Functional test get method ignores session variables from setup when given a hash of new session variables

[avk]

I believe this is a functional test bug:

class SomeControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
  setup do
    @request.session["user_id"] = 1
  end

  test "some action" do
    get :some_action, { }, { "another_var" => 2 }
    # expected: @request.session == { "user_id" => 1, "another_var" => 2 }
    # actual:  @request.session == { "another_var" => 2 }
  end
end

After the get line, the session will only have another_var, not user_id. To get the latter, you have to do:
@request.session.merge({ "another_var" => 5 }) as the third argument to get. It does not seem to matter whether the session keys are strings or symbols, both fail without a merge.

Shouldn't merging with the current @request.session be done as part of get? Happy to start a patch if we agree this is a bug.

[pixeltrix]

This appears to be the intention as the code explicitly creates a new session. You can easily merge it yourself - I'd recommend using update as the session hash is a Rack session hash and update is redefined to stringify keys, e.g:

get :some_action, { }, session.update(:another_var => 2)

[avk]

Thanks for the quick response and the session.update tip. I know merging it myself isn't hard but isn't merging the common case? Any thoughts on why the session is treated differently from the parameters and the flash, both of which are merged in (around the code you linked to)?

[pixeltrix]

Well if it merged by default how would you create a test with a clean session - you'd need something like this:

class SomeControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
  setup do
    @request.session["user_id"] = 1
  end

  test "some action" do
    @request.session = ActionController::TestSession.new
    get :some_action, { }, { :another_var => 2 }
  end
end

It would also be a breaking change without any possibility of being backwards compatible unless you add a config option to enable the old behaviour.

[avk]

If merging the session is more common, I wouldn't mind the additional

@request.session = ActionController::TestSession.new

in the odd case I'd need to create a clean session but I do see your point about backwards compatibility.

[dmathieu]

I do think merging the session is the more common behavior.

@pixeltrix : with merging session params, there isn't necessarily a need to reinitialize the session manually.
I'd reproduce your previous example with the following :

class SomeControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
    context "logged in" do
        setup do
            @request.session["user_id"] = 1
        end

        test some action" do
            get :some_action, { }
        end
    end

    context "logged of" do
        test "some action" do
            get :some_action, { }, { :another_var => 2 }
        end
    end
end

This way, you have all your tests use the same predefined session depending of the context.
However as this can't be backward compatible and there'd be a lot of tests broken, I don't think it should come before 3.2.

[pixeltrix]

If you're going to try and stick to Semantic Versioning then it shouldn't come before 4.0 :-)

[avk]

I'm not a stickler for version numbers. Don't mind waiting til 3.2 or later. Should I contribute a patch with tests?

[avk]

Any more thoughts on this? Go forward or ignore?

[avk]

Ignore it is.

[pixeltrix]

@avk current focus is getting 3.1 out the door - this won't be patched before 3.2 so not a high priority right now. I'll assign it to me so it doesn't get lost and give you an answer once 3.1 final has shipped.

[avk]

Awesome, thanks. Just wanted to make sure it didn't get lost.

[rafaelfranca]

@pixeltrix ping.

[steveklabnik]

@pixeltrix was this eventually added to 3.2? @avk, are you still seeing this problem?

[pixeltrix]

@steveklabnik looking at it now - if it's not in then I'll add it today

[steveklabnik]

Awesome, thanks. ❤️

[pixeltrix]

Just out of interest would it be preferable to reset to the initial session after a process with a session arg or leave it merged? e.g:

class SomeControllerTest < ActionController::TestCase
  setup do
    session[:user_id] = 1
  end

  test "some action" do
    get :some_action, { }, { :another_var => 2 }
    # session == { "user_id" => 1, "another_var" => 2 }

    get :some_action
    # A: session == { "user_id" => 1 }
    # B: session == { "user_id" => 1, "another_var" => 2 }
  end
end

Which would be preferable - A or B. I can see arguments for both.

[rafaelfranca]

Form me B if it is in the same test as you showed. But A if it is in different tests.

[pixeltrix]

The request instance is re-created in the test setup phase so that would always be the case. The B case is nice and easy so lets go with that :-)

[avk]

Sorry to have missed out on the conversation earlier today but glad to see my suggestion made it in. The B case makes sense to me too.