Module: RSpec::Core::MemoizedHelpers::ClassMethods

Included in:
ExampleGroup
Defined in:
lib/rspec/core/memoized_helpers.rb

Overview

This module is extended onto ExampleGroup, making the methods available to be called from within example group blocks. You can think of them as being analagous to class macros.

Instance Method Summary (collapse)

Instance Method Details

- (void) let(name, &block)

Note:

let can enhance readability when used sparingly (1,2, or maybe 3 declarations) in any given example group, but that can quickly degrade with overuse. YMMV.

Note:

let uses an ||= conditional that has the potential to behave in surprising ways in examples that spawn separate threads, though we have yet to see this in practice. You've been warned.

Note:

Because let is designed to create state that is reset between each example, and before(:context) is designed to setup state that is shared across all examples in an example group, let is not intended to be used in a before(:context) hook.

Generates a method whose return value is memoized after the first call. Useful for reducing duplication between examples that assign values to the same local variable.

Examples:


describe Thing do
  let(:thing) { Thing.new }
  it "does something" do
    # first invocation, executes block, memoizes and returns result
    thing.do_something
    # second invocation, returns the memoized value
    thing.should be_something
  end
end
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# File 'lib/rspec/core/memoized_helpers.rb', line 231
def let(name, &block)
  # We have to pass the block directly to `define_method` to
  # allow it to use method constructs like `super` and `return`.
  raise "#let or #subject called without a block" if block.nil?
  MemoizedHelpers.module_for(self).__send__(:define_method, name, &block)
  # Apply the memoization. The method has been defined in an ancestor
  # module so we can use `super` here to get the value.
  if block.arity == 1
    define_method(name) { __memoized.fetch(name) { |k| __memoized[k] = super(RSpec.current_example, &nil) } }
  else
    define_method(name) { __memoized.fetch(name) { |k| __memoized[k] = super(&nil) } }
  end
end

- (void) let!(name, &block)

Just like let, except the block is invoked by an implicit before hook. This serves a dual purpose of setting up state and providing a memoized reference to that state.

Examples:


class Thing
  def self.count
    @count ||= 0
  end
  def self.count=(val)
    @count += val
  end
  def self.reset_count
    @count = 0
  end
  def initialize
    self.class.count += 1
  end
end
describe Thing do
  after(:example) { Thing.reset_count }
  context "using let" do
    let(:thing) { Thing.new }
    it "is not invoked implicitly" do
      Thing.count.should eq(0)
    end
    it "can be invoked explicitly" do
      thing
      Thing.count.should eq(1)
    end
  end
  context "using let!" do
    let!(:thing) { Thing.new }
    it "is invoked implicitly" do
      Thing.count.should eq(1)
    end
    it "returns memoized version on first invocation" do
      thing
      Thing.count.should eq(1)
    end
  end
end
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# File 'lib/rspec/core/memoized_helpers.rb', line 299
def let!(name, &block)
  let(name, &block)
  before { __send__(name) }
end

- (void) subject(name = nil, &block)

Declares a subject for an example group which can then be wrapped with expect using is_expected to make it the target of an expectation in a concise, one-line example.

Given a name, defines a method with that name which returns the subject. This lets you declare the subject once and access it implicitly in one-liners and explicitly using an intention revealing name.

Examples:


describe CheckingAccount, "with $50" do
  subject { CheckingAccount.new(Money.new(50, :USD)) }
  it { is_expected.to have_a_balance_of(Money.new(50, :USD)) }
  it { is_expected.not_to be_overdrawn }
end
describe CheckingAccount, "with a non-zero starting balance" do
  subject(:account) { CheckingAccount.new(Money.new(50, :USD)) }
  it { is_expected.not_to be_overdrawn }
  it "has a balance equal to the starting balance" do
    .balance.should eq(Money.new(50, :USD))
  end
end

Parameters:

  • name (String, Symbol) (defaults to: nil) —

    used to define an accessor with an intention revealing name

  • block —

    defines the value to be returned by subject in examples

See Also:

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# File 'lib/rspec/core/memoized_helpers.rb', line 336
def subject(name=nil, &block)
  if name
    let(name, &block)
    alias_method :subject, name
    self::NamedSubjectPreventSuper.__send__(:define_method, name) do
      raise NotImplementedError, "`super` in named subjects is not supported"
    end
  else
    let(:subject, &block)
  end
end

- (void) subject!(name = nil, &block)

Just like subject, except the block is invoked by an implicit before hook. This serves a dual purpose of setting up state and providing a memoized reference to that state.

Examples:


class Thing
  def self.count
    @count ||= 0
  end
  def self.count=(val)
    @count += val
  end
  def self.reset_count
    @count = 0
  end
  def initialize
    self.class.count += 1
  end
end
describe Thing do
  after(:example) { Thing.reset_count }
  context "using subject" do
    subject { Thing.new }
    it "is not invoked implicitly" do
      Thing.count.should eq(0)
    end
    it "can be invoked explicitly" do
      subject
      Thing.count.should eq(1)
    end
  end
  context "using subject!" do
    subject!(:thing) { Thing.new }
    it "is invoked implicitly" do
      Thing.count.should eq(1)
    end
    it "returns memoized version on first invocation" do
      subject
      Thing.count.should eq(1)
    end
  end
end
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# File 'lib/rspec/core/memoized_helpers.rb', line 402
def subject!(name=nil, &block)
  subject(name, &block)
  before { subject }
end