AngularJS E2E: loop through a list and test each item in a separate "it" statement.

AngularJS E2E test each listitem in separate it.js

// PROBLEM:
// ========
//
// If you have a list of 'something', perhaps links to another page, and you want to click each item, 
// then run some tests (and possibly click more links in the next page and run tests etc...). 
// You could have dozens (or even hundreds) of tests per list item.
// In AngularJS E2E you need to enclose the whole thing in ONE "it" statement 
// (because otherwise you cannot see the 'element' object), something like this:

    it ('clicking each link takes you to the correct page', function() {
        element('li a').query(function (selectedElements, done) {
            selectedElements.each(function(idx,elm) {
                //... do LOTS of tests on this list item ...
            });
        });
    });

// Every test in there against every list item is now in the same "it", so finding the source of a problem 
// could be a serious drag. Also, if one test fails then no others in here will run 
// (because the application thinks they are all part of one big test).
// 
// So the challenge is to process each list item in it's own "it" statement. 
// I couldn't find a way to do it using pure AngularJS E2E, I had to mix it up a bit with some 
// jQuery and javascript. But anyway, here it is (in theory - need time to test it!).
//
// SOLUTION:
// =========

    //
    // Wait for the list elements to resolve, then
    // assign the count to the variable "x".
    //
    var x = [];
    it('get list count into "x"', function() {
        var y = element('li a').count();
        var z = setInterval(function() {
            if (y.fulfilled) {
                clearInterval(z);
                console.log("pushing to x: " + y.value);
                x.push(y.value);
            }
        },200);
    });

    //
    // Now we wait until the variable is set, then we can
    // loop through each list item, clicking +
    // running tests etc... against each one, in individual
    // "it" statements.
    //
    var z2 = setInterval(function() {
        if (x.length > 0) {
            // x contains something, so now we can proceed.
            clearInterval(z2);

            $.each(x, function(idx, x_item) {
              it ('"' + x_item + '" is displayed in the list', function() {
                element('li a:eq(' + x_item + ')').click();
                // ... do some tests then use "browser().navigateTo" to come back here ready
                // for the next test ...
              });
            });
        }
    }, 200);