# Setting cookie value in test **URL:** \ **Category:** Rails\ **Created:** [May 11, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/setting-cookie-value-in-test/60254 "2006-05-11T17:17:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jim-harris](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/278dde/32.png) [@jim-harris](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jim-harris)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2006, 5:17pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/setting-cookie-value-in-test/60254/1 "2006-05-11T17:17:10Z")
In the initial version of my application I am just going to require cookies - down the road _considering_ changing that and providing something that works without. Anyway, this is somewhat of a two part question 1. Does this approach make sense or is there a better way typically used? Just have a before\_filter in my application.rb to verify that the :\_session\_id cookie is present. If it isn’t: kick them out to some page that gives them the “you need cookies” message. If it’s there: good, go ahead with whatever their request was. 2. Given that I am going to use the approach above: my functional tests will need to add the :\_session\_id cookie before making their requests. I am having a bit of trouble doing this. The simple cookies[:\_session\_id] = “faked out” doesn’t seem to work. @controller.cookies[] is protected Seems like I’m missing something pretty obvious this morning. Thanks in advance - jim ---
**Author:** ![jim-harris](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/278dde/32.png) [@jim-harris](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jim-harris)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2006, 7:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/setting-cookie-value-in-test/60254/2 "2006-05-11T19:40:50Z")
Is anyone wants to pick off just one of these and leave the other unanswered - that’s fine too 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![jim-harris](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/278dde/32.png) [@jim-harris](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jim-harris)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 1:12am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/setting-cookie-value-in-test/60254/3 "2006-05-12T01:12:37Z")
Hello Jim ! 2006/5/11, Jim H. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid): > good, go ahead with whatever their request was. > That probably won’t work. The first time a person comes in, they sure > won’t have a session going, so they’ll get kicked out saying “You need > cookies”. They’ll check, notice they accept cookies, and dump the > site since it doesn’t work. Of course, if you have a special entry page that doesn’t require the cookies, you’ll be fine. > 1. Given that I am going to use the approach above: my functional > tests will need to add the :\_session\_id cookie before making their > requests. I am having a bit of trouble doing this. The simple See my blog post: [http://blog.teksol.info/articles/2006/04/18/using-cookies-in-functional-tests](http://blog.teksol.info/articles/2006/04/18/using-cookies-in-functional-tests) Hope that helps ! ---
**Author:** ![jim-harris](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/j/278dde/32.png) [@jim-harris](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/jim-harris)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2006, 5:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/setting-cookie-value-in-test/60254/4 "2006-05-12T17:07:29Z")
Thanks for the help François. It’s much appreciated! It didn’t perfectly fit what I was struggling with (my fault, I don’t think I was clear enough)… detail below. On 5/11/06, Francois B. [removed\_email\_address@domain.invalid](mailto:removed_email_address@domain.invalid) wrote: > > Just have a before\_filter in my application.rb to verify that the > > cookies, you’ll be fine. These were my initial thoughts too but I figured: what the heck, I’ll try it out. I am seeing the results that I desire here: haven’t looked too much deeper but it seems that the session\_id cookie is being added (when enabled) prior to the before\_filter executing so that my check for it’s presence is working. > > 1. Given that I am going to use the approach above: my functional > > tests will need to add the :\_session\_id cookie before making their > > requests. I am having a bit of trouble doing this. The simple > > See my blog post: > [http://blog.teksol.info/articles/2006/04/18/using-cookies-in-functional-tests](http://blog.teksol.info/articles/2006/04/18/using-cookies-in-functional-tests) What I was actually struggling with was that in my web application everything was already working fine when accessing the cookie like: cookies[:\_session\_id] and my test was already working when using (note: here “@request” but not above) @request.cookies[“\_session\_id”] Since my before\_filter is used both by test and application… I needed to find a way to access the cookie in a uniform way in my before\_filter. Anyway, I seem to have come up with something that works and have posted on it (at length 🙂 ) here: > **[Requiring and Testing Cookies](https://jameshalberg.wordpress.com/2006/05/12/requiring-and-testing-cookies/)** > > Requirement: Users must have cookies enabled to use the site. If they don't: give them some sort of graceful warning to let them know there's going to be trouble. Doesn't sound too b… Thanks again