pass data as a parameter to action in test case cakephp - php

Question

i want to test a controller function getStructuredChartData which takes $chartData as a parameter
function getStructuredChartData($chartData = null) {
$structuredChartData = array();
$structuredChartData['Create'] = array();
$structuredChartData['Create']['type'] = 'column';
$structuredChartData['Create']['exportingEnabled'] = TRUE;
if($chartData == null) {
$structuredChartData['null'] = TRUE;
} else {
$structuredChartData['ChartParams'] = array();
$structuredChartData['ChartParams']['renderTo'] = 'columnwrapper';
....
....
....
}
}
and to test this the code i have written in testcase controller is as follows
public function testTrendsReportWithAjaxRequest() {
$chartData = array();
$from_date = new DateTime("2014-07-01");
$to_date = new DateTime("2014-07-31");
$chartData['StartDate'] = $from_date;
$chartData['EndDate'] = $to_date;
$chartData['View'] = "Daily";
$chartData['Data'][(int) 0]['Project']['name'] = 'Test Project #1';
$chartData['Data'][(int) 0][(int) 0] = array('reviewed' => '1', 'modified' => '2014-07-16');
debug($chartData);
// Invoke the index action.
$result = $this->testAction(
'/reports/getStructuredChartData',
array('data' => $chartData)
);
debug($result);
$this->assertNotEmpty($result);
}
now my concern is that how to pass $chartData to controller function in testCase.
Currently in Controller function $chartData occurs as NULL and the if condition
if($chartData == null) {
$structuredChartData['null'] = TRUE;
}
gets executed. moreover i would like else condition
else {
$structuredChartData['ChartParams'] = array();
$structuredChartData['ChartParams']['renderTo'] = 'columnwrapper';
....
....
....
}
to be executed.

Answer 1

From CakePHP testing documentation
By supplying the data key, the request made to the controller will be POST. By default all requests will be POST requests. You can simulate a GET request by setting the method key:
You have to add get as method:
$result = $this->testAction(
'/reports/getStructuredChartData',
array('data' => $chartData, 'method' => 'get')
);
If you have your routes properly configured you can just pass the full url:
$result = $this->testAction(
'/reports/getStructuredChartData/test'
);
Again from CakePHP docs
// routes.php
Router::connect(
'/reports/getStructuredData/:chartData',
array('controller' => 'reports', 'action' => 'getStructuredData'),
array(
'pass' => array('chartData'),
)
);

Answer 2

To pass $chartData as argument in TestCaseController what i did is ::
$this->controller = new ReportsController();
$result = $this->controller->getStructuredChartData($chartData);