Inherits from NSObject
Declared in RKTestFactory.h

Overview

The RKTestFactory class provides an interface for initializing RestKit objects within a unit testing environment. The factory is used to ensure isolation between test cases by ensuring that RestKit’s important singleton objects are torn down between tests and that each test is working within a clean Core Data environment. Callback hooks are provided so that application specific set up and tear down logic can be integrated as well.

The factory also provides for the definition of named factories for instantiating objects quickly. At initialization, there are factories defined for creating instances of AFHTTPClient, RKObjectManager, and RKManagedObjectStore. These factories may be redefined within your application should you choose to utilize a subclass or wish to centralize configuration of objects across the test suite. You may also define additional factories for building instances of objects specific to your application using the same infrastructure.

Customizing the Factory

The test factory is designed to be customized via an Objective-C category. All factory methods are implemented using blocks that have sensible defaults, but can be overridden by providing an alternate implementation. To do so, implement a category on the RKTestFactory class and provide an implementation of the + (void)load method. Within the method body, configure your blocks as you see fit. An example implementation is provided below:

@interface RKTestFactory (MyApp)
// Create a convenience method for retrieving an object from the factory
+ (GGAirport *)ohareAirport;
@end
@implementation RKTestFactory (MyApp)
+ (void)load
{
    [self setSetUpBlock:{
        // I am called on every invocation of `setUp`!
    }];
    // Replace the default object manager factory
    [RKTestFactory defineFactory:RKTestFactoryDefaultNamesObjectManager withBlock:^id {
        GGObjectManager *objectManager = [[GGObjectManager alloc] initWithBaseURL:[self baseURL]];
        return objectManager;
     }];
    // Define a new factory called 'ORD' that returns a representation of Chicago's O'Hare Airport
    [RKTestFactory defineFactory:@"ORD" withBlock:^id{
        GGAirport *ord = [RKTestFactory insertManagedObjectForEntityForName:@"Airport" inManagedObjectContext:nil withProperties:nil];
        ord.airportID = @16;
        ord.name = @"Chicago O'Hare International Airport";
        ord.code = @"ORD";
        ord.city = @"Chicago";
        ord.favorite = @(YES);
        ord.timeZoneName = @"America/Chicago";
        ord.latitude = @(41.9781);
        ord.longitude = @(-87.9061);
        return ord;
     }];
}
+ (GGAirport *)ohareAirport
{
    return [self objectFromFactory:@"ORD"];
}
@end

Tasks

Configuring the Factory

Defining & Instantiating Objects from Factories

  • + defineFactory:withBlock:

    Defines a factory with a given name for building object instances using the given block. When the factory singleton receives an objectFromFactory: message, the block designated for the given factory name is invoked and the resulting object reference is returned.

  • + objectFromFactory:properties:

    Creates and returns a new instance of an object using the factory with the given name.

  • + sharedObjectFromFactory:

    Fetches a shared object from the factory with the given name. If an existing object has already been created, then that instance is returned. If a shared instance does not yet exist, one will be constructed and returned for this and all subsequent invocations of sharedObjectFromFactory:. Shared object instances are discarded when the factory is torn down.

  • + insertManagedObjectForEntityForName:inManagedObjectContext:withProperties:

    Inserts a new managed object for the NSEntityDescription with the given name into the specified managed object context and sets properties on the instance from the given dictionary. A permanent managed object ID is obtained for the object so that it can be referenced across threads without any further work.

  • + factoryNames

    Returns a set of names for all defined factories.

Retrieving Shared Objects

  • + client

    Fetches the shared AFHTTPClient object using the factory defined for the name RKTestFactoryDefaultNamesClient.

  • + objectManager

    Fetches the shared RKObjectManager object using the factory defined for the name RKTestFactoryDefaultNamesObjectManager.

  • + managedObjectStore

    Fetches the shared an RKManagedObjectStore object using the factory defined for the name RKTestFactoryDefaultNamesManagedObjectStore.

Configuring Set Up and Tear Down Blocks

Managing Test State

  • + setUp

    Sets up the RestKit testing environment. Executes the block set via setSetupBlock: to perform application specific setup.

  • + tearDown

    Tears down the RestKit testing environment by clearing singleton instances, helping to ensure test case isolation. Executes the block set via setTearDownBlock: to perform application specific cleanup.

Class Methods

baseURL

Returns the base URL with which to initialize AFHTTPClient and RKObjectManager instances created via the factory.

+ (NSURL *)baseURL

Return Value

The base URL for the factory.

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

client

Fetches the shared AFHTTPClient object using the factory defined for the name RKTestFactoryDefaultNamesClient.

+ (id)client

Return Value

The shared client instance.

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

defineFactory:withBlock:

Defines a factory with a given name for building object instances using the given block. When the factory singleton receives an objectFromFactory: message, the block designated for the given factory name is invoked and the resulting object reference is returned.

+ (void)defineFactory:(NSString *)factoryName withBlock:(id ( ^ ) ( ))block

Parameters

factoryName

The name to assign the factory.

block

A block to execute when building an object instance for the factory name.

Return Value

A configured object instance.

Discussion

Existing factories can be invoking defineFactory:withBlock: with an existing factory name.

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

factoryNames

Returns a set of names for all defined factories.

+ (NSSet *)factoryNames

Return Value

A set of the string names for all defined factories.

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

insertManagedObjectForEntityForName:inManagedObjectContext:withProperties:

Inserts a new managed object for the NSEntityDescription with the given name into the specified managed object context and sets properties on the instance from the given dictionary. A permanent managed object ID is obtained for the object so that it can be referenced across threads without any further work.

+ (id)insertManagedObjectForEntityForName:(NSString *)entityName inManagedObjectContext:(NSManagedObjectContext *)managedObjectContext withProperties:(NSDictionary *)properties

Parameters

entityName

The name of the entity to insert a new managed object for.

managedObjectContext

The managed object context to insert the new object into. If nil, then the managed object context returned by invoking [RKTestFactory managedObjectStore].mainQueueManagedObjectContext] is used.

properties

A dictionary of properties to be set on the new managed object instance.

Return Value

A new object inheriting from NSManagedObject.

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

managedObjectStore

Fetches the shared an RKManagedObjectStore object using the factory defined for the name RKTestFactoryDefaultNamesManagedObjectStore.

+ (id)managedObjectStore

Return Value

The shared managed object store instance.

Discussion

On first invocation per factory setup/teardown, a new managed object store will be configured and returned. If there is an existing persistent store (i.e. from a previous test invocation), then the persistent store is deleted.

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

objectFromFactory:properties:

Creates and returns a new instance of an object using the factory with the given name.

+ (id)objectFromFactory:(NSString *)factoryName properties:(NSDictionary *)properties

Parameters

factoryName

The name of the factory to use when building the requested object. @raises NSInvalidArgumentException Raised if a factory with the given name is not defined.

properties

An NSDictionary of properties to be set on the created object.

Return Value

An object built using the factory registered for the given name.

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

objectManager

Fetches the shared RKObjectManager object using the factory defined for the name RKTestFactoryDefaultNamesObjectManager.

+ (id)objectManager

Return Value

The shared object manager instance.

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

setBaseURL:

Sets the base URL for the factory.

+ (void)setBaseURL:(NSURL *)URL

Parameters

URL

The new base URL.

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

setSetupBlock:

Sets a block to be executed when the setUp method is called as part of a test run.

+ (void)setSetupBlock:(void ( ^ ) ( ))block

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

setTearDownBlock:

Sets a block to be executed when the tearDown method is called as part of a test run.

+ (void)setTearDownBlock:(void ( ^ ) ( ))block

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

setUp

Sets up the RestKit testing environment. Executes the block set via setSetupBlock: to perform application specific setup.

+ (void)setUp

Discussion

Note that the firt time that the setUp method is invoked, it will execute a tearDown to clear any configuration that may have taken place in during application launch.

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

sharedObjectFromFactory:

Fetches a shared object from the factory with the given name. If an existing object has already been created, then that instance is returned. If a shared instance does not yet exist, one will be constructed and returned for this and all subsequent invocations of sharedObjectFromFactory:. Shared object instances are discarded when the factory is torn down.

+ (id)sharedObjectFromFactory:(NSString *)factoryName

Parameters

factoryName

The name of the factory to retrieve the shared instance of.

Return Value

The shared object instance for the factory registered with the given name.

Discussion

Shared objects are used to return object instances for cases where it does not make sense to instantiate a new instance on every invocation of the factory. A common example where this is appropriate is the managedObjectStore factory, where construction of a new store on each invocation would yield managed objects that cross Core Data stacks.

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h

tearDown

Tears down the RestKit testing environment by clearing singleton instances, helping to ensure test case isolation. Executes the block set via setTearDownBlock: to perform application specific cleanup.

+ (void)tearDown

Declared In

RKTestFactory.h