# Running tests **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [August 26, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/running-tests/146875 "2008-08-26T11:54:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/robertpostill)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 11:54am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/running-tests/146875/1 "2008-08-26T11:54:14Z")
Hi, In a controler, how can we check that we are running a test (rake test). Is there a connection object? ---
**Author:** ![robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/robertpostill)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 12:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/running-tests/146875/2 "2008-08-26T12:07:33Z")
On 26 Aug 2008, at 10:54, Robert Plagnard wrote: > Hi, > In a controler, how can we check that we are running a test (rake > test). > Is there a connection object? Check the value of RAILS\_ENV Fred ---
**Author:** ![robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/robertpostill)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 12:20pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/running-tests/146875/3 "2008-08-26T12:20:14Z")
Frederick C. wrote: > On 26 Aug 2008, at 10:54, Robert Plagnard wrote: > > > Hi, > > In a controler, how can we check that we are running a test (rake > > test). > > Is there a connection object? > > Check the value of RAILS\_ENV > > Fred Super, Thanks Robert ---
**Author:** ![robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/robertpostill)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 4:12pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/running-tests/146875/4 "2008-08-26T16:12:32Z")
On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 2:54 AM, Robert Plagnard [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > Hi, > In a controler, how can we check that we are running a test (rake test). > Is there a connection object? I can’t help but ask… why? Curious, Robby – Robby R. Chief Evangelist, Partner PLANET ARGON, LLC design // development // hosting > **[Planet Argon](https://www.planetargon.com/)** > > Planet Argon is a Ruby on Rails development agency specializing in maintenance and support for existing Rails apps. Based in Portland, OR, Planet Argon has been a member of the Rails community since 2004. [http://www.robbyonrails.com/](http://www.robbyonrails.com/) aim: planetargon +1 503 445 2457 +1 877 55 ARGON [toll free] +1 815 642 4068 [fax] ---
**Author:** ![robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/robertpostill)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 5:14pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/running-tests/146875/5 "2008-08-26T17:14:37Z")
Robby R. wrote: > On Tue, Aug 26, 2008 at 2:54 AM, Robert Plagnard > [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > > Hi, > > In a controler, how can we check that we are running a test (rake test). > > Is there a connection object? > > I can’t help but ask… why? > > Curious, > Robby > > – > Robby R. > Chief Evangelist, Partner > > PLANET ARGON, LLC > design // development // hosting > > [http://www.planetargon.com/](http://www.planetargon.com/) > [http://www.robbyonrails.com/](http://www.robbyonrails.com/) > aim: planetargon Hi, I am studying Noel Rappin’s “Professional Ruby on Rails” excellent book. I met the problem of update user.is\_active attribute p 83. In users\_controller : def activate find\_user @is\_valid = Token.is\_valid\_for\_user(@user, param[:token]) @user.update\_attributes(:is\_active=\>@is\_valid) end Everything was fine except that user.is\_active was staying desperatly false! After replacing update\_attributes by update\_attributes! I found the reason why. The user record was not valid because of the constraint : validates\_length\_of :password, :minimum =\> 6 But the password is not stored in user, we only have encrypted\_password. It will not be a problem in production because we will have the password at this moment. But during the test, it’s not the case. And then you have 2 solutions : One used by NR which is to comment the constraint to pass the test. I don’t like it to much. The other idea was, when in test, to set a password just before update the user record : if RAILS\_ENV = ‘test’ @user.password= ‘123456’ end @user.update\_attributes(:is\_active=\>@is\_valid) I don’t know if I was understandable, but it works as I want. Robert ---
**Author:** ![robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@robertpostill](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/robertpostill)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2008, 8:30pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/running-tests/146875/6 "2008-08-26T20:30:28Z")
Robert Plagnard wrote: > > > In a controler, how can we check that we are running a test (rake > > > test). > > > Is there a connection object? > > Check the value of RAILS\_ENV Now confess why your code needs to know that. You should either write the code to work no matter what its environment, or you should use a mock. If you want to use Mocha, use any\_instance if you don’t know which instance your controller will construct… – Phlip