[Pyunit-interest] Idea of 'suite' method in TestCase

[Steve P. <ste...@ya...>]

Hi again,

A few people have suggested the addition of a 'suite' factory method
to the TestCase class. Now, at the weekend I also decided that this might
be a nice idea. I figured out why it's not so easy to do, though.

What is really wanted is a 'static' method in TestCase, to use Java's
terminology:

 class MyTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
    def suite(): return unittest.makeSuite(MyTestCase)

Then, a suite could be obtained using 'MyTestCase.suite()'.

Of course, this doesn't work because 'suite' can only be called on an
instance of the class, and we don't want to have to create a TestCase just
to call its 'suite' method and then dump it.

I tend to just create outboard TestSuite subclasses or factory functions
named after the associated TestCase, i.e. TrampolineTestSuite for
TrampolineTestCase.

But how about:

 class MyTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
    class suite(unittest.TestSuite):
       def __init__(self):
         unittest.TestSuite.__init__(self,(unittest.makeSuite(MyTestCase),))
    ...

or even:

 class StaticMethod:
   def __init__(self, func, *args, **kwargs):
     self.func = func
     self.args = args
     self.kwargs = kwargs
   def __call__(self):
     return apply(self.func, self.args, self.kwargs)

 class MyTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
   ...

 MyTestCase.suite = StaticMethod(unittest.makeSuite, MyTestCase)


Not particularly nice, I admit, but it you want a suite for each TestCase,
one of these ideas might help you.

Incidentally, if you use the first code snippet above then subclass your
TestCases from 'MyTestCase' rather than 'TestCase', you will then have a
'suite' pseudo-method in each of your subclasses.

I don't think I advocate this, so I'm probably just corrupting your sensible
minds and causing trouble. Again. :-)

Best wishes to all,

-Steve

-- 
Steve Purcell,  Technical Director, Inkontact
Get in touch at http://www.inkontact.com/
"Life must be simple if I can do it" -- Me