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Bug 119922 - Provide both "run-test" and "run-file" for tests with main method
Summary: Provide both "run-test" and "run-file" for tests with main method
Status: RESOLVED FIXED
Alias: None
Product: java
Classification: Unclassified
Component: Project (show other bugs)
Version: 6.x
Hardware: All All
: P3 blocker (vote)
Assignee: Trey Spiva
URL:
Keywords: UI, USABILITY
: 43391 56634 116211 153145 (view as bug list)
Depends on: 154358 159643
Blocks: 158455 213782
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Reported: 2007-10-24 15:28 UTC by wqtnetbeans
Modified: 2012-06-14 10:48 UTC (History)
8 users (show)

See Also:
Issue Type: DEFECT
Exception Reporter:


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Description wqtnetbeans 2007-10-24 15:28:49 UTC
As stated in summary, the IDE should be able to run a Java class either as a JUnit test case, or as a general Java class
that has a main() method in it.
Comment 1 wqtnetbeans 2007-10-30 04:20:55 UTC
Actually, not being able to a class that has a legitimate main() method in it should be considered a defect, regardless
where the class is located - test or src.

 
Comment 2 Karthikeyan Rajeswaran 2007-12-17 00:03:39 UTC
This problem does not have any easy workarounds too. If the same folder can be added as a test folder AND a source
folder, that would be a reasonable workaround; the same file can be executed as a test while in 'test packages' and as a
main class while in 'source packages'. But the ide does not allow a test folder to be added as a source folder too.

The ide should provide a 'Run Main' menuitem for those test cases which also contain a main method.
Comment 3 elberry 2007-12-17 04:49:21 UTC
I agree with the summary. The class can technically be a unit test and also be a main class. I think if there's a main
method "run-file" should execute that class as a Main class, and if the class extends TestCase, or has the JUnit
annotations, you should have a separate option "run-test" to run the class as a unit test.
Comment 4 Marian Petras 2008-02-29 17:12:35 UTC
Invocation of tests is handled by the projects infrastructure - reassigned to component "projects".
Comment 5 puce 2008-05-28 11:45:48 UTC
I think, too, that one should be able to run a (eg. non-unit) test class with a main method.
Comment 6 mclaassen 2008-08-22 21:50:55 UTC
I think my preferred solution would be to have another directory, like the test directory, which would not be compiled
in the distro.  I don't want the test source classes intermixed with my project sources, but I do want access to the
package-private methods.  

Making a separate project actually works pretty well, however to run my tests it has to build my main project's jar file
first.  This is quite a time-waster for me.  I have the automatic packaging turned off since I have a custom mechanism I
use when building a distro.  However, running a project that depends on another forces the packaging.  Normally when I
am developing / testing, I just skip this packaging step which saves me a lot of time.

If having a dependent project didn't force it to package that project, I would be satisfied with just putting the files
in an extra project.  However, what would be ideal for me is if I had a directory for my "runnable" tests that would
compile its classes to a separate directory (like the junit test files do).  They would not get packaged, the main
project's jar file would not need to be built, I could access the package private methods, and the sources for the tests
would not be mixed in with the junit test sources or my project's sources.  Perfect.
Comment 7 Milos Kleint 2008-09-26 16:25:48 UTC
the infrastructure could possibly just provide the action "run as test" that would appear on the file's popup, then a
"debug as test" is also necessary.
And we have to deal with the main menu's "Run File", "Test File" Items. The current behaviour is the for test files the
"Test File" action is disabled and only "Run File" enabled. For main project sources "Test File" will run the
appropriate test file (if any).
If we change that to "Test File" always meaning run junit, and "Run file" meaning run via main(), then it should be
fairly easy. However that's a change in UI behaviour and shall be discussed with HIE.
Comment 8 _ moser 2008-09-26 17:01:29 UTC
Yes, yes, yes, that would be great. Even if the current behaviour is "more correct" in some theoretical sense, the
proposed behaviour would better meet the user's expectations and match more common use cases.
Comment 9 jrojcek 2008-10-06 13:40:25 UTC
The proposed change makes sense to me. It's probably better if the same action (and shortcut) is used for launching tests, no matter whether the selected 
file is a regular class or test class. Currently that's not the case which also means there's no way to run main method in a test class. Just to make sure I 
understand the proposal, here's how I see it:

---
Run File - runs the main method
Test File - runs the selected test class or the associated test class for the selected regular class
---

---
Debug File - debugs the main method
Debug Test File - debugs the selected test class or the associated test class for the selected regular class
---

I'm fine with such change.

Comment 10 Milos Kleint 2008-10-06 13:44:09 UTC
jrojcek: thanks for the comments. 
Comment 11 Milos Kleint 2008-10-16 13:14:51 UTC
*** Issue 116211 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 12 Milos Kleint 2008-10-23 12:43:14 UTC
done for j2se and maven projects. I've tried to check web/j2se projects as well, but got lost there. Reassigning to web
project to reimplement run/test single file in the same way..
Comment 13 Quality Engineering 2008-10-24 04:18:21 UTC
Integrated into 'main-golden', will be available in build *200810240201* on http://bits.netbeans.org/dev/nightly/ (upload may still be in progress)
Changeset: http://hg.netbeans.org/main/rev/ea79749c1951
User: Milos Kleint <mkleint@netbeans.org>
Log: #119922 change semantics of Run file for tests, allow running test classes witn main() method.
Comment 14 Milos Kleint 2008-11-13 14:46:08 UTC
*** Issue 153145 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 15 Trey Spiva 2008-11-24 20:38:47 UTC
I am a little confused by this issue.  If I am understanding the comments correctly it sounds as if the test case also has a main method that there should be 
4 menu items to execute the class.  The user should be run/debug the class as a regular java class or as a Unit test.  

However while trying to understand I have noticed that J2SE project only have 3 menu items to execute a test case with a main method.  Instead the class 
only has a Run File, Debug XXX.java (which I also wonder why the naming convention is not the same between the run and debug menus), and Test File.  The 
Debug Test File action is missing.  
Comment 16 Milos Kleint 2008-11-25 06:37:17 UTC
this is not about the popup of the project type. But the actions in main menu and the java file popup. Main menu has
"run file" and "test file" in Run menu, and Debug File and Debug Test file in Debug menu.

for you it means rewriting the ActionProvider implementation in web projects to have the RUN_SINGLE action always to run
vai main(). Currently it's not the case, as for test sources it will run the test as testcase.
Comment 17 Quality Engineering 2008-11-25 16:45:56 UTC
Integrated into 'main-golden', will be available in build *200811251401* on http://bits.netbeans.org/dev/nightly/ (upload may still be in progress)
Changeset: http://hg.netbeans.org/main/rev/2458060c44b4
User: Milos Kleint <mkleint@netbeans.org>
Log: #119922 Test File belongs on the java file's popup.
Comment 18 Trey Spiva 2008-11-25 20:25:16 UTC
http://hg.netbeans.org/main/rev/81dcc4b6313d

At least a partial checkin.
Comment 19 Trey Spiva 2008-11-26 02:56:49 UTC
I understand that this issue not about the actions on the project node.  I was talking about the actions on the file node.  On the file node the action Debug 
Test is missing.  This is true for both the java project as well as the web project.

Comment 20 Trey Spiva 2008-11-26 02:57:29 UTC
Last check in
http://hg.netbeans.org/main/rev/5ee4c44c6b7b
Comment 21 Trey Spiva 2008-12-05 16:25:57 UTC
When the run or debug actions are executed on a class that does not have a main method a dialog will now notify the user about the missing main method.

http://hg.netbeans.org/main/rev/67c7ee5719ad
Comment 22 wqtnetbeans 2008-12-05 16:39:05 UTC
question to the previous comment: If the class does not have a valid main or test method, why would the user ever gets 
a change to choose "run file" or "run test"? In that case, the run-test/run-file option should not appear on UI in the 
first place. Unless, the pop-up window also provides meaningful functions, like: auto-generate a runnable main method, 
convert current class into a JUnit test class,.....


Comment 23 Petr Dvorak 2009-02-10 16:55:14 UTC
See issue 158068, reopening.


------------[ from issue 158068 ]------------

OK, just a few notes to explain why I am reopening this issue (with different summary):

1. This is a UI change - it should have gone through the review process (see link above) and UI specification (also
above) should have been updated to reflect this behaviour.

2. There is no "debug test" in file's context menu - I have lost a convenient start point for debugging a JUnit test. I
have to use the main menu or a shortcut, which is not so nice as the invocation from the context menu (when I invoke the
context menu above a file, I know the action is really invoked for the file I want).

3. I cannot run/debug a normal test (AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO IN 99%!!!!) from the editor's context menu as there is no
item for it - but if the test by the accident had a main method (for some probably very clever reason), I can run it...
cool...

4. A little bit of linguistic jam... What is the logic behind this: "Test file" invoked above a JUnit test class runs
the test... ? IMO "Test file" invoked above JUnit test should run the test for that test. "Run Test" would make much
better sense than "Test File"... "Test file" makes more sense above the class it is supposed to test => please at least
change the actions name to "Run Test" and "Debug Test" (and update UI spec accordingly).

So basically: we introduced several PITA issues (2,3) just because we wanted to allow someone to run main method from
the file that is technically a JUnit test... ??? Now I will be maybe little stupid: What is a ratio behind having a
JUnit test as a main class anyway??
Comment 24 Jesse Glick 2009-02-10 22:10:52 UTC
Closing again as the originally (and often) requested feature is now implemented. joshis you should file blocking issues
for points #2 - #4.
Comment 25 Jesse Glick 2009-02-13 14:55:40 UTC
*** Issue 43391 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***
Comment 26 ats37 2009-02-16 10:28:00 UTC
joshis:

To address your question "we wanted to allow someone to run main method from the file that is technically a JUnit
test... ??? Now I will be maybe little stupid: What is a ratio behind having a JUnit test as a main class anyway??",
issue 43391 has a couple of other use cases that make this desirable.  Essentially, not every type of "test" that people
want to run is going to be a JUnit test, but putting them in the "Test packages" folder has perviously meant they could
only be run with the junit test runner.  Putting them in "Source packages" is undesirable since they are then packaged
into the application's jar/war/etc.

Perhaps the folder should have been named "JUnit Test packages" in the first place, and instead you'd be getting
enhancement requests to support additional test types & frameworks :-)  But at least if executable test classes (with a
main method) can be run as such, they can be be kept separate from the main code in the project subdirectory where they
intuitively belong.  It may still take a bit of hacking in the build.xml overrides to have them all run automatically
during the "test" target, but it's an improvement.
Comment 27 Jesse Glick 2009-03-04 23:29:39 UTC
Also for autoproject and freeform samples: contrib #e037ae2a6910
Comment 28 ulim 2009-07-08 10:57:58 UTC
*** Issue 56634 has been marked as a duplicate of this issue. ***