[Springframework-developer] Re: [Springframework-user] Testing Controllers and FormControllers

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Matt, everybody,=20

Essentially, the Servlet API mocks in Spring's test directory are just =
there because the MockObjects (http://www.mockobjects.com) Servlet API =
mocks are so inconvenient to use. The current Spring-provided Servlet =
API mocks are by no means in a polished state, though: They're just good =
enough for being used within the framework test suite. They'd need some =
serious refinement for making them public - after all, we have a =
reputation to lose :-)

So on that occasion, I've reworked those mocks today, making them =
significantly more complete than before, and ready for getting included =
in the Spring distribution. The question is: Where to include them? I'd =
like to include them in the main Spring sources, in a =
org.springframework.web.mock package: They would naturally be part of =
spring.jar and spring-web.jar then. The test directory (where they =
currently reside) is no appropriate place, as it is about testing the =
framework rather than providing infrastructure classes.=20

While it isn't in general appropriate to include mocks in the main =
Spring codebase, I guess this is a different case: Those mocks are =
specifically provided to ease testing of Spring web contexts (like =
XmlWebApplicationContext or StaticWebApplicationContext that need a =
ServletContext) and controllers (the Controller.handleRequest method =
needs an HttpServletRequest and an HttpServletResponse). Including them =
in the standard distribution would also indicate our strong focus on =
testability.

The new MockServletContext implementation uses the =
org.springframework.core.io.Resource API for resource loading, to allow =
for ServletContext.getResourceAsStream from any resource base. So =
partly, the mock implementations depend on low-level Spring API. We =
could of course keep the mocks in a separate part of the Spring CVS, but =
it's just about a couple of classes, thus hardly worth a separate source =
tree.

IMO, the main concern regarding additions to the main Spring codebase is =
whether those additions can potentially grow significantly: While =
Keith's rules API in the sandbox has definite potential there (so had =
Ben Alex' security framework that became the Acegi Security System), the =
recent Struts support classes and those Servlet API mocks will at best =
see slight refinements but certainly not exponential growth. So the =
former seems like a candidate for a separate module to me, while the =
latter should fit into the main Spring codebase.

An important point to consider is that there are simply no mocks =
necessary for testing most parts of a typical Spring app, respectively =
just interfaces that can conveniently be mocked in a dynamic fashion =
with EasyMock. There are just two exceptions, as far I see: Our =
SimpleNamingContext stuff eases custom JNDI environments, and the newly =
refined set of Servlet API mocks allows for convenient testing of Spring =
web MVC (and web contexts).

Mocking an EJB container is next to impossible, so that's not worth =
further consideration. JDBC can quite nicely be mocked with EasyMock; =
it's preferable to use the JdbcOperations interface as far as possible, =
though. Same for a Hibernate Session, with HibernateOperations being =
preferable. It's more or less just the Servlet API that's really tedious =
to mock with EasyMock, due to all those interdependent methods (e.g. URL =
paths, parameters, attributes).

What does everybody think? Does anyone mind including those polished =
Servlet API mocks in the main Spring codebase, already for 1.0.2? Any =
suggestions for alternatives?

Juergen

-----Original Message-----=20
From: spr...@li...=20
[mailto:spr...@li...]On Behalf Of=20
Matt Raible=20
Sent: Saturday, April 24, 2004 2:02 PM=20
To: spr...@li...=20
Subject: Re: [Springframework-user] Testing Controllers and=20
FormControllers=20

I use StrutsTestCase (http://strutstestcase.sf.net), which allows you =20
to write very little code to test an Action.  Here is a simple example =20
of testing an "execute" method:=20

package org.appfuse.webapp.action;=20

import servletunit.struts.CactusStrutsTestCase;=20
import org.appfuse.Constants;=20

public class PersonActionTest extends CactusStrutsTestCase {=20
    =20
    public PersonActionTest(String name) {=20
        super(name);=20
    }=20

    public void testExecute() {=20
        // test execute method=20
        setRequestPathInfo("/editPerson");=20
        addRequestParameter("id", "1");=20
        actionPerform();=20
        verifyNoActionErrors();=20
         assertNotNull(getRequest().getAttribute(Constants.PERSON_KEY)); =

     }=20

     public static void main(String[] args) {=20
         junit.textui.TestRunner.run(PersonActionTest.class);=20
     }=20
}=20

Since CactusStrutsTestCase extends from Cactus, I can also use Cactus's  =

FormAuthentication support to mimic container-managed authentication.=20

To test a "Save" is also pretty simple.=20

     public void testSave() throws Exception {=20
         setRequestPathInfo("/editPerson");=20
         addRequestParameter("action", "Edit");=20
         addRequestParameter("id", "1");=20

         actionPerform();=20

         assertTrue(getRequest().getAttribute(Constants.PERSON_KEY) !=3D =
=20
null);=20

         setRequestPathInfo("/savePerson");=20
         addRequestParameter("action", "Save");=20
         actionPerform();=20
         verifyForward("edit");=20
         verifyNoActionErrors();=20
     }=20

I think you have something similar to this with the Mock Object you're =20
using in Spring.  It just needs to be packaged up as a JAR.  I'll be =20
more than happy to write up some documentation on how to use it.=20

Matt=20

On Apr 24, 2004, at 4:27 AM, j=FCrgen h=F6ller [werk3AT] wrote:=20

> Matt,=20
>=20
> I just tried using MockHttpServletRequest and MockHttpServletResponse  =

> from MockObjects with a Spring FormController. Unfortunately, those =20
> MockObjects mocks are really not well-suited for testing here, as it's =
=20
> so much hassle to setup any kind of HttpServletRequest method access.  =

> What request/response mocks do you use for testing Struts Actions?=20
>=20
> Juergen=20
>=20
>=20
> ________________________________=20
>=20
> Von: spr...@li... im Auftrag von =20
> j=FCrgen h=F6ller [werk3AT]=20
> Gesendet: Sa 24.04.2004 10:57=20
> An: spr...@li...=20
> Betreff: Re: [Springframework-user] Testing Controllers and =20
> FormControllers=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> I don't see much difference between testing Controllers and =20
> FormControllers: Both share the same "ModelAndView =20
> handleRequest(HttpServletRequest, HttpServletResponse)" method that =20
> you need to invoke for testing. As of 1.0.1, you shouldn't need a =20
> ServletContext mock anymore (except when actually accessing the =20
> ServletContext), so all you need are HttpServletRequest and =20
> HttpServletResponse mocks. The mocks provided by the MockObjects =20
> project should be fine for this.=20
>=20
> Juergen=20
>=20
>=20
> ________________________________=20
>=20
> Von: spr...@li... im Auftrag von =20
> Matt Raible=20
> Gesendet: Fr 23.04.2004 20:48=20
> An: spr...@li...=20
> Betreff: [Springframework-user] Testing Controllers and =
FormControllers=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
> I've found it pretty simple to test Controllers, but FormControllers =20
> are=20
> a different story.  From looking at the FormControllerTestSuite (URL=20
> below), as well as many other Spring tests, it seems that a lot of=20
> internal mocks are used to test this stuff.=20
>=20
> So my question is - what do you recommend for the average Spring MVC=20
> person?  What is the strategy we should be using to test our=20
> controllers?  Should we be using the Mocks that Spring provides?  This =

> would certainly make things easier.  If we're supposed to do that - is =

> it possible to get these mocks distributed in a JAR?=20
>=20
> Thanks,=20
>=20
> Matt=20
>=20
> http://monkeymachine.co.uk/spring/xref-test/org/springframework/web/=20
> serv=20
> let/mvc/FormControllerTestSuite.html=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
>=20
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