[Python-checkins] r46599 - python/trunk/Lib/test/test_exceptions.py

[Tim Peters]

>> Author: neal.norwitz
>> Date: Fri Jun  2 06:45:53 2006
>> New Revision: 46599
>>
>> Modified:
>>    python/trunk/Lib/test/test_exceptions.py
>> Log:
>> Convert docstrings to comments so regrtest -v prints method names

[Jim Jewett]
> Wouldn't it make more sense to modify regrtest -v to print method
> names (possibly in addition to the docstring)?

It has nothing to do with regrtest -- it's an (undocumented?)
(mis)feature of unittest's TextTestRunner that it displays the
docstring instead of a test method's name and test class whenever a
test method has a non-empty docstring, and unittest (not regrtest) is
what produces the output here.  For example, try this minimal
unittest:

"""
import unittest

class Whatever(unittest.TestCase):

    def testequal(self):
        self.assertEqual(2, 2)

if __name__ == '__main__':
    unittest.main()
"""

Then running "python THATFILE.py -v" displays

"""
testequal (__main__.Whatever) ... ok

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ran 1 test in 0.000s

OK
"""

Add a non-empty docstring to the method:

"""
    def testequal(self):
        """I think I'm being helpful."""
        self.assertEqual(2, 2)
"""

and it displays

"""
I think I'm being helpful. ... ok

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ran 1 test in 0.000s

OK
"""

instead.  For that reason, most people avoid docstrings in unittest
test methods like plague.  regrtest has no control of its own over
unittest's output.