Good day all 
I am getting into RSpec and am a little confused by an aspect of mocks /
mock_models in controller tests. I’ve gone through the online docs and
the
PeepCode movies and have them slightly contradictory on this matter. I
hope
you can clarify. Many thanks in advance
I’m writing a system that uses the restful authentication plugin and am
writing a test for the following controller create method:
class AccountsController < ApplicationController
def create
@account = Account.new(params[:account])
if @account.save!
self.current_account = @account
redirect_back_or_default(’/’)
flash[:notice] = “Thanks for signing up!”
end
rescue ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid
render :action => ‘new’
end
…
end
I’ve created the following spec test to simply ensure that the Account
model
receives a call to :new, but the spec is failing as it also receives a
call
to :save! and it isn’t expecting it. I am using “@account =
mock_model(Account)”. If i replace this with “@account = mock(‘account’,
:null_object => true)” the test passes, but i’m not sure that’s really
what
i want. I’m pretty sure i need to us mock_model in this instance.
The code is below.
Also, are my use of comment blocks within the spec against the RSpec
way.
I appreciate that this isn’t using fixtures and i might use them later.
I
also appreciate that i can write modules to contain these methods, but i
can’t quite see the point in muddying things. Comments most welcome.
Thanks
describe AccountsController, “allows users to create only valid
accounts” do
#######
Reusable methods
#######
def do_post(params = nil)
post :create, :account => params
end
def valid_account_form_details
{ :password => "password", :password_confirmation => "password",
:login => “new_login”, :email => “[email protected]” }
end
#######
Before block
#######
before do
@account = mock_model(Account)
Account.stub!(:new).and_return(@account)
end
#######
It Statements
#######
it "should display the new account template when the user visits
/accounts/new" do
get ‘new’
response.should render_template(:new)
end
it "should tell the Account model to create a new account on form
POST"
do
Account.should_receive(:new).with(:anything).and_return(@account)
do_post
end