Failing to save during Test on Controller - unit-testing

Question

I have been struggling with this for quite sometime and it seems like a common problem, with no solution that worked for me.
What I am trying to do is test the controller which calls a save(), and inside the save() the method calls a service to save the employee with the given command objects.
This is how the code looks like:
def save(EmployeeInputCommand employeeCommand, AddressCommand addressCommand) {
if (addressCommand.address.validate()) {
println "Validated address input"
employeeManagerService.save(employeeCommand, addressCommand)
println "Employee should be saved"
println "------------------------->"
println "${employeeGetterService.each {errors}}"
flash.message = "Employee has been successfully created!"
redirect(action: "index")
} else {
println "Addrescommand didnt validate: ${addressCommand.errors}"
flash.message = "Please input valid data!!!"
redirect(action: "create", model: [employee: employeeCommand, address: addressCommand])
}
}
The service contains this:
def save(EmployeeInputCommand employeeCommand, AddressCommand addressCommand) {
def employee = new Employee(employeeCommand.properties)
employee.address = addressCommand.address
for (id in employeeCommand.s) {
employee.addToSkills(Skill.get(id))
}
if (employee.validate()) {
employee.address.save()
employee.save()
}
else {
return false
}
}
I know this works when I try to actually save the employee in my application, but during the Unit Test process nothing happens.
My Test:
def "Create an Employee with good params"() {
given: "A valid employee command object"
def employeeCommand = new EmployeeInputCommand(
name: "John",
surname: "Smith",
birthdate: Date.parse("yyyy-MM-dd", "1992-06-08"),
salary: 21000,
s: [1, 3, 5]
)
and: "Also a valid address command object"
def addressCommand = new AddressCommand(
street: "Green Alley",
houseid: "42",
city: "Odense",
county: "Fyn",
postCode: "5000 C"
)
expect:
addressCommand.validate()
!Employee.findByNameAndSurname("John", "Smith")
when: "Saving employee"
request.method = "POST"
controller.save(employeeCommand, addressCommand)
Employee employee = Employee.findByNameAndSurname("John", "Smith")
println Employee.list()
then: "The employee is created, and browser redirected"
Employee.count == 4
employee
employee.skills.size() == 3
employee.address.postCode == "5000 C"
}
The test is failing with a null error when the controller.save() is called. I have spend too much time trying to solve this, which has all been in vain
This is the output screenshot

Answer 1

I don't believe testing a controller should cover the service logic. I'd mock the service, if I were to write a unit test for a controller, and test the service separately in its own unit/integration tests.
For example:
/*
* in controller spec
*/
def setup() {
def serviceMock = new MockFor(EmployeeManagerService)
serviceMock.ignore('save') { ec, ac ->
Employee.buildWithoutSave().save(validate: false)
}
serviceMock.use {
controller.employeeManagerService = new EmployeeManagerService()
}
}
def 'testFoo'() {
when:
// ...
controller.employeeManagerService.save()
// ...
then:
// ...
}
Note that the code is using the excellent Build Test Data plugin.

Answer 2

I think the issue is with service in unit testing. In unit testing, you need defineBeans closure to use spring beans-
void "test the filter"() {
setup:
defineBeans {
employeeManagerService(EmployeeManagerService) { bean ->
bean.autowire = true
}
}
when:
...
then:
...
}
Ref# Inject Services in Grails Unit Test

Answer 3

You need to perform your tests as Integration Tests, not Unit Tests. Integration testing is needed when you're testing database-related logic (CRUD ops), not just mocking the CRUD ops which is what unit tests do.