Active-Active Configuration

The org.springframework.test.context.junit4.SpringJUnit4ClassRunner class is another implementation of the JUnit TestRunner class which is used to enable various features of Spring for every run of the test class and every test within it. To use the features provided by the SpringJUnit4ClassRunner class, you need to mark the class using the RunWith annotation using SpringJUnit4ClassRunner as its parameter. In addition to the custom test runner, you will want to mark the class with the ContextConfiguration annotation. The ContextConfiguration annotation is used to mark classes which will automatically read a Spring configuration file and use it to create an ApplicationContext . By default, this file located at <package path>/<test class name>-context.xml . Use the locations argument to over-ride. The ApplicationContext used by the Spring-integrated test will only be loaded once for the whole test class. This behavior can be over-ridden by annotating a test metho...

Groovy , the apparent golden child of Java, is a mostly dynamic-typed JVM language which seeks to add functionality to the core Java language such that writing and testing code is much easier and requires less boiler-plate code. Some of the features provided by Groovy that I have found useful for testing are:

The org.springframework.jdbc.object.SqlUpdate class is another tool that I use a lot. This class encapsulates INSERT , UPDATE , and DELETE queries as beans defined within your application context. In most situations, you will be using the SqlUpdate class as-is with multiple configurations within a DAO's context. Since the class is not abstract, it is quite easy to extend for creating dummy/mock instances for testing.

As you may or may not know, I have two homes: SW Indiana, and Columbus, Ohio. Since I spend 75% or more of my time in SW Indiana and there are few opportunities in this area for networking/learning the craft, I'm always happy to learn about new groups of like-minded people in my other home. I found this group through a random tweet from Marc Peabody. He mentioned that they would be trying out some Scala Koans and included a link to the group's Google Groups site. Since joining the group earlier today, I've found the details for the Scala Koans night and I've been informed of interest in running a Code Retreat event at the beginning of April in Columbus. I haven't made it to any meetings yet (they're still a pretty new group), but I've had some friendly conversations in e-mail with members of the group and have met some of the other members through NFJS, COJUG, CRB, etc... Sounds like it should be a pretty good time when I'm able to make it.

I'm currently working on a development package containing a series of .xsd files which will be used to define the external interface for our web service. Due to some other project constraints, it was decided that this package also needed to include the .wsdl files which will further define the web service.

The Hamcrest Matchers framework contains a series of Matcher classes which help implement comparison and assertion methods in a type-safe, declarative manner. When used in tests, the Matchers framework will produce more legible test code and more helpful failure messages. The Matchers framework is partially included in the JUnit 4.4 package and some portions can be used effectively. But, the full power of the framework can only be unleashed by including the real Hamcrest Matchers jar within your testing environment.

The JUnit framework is arguably the de-facto standard for unit testing java code, and is also the basis of many other testing frameworks (unit or otherwise). Using the JUnit framework, one can quickly run a test method, class, or suite and get one of three responses: Success: All of the assertions in the test method passed, no fail calls were encountered, and no unexpected exceptions were thrown. Failure: One of the assertions in the test method failed or a fail call was encountered. Error: An unexpected java.lang.Throwable was thrown within the test method's body.

There are a couple of interesting Spring classes which keep coming up in my daily work: RowMapper and MappingSqlQuery .

I've had several posts brewing in the background. I'm going to pump out a few posts tonight and finally bid them a fond adieu. So, here they come fast and furious, and maybe not as deep as I originally expected them to be.