Tag: javascript

As we move towards a more unit tested and designed approach to our javascript code we’ve been playing with the notion of using dependency injection to allow us to abstract and allow mocking of javascript AJAX server calls. What we’ve done is create a javascript object that handles making AJAX server calls. The AJAX server call object has one method that takes a url, data to post, a success function handler, and an error function handler.

[javascript]
//definition of our real AJAX Server Caller
function AJAXServerCaller()
{
//this created public method that can be called by our code
this.MakeServerCall = function(url, data, successHandler, errorHandler)
{
var dataCleaned = JSON.stringify(data);
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
url: url,
data: dataCleaned,
contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
dataType: "json",
success: successHandler(result.d),
error:function (xhr, ajaxOptions, thrownError){
if(errorHandler != null)
errorHandler(thrownError);
else
alert(‘An Error Has Occurred’);
}
});

}

}
[/javascript]

We house our server caller object in a AJAXServerCaller.js file, and this file is included when any calls are made that use the object to make an AJAX server call in their javascript. In order to make an AJAX Server call an instance of the AJAX server calling object is passed in to a method as a parameter.
[javascript]
//example usage of ajax server caller

//function to handle successful return of AJAX call
function UpdateCustomerSaved(serverData)
{
///…do something to UI after ajax call completes successfully

}

//function to handle error result of AJAX call
function DisplayErrorCustomerSave(errorData)
{
///…do something to UI to notify of error
}

function SaveCustomerData(customerData, ajaxServerCaller)
{
//acutual AJAX processing handed off to our server caller object
ajaxServerCaller.MakeServerCall(‘http://portal/customerSave.aspx?SaveCustomer’, customerData, UpdateCustomerSaved, DisplayErrorCustomerSave);
}

///Click Handler calls save method, creates and passes in server caller instance
function CustomerSaveClickHandler(event)
{
var data = GetCustomerData();
SaveCustomerData(data, new AJAXServerCaller());
}
[/javascript]

When we’re testing any javascript that uses our AJAX server call object we simply include a file called ‘AJAXServerCallerMock.js’ that has an object that has the exact same signature as our real AJAX server calling object, but has an extra property for fake data to be returned by a service call. When testing the instance that is created is now of our mock AJAX server caller and javascript logic that relies on server calls can now be tested without actually hitting a server.

[javascript]
//definition of our mock AJAX Server Caller, must have same object name and
//also the MakeServerCall method defined to act in place of real object
function AJAXServerCaller()
{
//properties to hold fake data to return
//and indexes so can do multiple calls in one test
this.SuccessResultDataArray = new Array();
var usedMockSuccessResultIndex = 0;

//we’ll allow an error to be programmed on a specific call
this.ErrorOnCall = 0;
this.ErrorResultData = null;
var totalCallCount = 0;

//this created public method will fake real server call, pass back preprogrammed data.
this.MakeServerCall = function(url, data, successHandler, errorHandler)
{
totalCallCount++;
// act as if error returned if programmed to do so
if(this.ErrorOnCall == totalCallCount)
{
if(this.SuccessResultDataArray.length<=usedMockSuccessResultIndex)
{
errorHandler(this.ErrorResultData);
}
}
//call success method with data matched to index of call
//and increment method call index.
else
{
if(this.SuccessResultDataArray.length<=usedMockSuccessResultIndex)
{
successHandler(this.SuccessResultDataArray[usedMockSuccessResultIndex]);
usedMockSuccessResultIndex++;
}
else
{
throw ‘no success data available at index:’ + usedMockSuccessResultIndex;
}

}
});

}

}
[/javascript]

One issue with our approach is that our mock AJAX server call in testing is not exactly like the real AJAX call would be since the mock object is not asynchronous. Our mock caller simply fires the functions passed to handle the ajax server result with the programmed mocked return data. This hasn’t been a large issue, but might be problematic down the line. Another issue could also arise if we need to support complex return scenarios with our mock, like multiple return values, or checking the number of calls made. We will have to build a more complicated mock AJAX caller if we run into situations that require more complex mock object programming.

[javascript]
//example testing using QUnit taking advantage of ajax server caller

var glbSuccess = false;

//function to handle successful return of AJAX call
function UpdateCustomerSaved(serverData)
{
glbSuccess = true;

}

test("Test Save Customer Data calls server", function() {

// — if AJAXServerCallerMock.js is included for test this should be our mock
var ajaxCaller = new AJAXServerCaller();

//– program mock return value for one expected call
ajaxCaller.SuccessResultDataArray[0] = "{result:0}";

//–Act
SaveCustomerData(data, ajaxCaller);

//–Assert – check everything ok with ui.
ok(methodToCheckCustomerInGoodState());
});

[/javascript]

Between unit testing and adding dependency injection into our javascript it’s already beginning to look and feel a lot more organized. My hope is this will allow us to produce higher quality javascript code, in less overall time. We shall see!