Making TDD easier

re: Making TDD easier

Louis Zelus — Fri, 27 Feb 2004 19:13:00 GMT

Eclipse has a nice feature thats worth looking at. You write a test, using the method as you want it someday to work. The IDE show's an error because the method doesn't exist. Right click gives an option to "correct it", one of the methods is to create a stub matching this interface on your class.

The result: Much faster time to reb bar, meaning you write you test, it won't compile, right click, add stub and the test compiles (and fails). Then when you're trying to make it pass you can write the method content and fine tune the method signiture.

re: Making TDD easier

Jay Bazuzi [MS] — Fri, 27 Feb 2004 20:41:00 GMT

Louis: yep, that's the kind of thing we're talking about.

re: Making TDD easier

Thomas Eyde — Sat, 28 Feb 2004 19:04:00 GMT

I want productivity, so give me all those features. Let the IDE create the class, you are providing refactoring tools so we can easily move it later, right?

Why not let the IDE create methods like this:
//test
xmlDoc.LoadXml(xml);

//new method created by IDE
public void LoadXml(string xml) {...}

re: Making TDD easier

Kirk Marple — Sun, 29 Feb 2004 05:43:00 GMT

My ping didn't seem to work from my blog entry, so i've linked it here. I'd be interested in your feedback on the feature suggestion. Thx!

re: Making TDD easier

Chris Garty — Mon, 01 Mar 2004 09:34:00 GMT

Excellent... you have already thought about it!

By the way, my friend Marty Andrews tells me that the folks that make IntelliJ IDEA (JetBrains) commonly refer to this functionality as "Intention Actions" (See: http://www.sdtimes.com/cols/firstlook_072.htm)

I'll just run through your points briefly:
1. Correct. I just hit ESC when intellisense isn't wanted. IMO this is fine since I appreciate intellisense and would rather have it on all the time than off all the time.
2. Correct. Methods are more important (i.e. higher priority)... but then the creation of a class or an interface would be easier (i.e. lower difficulty/time) wouldn't it?
3. Correct. A. Create method with parameters that allows test to compile. B. Create method with parameter types as specified in 'unknown usage'. A is the low-hanging fruit and higher priority. B is the end goal.
4. Correct. But I'd add that when you are doing TDD, you are more likely to use this 'intention action' ability than any single refactoring.

I just found out that the Resharper plugin will be supporting this by mid-April. And judging by what that team did in building up IntelliJ IDEA for the Java IDE space... VS is in for some competition.
http://www.jetbrains.net/confluence/display/ReSharper/Home

re: Making TDD easier

Chris Garty — Mon, 01 Mar 2004 11:30:00 GMT

I forgot to say... Thanks for the info Jay Baz!
http://weblogs.asp.net/chrisgarty/archive/2004/03/01/81963.aspx

re: Making TDD easier

Chris Garty — Mon, 10 May 2004 12:53:00 GMT

Hey,

I thought I'd come all the way back to this post and let you know that you got this spot on... the "Generate Method Stub" functionality works beautifully.

It puts in the types nicely and the thing I love the most is that the default implementation includes an exception throw to remind those forgetful souls :).

My team and I are using it constantly. It makes TDD much easier and in doing so eliminates another perceived barrier to entry.

Great job! Keep up the good work!

- Chris

re: Making TDD easier

Chris Garty — Mon, 10 May 2004 12:56:00 GMT

Oh... and keyboard shortcuts would just be icing on an already sweet cake ;)

- Chris

Generate Method Stub

jaybaz_MS's WebLog — Mon, 10 May 2004 21:25:00 GMT

More on autocomplete

jaybaz [MS] WebLog — Tue, 31 Aug 2004 03:55:00 GMT

More on autocomplete

jaybaz [MS] WebLog — Tue, 31 Aug 2004 04:08:00 GMT