[TIP] Ideology

[Doug Hellmann]

On Apr 21, 2009, at 10:19 AM, Jesse Noller wrote:

>
>
> On Apr 21, 2009, at 10:11 AM, "C. Titus Brown" <ctb at msu.edu> wrote:
>
>> Over on pygr-dev, I just came up with this bon mot:
>>
>> """
>> To paraphrase the regexp saying: you have a problem with your tests,
>> so
>> you make your test framework more complicated.  Now you have TWO
>> problems...
>> """
>>
>> We're talking about making a number of custom extensions to unittest
>> and
>> modifications to our test runner, and in doing so we're adding
>> significantly to the complexity of our test runner.  That Seems Bad.
>>
>> Have other people run into problems doing this or should I stop
>> worrying
>> and just shut up?  (hah)
>>
>> --titus
>> --  
>> C. Titus Brown, ctb at msu.edu
>
>
> Better the complexity lie in the runner an framework than in the
> tests. So long as the execution environment can be recreated and run
> outside of the framework, I would say you're ok.
>
> Tests should be simple and straightforward to write, if that means
> making the executor more complex, well so be it. :)

I'll second that.  Our tests above the unit level take some fairly  
complicated fixtures (database settings, lots of filesystem objects  
with peculiar permissions, etc.).  Trying to build all of that into  
the test itself lead to a lot of pain, so we moved to separate fixture  
classes that are easier to reuse.

The more you can isolate the ugly parts to make it easy for test  
authors, the more (and better) tests you'll have.

Doug