gistfile1.rb

## Favorite.rb

class Favorite < ActiveRecord::Base
  belongs_to :user
  
  attr_accessible                         :name
  validates_presence_of                   :name
  validates_presence_of                   :user
  validates_format_of                     :name, :with => /\A[a-z]+\Z/
  before_create                           :ensure_unique_for_this_user
  
private
  
  # Ensure the user only has one favorite by this name
  def ensure_unique_for_this_user
    user.favorites.find_by_name(name).nil?
  end
  
end


## Favorites Test

require 'spec_helper'

describe Favorite do
  
  it 'fails validation with invalid attributes' do
    f = Favorite.new
    f.should_not be_valid
    
    f.errors.count.should eq(3)
    f.errors[:user].should eq(["can't be blank"])
    f.errors[:name].should eq(["can't be blank", "is invalid"])
    
    f.user = Factory(:quentin)
    f.name = "flowerspot"
    f.should be_valid
  end
  
  it 'only allows lowercase letters' do
    f = Favorite.new

    ['with space', 'with$pecial', 'withUpper'].each do |name|
      f.name = name
      f.should_not be_valid
      f.errors[:name].should eq(["is invalid"])
    end

  end
  
end

I've become a fan of the context and let syntax in rspec.

require 'spec_helper'

describe Favorite do
  describe "validations" do
    describe "#user" do
      let(:favorite) { Factory(:favorite, :user => user) }
      subject { favorite.errors[:user] }
      context "when user is nil" do
        let(:user) { nil }
        it { should == ["can't be blank"] }
      end
      context "when user exists" do
        let(:user) { Factory(:user)}
        it { should == p[] }
      end
    end
  end
end

This is a decent post on rspec best practices:
http://eggsonbread.com/2010/03/28/my-rspec-best-practices-and-tips/

What Chris said. :)

Well, this kind of blew my mind. I didn't know about subject, context, or let. How did you guys learn RSpec syntax? The docs I've found are either from older versions or are incomplete. Is there a complete reference somewhere online?

Also, I'm struggling a bit here:

describe Favorite do
 describe "validations" do
   describe "#user" do
     let(:favorite) { Factory(:flowerhub, :user => user) }
     subject { favorite.errors[:user] }
     context "when user is nil" do
       let(:user) { nil }
       it { should == ["can't be blank"] }
     end
   end
 end
end

When I run this spec, it says:

  1) Favorite validations#user when user is nil 
     Failure/Error: let(:favorite) { Factory(:flowerhub, :user => user) }
     ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid:
       Validation failed: User can't be blank

Which make sense; it's not letting me create a factory with an invalid attribute (nil user). How would you go about testing the validation using this syntax?

Finally, why did you begin "#user" with #?

The documentation for RSpec is pretty bad. Here's a good article. http://blog.carbonfive.com/2010/10/21/rspec-best-practices/ For testing validation syntax, I'd do: describe "user requirement" do subject{ Factory.build(:flowerhub, :user => nil) } it{ should_not be_valid } it{ should have_errors_on(:user) } #or whatever the syntax is end Mike Nicholaides http://ablegray.com (267) 622-4729

…

On Sat, Nov 26, 2011 at 10:33 PM, mattm < ***@***.*** > wrote: Well, this kind of blew my mind. I didn't know about subject, context, or let. How did you guys learn RSpec syntax? The docs I've found are either from older versions or are incomplete. Is there a complete reference somewhere online? Also, I'm struggling a bit here: ``` describe Favorite do describe "validations" do describe "#user" do let(:favorite) { Factory(:flowerhub, :user => user) } subject { favorite.errors[:user] } context "when user is nil" do let(:user) { nil } it { should == ["can't be blank"] } end end end end ``` When I run this spec, it says: ``` 1) Favorite validations#user when user is nil Failure/Error: let(:favorite) { Factory(:flowerhub, :user => user) } ActiveRecord::RecordInvalid: Validation failed: User can't be blank ``` Which make sense; it's not letting me create a factory with an invalid attribute (nil user). How would you go about testing the validation using this syntax? --- Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub: https://gist.github.com/1394796