Unit Testing with the Zend Framework with Zend_Test and PHPUnit
June 11th, 2009I have to preface this video by saying that I’m still a bit of a novice when it comes to unit testing (especially in Zend). Also, I feel that I wouldn’t be able to take credit for the whole implementation.
Here are some great resources on unit testing in the Zend Framework to beef up your knowledge.
- Set up a Zend Framework application using Zend_Application (including PHPUnit setup)
- Testing Zend Framework MVC Applications – phly, boy, phly
- Matthew’s pastebin
The trouble with these is that they’re mostly pre-1.8. I’ve taken the approach of using a command line instead of the IDE since this way it doesn’t matter if you’re using Zend Studio for Eclipse.
What’s covered:
- Using phpunit with MAMP
- Unit Testing Models
- Generating Code Coverage Reports
- Unit Testing Controllers
Don’t forget to grab the source code or browse it on google code.
oh sorry, and I am using Zend Server for php 5.3
I had some trouble to debug why my logging was filing after the first unit test was run.
I was grabbing my logger instance from Zend_Registry.
Well, it seems that PHPUnit resets all global variables and class static variables between tests, hence the static variable Zend_Registry uses to reference its singelton instance was being destroyed.
To work-around that I had to add a declaration to my TestCase class:
protected $backupStaticAttributesBlacklist = array(
‘Zend_Registry’ => array(’_registry’)
);
That ensures that values set in the Zend registry are available to all unit tests.
(obviously have to be careful if the code you’re testing interacts with the registry in any non-trivial way. Mine doesn’t).
Hi,
Just wanted to ask for a little help here..
Following the tutorial, I managed to work my way until the creation of ControllerTestCase. When I started testing on the command line( I’m using Windows Vista, Zend Framework ), the prompt seemed to be pausing for a second then it it displays nothing. I tried running the bootstrap.php( almost similar to the bootstrap file demonstrated here ) by php and saw that error is:
PHP Fatal Error: Cannot redeclare class phpunit_framework_testcase on line 117.
I guess that’s why the phpunit does not display anything — the ControllerTestCase that I use( the one extending the Zend_Test_PHPUnit_ControllerTestCase ) fails.
I’ve been searching for the same issue over the internet to no avail.
Thanks for you help..
Hi Jon,
I’ve checked and checked and I can’t find phpunit within MAMP. I just went through and upgraded MAMP to the latest 1.8.3 and went to the directory you use: /Applications/MAMP/bin/php5/bin While the other 6 files that you show in your video are there, phpunit is not. (The other six are pear, peardev, pecl, php, php-config, phpize)
Are you sure you didn’t install it separately first? Is it possible that it was in an older version of MAMP and has subsequently been removed?
Do you know how to run this via zend studio? It seems it only can execute phpunit files (not using the configuration).
If i run phpunit from the commandline it needs xdebug for code coverage, and that disables the debug function.
i want to start using phpunit for my web app and i am grateful for this video showing the basic steps. most of the pages in my app require the visitor to login . when i try to run any code via phpunit that is dispatching to the login page, i get error = ‘Zend_session is not marked as readable’.
here is my test method code:
public function testLoginActionPost()
{
$this->getRequest()
->setmethod(’POST’);
$this->dispatch(”/auth/login”);
$this->assertController(”auth”);
$this->assertAction(”login”);
$this->assertResponseCode(200);
}
and here is the error:
There was 1 error:
1) IndexControllerTest::testLoginActionPost
Zend_Session_Exception: Zend_Session is not marked as readable.
library\Zend\Session\Abstract.php:86
library\Zend\Session\Namespace.php:391
library\Zend\Auth\Storage\Session.php:117
library\Zend\Auth.php:133
application\views\helpers\BuildMenu.php:13
library\Zend\View\Abstract.php:342
application\layouts\layout.phtml:11
library\Zend\View.php:108
library\Zend\View\Abstract.php:833
library\Zend\Layout.php:793
library\Zend\Layout\Controller\Plugin\Layout.php:142
library\Zend\Controller\Plugin\Broker.php:331
library\Zend\Controller\Front.php:957
library\Zend\Test\PHPUnit\ControllerTestCase.php:190
tests\application\controllers\IndexControllerTest.php:45
if i follow the code in my BuildMenu.php, it is merely truying to check
if the user is logged in, when the exception is thrown:
$auth = Zend_Auth::getInstance();
if ($auth->hasIdentity()) { <——— this line causes Zend_Session_Exception: Zend_Session is not marked as readable.
to be thrown.
for melissa (and maybe others), i had a similar issue and got answered in stackoverflow: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/1808148/unit-testing-phpunit-how-to-login
i hope it helps.
cheers
sorry for double posting, i forgot to check the followup notify checkbox…
Hi,
My architecture is quite similar than yours, my problem is after adding that line of code in my ControllerTestCase.php file :
“$this->application->bootstrap();”
I still get the following error : “Zend_Controller_Exception: No default module defined for this application”
except for this simple test :”$this->assertTrue(TRUE);”
Any idea ?
Thanks,
Hi Mike,
I would double-check your application.ini file.
@paul (late but for others who find this via Google as I did)
There doesn’t seem to be a solution for using Xdebug with Zend Server CE 4.0.5. The “official” response is:
“The PHP project only supports VC6 and VC9, and not VC8. Therefore I only
have VC6 and VC9 versions for Xdebug. ”
Source: http://xdebug.org/archives/xdebug-general/1634.html