using mock data instead of EF for webapi unit test - asp.net-web-api

Question

I am trying to unit test a webapi project with zero joy.
The api is using EF6.1 to access data. My test project is using moq and xunit.
I have setup a basic test like
[Fact]
public void CheckGroupedDataCountEquals2()
{
var mockData = new List<Skill>()
{
new Skill() {Id = 1, Name = ".net"},
new Skill() {Id = 2, Name = "asp.net", ParentId = 1},
new Skill() {Id = 3, Name = "c#", ParentId = 1},
new Skill() {Id = 4, Name = "php"},
new Skill() {Id = 5, Name = "zend", ParentId = 4},
new Skill() {Id = 6, Name = "zend3", ParentId = 5}
};
// Arrange
_skillMock.Setup(x => x.GroupedSkills())
.Returns((new List<GroupedSkill>()));
var controller = new SkillsController(_skillMock.Object);
// Act
IHttpActionResult actionResult = controller.Get();
var contentResult = actionResult as OkNegotiatedContentResult<List<GroupedSkill>>;
// Assert
Assert.NotNull(contentResult);
var result = contentResult.Content as List<GroupedSkill>;
Assert.Equal(2,result.Count);
}
My apicontroller action looks like
[HttpGet]
[Route("")]
// GET api/<controller>
public IHttpActionResult Get()
{
var data = _skillRepository.GroupedSkills();
if (data!=null)
{
return Ok(data);
}
return NotFound();
}
And finally....my repo
public List<GroupedSkill> GroupedSkills()
{
using (var context = new DataContext())
{
var data = context.Skills.ToList();
var newList = data.Where(x => x.ParentId != null).ToList().GroupBy(x => x.ParentId,
(key, elements) =>
new
{
data.First(i => i.Id == key).Name,
GroupId = key,
Skills = elements.ToList()
})
.ToList();
var filtered = new List<GroupedSkill>();
foreach (var item in newList)
{
filtered.Add(new GroupedSkill()
{
GroupId = item.GroupId.Value,
Name = item.Name,
Skills = item.Skills
});
}
return filtered;
}
}
My test is always failing with the group count is always 0. I think its because I am not adding my mock list of mockData and my repository knows nothing about it.....am I right? how do I pass my mock list of data to the repo from my test

Answer 1

You are correct, you're passing it an empty list.
You first create the mockedData list, and populate it with real Skills, but it doesn't look like you ever use it. This should also be considered part of the Arrange section, for what that's worth.
var mockData = new List<Skill>()
{
new Skill() {Id = 1, Name = ".net"},
new Skill() {Id = 2, Name = "asp.net", ParentId = 1},
new Skill() {Id = 3, Name = "c#", ParentId = 1},
new Skill() {Id = 4, Name = "php"},
new Skill() {Id = 5, Name = "zend", ParentId = 4},
new Skill() {Id = 6, Name = "zend3", ParentId = 5}
};
Then when you begin your Arrange section by creating the _skillMock, but you creating a new, empty list.
// Arrange
_skillMock.Setup(x => x.GroupedSkills())
.Returns((new List<GroupedSkill>()));
And I can't tell where _skillMock is initialized; you shouldn't need it (and really don't want it) to be a class instance variable, because it could change across other tests. Instead, you should be setting this list up similar to how you built your mockData list.
You are properly passing the mock object in this line:
var controller = new SkillsController(_skillMock.Object);
However because you haven't added anything to that list, the list will always be empty.
Ideally, what I think you want is a real list filled with mocks of your GroupedSkill objects, something like this:
var mockData = new List<GroupedSkill>()
{
new Mock<GroupedSkill>(1, ".net").Object,
new Mock<GroupedSkill>(2, "asp.net", 1).Object,
// ... keep going
}
And then pass that list to your controller instead.