Configuration option reports originalvalue true after modification

[fflaten]

General summary of the issue

Options in the PesterConfiguration-object includes a IsOriginalValue() to indicate if they have been modified by the user, even if the option currently has equal value to the default.

If a user directly modifies the Value-property which holds the current value on a option, this flag isn't flipped like it should be. This affects any "auto" logic for options and merging of configuration.

Describe your environment

Pester version : 5.2.0 C:\Users\Frode\Documents\PowerShell\Modules\pester\5.2.0\Pester.psm1
PowerShell version : 7.1.3
OS version : Microsoft Windows NT 10.0.19042.0

Also in latest 5.3.0 alpha.

Steps to reproduce

$c = (New-PesterConfiguration)
$c.Run.Path; write-Host "Original: $($c.Run.Path.IsOriginalValue())" -ForegroundColor Yellow

Original: True
Default Description                                                                                 Value
------- -----------                                                                                 -----
{.}     Directories to be searched for tests, paths directly to test files, or combination of both. {.}

$c.Run.Path.Value = 'Something new'
$c.Run.Path; write-Host "Original: $($c.Run.Path.IsOriginalValue())" -ForegroundColor Yellow

Original: True
Default Description                                                                                 Value
------- -----------                                                                                 -----
{.}     Directories to be searched for tests, paths directly to test files, or combination of both. {Something new}

Expected Behavior

IsOriginalValue() should not say true when value has been modified

Current Behavior

IsOriginalValue() says true when it should be false

Possible Solution? (optional)

This is caused by the assumption that all values is set using the option-property itself which uses constructors to cast values of different types and not that the user can modify the Value-property directly. The logic that flips the _isOriginalValue flag is only done in the constructors. Two possible solutions:

• Also modify the _isOriginalValue in the setter of Value in https://github.com/pester/Pester/blob/main/src/csharp/Pester/GenericOption.cs
• Make the setter of Value private like Default and Description to force use of the constructors which should be the commonly used way.

Having access to modify Value makes it easy to modify some array-options, but it's not critical. Ex.

$c.Debug.WriteDebugMessagesFrom.Value += 'MyForgottenCategory'
# vs
$c.Debug.WriteDebugMessagesFrom = $c.Debug.WriteDebugMessagesFrom.Value + @('MyForgottenCategory')

[nohwnd]

OK on making the value setter private, imho that is a good solution.

[indented-automation]

This will likely break my deserializer. There are tests for the deserializer, but it currently depends on being able to set Value.

[fflaten]

This will likely break my deserializer. There are tests for the deserializer, but it currently depends on being able to set Value.

Replacing section.configurationItem.Value = ... with section.configurationItem = ... should fix that. Accepted values types will be casted and assigned to the Value-property automatically.

Update: Rewrote as concept-/pseudocode

[indented-automation]

Great, I've removed use of .Value on set away in my PR.

Thanks!