Test::MockObject::Extends

Test::MockObject::ExteUser3Contributed Perl DocuTest::MockObject::Extends(3pm)



NAME
       Test::MockObject::Extends - mock part of an object or class

SYNOPSIS
         use Some::Class;
         use Test::MockObject::Extends;

         # create an object to mock
         my $object      = Some::Class->new();

         # wrap that same object with a mocking wrapper
         $object         = Test::MockObject::Extends->new( $object );

         # now chain mock and control calls
         $object->set_true( 'parent_method' )
                ->set_always( -grandparent_method => 1 )
                ->clear();

DESCRIPTION
       Test::MockObject::Extends lets you mock one or more methods of an
       existing object or class.  This can be very handy when you're testing a
       well-factored module that does almost exactly what you want.  Wouldn't
       it be handy to take control of a method or two to make sure you receive
       testable results?  Now you can.

METHODS
       "new( $object | $class )"
           "new()" takes one optional argument, the object or class to mock.
           If you're mocking a method for an object that holds internal state,
           create an appropriate object, then pass it to this constructor.
           NOTE: this will modify the object in place.

           If you're mocking an object that does not need state, as in the
           cases where there's no internal data or you'll only be calling
           class methods, or where you'll be mocking all of the access to
           internal data, you can pass in the name of the class to mock par-
           tially.

           If you've not yet loaded the class, this method will try to load it
           for you.  This may fail, so beware.

           If you pass no arguments, it will assume you really meant to create
           a normal "Test::MockObject" object and will oblige you.

           Note that if you pass a class, the object returned will appear to
           be an instance of that class; this does not mock the class itself.

       "mock( $methodname, $sub_ref )"
           See the documentation for Test::MockObject for all of the ways to
           mock methods and to retrieve method logging information.  These
           methods return the invocant, so you can chain them.

       "unmock( $methodname )"
           Removes any active mocking of the named method.  This means any
           calls to that method will hit the method of that name in the class
           being mocked, if it exists.  This method returns the invocant, you
           can chain it.

       "isa( $class )"
           As you'd expect from a mocked object, this will return true for the
           class it's mocking.

INTERNAL METHODS
       To do its magic, this module uses several internal methods:

       * "check_class_loaded( $parent_class )"
           This verifies that you have the mockee defined.  If not, it
           attempts to load the corresponding module for you.

       * "gen_autoload( $extended )"
           Returns an AUTOLOAD subroutine for the mock object that checks that
           the extended object (or class) can perform the requested method,
           that Test::MockObject can perform it, or that the parent has an
           appropriate AUTOLOAD of its own.  (It should have its own "can()"
           in that case too though.)

       * "gen_can( $extended )"
           Returns a "can()" method for the mock object that respects the same
           execution order as "gen_autoload()".

       * "gen_isa( $extended )"
           Returns an "isa()" method for the mock object that claims to be the
           $extended object appropriately.

       * "gen_get_parents( $extended )"
           Returns a "__get_parents()" method for the mock object that claims
           to be the $extended object appropriately.

       * "gen_package( $extended )"
           Creates a new unique package for the mock object with the appropri-
           ate methods already installed.

       * "get_class( $invocant )"
           Returns the class name of the invocant, whether it's an object or a
           class name.

CAVEATS
       There may be some weird corner cases with dynamically generated methods
       in the mocked class.  You really should use subroutine declarations
       though, or at least set "can()" appropriately.

       There are also potential name collisions with methods in this module or
       "Test::MockObject", though this should be rare.

AUTHOR
       chromatic, <chromatic at wgz dot org>

       Documentation bug fixed by Stevan Little.  Additional AUTOLOAD approach
       suggested by Adam Kennedy.  Other bugs reported by Paul the Nomad and
       Praveen Ray.  Thank you all!

BUGS
       No known bugs.

COPYRIGHT
       Copyright (c) 2004 - 2006, chromatic.  All rights reserved.  You may
       use, modify, and distribute this module under the same terms as Perl
       5.8.x.



perl v5.8.8                       2006-10-05    Test::MockObject::Extends(3pm)