Testing a method call with arguments using RSpec and Rails

Question

I have this Rails API and I'm trying to test two actions in my controller. The first one is supposed to call the second one. How can I do this using RSpec?

These are the Actions:

def method1
    (...)
    method2(@example_var)
end

def method2(id)
    (...)
end

So far, I've tried this, unsuccessfully

describe "#method1" do
    it "calls the method2 with id" do
        Rails::logger.info "Testing METHOD1"
        var = Parent.create(FactoryGirl.attributes_for(:valid_attributes))
        get :method1, :id => var.id

        Parent.should_receive(:method2).with(var.id)
        Parent.method2
    end
end

Any help?

EDIT: If information is not enough, I will gladly provide more.

Answer 1

1. method2 is not called on Parent . It will be called on the controller instance
2. Expectation should be set before the call is made
3. Is method2 a private method? If its an action, you should redirect to the action instead of calling the method.

But if you want to set an expection on the method2 call, do the following

describe "#method1" do
    it "calls the method2 with id" do
        Rails::logger.info "Testing METHOD1"
        var = Parent.create(FactoryGirl.attributes_for(:valid_attributes))
        @controller.should_receive(:method2).with(var.id)
        get :method1, :id => var.id
    end
end

Answer 2

It's not exactly an answer, but this was what I intended and the solution to it :) Hope this can help someone who needs it

The test:

describe "GET #method1" do
    it "gets a parent by :id and redirect_to #method2" do
        Rails::logger.info "Testing METHOD1 with redirect to METHOD2"
        vars = Parent.create(FactoryGirl.attributes_for(:valid_params))

        expect redirect_to('method2/' + vars.field1 + '/' + vars.field2 + '/' + vars.field3)
    end
end

The controller:

def close
    (...)
    redirect_to :controller => 'Parents', :action => 'method2', :field1 => @parent[:field1], :field2 => @parent[:field2], :field3 => @parent[:field3]
end