How to fail a python unittest in setUpClass?

Question

I am doing some unittests with python and some pre-test checks in setUpClass. How can I throw a unitest-fail within the setUpClass, as the following simple example:

class MyTests(unittest.TestCase):

    @classmethod
    def setUpClass(cls):    
        unittest.TestCase.fail("Test")

    def test1(self):
        pass

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()

gives the error TypeError: unbound method fail() must be called with TestCase instance as first argument (got str instance instead).

I understand the error I get as fail is a instance method, and I don't have an instance of MyClass yet. Using an instance on-the-fly like

unittest.TestCase().fail("Test")

also does not work, as unittest.TestCase itself has no tests. Any ideas how to fail all tests in MyClass, when some condition in setUpClass is not met?

Followup question: Is there a way to see the tests in setUpClass?

it is also possible to skip test (for anyone who do not want to have a fail and still test the rest): stackoverflow.com/questions/2066508/… — Marine Galantin
– Marine Galantin, Commented Jan 24, 2021 at 13:56

Stephen · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-08 08:53:51Z

72

self.fail("test") put into your setUp instance method fails all the tests

I think the easiest way to do this at the class level is to make a class variable so something like:

@classmethod
def setUpClass(cls):
   cls.flag = False

def setUp(self):
   if self.flag:
       self.fail("conditions not met")

Hope this is what you want.

edited Feb 8, 2013 at 8:53

answered Feb 8, 2013 at 8:05

Stephen

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1 Comment

Ema Il Over a year ago

for some reason sonarqube does not accept the self.fail line. for me it says that it's not covered by tests.

Greg · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-08 08:16:04Z

53

Using a simple assert should work

assert False, "I mean for this to fail"

answered Feb 8, 2013 at 8:16

Greg

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2 Comments

Addison Klinke Over a year ago

Won't this report from the test runner as an error rather than a failure?

Greg Over a year ago

Doesn't AssertionError being raised mean the test fails?

arkadiont · Accepted Answer · 2022-04-25 10:22:34Z

4

I'm not an expert in python but with same problem, I've resolved adding cls param:

...
    @classmethod
    def setUpClass(cls):
        cls.fail(cls, "Test") 
...

I think is strange but clearer.

When you pass cls, warning appear (Expected type 'TestCase', got 'Type[MyTests]' instead) and MyTests inherits from TestCase thus can ignoring adding: # noinspection PyTypeChecker

edited Apr 25, 2022 at 10:22

answered Apr 25, 2022 at 8:41

arkadiont

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