phpunit fails asserting that two arrays are equal, but shows no difference

Question

Here is what phpunit says:

1) Asgard\Entity\Tests\EntityTest::testToArray
Failed asserting that two arrays are equal.
--- Expected
+++ Actual
@@ @@
 Array (
     'id' => null
     'title' => 'Test Title'
     'content' => 'Test Content'
     'published' => 2015-03-04T11:19:50+0000
     'comments' => Array (
         0 => Array (
             'id' => null
             'content' => 'foo'
             'published' => 2015-03-04T11:19:50+0000
             'another_property' => null
             'news' => null
         )
         1 => Array (
             'id' => null
             'content' => 'bar'
             'published' => 2015-03-04T11:19:50+0000
             'another_property' => null
             'news' => null
         )
         2 => Array (
             'id' => null
             'content' => 'baz'
             'published' => 2015-03-04T11:19:50+0000
             'another_property' => null
             'news' => null
         )
     )
     'another_property' => null
 )

https://travis-ci.org/asgardphp/asgard/jobs/53029084

There is no difference between "expected" and "actual". The tests usually pass, but sometimes would fail on this.

i haven't php 5.6 yet. With 5.5 and 5.3 i can't replicate your problem. — Matteo, Mar 05 '15 at 12:07
Actually just happened with 5.4: https://travis-ci.org/asgardphp/asgard/jobs/54541383 — leyou, Mar 16 '15 at 09:44

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Jun 12 '15 at 11:31

Found the issue. Elements were not in the same order. A bit annoying though that the output doesn't show it.

I have replaced assertEquals with:

$this->assertTrue($this->similar_arrays($arr1, $arr2));

protected function similar_arrays($a, $b) {
    if(is_array($a) && is_array($b)) {
        if(count(array_diff(array_keys($a), array_keys($b))) > 0)
            return false;

        foreach($a as $k => $v) {
            if(!$this->similar_arrays($v, $b[$k]))
                return false;
        }

        return true;
    }
    else
        return $a === $b;
}

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 16 '15 at 14:46

1

Since you're using DateTime in your tests - Are you sure you aren't getting test that start in one second, and finish in another so there is a second difference in the timestamps depending on which stage you look at them? - Using dynamic dates and time in tests is a pretty common reason for occasional failed tests.

answered Mar 16 '15 at 14:46

OddEssay

1,334
11
19

The datetime object is generated only once and is used both by the actual and the expected results. And anyway, even if this was the problem, phpunit should be showing a difference betweent expected/actual. – leyou Mar 18 '15 at 17:12
Thanks a lot, I would have wasted hours without the hint that datetimes could cause the problem. My problem was a little bit different though, I used the default convertion from laravel (Carbon), it worked after using a different format (iso8601). – Maaaaa Dec 31 '17 at 00:04

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 21 '16 at 21:49

1

Check if you have EOL in your values.

If you have a value like so:

'x' => 'line1

line2'

change it to

'x' => "line1\nline2"

Note: this may not answer direct issue the OP had, but this is what worked for me.

answered Nov 21 '16 at 21:49

Dennis

7,907
11
65
115

phpunit fails asserting that two arrays are equal, but shows no difference

3 Answers3

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