delicious_part.rb

# The problem:
# I wanted to test check_gem, which needs to be called
# in the initializer (well, *I* need it to be called in
# the initializer)
#
class Delicious < Base
  
  def initialize username, password
    check_gem
    # ...
  end
  def check_gem
    require 'www/delicious'
  rescue LoadError
    puts "..." # Gem missing message omitted.
    exit 1
  end

# ...

# I could of course initialize an instance, stub
# require and call check_gem again. But this is
# not the way to go. 

delicious_spec_part.rb

# The trick is to just allocate a delicious object.
#
describe "check_gem" do
  before(:each) do
    @source = Sources::Delicious.allocate
  end
  context "doesn't find www/delicious" do
    before(:each) do
      @source.should_receive(:require).
        any_number_of_times.and_raise LoadError
    end
    it "puts and exits with error" do
      @source.should_receive(:puts).once.with "..."
      @source.should_receive(:exit).once.with 1
      
      @source.check_gem
    end
    # ... more specs

# To test the initialize method itself,
# send the message #initialize in your
# tests to the allocated object.
#