Integration Test for Controller

Question

CONTROLLER ACTION:

def deleteDept = {

        def departmentInstance = Department.findByName(params.department.name)

        if (!departmentInstance) {
            println "no dept instance"
            throw new org.codehaus.groovy.grails.exceptions.NewInstanceCreationException ("could not create DeptInstance for ${params.department.name}")
        } else if (departmentInstance.paySvcs && !departmentInstance.paySvcs.isEmpty()){
            println "instance with paySvcs"
            // !!!! do not delete the department if it has payment services !!!!
            departmentInstance.errors.reject('department.do.not.delete.message')
//            render(view: "editDept", model: [departmentInstance: departmentInstance])
            redirect(action: "editDept", id: departmentInstance.id)
        } else{
            println "proceed to delete"
            try {
                departmentInstance.delete(flush: true)
                flash.message = "${message(code: 'default.deleted.message', args: [message(code: 'department.label', default: 'Department'), departmentInstance.name])}"
                redirect(action: "appAdmin", id: departmentInstance.id)
            }
            catch (org.springframework.dao.DataIntegrityViolationException e) {
                println "something went wrong"
                flash.message = "${message(code: 'default.not.deleted.message', args: [message(code: 'department.label', default: 'Department'), departmentInstance.name])}"
                redirect(action: "editDept", id: departmentInstance.id)
            }
        }
    }

INTEGRATION TEST:

        def AppAdminController controller = new AppAdminController()        // create the controller
        controller.metaClass.message = { Map p -> return "foo" }            // message dummy returning garbage - work around the controller message exception
        controller.params.department = [name:"dept1", phone:"817-273-3260", g_password:"password", street:"Main St.", g_userID:"user", unitCode:"1234567", email:"dept1@yahoo.com", zip:"75097", fax:"817-273-2222"]
        def dept2 = new Department (name: "Dept2", unitCode: "1234568", street: "Main St.", zip: "75097", fax: "817-273-2222", phone: "817-273 3260", email: "dept2@yahoo.com", g_userID: "user", g_password: "password")
        def dept1 = new Department (name: "Dept1", unitCode: "1234568", street: "Main St.", zip: "75097", fax: "817-273-2222", phone: "817-273 3260", email: "dept1@yahoo.com", g_userID: "user", g_password: "password")
        def math = new PaySvc()
        def another = new PaySvc()
        dept.paySvcs = []
        dept.paySvcs.add(math)
        dept.paySvcs.add(another)
        mockDomain(Department, [dept1, dept2])

        def svcTest = Department.findByName("Dept1")
        assertNotNull svcTest                                           // record Dept1 exists
        assertEquals 2, svcTest.paySvcs.size()                          // 2 paySvcs total

        controller.deleteDept()                                         // calling the action

        svcTest = null
        svcTest = Department.findByName("Dept1")
        assertNotNull svcTest                                           // record Dept1 still exists, it was not deleted
        // can't test render, controller.response.contentAsString is null
        // but testing at the UI is OK
 //       assertEquals "editDept", controller.response.contentAsString    // action should render "editDept"
        assertEquals "editDept", controller.redirectArgs.action

QUESTION:

render(view: "editDept", model: [departmentInstance: departmentInstance]) 

works when testing manually at the UI. But in the integration test the controller.response is null when using render, but returns the expected redirectArg when using redirect. Any ideas why?

Answer 1

May be far too late but may help someone else: with render, you need to use the modelAndView object on your controller, such as the following example:

assertEquals controller.modelAndView.model.departmentInstance, departmentInstance

assertEquals controller.modelAndView.viewName, "/test/editDept"

Good luck !