Python Configparser在单元测试下找不到部分？

Question

So I have to test a Config file. In this Config file a ConfigParser instance will be initialized then load a config file.

In the Unittest I imported this parser file then tried to read a node of this ConfigParse instance. But then it raises a error that it cannot find the section.

Howcome? Is there a way to fix it?

edited: So the Unittest just imported the Config file. The name of the config file is called config. the instance is called p_config In a test case the instance will be called like:

config.p_config.get('section1','a')

The Config file look pretty standard.

import ConfigParser
p_config = ConfigParser.SafeConfigParser()
p_config.read("xxx.cfg")

so my config file looks pretty much like a normal windows config:

[section1]
a = 1
b = 2
[section2]
c = 2
d = 4

The error it raised just says it cannot find section:

ConfigParser.NoSectionError: No section: 'section1'

The content of the UnitTest:

class TestConfigFile(TestCase):

    def setUp(self):
        pass

    def tearDown(self):
        pass


    def test_example(self):
        print global_path_config.get('section1', 'a')

Answer 1

It sounds like you are setting test config object up without actually providing a configuration file for your test to read.

I assume you are using the python unittest module.

How does your command line differ from running your project and running your tests? The command line may be an issue.

For example, if you use python /path/to/file.py <--options> config.ini to launch your program and python -m unittest /path/to/config/unittest -v to launch your unit tests, then your configuration file is never being read.

In setUp(self): you would need to initialize the object with the config file location. I prefer to write a short, fake config file in setUp so I can easily remove it in tearDown and know exactly how it is related to my tests without polluting my working configuration file.

Answer 2

I advice you to give up ConfigParser if you can. Use a json file for your config

import json
from collections import OrderedDict

def read_config(file_json):
    with open(file_json, 'r') as filename:
        config = filename.read()
    return json.loads(config, object_pairs_hook=OrderedDict)

def write_config(config, file_json):
     data = json.dumps(config, indent=4)
     with open(file_json, 'w') as filename:
         filename.write(data)