unserialize when @runInSeparateProcess triggers an error

[Fuco1]

When I run test in separate process, PHPUnit tries to do some marshalling between the processes. From time to time, I get an unserialize offset error, here's an example:

PHPUnit 4.4.1 by Sebastian Bergmann.

E

Time: 1.06 seconds, Memory: 10.25Mb

There was 1 error:

1) COrderMethodNormalUnitTest::testComputeOrder with data set #0 (58)
PHPUnit_Framework_Exception: 

composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/phpunit:62

Caused by
exception 'ErrorException' with message 'unserialize(): Error at offset 0 of 1 bytes' in composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Util/PHP.php:144
Stack trace:
#0 [internal function]: {closure}(8, 'unserialize(): ...', '/var/www/html/d...', 144, Array)
#1 composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Util/PHP.php(144): unserialize('?')
#2 composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Util/PHP.php(88): PHPUnit_Util_PHP->processChildResult(Object(COrderMethodNormalUnitTest), Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult), '?', '')
#3 composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Framework/TestCase.php(720): PHPUnit_Util_PHP->runTestJob('<?php?if (!defi...', Object(COrderMethodNorhttps://github.com/sebastianbergmann/phpunit/blob/master/src/Util/PHP.php#L109malUnitTest), Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#4 composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Framework/TestSuite.php(751): PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase->run(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#5 composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Framework/TestSuite.php(751): PHPUnit_Framework_TestSuite->run(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#6 composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Framework/TestSuite.php(751): PHPUnit_Framework_TestSuite->run(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#7 composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/TextUI/TestRunner.php(423): PHPUnit_Framework_TestSuite->run(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#8 composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/TextUI/Command.php(186): PHPUnit_TextUI_TestRunner->doRun(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestSuite), Array)
#9 composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/TextUI/Command.php(138): PHPUnit_TextUI_Command->run(Array, true)
#10 composer/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/phpunit(62): PHPUnit_TextUI_Command::main()
#11 {main}
FAILURES!
Tests: 1, Assertions: 0, Errors: 1.

After googling around I've found http://www.microtuts.com/php-unserialize-error-at-offset-simple-solution/ and indeed applying this fixed the issue.

Specifically, I've added trim before unseralize here: https://github.com/sebastianbergmann/phpunit/blob/master/src/Util/PHP.php#L109

The test code can be reduced to this and I can still reproduce the error

/**
 * @dataProvider plidProvider
 * @runInSeparateProcess
 */
public function testComputeOrder($plid)
{
    $this->assertEquals(true, true);
}

public function plidProvider() {
    return array(array(58));
}

I'm no PHP wizzard so I have no idea if the trim there can cause any trouble. I'm going to use it in on instance, will report back if I find any troubles with it.

[whatthejeff]

Curious why the output would be a single byte of whitespace. It should contain a serialized array, so there must be some additional problem here.

Unfortunately, I can't seem to reproduce the issue with the information you've provided. Would it be possible for you to provide a complete example (maybe as a github repo)?

[Fuco1]

I'm trying to use PHPUnit to test quite large application at work, for obvious reasons I can't put it somewhere as a public repo. I'll try to distill it to something usable, but I'm afraid it won't be possible... it's a "legacy" application with structure totally unfit for testing.

What I was trying to write weren't even unit tests in the usual sense, I need to set up lots of environment including databases and network etc., so maybe PHPUnit just isn't the tool for the job.

[staabm]

I am also expericing this problem... investigating...

hmm could the reason be caused by a error which also leads to "headers already sent"-errors, e.g. a whitespace after ?> or before <?php etc...?

or maybe php startup errors or something like that..?

FYI: I am on
Ubuntu 14 LTS
PHP 5.6.7-1+deb.sury.org~trusty+1
phpunit 4.6.4

[enl]

I have exactly the same error, but in a different place:

1) Kidly\Test\Unit\Controller\API\PurchasesTest::shouldThrowBadRequestOnEmptyRequest
PHPUnit_Framework_Exception: []

Caused by
exception 'ErrorException' with message 'unserialize(): Error at offset 0 of 2 bytes' in /home/enlightened/projects/kidly/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Util/PHP.php:113
Stack trace:
#0 [internal function]: PHPUnit_Util_PHP->{closure}(8, 'unserialize(): ...', '/home/enlighten...', 113, Array)
#1 /home/enlightened/projects/kidly/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Util/PHP.php(113): unserialize('[]')
#2 /home/enlightened/projects/kidly/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Util/PHP.php(56): PHPUnit_Util_PHP->processChildResult(Object(Kidly\Test\Unit\Controller\API\PurchasesTest), Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult), '[]', '')
#3 /home/enlightened/projects/kidly/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Framework/TestCase.php(697): PHPUnit_Util_PHP->runTestJob('<?php\nif (!defi...', Object(Kidly\Test\Unit\Controller\API\PurchasesTest), Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#4 /home/enlightened/projects/kidly/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Framework/TestSuite.php(722): PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase->run(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#5 /home/enlightened/projects/kidly/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/Framework/TestSuite.php(722): PHPUnit_Framework_TestSuite->run(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#6 /home/enlightened/projects/kidly/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/TextUI/TestRunner.php(406): PHPUnit_Framework_TestSuite->run(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#7 /home/enlightened/projects/kidly/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/TextUI/Command.php(153): PHPUnit_TextUI_TestRunner->doRun(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestSuite), Array)
#8 /home/enlightened/projects/kidly/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/src/TextUI/Command.php(105): PHPUnit_TextUI_Command->run(Array, true)
#9 /home/enlightened/projects/kidly/vendor/phpunit/phpunit/phpunit(36): PHPUnit_TextUI_Command::main()
#10 {main}
2) Kidly\Test\Unit\Controller\API\PurchasesTest::shouldThrowNotAuthorizedExceptionIfNoUserIsGiven
PHPUnit_Framework_Exception: []

phpunit 4.6.4
PHP 5.6.1
OpenSUSE 13.2

[tallona]

I've come across this error also.

1) Interfaces\Test::testIntitialise
PHPUnit_Framework_Exception: <response>
    <status>SUCCESS</status>
    <status-message>DB Success: data updated</status-message>
    <status-id>1</status-id>
</response>

phar://C:/PHP/phpunit/phpunit/TextUI/Command.php:179
phar://C:/PHP/phpunit/phpunit/TextUI/Command.php:132

Caused by
exception 'ErrorException' with message 'unserialize(): Error at offset 0 of 142 bytes' in C:\code\phpunit\phpunit\src\Util\PHP.php:109
Stack trace:
#0 [internal function]: PHPUnit_Util_PHP->{closure}(8, 'unserialize(): ...', 'C:\\code\\phpunit\\ph...', 109, Array)
#1 C:\code\phpunit\phpunit\src\Util\PHP.php(109): unserialize('<response>\n    ...')
#2 C:\code\phpunit\phpunit\src\Util\PHP.php(53): PHPUnit_Util_PHP->processChildResult(Object(\Interfaces\Test), Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult), '<response>\n    ...', '')
#3 C:\code\phpunit\phpunit\src\Framework\TestCase.php(691): PHPUnit_Util_PHP->runTestJob('<?php\nif (!defi...', Object(\Interfaces\Test), Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#4 C:\code\phpunit\phpunit\src\Framework\TestSuite.php(716): PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase->run(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#5 C:\code\phpunit\phpunit\src\Framework\TestSuite.php(716): PHPUnit_Framework_TestSuite->run(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#6 C:\code\phpunit\phpunit\src\TextUI\TestRunner.php(398): PHPUnit_Framework_TestSuite->run(Object(PHPUnit_Framework_TestResult))
#7 phar://C:/PHP/phpunit/phpunit/TextUI/Command.php(179): PHPUnit_TextUI_TestRunner->doRun(Object(NetBeansSuite), Array)
#8 phar://C:/PHP/phpunit/phpunit/TextUI/Command.php(132): PHPUnit_TextUI_Command->run(Array, true)
#9 C:\PHP\phpunit(583): PHPUnit_TextUI_Command::main()
#10 {main}

PHPUnit 4.0.17
PHP 5.6.7
Windows 8.1

[edhelas]

Same issue here

PHPUnit_Framework_Exception: ...

phar:///usr/local/bin/phpunit/phpunit/TextUI/Command.php:179
phar:///usr/local/bin/phpunit/phpunit/TextUI/Command.php:132

Caused by
exception 'ErrorException' with message 'unserialize(): Error at offset 0 of 81 bytes' in /vendor/phpunit /phpunit/src/Util/PHP.php:107

[sebastianbergmann]

Dear contributor,

let me start by apologizing for not commenting and/or working on the issue you have reported or merging the pull request you have sent sooner.

PHPUnit 5.0 was released today. And today I am closing all open bug reports and pull requests for PHPUnit and its dependencies that I maintain. Please do not interpret the closing of this ticket as an insult or a lack of interest in your problem. I am sorry for any inconvenience this may cause.

If the topic of this ticket is still relevant then please open a new ticket or send a new pull request. If your ticket or pull request is about a defect then please check whether the issue still exists in PHPUnit 4.8 (which will received bug fixes until August 2016). If your ticket or pull request is about a new feature then please port your patch PHPUnit 5.0 before sending a new pull request.

I hope that today's extreme backlog grooming will allow me to respond to bug reports and pull requests in a more timely manner in the future.

Thank you for your understanding,
Sebastian