Tip #280: Integration with PyUnit testing framework


Vim has a wonderful ability to integrate with external tools, like compilers, make, ctags etc.
That's one of the reasons we love it.

PyUnit can be seen as a "compiler" for the Python test code.
To understand it, Vim should be told about the language
the PyUnit speaks. This could be done with 'errorformat' option:

setlocal efm=%C\ %.%#,%A\ \ File\ \"%f\"\\,\ line\ %l%.%#,%Z%[%^\ ]%\\@=%m

This magic spell enables Vim to parse unittest.TextRunner's output and to enter quick-fix mode.
To run all your unit tests at once you'll need to setup 'makeprg' option and provide a runner.
I'm using this setup:

setlocal makeprg=./alltests.py

And contents of the alltests.py (for the sake of completeness):


#!/usr/bin/env python2

import unittest
import sys
sys.path.append('unittests')

modules_to_test = (
'fooTest',
'barTest',
'bazTest',
)

def suite():
    alltests = unittest.TestSuite()
    for module in map(__import__, modules_to_test):
        alltests.addTest(unittest.findTestCases(module))
    return alltests

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main(defaultTest='suite')

============== end of the alltests.py file ========================

While talking about it, I'd also suggest to add a couple of mappings.
In the end, my vim/files/ftplugin/python.vim looks like this:

setlocal makeprg=./alltests.py\ -q
setlocal efm=%C\ %.%#,%A\ \ File\ \"%f\"\\,\ line\ %l%.%#,%Z%[%^\ ]%\\@=%m
iabbr <buffer> sae self.assertEquals
iabbr <buffer> sar self.assertRaises



For details see :help quick-fix,  :help 'efm' and  :help 'makeprg'.
See also:  http://c2.com/cgi/wiki?PythonUnit

Many thanks to Stefan Roemer who patiently spent quite some time to build 'efm' for me.


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