Rake test_unit is deleting my pre-loaded test data

I am trying to set up my unit tests with a database that is already
populated with data. I am noticing that the testing infrastructure is
deleting all this data before running my tests. Presumably to start
from scratch and load fixtures.

So, I must be doing something wrong. In test_helper.rb I have these
lines:

Turn off transactional fixtures if you’re working with MyISAM tables

in MySQL
self.use_transactional_fixtures = true

Instantiated fixtures are slow, but give you @david

self.use_instantiated_fixtures = false

The data we want is in the database already

self.pre_loaded_fixtures = true

Any ideas what I am doing wrong? Any suggestion on the best way to
accomplish this?

Thanks,

Dave

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On Nov 21, 2005, at 10:20 PM, David C. wrote:

self.use_transactional_fixtures = true

Instantiated fixtures are slow, but give you @david

self.use_instantiated_fixtures = false

The data we want is in the database already

self.pre_loaded_fixtures = true

You don’t need this line. Ignore the preloaded fixtures; they don’t
do what they mean and will be deprecated shortly.

I also have a prepopulated test database. All you need is to use
transactional fixtures and omit any “fixtures :foo, :bar”
declarations in your test cases. I’m guessing you still have calls
to fixtures.

Best,
jeremy
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On 11/22/05, Jeremy K. [email protected] wrote:

these lines:

You don’t need this line. Ignore the preloaded fixtures; they don’t
do what they mean and will be deprecated shortly.

I also have a prepopulated test database. All you need is to use
transactional fixtures and omit any “fixtures :foo, :bar”
declarations in your test cases. I’m guessing you still have calls
to fixtures.

Best,
jeremy

So it is an all or nothing kind of thing? I can either use a
pre-loaded database or fixtures but not both?

Thanks,

Dave

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On Nov 22, 2005, at 4:59 PM, David C. wrote:

So it is an all or nothing kind of thing? I can either use a
pre-loaded database or fixtures but not both?

Yes.

pre_loaded_fixtures is for preloading your fixture files by calling
Fixtures.create_fixtures directly; it is not for a preloaded database.

Preloading the database doesn’t offer you much if you’re using
fixture files anyway. Why not just use transactional fixtures and be
done with it?

jeremy
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On 11/22/05, Jeremy K. [email protected] wrote:

Fixtures.create_fixtures directly; it is not for a preloaded database.

Preloading the database doesn’t offer you much if you’re using
fixture files anyway. Why not just use transactional fixtures and be
done with it?

jeremy

I am not positive about the details as this task was just given to me,
however, the belief is that the foreign key relationships are complex
enough that populating the db through fixture files would be overly
complex. Since we already have data for a test DB why not just use
it?

I still plan on using the transactional support. I can right? I
don’t want to purge and reload all the data for each run of the tests.

Dave

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On Nov 22, 2005, at 6:42 PM, David C. wrote:

pre_loaded_fixtures is for preloading your fixture files by calling
however, the belief is that the foreign key relationships are complex
enough that populating the db through fixture files would be overly
complex. Since we already have data for a test DB why not just use
it?

I thought you just said you are using fixtures, but preloading them in
a rake task. If you aren’t, how do you expect foobars(:fixture_name)
to work? It uses a name from the fixture file which is not present in
the database.

I still plan on using the transactional support. I can right? I
don’t want to purge and reload all the data for each run of the tests.

Yes.

For fixture naming, I just set some instance variables in my test’s
setup method:
def setup
@foo, @bar, @baz, @qux = Foo.find(1,2,3,4)
end

You could also make a convenience reader like:
def foos(name)
Foo.find_by_name(name)
end

jeremy
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On Nov 22, 2005, at 8:44 PM, David C. wrote:

All of this makes me think that I am doing something “un-standard.”

Aha-- I do this too. It’s nonstandard, but it works great!

Yes, you need to change your rake tasks. Just make your test_* tasks
depend on the :environment task instead of :clone_structure_to_test.

Then it won’t touch your db before running the tests.

jeremy
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it?

I thought you just said you are using fixtures, but preloading them in
a rake task. If you aren’t, how do you expect foobars(:fixture_name)
to work? It uses a name from the fixture file which is not present in
the database.

Perhaps I am confusing some terminology here. I have some tests that
do not indicate that they need fixture data. The test assumes that
the test database is already populated with the data that the test
will work from.

After looking at the rake files, I am seeing that it is the rake
dependencies of the task test_units that purge the test database. And
since I don’t have fixture files, the DB is basically empty as I run
my tests. If I want to do it this way then I think I need to create
my own test_units task that does not have this dependency.

All of this makes me think that I am doing something “un-standard.”

Dave