[OJB-developers] Unit tests

[Chris G. <CGr...@de...>]

I have a question about unit testing for ObjectBridge.

As it stands, the test files are segregated by (1) location and (2)
packaging from the production files.  The location is understandable,
although having ant as a build tool really makes it unnecessary.  But the
packaging -- having a "test." package prefix for tests -- makes it
impossible to test protected methods.

If your protected methods happen to be in a base class with several
descendants that use those methods frequently, I feel that it's critical to
test the methods.  But if they're methods that shouldn't be used anywhere
outside the base class or its children, then there is no good design reason
to make them public -- in fact it really clutters up the public interface of
the class.

So what is the approach people have taken in the past?  Is there a good
reason for me not to test protected methods?  Is there a compelling reason
to put test classes in a different package?

As it is, I'll leave out the unit tests I have that test protected methods
for the moment.  I'd like to commit them, though.

Regards,

Chris Greenlee