[TIP] unittest/mock question

[Christine Jones]

Hello,
I've just started using Python unittest and mock. I've gone through the three Michael Foord tutorials, and read the docs, however, I cannot figure my way around this issue.

I am using Python 2.6 and mock 1.0.1.

I have the following function and tests. In brief, I am not able to test both branches of my if/else statement unless I comment out one or the other tests. Specifically, if I run both tests below only the last one passes. However, if I comment out the last one, the first one runs and passes. 

I was under the impression that patch automatically unmonkey patches when the context or function is left but it seems like maybe this is not happening. Or I am missing some other key concept. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!
Christine

My function:
======================
# admin page: today's signups
@app.route('/signups', methods=['GET'])
def signups():
   today = date.today()
   players = LottoPlayer.query.filter(cast(LottoPlayer.signupdate, Date) ==        today).distinct(LottoPlayer.employeelogin).all()
   player_count = players.__len__()
   if player_count > 1:
       return render_template("signups_today.html", signups=players)
   else:
       return render_template("signups_today.html")

Test for if branch:
======================
# READ - GET signups - 200 (assumes > 0 signups)       
   def test_signups_get(self):
       today = datetime.datetime.now()
       from lunchlottoweb import models
       with patch.object(models, "LottoPlayer"):
          players = [NonCallableMock(employeelogin='cjjones', employeedept='systems', signupdate=today, lottowinner=False),
                     NonCallableMock(employeelogin='dlovirin', employeedept='systems', signupdate=today, lottowinner=False)]
          LottoPlayer.all = players
          request = MagicMock(name='signups_multiple_exist')
          r = self.app.get('/signups')
          assert 'cjjones' in r.data

Test for else branch:
======================
   # READ - GET signups when there are 0 signups
   def test_signups_get_when_none(self):
       now = datetime.datetime.now()
       yesterday = now - datetime.timedelta(days = 1)
       from lunchlottoweb import models
       with patch.object(models, 'LottoPlayer'):
           players = [NonCallableMock(employeelogin='jshmo', employeedept='systems', signupdate=yesterday, lottowinner=False), 
                     NonCallableMock(employeelogin='foo', employeedept='systems', signupdate=yesterday, lottowinner=False)]
           LottoPlayer.all = players

           request = MagicMock(name='signupsrequest')
           r = self.app.get('/signups')
           assert 'No one has signed up yet' in r.data