# Problem running unit tests **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [April 16, 2006, 3:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problem-running-unit-tests/57911 "2006-04-16T03:24:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Eden_B)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2006, 3:24am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problem-running-unit-tests/57911/1 "2006-04-16T03:24:04Z")
I am running Rails 1.1.2 with Ruby 1.82-15. My database is Postgresql. I haven’t had any problems generating models, migrations, using scaffolds, and generally building and using my application, but I haven’t been able to get testing to work. I initially just ignored the problem and kept developing, but would like to add proper testing from here on out. Currently when I type rake in my application directory, it attempts to load my unit tests (all generated files with single default assertion), but immediately fails with the error: ./test/unit/…/test\_helper.rb:18: undefined method ‘use\_transactional\_fixtures=’ I read up on transactional\_fixtures and testing in general and also searched this list and in Google, but haven’t been able to find any reference to this problem. It is probably something stupid simple, but I am at a dead end for now. Has anyone else run into this? At this point I have deleted all my controllers and views along with the functional test fixtures just to attempt to narrow the problem down with just models and unit tests. Any help is very much appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Eden_B)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 5:36pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problem-running-unit-tests/57911/2 "2006-04-17T17:36:18Z")
How about you weekday folk? Anyone have an idea about this problem? ---
**Author:** ![Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Eden_B)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 8:45pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problem-running-unit-tests/57911/3 "2006-04-17T20:45:09Z")
Eden B. wrote: > On 4/15/06, _Eden B._ \ ``` > Currently when I type rake in my application directory, it attempts > to load my unit tests (all generated files with single default > assertion), but immediately fails with the error: > > ./test/unit/../test_helper.rb:18: undefined method > 'use_transactional_fixtures=' > > ``` You are invoking the method use\_transactional\_fixtures=. There is no such method. Does line 18 of ./test/test\_helper.rb say use\_transactional\_fixtures=true You probably want to replace this with self.use\_transactional\_fixtures = true – Ray ---
**Author:** ![Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Eden_B)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problem-running-unit-tests/57911/4 "2006-04-18T00:16:01Z")
Eden B. wrote: > Ray, > > Thank you for the suggestion. > > Line 18 is currently: > > self.use\_transactional\_fixtures = true After posting I realized that that was probably true and that your problem is that you aren’t requiring the right modules. Do you have require ‘test\_help’ ? I can get the same error as you if I comment out that line in my test\_helper.rb. – Ray ---
**Author:** ![Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Eden_B)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2006, 10:25pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problem-running-unit-tests/57911/5 "2006-04-17T22:25:11Z")
Ray, Thank you for the suggestion. Line 18 is currently: self.use\_transactional\_fixtures = true Any other ideas? Eden ---
**Author:** ![Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Eden_B)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2006, 12:31am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problem-running-unit-tests/57911/6 "2006-04-18T00:31:29Z")
Hi Ray, Here is my whole test\_helper.rb with comments removed: ENV[“RAILS\_ENV”] = “test” require File.expand\_path(File.dirname( **FILE** ) + “/…/config/environment”) require ‘test\_help’ class Test::Unit::TestCase self.use\_transactional\_fixtures = true self.use\_instantiated\_fixtures = false end Also, just in case something went wrong during my upgrade to 1.1.2, here is boot.rb: unless defined?(RAILS\_ROOT) root\_path = File.join(File.dirname( **FILE** ), ‘…’) unless RUBY\_PLATFORM =~ /mswin32/ require ‘pathname’ root\_path = Pathname.new(root\_path).cleanpath(true).to\_s end RAILS\_ROOT = root\_path end if File.directory?("#{RAILS\_ROOT}/vendor/rails") require “#{RAILS\_ROOT}/vendor/rails/railties/lib/initializer” else require ‘rubygems’ require ‘initializer’ end Rails::Initializer.run(:set\_load\_path) Thank you again for your help, Eden ---
**Author:** ![Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Eden_B)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2006, 1:58pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problem-running-unit-tests/57911/7 "2006-06-19T13:58:40Z")
Derek H. wrote: > Anyone come up with a reason for this? I’m getting the same error when > running an app on linux. It works fine on mac osx. Could it be you’re not running against the gem versions you think you are ? It looks almost like it was genberated with one version of rails and is running against an older version (which doesn’t have the transactional fixtures). I’m not sure how to go about dumping out gem version numbers at runtime, but it might be worth trying something like that in your test file. A. ---
**Author:** ![Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@Eden\_B](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/Eden_B)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/problem-running-unit-tests/57911/8 "2006-06-18T23:03:18Z")
Anyone come up with a reason for this? I’m getting the same error when running an app on linux. It works fine on mac osx. - Derek On 4/17/06, Eden B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > self.use\_transactional\_fixtures = true > root\_path = > require ‘initializer’ > > > Eden B. wrote: > > problem is that you aren’t requiring the right modules. > > Ray > > Rails mailing list > > removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid > > [http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails](http://lists.rubyonrails.org/mailman/listinfo/rails) – Derek H. HighGroove Studios - [http://www.highgroove.com](http://www.highgroove.com) San Mateo, CA | Atlanta, GA Keeping it Simple. 650.276.0908