Using MSTest DataRow as a Substitute for NUnit TestCase

July 23, 2016

I used to believe that Nunit’s TestCase test (that is, an ability to define a test and then simply pass it alternate parameters) was denied MSTest users. It appears that this is, at least now, fallacious.

The following article implies that this is a recent change:

https://blogs.msdn.microsoft.com/visualstudioalm/2016/06/17/taking-the-mstest-framework-forward-with-mstest-v2/

This particular example is in a UWP application:



        [DataTestMethod]
        [DataRow(1, 2, 3, 6)]
        [DataRow(8, 2, 3, 13)]
        [DataRow(8, 5, 3, 12)]
        public void AddNumbers(int num1, int num2, int num3, int total)
        {
            Assert.AreEqual(num1 + num2 + num3, total);
        }

Will result in a failing test, and:



        [DataTestMethod]
        [DataRow(1, 2, 3, 6)]
        [DataRow(8, 2, 3, 13)]
        [DataRow(8, 5, 3, 16)]
        public void AddNumbers(int num1, int num2, int num3, int total)
        {
            Assert.AreEqual(num1 + num2 + num3, total);
        }

Results in a passing one.

If you want additional information relating to the test, you can use this syntax:




        [DataTestMethod]
        [DataRow(1, 2, 3, 6, DisplayName = "First test")]
        [DataRow(8, 2, 3, 13, DisplayName = "Second test")]
        [DataRow(8, 5, 3, 15, DisplayName = "This will fail")]
        public void AddNumbers(int num1, int num2, int num3, int total)
        {
            Assert.AreEqual(num1 + num2 + num3, total);
        }

Given the constant problems that I have with finding the correct NUnit test adaptor, and trying to work out which are the right libraries, I think, despite coming late to this party, MS might actually drag people back to MSTest with this.



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