Action Fixture

See also RowFixture, ColumnFixture or the FieldGuideToFixtures.

An action fixture interprets tables for which the first column contains one of a small number of commands. Subsequent columns contain values interpreted by the particular command. The generic action fixture offers only four commands, but subclasses may extend this set.

• start aClass -- Subsequent commands are directed to an instance of aClass. This is similar to navigating to a particular GUI screen.

• enter aMethod anArgument -- Invoke aMethod with anArgument (of type determined by aMethod.) This is similar to entering values into GUI fields.

• press aMethod -- Invoke aMethod with no arguments. This is similar to pressing a GUI button.

• check aMethod aValue -- Invoke aMethod with no arguments. Compare the returned value with aValue. This is similar to reading values from a GUI screen.

• http:Release/Source/fit/Fixture.java
• http:Release/Source/fit/ActionFixture.java

• http:Release/Source/eg/net/Simulator.java

Q: It seems like the actions are always in column one. Is this a requirement of the input format?

A: Actually ActionFixture supports a "tripple dispatch" where each dispatch is closer to the domain. Imagine the row:

enter

transaction

deposit

Column 1 is about the interaction paradigm, i.e. panels, fields and buttons. Column 2 is about the particular panels, fields and buttons that the application under test supports, while Column 3 is about things that the application itself must interpret. That is what we are ultimately testing.