# \_\_FILE\_\_ for requiring file **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [November 7, 2006, 10:46am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-for-requiring-file/74499 "2006-11-07T10:46:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1

**Author:** ![sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sauy7)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 10:46am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-for-requiring-file/74499/1 "2006-11-07T10:46:16Z")

Hello I keep wondering if there is a way to have **FILE** be delayed in its evaluation. For example, in my tests cases, I usually do the following so that my test cases are imune to where they are run from: class TestMyClass \< Test::Unit::TestCase TEST\_DIR = File.dirname( **FILE** ) DATA\_DIR = File.join(TEST\_DIR, “data”) def data\_file(file) File.join(DATA\_DIR, file) end def test\_xyz open(data\_file(“fred”)) assert … end end The problem is I have to add this to every test case since I can’t put data\_file inside a module and include it without also having o define TEST\_DIR as a constant of Object inside every testcase. In other words, I don’t want to do: TEST\_DIR = File.dirname( **FILE** ) class TestMyClass \< Test::Unit::TestCase require ‘test\_helper’ include TestHelper TestHelper.init **FILE** end This just seems a bit verbose. I guess what I need is something like: **REQUIRING\_FILE** so my TestHelper module could be written as: module TestHelper TEST\_DIR = File.dirname( **REQUIRING\_FILE** ) DATA\_DIR = …as above end Has anyone ever needed such a thing? Is there a better way of solving this problem? Thanks ---

Jim F. wrote: > The problem is I have to add this to every test case since I can’t put > end > > Has anyone ever needed such a thing? Is there a better way of solving > this problem? > > Thanks Untested - just sketching ideas: mytest.rb: require ‘test/unit’ class TC \< Test::Unit::TestCase def open\_data(f,&b) File.open(File.join(get\_dir, f), &b) end def get\_dir x = caller(2).shift if /^(.\*):\d+:in / =~ x File.dirname $1 else raise “Whatever” end end end your\_test.rb: class TestFoo \< TC def test\_x open\_data(“foo”) do |io| io.each\_line … end end end ``` robert ``` ---

I think this could get there: ``` def __REQUIRING_FILE__ ; caller[1] =~ /([^:]*):/; $1 end ``` But probably only if you don’t call it within any other methods. I’ll have to play around some more. ---

Louis J Scoras wrote: > I think this could get there: > > def **REQUIRING\_FILE** ; caller[1] =~ /([^:]\*):/; $1 end > > But probably only if you don’t call it within any other methods. I’ll > have to play around some more. I played around already 🙂 def find\_dir caller.each do |cl| if %r{^(.\*):\d+(?::in )?$} =~ cl f = $1 return File.dirname(f) if f != **FILE** end end raise “Not found” end Regards ``` robert ``` ---

On 10/30/06, Robert K. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > end Very nice. I realized after I posted that ‘:’ could be a valid character in a filename, so my above try at it won’t work anyway. ---

On 10/30/06, Jim F. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > module TestHelper > **REQUIRING\_FILE** = /([^:]\*):/.match(caller[1])[1] Just make sure that you won’t have any file names with a ‘:’ in them =) ---

Just make sure that you won’t have any file names with a ‘:’ in them =) Sure: **REQUIRING\_FILE** = caller.grep(/^(.\*):\d+(?::in)?$/)[0] ---

Thanks guys. This is what I ended up with: module TestHelper **REQUIRING\_FILE** = /([^:]\*):/.match(caller[1])[1] TEST\_DIR = File.dirname( **REQUIRING\_FILE** ) DATA\_DIR = File.join(TEST\_DIR, “data”) def data\_file(file) File.join(DATA\_DIR, file) end end#module TestHelper ---

**Author:** ![sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/ecc23a/32.png) [@sauy7](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sauy7)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2006, 10:48am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/file-for-requiring-file/74499/9 "2006-11-07T10:48:05Z")

On Tue, 31 Oct 2006, Jim F. wrote: > Hello > > I keep wondering if there is a way to have **FILE** be delayed in its > evaluation. For example, in my tests cases, I usually do the following so > that my test cases are imune to where they are run from: you can defer the evaluation by simply using methods: ``` harp:~/d > cat test/test.rb require 'test/unit' class TestMyClass < Test::Unit::TestCase require 'test/helper' and include TestHelper def __file__ () __FILE__ end def test_dir() File.dirname __file__ end def test_that_it_works() assert_nothing_raised{ p data_file('forty-two') } end end harp:~/d > cat test/helper.rb module TestHelper def data_dir() File.join test_dir, 'data' end def data_file(file) File.join data_dir, file end end harp:~/d > ruby test/test.rb Loaded suite test/test Started ."test/data/forty-two" . Finished in 0.00122 seconds. 2 tests, 1 assertions, 0 failures, 0 errors ``` kind regards. -a