CakePHP: validation( ) fails - validation

Question

My validation fails, so my test for this message throws an ValidationException every time.
"Not all fields are filled out correct". Why? Analoguosly, it works for users (another method).
MODEL:
public $validate = array(
'name' => array(
'notempty' => array(
'rule' => array('notempty'),
'message' => 'Name can not be empty',
),
'unique' => array(
'rule' => 'isUnique',
'message' => 'This name is already used.',
),
),
'address' => array(
'notempty' => array(
'rule' => array('notempty'),
'message' => 'Address can not be empty',
),
...
public function saveNewInstitution($institutionData, $userId) {
$institutionData[$this->alias]['is_active'] = 1;
$institutionData[$this->alias]['user_id'] = $userId;
$this->create();
$this->set($institutionData);
if ($this->validates()) {
return $this->save();
} else {
throw new ValidationException('Not all fields are filled out correct');
}
}
TESTclass:
public function testSaveNewInstitution() {
$data = array(
'Institution' => array(
'name' => 'Spitex Staufen',
'address' => 'Hauptweg 4',
'postcode' => '1234',
'city' => 'huuh',
'phone_number' => '123 456 78 90',
'email' => 'staufen#spitex.huuh',
'comment' => '',
'institution_type_id' => 5
));
$expected = array(
'Institution' => array(
'id' => 2,
'name' => 'Spitex Staufen',
'address' => 'Hauptweg 4',
'postcode' => '1234',
'city' => 'huuh',
'phone_number' => '123 456 78 90',
'email' => 'staufen#spitex.huuh',
'comment' => '',
'is_active' => TRUE,
'user_id' => 2,
'institution_type_id' => 5
));
$result = $this->Institution->saveNewInstitution($data, 2);
$this->assertEqual($result, $expected);
}
and all the Exceptionhandling methods like this:
public function testSaveNewInstitutionExceptionName() {
$this->setExpectedException('ValidationException');
$this->Institution->saveNewInstitution($this->__nameEmpty, 2);
}

Answer 1

I don't know if i got it really - is your Testclass failing or is the saveNewInstitution() function making you troubles? Did you try to check if the saveNewInstitution() is working correct by hand - put some data in a form an pass it to your function?
Maybe it's just a small thing and you have an entry with id=2 in your database an you got a duplicate key exception overwritten by your own exception method testSaveNewInstitutionExceptionName().