Python unittest discovery with subfolders

Question

My unittest folder is organized this way.

.
|-- import
|   |-- import.kc
|   |-- import.kh
|   `-- import_test.py
|-- module
|   |-- module.kc
|   |-- module.kh
|   `-- module_test.py
`-- test.py

I'd want to simply run test.py to run each of my *_test.py using the unittest Python module.

Currently, my test.py contains

#!/usr/bin/env python

import unittest

if __name__ == "__main__":
    suite = unittest.TestLoader().discover('.', pattern = "*_test.py")
    unittest.TextTestRunner(verbosity=2).run(suite)

The python documentation says that it should automatically discover my test in the subfolders. But it does not.

At the moment, it only outputs

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ran 0 tests in 0.000s

OK

I'm sure it is not a problem with my *_test.py file, because when I move them into the root directory, it works fine.. What am I doing wrong?

score 55 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 01 '12 at 13:34

55

Add __init__.py in the import and module directories.

answered Oct 01 '12 at 13:34

Warren Weckesser

110,654
19
194
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It worked by just touching the `__init__.py` file, thanks you. Can you explain me why I have to do this ? And is there another solution wich ? Because I am working with other people, and I would like tests to be the easiest way possible to create. – tomahh Oct 01 '12 at 13:37
3

This is an artifact of the way test discovery is implemented. Essentially, each directory that contains a test has to be importable as a Python module. See the [docs](http://docs.python.org/2/library/unittest.html#test-discovery) for more information. – Collin M Sep 28 '13 at 01:09
1

From [documentation](https://docs.python.org/3.7/library/unittest.html#test-discovery) it says that namespace packages should be supported since 3.4, but I found that `__init__.py` is still needed. Why? – Franklin Yu Aug 24 '19 at 14:53
Struggled for a while till I found this. Thank you. Another nuance of the Python world. – Sau001 Dec 27 '20 at 23:25
in my scenario, my test file (`test.py`) was also in a sub directory. I needed to add `__init__.py` into that folder as well as `import` and `module` folders and then it worked. – Paul P M Feb 08 '23 at 07:03

score 4 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 01 '12 at 13:38

4

Consider using nose instead of the vanilla unittest module, if you are able to switch. You won't need to mess around with your own test.py file or anything; a run of nosetests will find and run all your tests.

answered Oct 01 '12 at 13:38

jbowes

4,062
22
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score -1 · Answer 3 · answered Jun 27 '22 at 03:45

-1

python -m unittest tests/**_test.py

answered Jun 27 '22 at 03:45

Lane

4,682
1
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20

Python unittest discovery with subfolders

3 Answers3

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