Regards, Tino:
I agree with Kent on this. As much as possible, a unit test should test what it is supposed to do. > Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 15:50:36 -0400 > From: "Tino Dai" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Re: [Tutor] Unit testing > To: "Kent Johnson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, tutor@python.org > Message-ID: > <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" > > > I often write unit tests that do this. In my opinion it is simple and > > straightforward and effective. Some purists will insist that a unit test > > shouldn't write the file system or touch a database or use any other > > external resource, but I think that is silly - if the job of a bit of > code > > is to write a file or interact with the database, then the simplest way > to > > test it is to check the file or database. As long as the tests run fast > > enough it's OK. (For me, a unit test on a single module should ideally > run > > in well under a second.) > > > > Alternately you can use StringIO or other substitutes for files in your > > tests. But somewhere in your test system you probably want to make sure > the > > actual file is there on disk, whether it is in a unit test or acceptance > > test. > > > Ok, that leads me to my next question. Currently, I have a class that I > want to unit test, but it contains a semaphore from another class. Now, I > could make the semaphore a global variable, or I bring in the other class. > One violates "good" programming principles and the other violates the unit > testing principles. Is there another way? > > -Tino > -------------- next part -------------- > An HTML attachment was scrubbed... > URL: > http://mail.python.org/pipermail/tutor/attachments/20060626/bf127497/att ac > hment.html > > ------------------------------ I think the same principle applies here. The code you are testing involves a semaphore. By all means, include the other class and test the semaphore. I'm not familiar with the 'unit testing principles' that would forbid your doing this. Even if I were, principles are to be followed when they make sense. When it makes better sense to violate a principle, then violate it. Barry [EMAIL PROTECTED] 541-302-1107 ________________________ We who cut mere stones must always be envisioning cathedrals. -Quarry worker's creed _______________________________________________ Tutor maillist - Tutor@python.org http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/tutor
