diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'Lib/test/README')
| -rw-r--r-- | Lib/test/README | 47 |
1 files changed, 23 insertions, 24 deletions
diff --git a/Lib/test/README b/Lib/test/README index 27f696c..747d842 100644 --- a/Lib/test/README +++ b/Lib/test/README @@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ testing facility provided with Python; any particular test should use only one of these options. Each option requires writing a test module using the conventions of the selected option: - - PyUnit_ based tests + - unittest_ based tests - doctest_ based tests - "traditional" Python test modules @@ -28,31 +28,34 @@ your test cases to exercise it more completely. In particular, you will be able to refer to the C and Python code in the CVS repository when writing your regression test cases. -.. _PyUnit: .. _unittest: http://www.python.org/doc/current/lib/module-unittest.html .. _doctest: http://www.python.org/doc/current/lib/module-doctest.html -PyUnit based tests +unittest-based tests ------------------ -The PyUnit_ framework is based on the ideas of unit testing as espoused +The unittest_ framework is based on the ideas of unit testing as espoused by Kent Beck and the `Extreme Programming`_ (XP) movement. The specific interface provided by the framework is tightly based on the JUnit_ Java implementation of Beck's original SmallTalk test framework. Please see the documentation of the unittest_ module for detailed information on -the interface and general guidelines on writing PyUnit based tests. - -The test_support helper module provides two functions for use by -PyUnit based tests in the Python regression testing framework: - -- ``run_unittest()`` takes a ``unittest.TestCase`` derived class as a - parameter and runs the tests defined in that class +the interface and general guidelines on writing unittest-based tests. + +The test_support helper module provides a function for use by +unittest-based tests in the Python regression testing framework, +``run_unittest()``. This is the primary way of running tests in the +standard library. You can pass it any number of the following: + +- classes derived from or instances of ``unittest.TestCase`` or + ``unittest.TestSuite``. These will be handed off to unittest for + converting into a proper TestSuite instance. + +- a string; this must be a key in sys.modules. The module associated with + that string will be scanned by ``unittest.TestLoader.loadTestsFromModule``. + This is usually seen as ``test_support.run_unittest(__name__)`` in a test + module's ``test_main()`` function. This has the advantage of picking up + new tests automatically, without you having to add each new test case + manually. -- ``run_suite()`` takes a populated ``TestSuite`` instance and runs the - tests - -``run_suite()`` is preferred because unittest files typically grow multiple -test classes, and you might as well be prepared. - All test methods in the Python regression framework have names that start with "``test_``" and use lower-case names with words separated with underscores. @@ -63,7 +66,7 @@ and the full class name. When there's a problem with a test, the latter information makes it easier to find the source for the test than the docstring. -All PyUnit-based tests in the Python test suite use boilerplate that +All unittest-based tests in the Python test suite use boilerplate that looks like this (with minor variations):: import unittest @@ -97,11 +100,7 @@ looks like this (with minor variations):: ...etc... def test_main(): - suite = unittest.TestSuite() - suite.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(MyTestCase1)) - suite.addTest(unittest.makeSuite(MyTestCase2)) - ...add more suites... - test_support.run_suite(suite) + test_support.run_unittest(__name__) if __name__ == "__main__": test_main() @@ -415,7 +414,7 @@ Some Non-Obvious regrtest Features This is rarely required with the "traditional" Python tests, and you shouldn't create a module global with name test_main unless you're specifically exploiting this gimmick. This usage does - prove useful with PyUnit-based tests as well, however; defining + prove useful with unittest-based tests as well, however; defining a ``test_main()`` which is run by regrtest and a script-stub in the test module ("``if __name__ == '__main__': test_main()``") allows the test to be used like any other Python test and also work |