How do I run NUnit in debug mode from Visual Studio? - c#

I've recently been building a test framework for a bit of C# I've been working on. I have NUnit set up and a new project within my workspace to test the component. All works well if I load up my unit tests from Nunit (v2.4), but I've got to the point where it would be really useful to run in debug mode and set some break points.
I've tried the suggestions from several guides which all suggest changing the 'Debug' properties of the test project:
Start external program: C:\Program Files\NUnit 2.4.8\bin\nunit-console.exe
Command line arguments: /assembly: <full-path-to-solution>\TestDSP\bin\Debug\TestDSP.dll
I'm using the console version there, but have tried the calling the GUI as well. Both give me the same error when I try and start debugging:
Cannot start test project 'TestDSP' because the project does not contain any tests.
Is this because I normally load \DSP.nunit into the Nunit GUI and that's where the tests are held?
I'm beginning to think the problem may be that VS wants to run it's own test framework and that's why it's failing to find the NUnit tests?
Edit: To those asking about test fixtures, one of my .cs files in the TestDSP project looks roughly like this:
namespace Some.TestNamespace
{
// Testing framework includes
using NUnit.Framework;
[TestFixture]
public class FirFilterTest
{
[Test]
public void Test01_ConstructorTest()
{
...some tests...
}
}
}
...I'm pretty new to C# and the NUnit test framework so it's entirely possible I've missed some crucial bit of information ;-)
Final Solution: The big problem was the project I'd used. If you pick Other Languages -> Visual C# -> Test -> Test Project ...when you're choosing the project type, Visual Studio will try and use it's own testing framework as far as I can tell. You should pick a normal C# class library project instead and then the instructions in my selected answer will work.

When I need to debug my NUnit tests, I simply attach to the NUnit GUI application nunit-agent.exe using "Debug|Attach to Process" and run the tests from the GUI. Any breakpoints in my tests (or the code they're testing) are hit. Am I misunderstanding your question, or will that work for you?

I use the same technique as you are trying Jon, without the /assembly flag, i.e.
Start External Program: C:\Program Files\NUnit 2.4.8\bin\nunit.exe
Command line arguments: "<path>\bin\Debug\Quotes.Domain.Tests.dll"
Does TestDSP.dll contain all your TestFixtures?
As my test project is not the startup project in the solution, I run my tests by right-clicking on the test project and choosing Debug --> Start New Instance

Simply remove the line that looks like
<ProjectTypeGuids>
{3AC096D0-A1C2-E12C-1390-A8335801FDAB};{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}
</ProjectTypeGuids>
from your project file.
This line basically tells VS.Net that it's a Test project, thus the "Cannot start test project". FYI here the 1st Guid says "it's a test", the 2nd says "it's C#".
For information on those Guids: http://www.mztools.com/Articles/2008/MZ2008017.aspx

In addition to the answer provided by #Justin here are some more details for NUnit 2.6.
Using NUnit 2.6 attach to nunit.exe or nunit-console.exe and NOT the agent. The configuration noted by #Justin is slightly different. Below is an example from nunit.exe.config (same for nunit-console.exe.config).
<startup useLegacyV2RuntimeActivationPolicy="true">
<!-- Comment out the next line to force use of .NET 4.0 -->
<supportedRuntime version="v2.0.50727" />
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0.30319" />
</startup>
For .NET 4 test project, to get break points to hit, you will have to comment out or remove the v2.0 line as the comment suggests. Once I did that I was able to debug the .NET 4.0 test project.

If you are using NUnit 2.4 or newer you can put the following code in your SetUpFixture class. (You can do this with older versions but you will need to do whatever equivalent that has to the SetUpFixture, or copy it in to the test itself.)
[SetUpFixture]
public class SetupFixtureClass
{
[SetUp]
public void StartTesting()
{
System.Diagnostics.Debugger.Launch();
}
}
What Debugger.Launch() does is cause the following dialog to show up when you click Run inside NUnit.
You then choose your running instance of visual studio with your project open (the 2nd one in my screenshot) then the debugger will be attached and any breakpoints or exceptions will show up in Visual Studio.

In Nunit 3.0.1 (I'm using VS2013), Open from main menu > Test > Windows > Test Explorer. Then in "Test explorer", right-click the test case, you might see:
Hope this helps.

Install TestDriven.NET, which is a plugin for Visual Studio
From there you can right click on your unit test assembly and click Run Tests to run the whole suite, right click on a TestFixture class to run just the tests in that class, or right click on a Test method to run just that method.
You also have the option to Test With Debugger, if you need to breakpoint into your tests in debug mode.

Try NUnitit - a open source Visual Studio Addin for Debugging NUnit Test cases
HomePage - http://nunitit.codeplex.com/

Remove ProjectTypeGuids from the project file.

Now with pictures:
Run NUnit gui (Download 2.6.2 from here) then go to File -> Open Project
Select your test .dll from bin folder (C:\......\[SolutionFolder][ProjectFolder]\bin\Debug\xxxxTests.dll)
Go to Visual Studio Debug -> Attach to process (Attach to process window will open)
From the list scroll down and select nunit-agent.exe then click Attach
At this point breakpoints in your tests should turn ripe red (from hollow).
Click Run on Nunit Gui and you should get your breakpoint hit...
Hope this saves you some time.

If you are able to get the console / or GUI working, but your breakpoints are not being hit, it may be because your app is running a different .NET runtime than NUnit is. Check to see if your nunit-console.exe.config / nunit.exe.config has the runtime specified.(The configurations live in the same directory as the nunit exe's.) Specify the runtime using the startup node:
<configuration>
<startup>
<supportedRuntime version="4.0" />
</startup>

If project path contains spaces e.g. "New Project" in path <path>\bin\Debug\New Project\Quotes.Domain.Tests.dll then enclose the Start Option --> Command Line Arguments project path in double quotes.
I spent a lot of time to figure this out.

Regarding what Mr. Patrick McDonald said
As my test project is not the startup project in the solution, I run my tests by right-clicking on the test project and choosing Debug --> Start New Instance
I tried to apply for my test class library but got some error regarding the path, so I tried to remove the 'Command Line Arguments', and luckily it worked well and as expected.

It sounds like you are trying to use the wrong library. NUnit can only start if the dll you are using contains TestFixtures.
+1 on TestDriven.Net. I've had the chance to use it a number of times.
You can download the personal version for evaluations purposes according the the license at http://testdriven.net/purchase_licenses.aspx.

I got the same error with MSTest. I found that in the Test Output window, some of the tests had duplicate IDs and could not be loaded. I removed all duplicate tests and now I was able to run the tests when i start the project.

There is also an extension now "Visual NUnit" that will allow you to run the tests from within Visual studio much like the build in test framework handles. Check it out its in the extension manager.

Open Visual Studio ---> your Project---> Select 'Properties'---> Select 'Debug' --> Select 'Start external program' and set the path of your NUnit there(Eg: Start external program = C:\Program Files\NUnit 2.6.2\bin\nunit.exe) ---->Save
After setting this just click Debug

For me solution was to adapt nunit configuration file. To use nunit with 4.5-.Net framework and x64 build option, I had to add one line to startup tag (supported runtime-version).
<startup useLegacyV2RuntimeActivationPolicy="true">
<!-- Comment out the next line to force use of .NET 4.0 -->
<supportedRuntime version="v4.0.30319" />
</startup>
Afterwards, I could start by right-click on the Testproject Debug -> Start new instance.
Before, I needed to again manually attach the project to the process.
My Debug properties were,
C:\Program Files (x86)\NUnit 2.6.4\bin\nunit.exe
with argument of the location of the .dll to be tested.
More information: nunit for testing with .NET 4.0

See if this helps..
How to add NUnit in Visual Studio
(RighteousRant)Although personally I don't like this approach.. If you need a debugger while you are test-driving your code, it's a "smell" in that you do not have enough confidence/know how your code works & need the debugger to tell you that. TDD should free you from needing a debugger if done right. Use 'Attach debugger to NUNit' only for rare cases or when you are wading in someone else's code.

Related

How to change Visual Studio's default MSTest, VSTest Parameters

I want to be able to run tests from the Debugger in Visual Studio using MSTEST or VSTEST. The current behavior is to delete Test Run Results (TRX files) when running locally. The behavior I'm looking for is the equivalent of a build server running this command.
mstest /testcontainer:unittest.dll /resultsfile:results.trx
Because the Test Window already knows the dll, I'm guessing that we'd only need to pass in the /resultsfile switch.
Does anyone know of a way to configure Visual Studio so that the trx files are kept after the run?
I did not find anything within the TestSettings configurations that allows this.
Woops;
May have just found the answeer:
<RunSettings>
<MSTest>
<DeleteDeploymentDirectoryAfterTestRunIsComplete>False</DeleteDeploymentDirectoryAfterTestRunIsComplete>
</MSTest>
</RunSettings>

When I run the coverage tests, I get the coverage of the code of the tests methods, no the coverage of the methods that I want to test

I have a project with classes and methods that I want to test. I have another project with the test methods that will test the methods of my main project.
I run the tests with opencover and I generate the reports with reportgenerator, with this commands that I have in a .bet file:
..\tools\OpenCover.Console.exe -register:user -target:"C:\myDllWithTests.dll" -output:"c:\coverage\opencovertests.xml"
.\ReportGenerator.exe "-reports:c:\coverage\opencovertests.xml" "-targetdir:c:\coverage\opencovertests.xml\reports"
I am using MSTest for testing.
The problem is that in the html report, I see that the code that is covered is the tests methods, not the methods in my test main project.
How I could add the main methods in the result?
Thanks.
In target argument for OpenCover pass the path to MSTest (e.g. "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 10.0\Common7\IDE\mstest.exe") and specify your test assemblies (e.g. "C:\myDllWithTests.dll") in targetargs argument.
To remove test assemblies from code coverage statistics, specify them in filter argument.
Below is OpenCover command that works fine for me. Here code under test is placed in SampleApp.dll and test code is placed in SampleApp.Tests.dll.
.\OpenCover.Console.exe -register:user -mergebyhash -target:"c:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 14.0\Common7\IDE\MSTest.exe" -targetargs:"/testcontainer:\"d:\test\SampleApp\SampleApp.Tests\bin\Debug\SampleApp.Tests.dll\"" -output:UTResults.xml -filter:"+[SampleApp*]* -[SampleApp.Tests]*"
Result report contains only stats for SampleApp.dll assembly, SampleApp.Tests.dll is excluded:
Check this answer for some more details.
There is also a great article by Allen Conway on using OpenCover & ReportGenerator for .Net projects.
This might be quite a late answer here, but I've spent an hour or two playing with this and found the following will fix this. It's worth noting that I had the original bat script from another project that I know works, and just changed the DLL file name, so I know the script was OK.
The additional check to make is to:-
Right click the project that has the source code you want visible in the coverage report (not the unit test project) and click Properties
Select Build > Output > Advanced
Set Debugging information to Full
Rebuild solution and re-run bat file.
Works for me in Visual Studio 2019 with .NET Framework 4.7.2 projects.

NUnit failed to load DLL

I am getting the following error message when trying to run unit tests in Visual Studio:
NUnit failed to load w:\Repos\trading.tools\Trading.Tools.Test\bin\x64\Debug\Trading.Tools.Test.dll
I am using
Visual Studio Community 2013
NUnit Adapter 3.4.0.0
NUnit 3.4.1
The weird thing is, that I have another project which is set up the same way as this one and it works just fine.
I also downloaded NUnit 3.4.1 and installed it. When I run
nunit3-console.exe Trading.Tools.Test.dll
everything works just fine.
Any ideas what I can do?
Many thanks
Konstantin
Edit #1
Here is the full console output from Visual Studio when trying to run all test.
Test run will use DLL(s) built for framework Framework45 and platform X86. Following DLL(s) will not be part of run:
Trading.Tools.Test.dll, Trading.Tools.dll are built for Framework Framework45 and Platform X64.
Go to http://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/?LinkID=236877&clcid=0x409 for more details on managing these settings.
NUnit Adapter 3.4.0.0: Test discovery starting
NUnit failed to load w:\Repos\trading.tools\Trading.Tools.Test\bin\x64\Debug\Trading.Tools.Test.dll
Assembly contains no NUnit 3.0 tests: w:\Repos\trading.tools\Trading.Tools\bin\x64\Debug\Trading.Tools.dll
NUnit Adapter 3.4.0.0: Test discovery complete
As you can see it is very obvious that NUnit expects a x86 build, but I build for a x64 platform. And again, my x64 build works just fine if I execute it using nunit3-console.exe.
What I see in the csproj file is this:
<Reference Include="nunit.framework, Version=2.6.4.14350, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=96d09a1eb7f44a77, processorArchitecture=MSIL">
<SpecificVersion>False</SpecificVersion>
<HintPath>..\packages\NUnit.3.4.1\lib\net45\nunit.framework.dll</HintPath>
</Reference>
The weird thing here is that it specifies using Version=2.6.4.14350 but referencing a 3.4.1 dll.
So the next question from this point is how can I make NUnit execute my x64 build? Any ideas?
I had a similar issue, the key is the fact that it is the Test Runner in Visual Studio that is stating that only x86 assemblies will be tested. I am assuming from this that it then forces the use of the x86 NUnit runner. To change this (in VS2015 and VS2017 at least), go to Test > Test Settings > Default Processor Architecture > X64.
You can also set the execution target in the runsettings file. You then have to select that file. This should make the solution more stable.
A runsettings file which only set this can look like:
To enable it, do as shown in the figure below:
When you select it from the test menu (1), it will be added as the selected one in the menu (2), and a Rebuild will then make the test appear in the Test Explorer (3)
There is an extra bonus by using a runsettings file, and that is that it will then run properly on the TFS Build system, if you use that. I have written a blog post on that issue, see http://hermit.no/how-to-control-the-selection-of-test-runner-in-tfsvsts-making-it-work-with-x86x64-selected-targets/
I couldn't execute my tests and found that to be one of the issues. It turns out that my TestFixture was internal. Just switching it to public solved my case.
After unsuccessfully trying all other responses above, the following worked for me:
In my case the .NET project and solution is on a mounted drive (I use a MacBook and Parallels for .NET development). The mount also contains the /bin/debug and /bin/release locations where NUnit was attempting to read the "test" DLL from.
The fix was to move the solution/project files to the C: drive of my Windows image. The tests were discovered immediately.
Apparently the shared/mounted location was not to its liking. I don't know why, since the mount is permanent and read/writable to all users on the Windows image. I suspect file permissions problems or maybe somehow the entire mount is not accessible to the user/process running the NUnit discovery logic.
I happened to get this error when writing the unit test method. And noticed the root cause that one of the dependent dll was missing to load. This error("NUnit failed to load the .dll") was shown in the Output("Test") window after modifying the test method code and trying to run it. After updating the nuget package for the dependent dll, nunit started picking the test project dll and test cases got executed.
Today I was running into this issue as well (on a .NET Framework 4.8 based NUnit project). The solution for me was to also install the Microsoft.NET.Test.Sdk package.
To get to the root cause, it may help to attempt to run your tests using the NUnit CLI.
In my case, the CLI logged a bind failure I didn't see in Visual Studio. After I had fixed that, my tests ran correctly via CLI and VS.
I got this error in a .Net 6.0 Asp.Net solution and here's how I solved it.
It was only occurring in one Test project whose tests wouldn't run, the other Test projects were running fine in Test Explorer and in Debug.
The tests that were failing to be detected had "Test Not Run":
In the Output is the error:
NUnit Adapter 4.3.1.0: Test discovery starting NUnit failed to load [dll path]
No test is available in [dll path]
What I did was comment out each class and bring them back one by one until the Tests would STOP to RUN. Then with the failing class put a break point on a [Test] method.
If you can't hit the break point then its failing in this classes [SetUp]. Put a BreakPoint in the [SetUp] and use F11 to step off the edge of the method, ie F11 off the final curly brace..
AND THEN you get a prompt saying which DLL it can't load.
In my case it was “couldn’t load a DLL Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Core”
Referencing the DLL via Package Manager resolved the problem.
Edit: if this happens in a Unit Test you may want to reference the Microsoft.AspNetCore.App FrameworkReference rather than the Microsoft.AspNetCore.Mvc.Core package reference:
<ItemGroup>
<FrameworkReference Include="Microsoft.AspNetCore.App" />
</ItemGroup>

Visual Studio Test Run can't load test

There is a problem with Visual Studio 2010 test runner. Today I've loaded test results from night build on build server. Exproted this results to *.trx file, removeed from it information about test agent to run test localy. And than imported this file to VS Test Result window. After try of run failed tested, I received message One or more tests could not be found and message Test ... has not been loaded and cannot be added to the test run.
What does it mean? What is the problem?
I've created my project with tests like Class Library Project, not like Test Project. Can it be a reason of error?
PS. I tryed to add image with this error, but I need more reputation.
I can upload image to external resource, if it'll be able to help to solve my problem.
Yes you are right.
If you use MsTest and want to use Visual Studio 2010 test runner, your tests should be placed into a project created like Test Project.
There is a discussion on MSDN Forum on converting project to Test Project.
I suggest you to create new Test Project.
It is the easiest solution.
Otherwise you have to edit *.csproj file and add Guid {3AC096D0-A1C2-E12C-1390-A8335801FDAB} inside ProjectTypeGuids.
<ProjectTypeGuids>{3AC096D0-A1C2-E12C-1390-A8335801FDAB};{FAE04EC0-301F-11D3-BF4B-00C04F79EFBC}</ProjectTypeGuids>
Create new project and cut and paste files in new project
restart VS

how to debug with xUnit?

I'm learning xUnit and so far, have found it to be a most useful tool. It's making me rethink some of my coding tactics to TDD instead.
However, I've come across an interesting problem. My test case is failing. No real concern there, but how do I debug it?
Specifically my test case is failing due to a "out of index" error, or something similar. It's NOT failing at the assert statement. What I need now, is some way to run the test case with the Visual Studio debugger active so that I can see the status of the different variables.
I'm not going to post code, as this situation is bound to come up again. Does anyone have any idea HOW to debug the test case itself?
Almost forgot! I'm using,
Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate (Dreamspark license)
xUnit 1.9
My workflow involves using the xUnit GUI runner to run the tests.
If what I'm asking is impossible, can someone suggest an alternative test suite I could use that has what I want?
In VS2015 and later, install the xunit.runner.visualstudio NuGet package. Then debugging is as easy as right-clicking on the test in the test explorer window. (Test-->Windows-->TestExplorer if you can't see it). You can also right-click anywhere in the code of the test and Run Test and Debug Test will be in the context menu. If your test is not showing up, be sure the class and method are both public.
I've not tested this but you should be able to attach visual studio to the xUnit GUI and debug from there.
From the Debug menu select 'attach to process', locate the name of the executable in the list and click attach. Set breakpoints in the unit test as required and run the test from the GUI. The breakpoint should be hit as expected.
I have failed in implementing all of the above, but the following worked for me:
Before the lines where you want to debug add the following line (then run the test):
System.Diagnostics.Debugger.Launch();
The drawback is that it will launch another instance of VS :).
Cheers!
In visual studio 2017, make sure that solution configuration is under 'Debug' mode. Under 'Release' mode it is not debugging.
The following will work in VS.NET and in SharpDevelop.
Open the test project's properties and go to Debug tab:
Under "Start Action" set "Start external program" to the xUnit runner
executable of choice.
Under "Start Options" set "Command line arguments" to the name of
your project's debug DLL.
Also set "Working directory" to the project's "bin\Debug\" directory.
Then select Debug > Run or press F5 to run your test in debug mode. Breakpoints will be hit.
The advantage of doing your debugging this way is you don't have to attach to the xUnit GUI each time, you just need to run your test project.
See the answer to this question: Stepping through and debugging code in Unit tests .
Essentially:
...go to 'Test' in the main menu of VS..., click submenu 'Debug' . . .'.
It also works for me using VS2017 ;)
Update for 2020:
If you're using Visual Studio Code with OmniSharp, you can click the "Debug Test" text above the method.
If you have resharper, with X-unit contrib extension installed (seriously recommended!), right click the class in visual studio and click "debug unit tests".
Simple!
set a break point inside of your method.
from visual studio Menu bar, click on Test.
from Debug click on Selected Test or All Test.
I tried all of the above and had no success.
The thing that worked for me is from the following post:
https://github.com/OmniSharp/omnisharp-vscode/issues/1630#issuecomment-317797607
In the .csproj file, under PropertyGroup add the following:
portable
Here's what I did, I just set the breakpoints, and from the menu from the top I choose "Test > Debug All Tests" or "Test > Debug last run"

Categories

Resources