Question

If I mock a method to return a new instance of some object, how can I capture the returned instance?

E.g.:

 when(mock.someMethod(anyString())).thenAnswer(new Answer() {
     Object answer(InvocationOnMock invocation) {
         Object[] args = invocation.getArguments();
         Object mock = invocation.getMock();
         return new Foo(args[0])
     }
 });

Obviously, I can have a field of type Foo and inside answer set it to the new instance, but is there a nicer way? Something like ArgumentCaptor?

Answer 1

Looks like you want to observe and then Answer instances, and receive notifications each time the answer method is called (which triggers the creation of a new Foo). So why not invent an ObservableAnswer class:

public abstract class ObservableAnswer implements Answer {
  private Listener[] listeners; // to keep it very simple...

  public ObservableAnswer(Listener...listeners) {
    this.listeners = listeners;
  }

  @Override
  public Object answer(InvocationOnMock invocation) {
    Object answer = observedAnswer(invocation);
    for (Listener listener:listeners) {
       listener.send(answer);
    }
    return answer;
  }

  // we'll have to implement this method now
  public abstract Object observedAnswer(InvocationOnMock invocation);
}

Intended use:

Listener[] myListeners = getListeners();  // some magic (as usual)
when(mock.someMethod(anyString())).thenAnswer(new ObservableAnswer(myListeners) {
     Object observedAnswer(InvocationOnMock invocation) {
         Object[] args = invocation.getArguments();
         Object mock = invocation.getMock();
         return new Foo(args[0])
     }

 });