hit the 3rd test I did a check to see if the record was present (StaffInfo.count) and it was. But after running StaffInfo.check_empty_shirt_fields, I did a check for the record and it was gone. I am not understanding how my record could have disappeared when I all my method was doing was checking for any records with a missing field.

Anyone have any ideas?

2

The default behavior of cucumber is to run each scenario in a transaction and then do a rollback when the scenario completes. The behavior is specified by the DatabaseCleaner.strategy in the env.rb file/

3

I’m not sure I understand. This is all one scenario so why would database cleaner delete my record in the middle of my scenario? or am I missing something?

I create my record at the start of the scenario then run the method that should check for this record but the record but it not there after that method checks for the record. This should be in the same transaction right? Even if I place debugger anywhere in the step definitions I should still have one record right?

4

Hello!

I might be wrong, but i think this is causing you problems:

Given(/^there is at least (\d+) staff info record$/) do |arg1|

assert_difference(‘StaffInfo.count’, 1) do

@staff_info = FactoryGirl.create :staff_info

end

end

When(/^the shirt size field is empty$/) do

assert @staff_info.update_attribute(:shirt_size, nil)

end

Most probably is because you are combining cucumber with Rails test, meaning you managed to perform a test in a test … Those assertions might be your problem…

I haven’t met this behavior, but most probably your databse_cleaner is cleaning your test after those assertions, which is inside your scenario.

I’d go for something like this:

Populating my Db and Make sure i have at least one

Given /^there is at least (\d+) staff info record$/ do |arg1|

@staff_info = FactoryGirl.create :staff_info

(arg1.to_i - 1).times do

FactoryGirl.create :staff_info

end

end

Make sure my model is empty

When /^the shirt size field is empty$/ do

@staff_info.update_attribute(:shirt_size, nil)

end

…

In my support env.rb i would add

World FactoryGirl::Syntax::Methods

Then use create(:staff_info) instead of full FactoryGirl.create syntax …

Tks.

A.

5

Vell,

One way to be able to find out what is happening is:

a) tag your scenario with @pause, that will pause after each step. b) Open a terminal and have a look at the test log file: tail -f log/test.log

That way you can see what is happening in the test database at each step, and when records are created, and/or the database is cleared.

P.S. It would also be a better idea to post your question in the cucumber email list if you still have problems Redirecting to Google Groups

6

Thanks Kosmas, I will try that as well as the advice from Alexandru-Emil and see if I can make some progress. Yes I am on the cukes list so I will definitely post there if I am still having issues.

7

Alexandru-Emil hit was right on. Once I took out the assertion for creating the record, once I finally get down to where I am executing my method the record is still there.