PHPUnit: expects method meaning

Question

When I create a new mock I need to call the expects method. What exactly it does? What about its arguments?

$todoListMock = $this->getMock('\Model\Todo_List');
        $todoListMock->expects($this->any())
            ->method('getItems')
            ->will($this->returnValue(array($itemMock)));

I can't find the reason anywhere (I've tried docs). I've read the sources but I can't understand it.

score 67 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 10:30

67

expects() - Sets how many times you expect a method to be called:

$mock = $this->getMock('nameOfTheClass', array('firstMethod','secondMethod','thirdMethod'));
$mock->expects($this->once())
     ->method('firstMethod')
     ->will($this->returnValue('value'));
$mock->expects($this->once())
     ->method('secondMethod')
     ->will($this->returnValue('value'));
$mock->expects($this->once())
     ->method('thirdMethod')
     ->will($this->returnValue('value'));

If you know, that method is called once use $this->once() in expects(), otherwise use $this->any()

see:
PHPUnit mock with multiple expects() calls

https://phpunit.de/manual/current/en/test-doubles.html#test-doubles.stubs

http://www.slideshare.net/mjlivelyjr/advanced-phpunit-testing

edited May 23 '17 at 10:30

Community

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answered Sep 15 '11 at 14:33

Marek Sebera

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What happens if its called once, and then, called again? – thom Sep 15 '11 at 14:59
if method expected to be called once will be called more times, test will probably fail – Marek Sebera Sep 15 '11 at 15:09
There a missing ) and the end of each ->will(). – shredding Sep 17 '12 at 11:22
I like to know the reason behind method expects(). All I can see is that If I give argument of any() it will work however. Seems like this method is not necessary while mocking object. I need to understand further on this subject. I know there must be a reason for this. – Apit John Ismail Jan 07 '18 at 03:47
@ApitJohnIsmail so did you ever look into the library? – clockw0rk Jul 29 '22 at 10:17
1

There is also `->willReturn('value)`. – s3c Sep 20 '22 at 05:03

score 55 · Answer 2 · edited Apr 24 '15 at 10:31

A look into the source code will tell you:

/**
 * Registers a new expectation in the mock object and returns the match
 * object which can be infused with further details.
 *
 * @param  PHPUnit_Framework_MockObject_Matcher_Invocation $matcher
 * @return PHPUnit_Framework_MockObject_Builder_InvocationMocker
 */
public function expects(PHPUnit_Framework_MockObject_Matcher_Invocation $matcher);

And the PHPUnit Manual lists the available Matchers at

https://phpunit.de/manual/current/en/test-doubles.html#test-doubles.mock-objects.tables.matchers

any() returns a matcher that matches when the method it is evaluated for is executed zero or more times.

never() returns a matcher that matches when the method it is evaluated for is never executed.

atLeastOnce() returns a matcher that matches when the method it is evaluated for is executed at least once.

once() returns a matcher that matches when the method it is evaluated for is executed exactly once.

exactly(int $count) returns a matcher that matches when the method it is evaluated for is executed exactly $count times.

at(int $index) returns a matcher that matches when the method it is evaluated for is invoked at the given $index.

Note that at() starts at 0. I found that out the hard way through some trial and error today. — PressingOnAlways, Nov 22 '13 at 14:03
Also note that `at()` uses the same counter for ALL stubbed method on your mock object. It does NOT assign a new counter to each method. — ankr, Nov 26 '14 at 13:21

PHPUnit: expects method meaning

2 Answers2