Stubbing ApplicationController methods with RSpec

Question

I am trying to stub authentication for a controller in rspec. When I stub the authorize method the test always passed no matter what the value I supply.

Controller:

class FoosController < ApplicationController
  before_filter :authorize
  ...
end

ApplicationController:

class ApplicationController < ActionController::Base
  protect_from_forgery

  helper_method :current_user

  protected

  def authorize
    return true if current_user

    flash[:error] = 'Please login'
    redirect_to signin_path
    false
  end

  def current_user
    @current_user ||= User.find(session[:user_id]) if session[:user_id]
  end
end

Specs:

# this passes (expected)
it "..." do
  controller.stubs(:current_user).returns(User.new)
  get :index
  response.should be_success
end

# this fails (expected)
it "..." do
  controller.stubs(:current_user).returns(nil)
  get :index
  response.should be_success
end

# this passes (expected)
it "..." do
  controller.stubs(:authorize).returns(true)
  get :index
  response.should be_success
end

# Problem: this passes (unexpected)
it "..." do
  controller.stubs(:authorize).returns(false)
  get :index
  response.should be_success
end

It seems like as soon as I stub :authorize, no matter what value is set, it always passes the before_filter. I thought it might be the protected/helper_method designations, but playing with those didn't change anything.

Why does stubbing :authorize with false cause the before_filter to pass?

Matthew Rudy Matthew Rudy · Accepted Answer · 2011-09-11T01:02:04

I think you need to check WHAT is being rendered.

Looking at your code, if the call-chain does indeed stop when authorize returns false, then what is going to happen?

There is no redirect, or render call.

So it will be an empty response?

An empty response would still be a 200.

However, depending what version of Rails you're using, its possible in Rails 3.1 that a before_filter returning false no longer stops the chain.

Really, a before_filter that wants to stop the chain should do one of the following

redirect somewhere
render something
raise something

Stubbing ApplicationController methods with RSpec

2 Answers