How do I get my NancyFX unit tests to run my validation? - unit-testing

Question

I'm using NancyFX with FluentValidation, as documented at https://github.com/NancyFx/Nancy/wiki/Nancy-and-Validation. My web app is running fine and validation is working perfectly, but when I try to unit test any of the modules that use validation, I'm getting an error
Nancy.Validation.ModelValidationException : No model validator factory could be located.
Please ensure that you have an appropriate validation package installed, such as
one of the Nancy.Validation packages.
I've verified that my unit test project has references to the Nancy.Validation.FluentValidation and FluentValidation assemblies.
My test code looks like this:
public class ArticleModuleTests {
private Browser browser;
private IDatabase db;
const int USER_ID = 123;
const int ARTICLE_ID = 456;
[SetUp]
public void SetUp() {
var user = new User { Username = "test", Id = USER_ID };
db = A.Fake<IDatabase>();
browser = new Browser(with => {
with.Module<ArticleModule>();
with.RequestStartup((container, pipelines, context) => context.CurrentUser = user);
with.Dependency(db);
});
}
[Test]
public void User_Can_Publish_Article() {
var article = new { title = "Test" };
var result = browser.Post($"/users/{USER_ID}/articles", with => {
with.HttpRequest();
with.Body(JsonConvert.SerializeObject(article));
});
result.StatusCode.ShouldBe(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest);
}
}
My module code is:
public class ArticlesModule : NancyModule {
private IDatabase database;
public ArticlesModule(IDatabase db) {
this.database = db;
Post["/users/{id:int}/articles"] = args => PostArticle(args.id);
}
private dynamic PostArticle(int userId) {
var article = this.Bind<Article>();
var validation = this.Validate(article);
if (!validation.IsValid) return Negotiate.WithModel(validation).WithStatusCode(HttpStatusCode.BadRequest);
database.CreateArticle(userId, article);
return NegotiatorExtensions.WithModel(Negotiate, result)
.WithStatusCode(HttpStatusCode.Created)
.WithHeader("Location", $"http://whatever/users/{userId}/articles/{article.Id}");
}
}
and my validation class is:
public class ArticleValidator : AbstractValidator<Article> {
public ArticleValidator() {
RuleFor(article => article.Title)
.NotEmpty()
.WithMessage("The \"title\" property is required");
RuleFor(article => article.Title)
.Length(2, 50)
.WithMessage("The \"title\" property must be between 2 and 50 characters");
}
}
The NancyFX docs say "Create a validation class... There is no need to register it anywhere as it is automatically detected." - but I'm guessing whatever automatic detection is wired up isn't firing for a unit test project. I'm building on .NET 4.5.2 and using NCrunch as my test runner; what do I need to do to get my test code to pick up the same validation classes as my application modules?

Answer 1

OK, turns out that because NancyFX detects and instantiates validation classes automatically, there's no explicit references in my code to Nancy.Validation.FluentValidation, and so NCrunch is omitting this assembly when building my test project. Setting "Copy referenced assemblies to workspace" in the NCrunch project settings fixed it.