Unit test default initialization

monster_model.js

BagOfTricks.Monster = SC.Record.extend(
/** @scope BagOfTricks.Monster.prototype */ {
  name: SC.Record.attr(String, { defaultValue: 'Unspecified' }),
  level: SC.Record.attr(Number, { defaultValue: 0 }),
  keywords: SC.Record.attr(Array, { defaultValue: function() { return [ 'Unspecified' ] } })
}
);

monster_tests.js

var defaultMonster;

module("BagOfTricks.Monster", {
    setup: function() {
        defaultMonster = BagOfTricks.store.createRecord( BagOfTricks.Monster, {} );
    },
    teardown: function() {
        BagOfTricks.store.reset();
    }
}
);

test("Default monster created as expected?", function() {
    equals(defaultMonster.get('name'), 'Unspecified');
    equals(defaultMonster.get('level'), 0);
    var defaultKeywordArray = ['Unspecified'];
    equals(defaultKeywordArray, defaultMonster.get('keywords'));
}
);

The Array comparison test is going to fail because equals uses == to test equality.

If you want to do something kinda groddy you could cast them to Strings before comparing, like:

    equals(defaultMonster.get('keywords').sort().toString(), defaultKeywordArray.sort().toString());

But man, that doesn't feel very good.

Still unsure on why == actually fails then. What does it check? And what would be the normal routine for unit testing Arrays?
Comparing Strings seems to work fine, even though I instantiated those inline for the equality check.

It fails because that's how javascript works. Here's a blog post that explains it in more depth and has some examples.

You can also just test this in your browsers console:

> [1] == [1]
false

> [1].sort().toString() == [1].sort().toString()
true

Long story short unit testing Arrays or non-String/Number Objects in javascript is a pain in the ass. It seems like the simplest path is what I originally recommended: serialize your objects and compare them as strings. Would love to hear about a different/better solution if you find one.

Well, at least it's definite that it's a pain in the ass, so thanks :) I'll stick to the toString() method for now. See you around in #sproutcore.