Rash thoughts about .NET, C#, F# and Dynamics NAV.

In my last two articles I gave an introduction in NaturalSpec and showed how to get started. This time I will show how we can use NaturalSpec to write automatically testable scenarios for C# projects.

Like the TDD principle “Write the tests first” we should write our spec first and use the “Red-Green-Refactor” method.

"Red" – Create a spec scenario that fails

At first I created a F# class library project called “Spec.CarSelling” and added project references to NaturalSpec.dll and nunit.framework.dll (see “Getting started” for further explanations).

Now I can write my first scenario:

// 1. define the module
module CarSpec

// 2. open the NaturalSpec namespace

open NaturalSpec

// 3. open project namespace
open CarSellingLib

// 4. define a test context
let Bert = new Dealer("Bert")

// 5. create a method in BDD-style
let selling_a_car_for amount (dealer:Dealer) =
  printMethod amount
  dealer.SellCar amount

// 6. create a scenario
[<Scenario>]
let When_selling_a_car_for_30000_it_should_equal_my_DreamCar() =
  As Bert
    |> When selling_a_car_for 30000
    |> It should equal (new Car(CarType.BMW, 200))
    |> Verify

At this stage the scenario is ready but doesn’t compile. This means we are ready with the "Red"-stage.

"Green" – Make the test the pass

In order to get the test green we have to create a C# class library called CarSellingLib and define the enum CarType and the classes Dealer and Car. Sticking to the YAGNI-principle we implement only the minimum to get the spec green (and ToString()-members for the output functionality).

namespace CarSellingLib
{
    public enum CarType
    {
        BMW
    }
}

namespace CarSellingLib
{
    public class Car
    {
        public Car(CarType type, int horsePower)
        {
            Type = type;
            HorsePower = horsePower;
        }

        public CarType Type { get; set; }
        public int HorsePower { get; set; }

        public override string ToString()
        {
            return string.Format("{0} ({1} HP)", Type, HorsePower);
        }

        public override bool Equals(object obj)
        {
            var y = obj as Car;
            if(y == null) return false;
            return Type == y.Type && HorsePower == y.HorsePower;
        }
    }
}

using System;

namespace CarSellingLib
{
    public class Dealer
    {
        public Dealer(string name)
        {
            Name = name;
        }

        public string Name { get; set; }

        public Car SellCar(int amount)
        {
            return new Car(CarType.BMW, 200);
        }

        public override string ToString()
        {
            return Name;
        }
    }
}

When we add a project reference to our spec-project the UnitTests should pass and we have completed the "Green" step. (See "Getting started" if you don’t know how to run the spec.) Now we can add some more scenarios to our spec:

// 1. define the module 

module CarSpec

// 2. open NaturalSpec-Namespace
open NaturalSpec

// 3. open project namespace
open CarSellingLib

// 4. define a test context
let Bert = new Dealer("Bert")

// define reusable values
let DreamCar = new Car(CarType.BMW, 200)
let LameCar = new Car(CarType.Fiat, 45)

// 5. create a method in BDD-style
let selling_a_car_for amount (dealer:Dealer) =
  printMethod amount
  dealer.SellCar amount

// 6. create a scenario
[<Scenario>]
let When_selling_a_car_for_30000_it_should_equal_the_DreamCar() =
  As Bert
    |> When selling_a_car_for 30000
    |> It should equal DreamCar
    |> It shouldn't equal LameCar
    |> Verify      

[<Scenario>]
let When_selling_a_car_for_19000_it_should_equal_the_LameCar() =
  As Bert
    |> When selling_a_car_for 19000
    |> It should equal LameCar
    |> It shouldn't equal DreamCar
    |> Verify

// create a scenario that expects an error
[<Scenario>]
[<Fails_with "Need more money">]
let When_selling_a_car_for_1000_it_should_fail_with_Need_More_Money() =
  As Bert
    |> When selling_a_car_for 1000
    |> Verify

Now we are in the “Red”-Phase again.

"Refactor" – rearrange your code to eliminate duplication and follow patterns

After making the spec "Green" and doing some refactoring the project code could look like this:

namespace CarSellingLib
{
    public enum CarType
    {
        Fiat,
        BMW
    }
}

namespace CarSellingLib
{
    public class Car
    {
        public Car(CarType type, int horsePower)
        {
            Type = type;
            HorsePower = horsePower;
        }

        public CarType Type { get; set; }
        public int HorsePower { get; set; }

        # region ToString, Equals 

        public override string ToString()
        {
            return string.Format("{0} ({1} HP)", Type, HorsePower);
        }

        public override bool Equals(object obj)
        {
            var y = obj as Car;
            if(y == null) return false;
            return Type == y.Type && HorsePower == y.HorsePower;
        }

        #endregion
    }
}

using System;

namespace CarSellingLib
{
    public class Dealer
    {
        public Dealer(string name)
        {
            Name = name;
        }

        public string Name { get; set; }

        public Car SellCar(int amount)
        {
            if (amount > 20000)
                return new Car(CarType.BMW, 200);

            if (amount > 3000)
                return new Car(CarType.Fiat, 45);

            throw new Exception("Need more money");
        }

        public override string ToString()
        {
            return Name;
        }
    }
}

The spec output should look like the following:

Scenario: When selling a car for 1000 it should fail with Need More Money

– Should fail…
– As Bert
– When selling a car for 1000

Scenario: When selling a car for 19000 it should equal the LameCar

– As Bert
– When selling a car for 19000
=> It should equal Fiat (45 HP)
=> It should not equal BMW (200 HP)
==> OK

Scenario: When selling a car for 30000 it should equal my DreamCar

– As Bert
– When selling a car for 30000
=> It should equal BMW (200 HP)
==> OK

Scenario: When selling a car for 30000 it should equal the DreamCar

– As Bert
– When selling a car for 30000
=> It should equal BMW (200 HP)
=> It should not equal Fiat (45 HP)
>==> OK

4 passed, 0 failed, 0 skipped, took 1,81 seconds (NUnit 2.5).

Summary

I showed how we can use NaturalSpec for the Red-Green-Refactor process of C# projects and how easy it is to get a spec in natural language.