In Google Test, can I call GetParam() from the constructor?

Question

The Google Test C++ unit testing framework provides the ability to do parameterised tests. To access the parameter of a given test, the docs tell me to derive a subclass and call GetParam():

class FooTest : public ::testing::TestWithParam<const char*> {
  // You can implement all the usual fixture class members here.
  // To access the test parameter, call GetParam() from class
  // TestWithParam<T>.
};

I cannot find anything more specific than this in either the docs or the source code (inasmuch as I understand it).

Exactly where (or when) can I call GetParam()? I know I can call it in the body of a TEST_P(...) { ... } macro, but what about:

• In the SetUp() method for FooTest()?
• In the constructor for FooTest()?
• In the intialisation list for FooTest()?

Answer 1

Yes, you can. You can assume GetParam() is method of ::testing::TestWithParam base class.

class FooTest : public ::testing::TestWithParam<const char*> {
  std::string name;
  FooTest() : name(GetParam()) {} 
};

With C++11 - you can even just initialize members directly in class:

class FooTest : public ::testing::TestWithParam<const char*> {
  std::string name = GetParam();
};