How to fake DbContext.Entry method in Entity Framework with repository pattern

Question

Because I want to unit test my code I have implemented the repository pattern in my MVC4 application. I managed to make a Context Interface, a fake Context and use a fake implementation of a System.Data.Entity.DbSet by following this code.

Unfortunately, just like two posters before me (here and here), I do not manage to mock the DbContext.Entry method. I use this method for updating database entries in my code as follows:

DbContext.Entry(order).State = EntityState.Modified;

I have not found a solution to this problem, only people who say things like:

"and what is the point of unit testing this code? You fake the Find method, then you fake DbEntityEntry and there will be no real logic to test."

or to

read this and all linked questions before you continue. (...) If you want to test your repositories create integration tests talking to the real database.

That is all good and well but still no answer to the question. I read the critique and I still do want this Entry method so I will be able to use a fake context and use mock objects in my unit test. Of course I will use integration tests as well but they are not nearly as fast as some quick unit tests.

The error I receive when I try some implementations is that Error 2 'Project.Models.Order' does not contain a definition for 'State' and no extension method 'State' accepting a first argument of type '[whatever return type I use]' could be found (are you missing a using directive or an assembly reference?)

I hope someone can help me make a fake DbContext.Entry method.

Use a repository pattern where the repositories implement a generic interface coupled with the unit of work pattern. In this way, you only need to mock or fake the unit of work. — Maess, Dec 09 '13 at 13:37
I looked at the first of the two SO posts that you linked to and there is an answer that was overlooked. But it might be completely irrelevant to your problem. Please post *your* code so that I can provide a good answer. — Keith Payne, Dec 09 '13 at 13:56
I found [this answer](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5035323/mocking-or-faking-dbentityentry-or-creating-a-new-dbentityentry). — user2609980, Dec 09 '13 at 14:48
I'm using the repository pattern, but I want to test my repository! — Beau Trepp, Dec 11 '14 at 00:49

score 41 · Accepted Answer · edited May 18 '21 at 13:19

41

Found the answer here by "adding additional level of indirection" we get:

public virtual void SetModified(object entity)
{
    Entry(entity).State = EntityState.Modified;
}

and use DbContext.SetModified(entity) in our controller. mockContext.Setup(c => c.SetModified(It.IsAny()));

edited May 18 '21 at 13:19

Mustafa Hussein

3
2

answered Dec 09 '13 at 14:56

user2609980

10,264
15
74
143

score 5 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 17 '15 at 18:31

To get around this I added a method overload, and added an obsolete attribute to see where the original method was being called.

    public virtual void Entry<TEntity>(TEntity entity, Action<DbEntityEntry<TEntity>> action) where TEntity : class
    {
        action(base.Entry(entity));
    }

    [Obsolete("Use overload for unit tests.")]
    public new DbEntityEntry<TEntity> Entry<TEntity>(TEntity entity) where TEntity : class
    {
        return base.Entry(entity);

        /** or **/

        throw new ApplicationException("Use overload for unit tests.");
    }

then you can DbContext.Entry(order, ent => ent.State = EntityState.Modified;

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Dec 09 '13 at 13:44

2

An example of how to implement Interface based repositories and unit of work to get what you are after:

public interface IRepository<T>
    {
        T FindSingle(Expression<Func<T, Boolean>> predicate, params Expression<Func<T, object>>[] includeExpressions);
        void ProxyGenerationOn();
        void ProxyGenerationOff();
        void Detach(T entity);
        void Add(T newEntity);
        void Modify(T entity);
        void Attach(T entity);
        void Remove(T entity);
        void SetCurrentValues(T modifiedEntity, T origEntity);
        T GetById(int id);
        T GetById(int id, bool sealOverride);
        IQueryable<T> GetAll();
        IQueryable<T> GetAll(bool sealOverride);
        IQueryable<T> GetAll(string[] EagerLoadPaths);
        IQueryable<T> Find(Expression<Func<T, Boolean>> predicate);
    }



public interface IUnitOfWork : IDisposable
    {
       //repository implementations go here
       bool SaveChanges()
     }

Notice how the context is completely abstracted away. You only need to worry about it in the concrete implementations.

answered Dec 09 '13 at 13:44

Maess

4,118
20
29

3

To elaborate on this: OP should, in his `Modify()` implementation, call `DbContext.Entry(entity).State = EntityState.Modified;`. Then when testing the code using the repository, you only have to mock the repository and _verify that `repository.Modify()` was called_. – CodeCaster Dec 09 '13 at 13:53
@CodeCaster that is a nice explanation. – user2609980 Dec 09 '13 at 14:00
@Maess I am quite new to this, are unit of works just method calls that are abstracted away? E.g., instead of using `DbContext.SaveChanges` directly I do `repository.SaveChanges` and the context is in the repository I instantiated? – user2609980 Dec 09 '13 at 14:05
You would call SaveChanges on your unit of work, which would in turn call SaveChanges on your context. This pattern is typically used with some for of IOC. – Maess Dec 09 '13 at 14:15

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited May 07 '20 at 19:41

0

You could use DbContext.Update(entity). In my case, it works fine because I mocked DbContext.

_dbContext.Update(entity);

edited May 07 '20 at 19:41

Jeremy Caney

7,102
69
48
77

answered May 07 '20 at 15:56

Cristian Zitelli

17
1

this is more a comment than an answer – ihebiheb May 07 '20 at 16:47
Per the tags, this is not an [entity-framework-core] question, and that method does not appear to exist in EF5. – LeBleu May 18 '21 at 19:13

How to fake DbContext.Entry method in Entity Framework with repository pattern

4 Answers4