Pass instance variable to controller test in rspec?

Question

I'm adding to test to an existing project. I have a user class that is assigned a unique url on create ad then is redirected to a path that contains that url.

I'm following the rspec book and wrote this test

it 'redirects to users#show' do
  post :create, user: attributes_for(:guest)
  expect(response).to redirect_to guest_path(:guest)
end

I get this back when I run the test.

Expected response to be a redirect to <http://test.host/guest/guest> but was a redirect to <http://test.host/guest/h7gutr1CMYxa5VNgWH5l1A>

The redirect the controller is sending back is correct but I am obviously writing the test incorrectly. How can I alter the expectation to pass the test?

Edit: Got a little closer, but still not there. Using

expect(response).to redirect_to guest_path(assigns(:user))

gives:

Expected response to be a redirect to <http://test.host/guest/1> but was a redirect to <http://test.host/guest/zaOVsiPBwQ4yNnC0mJNoNA>

using:

expect(response).to redirect_to guest_path(assigns(:user))

gives:

NoMethodError:
   undefined method `url' for :user:Symbol

Solution:

I couldn't figure out how to call methods on the instance variable. It's done like this:

it 'redirects to users#show' do
  post :create, user: attributes_for(:guest)
  expect(response).to redirect_to guest_path(assigns(:user).url)
end

I've tried with both. Using :user sends me to an id, but this redirect uses the objects url instead of the id. — Charles
– Charles, Commented Sep 6, 2013 at 20:30
I just got it. Thanks for putting me on the right path with assigns. — Charles
– Charles, Commented Sep 6, 2013 at 20:34
I know you solved this and of course that's great. But I'm thinking here why that route is working with a string as a parameter instead of an ActiveRecord object or a hash... — Marcelo De Polli
– Marcelo De Polli, Commented Sep 7, 2013 at 0:23

Marcelo De Polli · Accepted Answer · 2013-09-06 20:08:53Z

2

Try this:

it 'redirects to users#show' do
  post :create, user: attributes_for(:guest)
  expect(response).to redirect_to guest_path(assigns(:guest))
end

In this case, assigns(:guest) will be equal to the instance variable with the same name as the arguments (:guest) that was returned by the request you're testing for.

edited Sep 6, 2013 at 20:08

answered Sep 6, 2013 at 20:03

Marcelo De Polli

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4 Comments

Charles Over a year ago

I initially used something similar form the rspec book. I get an error ActionController::RoutingError: No route matches {:controller=>"users", :action=>"guest", :url=>nil} But thanks.

Marcelo De Polli Over a year ago

Hey, don't be so quick to assume the test must be wrong. You may have some routing problem in there.

Charles Over a year ago

The test output is exactly what I want. (test.host/guest/zaOVsiPBwQ4yNnC0mJNoNA) But the way I've written the test, it thinks I want something else back.

Marcelo De Polli Over a year ago

Please note it's assigns(:guest), not assigns(:user).

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