Question

I’m creating a TestClass for unit testing an application, and one thing I’d like to do is run a test method, check method has run correctly, store a value in class property within test class base on outcome, and then use that value in a later method.

I’ve tried doing this and found that as soon as the compiler moves from one method to another, all the properties I have set are wiped clean. I have checked with breakpoints and at the end of the first method the value is in the property, and then at the beginning of the second method that same property is null.

Looked this up and no one else seems to be attempting the same thing, so is it possible to share a value between methods or am I taking the wrong approach?

Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

You are taking the wrong approach.

Unit tests, by definition, should be completely self-contained and deterministic. They should not depend on one another.

You should be able to refactor out the repetitive portion of your first unit test into a helper method which can be invoked by your other unit test. The work will be done twice, but Unit Tests should be really fast, so the overhead should be really minimal.