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Project: RSpec Core 2.13

Publisher: RSpec

attribute of subject

WARNING: its will be extracted from rspec-core-3.0 into its own gem.

Use the its method as a short-hand to generate a nested example group with
a single example that specifies the expected value of an attribute of the
subject. This can be used with an implicit or explicit subject.

its accepts a symbol or a string, and a block representing the example.

its(:size)    { should eq(1) }
its("length") { should eq(1) }

You can use a string with dots to specify a nested attribute (i.e. an
attribute of the attribute of the subject).

its("phone_numbers.size") { should eq(2) }

When the subject is a hash, you can pass in an array with a single key to
access the value at that key in the hash.

its([:key]) { should eq(value) }
Scenarios
  1. specify value of an attribute
  2. specify value of a nested attribute
  3. specify value of an attribute of a hash
  4. specify value for key in a hash
  5. specify value for key in a hash-like object
specify value of an attribute
Given
a file named "example_spec.rb" with: 
describe Array do
  context "when first created" do
    its(:size) { should eq(0) }
  end
end
When
I run rspec example_spec.rb --format documentation
Then
the output should contain: 
Array
  when first created
    size
      should eq 0
specify value of a nested attribute
Given
a file named "example_spec.rb" with: 
class Person
  attr_reader :phone_numbers
  def initialize
    @phone_numbers = []
  end
end

describe Person do
  context "with one phone number (555-1212)"do
    subject do
      person = Person.new
      person.phone_numbers << "555-1212"
      person
    end

    its("phone_numbers.first") { should eq("555-1212") }
  end
end
When
I run rspec example_spec.rb --format documentation
Then
the output should contain: 
Person
  with one phone number (555-1212)
    phone_numbers.first
      should eq "555-1212"
specify value of an attribute of a hash
Given
a file named "example_spec.rb" with: 
describe Hash do
  context "with two items" do
    subject do
      {:one => 'one', :two => 'two'}
    end

    its(:size) { should eq(2) }
  end
end
When
I run rspec example_spec.rb
Then
the examples should all pass
specify value for key in a hash
Given
a file named "example_spec.rb" with: 
describe Hash do
  context "with keys :one and 'two'" do
    subject do
      {:one => 1, "two" => 2}
    end

    its([:one]) { should eq(1) }
    its(["two"]) { should eq(2) }
  end
end
When
I run rspec example_spec.rb
Then
the examples should all pass
specify value for key in a hash-like object
Given
a file named "example_spec.rb" with: 
require 'matrix'

describe Matrix do
  context "with values [[1, 2], [3, 4]]" do
    subject do
      Matrix[[1, 2], [3, 4]]
    end

    its([0, 1]) { should eq(2) }
    its([1, 0]) { should eq(3) }
    its([1, 2]) { should be_nil }
  end
end
When
I run rspec example_spec.rb
Then
the examples should all pass

Last published over 5 years ago by myronmarston.