Non-blocking it() calls

[ORESoftware]

I am sure you have had this question before but I am really struggling to find information about this online.

I am looking for a way to make it() calls non-blocking

currently, if I run this code:

var request = require('request');
var path = require('path');
var fs = require('fs');
var assert = require('assert');
var colors = require('colors');
var async = require('async');


describe('@Test_Enrichment*', function () {

    var config, constants, serverURL, serverPort;

    before(function () {
        config = require('univ-config')(this.test.parent.title, 'setup/testSetup');
        constants = config.get('sc_constants');
        serverURL = config.get('test_env').smartconnect_server_config.url;
        serverPort = config.get('test_env').smartconnect_server_config.port;
    });


   fs.readdirSync(__dirname + '/test_data/enriched_payloads').filter(function (file) {

        return (path.extname(file) === '.json');

    }).map(function (file) {

        return __dirname + '/test_data/enriched_payloads/' + file;

   }).forEach(function (file) {

        it('[test] ' + path.basename(file), function (done) {
            var jsonDataForEnrichment = require(file);
            jsonDataForEnrichment.customer.accountnum = "8497404620452729";
            jsonDataForEnrichment.customer.data.accountnum = "8497404620452729";

            var options = {
                url: serverURL + ':' + serverPort + '/event',
                json: true,
                body: jsonDataForEnrichment,
                method: 'POST'
            };

            request(options, function (error, response, body) {
                if (error) {
                    done(error);
                }
                else {
                    assert(response.statusCode == 201, "Error: Response Code");
                    done();
                }
            });
        });

       console.log(Date.now());   // this logging statement logs everything before any it() tests are invoked
    });
});

then I get this output:

CACSVML-13295:smartconnect amills001c$ mocha test/testEnrichment.js 
1443133002097
1443133002100
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002101
1443133002102
1443133002102
1443133002102
1443133002102
1443133002102
1443133002102
1443133002102
1443133002102
1443133002102
1443133002103
1443133002103
1443133002103
1443133002103
1443133002103
1443133002103


  @Test_Enrichment*
[2015-09-24 22:16:42.132Z] file=testSetup.js mod=SmartConnect 

runtime NODE_ENV: dev_local
    ✓ [test] Activate_CDV.json (248ms)
    ✓ [test] Active_HSI.json (226ms)
    ✓ [test] Appt.json (208ms)
    ✓ [test] Bill.json (212ms)
    ✓ [test] Billing.json (203ms)
    ✓ [test] Cable_Card.json (225ms)
    ✓ [test] Cable_Card_Issue.json (200ms)
    ✓ [test] Caption.json (212ms)
    ✓ [test] Channel_Lineup.json (205ms)
    ✓ [test] Guide_To_Be_Announced.json (202ms)
    ✓ [test] OMP.json (209ms)
    ✓ [test] On_Demand_General.json (204ms)
    ✓ [test] On_Demand_Issue_General.json (205ms)
    ✓ [test] Othr.json (209ms)
    ✓ [test] ParentalControl.json (203ms)
    ✓ [test] Phone_Block_Calls.json (226ms)
    ✓ [test] Phone_Long_Distance_Issue.json (203ms)
    ✓ [test] Phone_Number_Change.json (239ms)
    ✓ [test] Retention.json (198ms)
    ✓ [test] Retn.json (197ms)
    ✓ [test] Sale.json (208ms)
    ✓ [test] Sales.json (199ms)
    ✓ [test] Screen_Freeze.json (196ms)
    ✓ [test] Screen_Snow.json (208ms)
    ✓ [test] Store_Locator.json (205ms)
    ✓ [test] Tech.json (236ms)
    ✓ [test] Vacation_Hold.json (203ms)
    ✓ [test] Video_EAS.json (204ms)
    ✓ [test] Video_Unauthorized.json (200ms)
    ✓ [test] Xfinity_Home.json (200ms)


  30 passing (6s)

as you can see, and as you probably know, the it() callbacks are delayed such that one it() doesn't run before the previous one completes - in other words, they are synchronous or blocking.

Is there a way around this?

My tests take too long to run as is!

[danielstjules]

Checkout https://github.com/danielstjules/mocha.parallel You could change that single describe to parallel. Note that it has limitations at the moment, including not being able to use nested suites.

Given that this "parallel" behavior is a bit tricky (and requires domains for clean exception handling), I can't see it being introduced into the core runner.

[boneskull]

#849 #1373

[boneskull]

never say never, but it would require a rewrite of Runner, Runnable, Suite... at minimum

[boneskull]

domain support is another issue (#513) but definitely should be a prereq to anything like this

[danielstjules]

Agreed. It would be nice if the browser could offer some sort of equivalent to domains. But even node is dropping them in favor of a solution that hasn't yet been completed. :( I think they're a poor solution for error handling in most projects, but there's some exceptions (like a test runner haha) where I think they'd be helpful.

[danielstjules]

I think it'd be nice to keep browser and node logic (including error handling) as close as possible, and thus avoid domains, as we're not yet doing much in regards to browser tests. Though I guess the bigger issue is that we should start setting up automatic browser integration tests. It'd be a great way to avoid regressions too.