Sample code for unit testing api controllers

Question

Is there an sample code that shows unit testing a controller that inherits from the api controller? I am trying to unit test a POST but it is failing. I believe I need to set up

Answer 1

I've created a general solution for calling some action and getting HttpResponseMessage as Dictionary which is very convenient for usage.

First some extension for the dictionary:

public static class DictionaryExtensions
{
    public static void AddRange(this Dictionary source,
                                      Dictionary collection) 
    {
        if (collection == null)
        {
            throw new NullReferenceException("Collection is null");
        }

        foreach (var item in collection)
        {
            source.Add(item.Key, item.Value);
        }
    }
}

Now request creating part:

public class RequestCreator
{
    protected static void FirstPart(ApiController controller,
                                    HttpMethod method,String actionUrl)
    {
        // Creating basic request message with message type and requesting 
        // url example : 'http://www.someHostName/UrlPath/'
        controller.Request = new HttpRequestMessage(method, actionUrl);

        // Adding configuration for request
        controller.Request.Properties.
          Add(HttpPropertyKeys.HttpConfigurationKey,new HttpConfiguration());                                         
    }

    protected static Dictionary SecondPart
                                                 (HttpResponseMessage response)
    {
        // Adding basic response content to dictionary
        var resultCollection = new Dictionary
        {
            {"StatusCode",response.StatusCode},
            {"Headers",response.Headers},
            {"Version",response.Version},
            {"RequestMessage",response.RequestMessage},
            {"ReasonPhrase",response.ReasonPhrase},
            {"IsSuccessStatusCode",response.IsSuccessStatusCode}
        };

        var responseContent = response.Content;
        // If response has content then parsing it and 
        // getting content properties
        if (null != responseContent)
        {
            var resultMessageString = response.Content.
                                               ReadAsStringAsync().Result;
            resultCollection.AddRange((new JavaScriptSerializer()).
                                       DeserializeObject(resultMessageString) 
                                               as Dictionary);
        }


        return resultCollection;
    }       
}

And finally response message to dictionary converter class:

public class HttpResponseModelGetter : RequestCreator
{
    public Dictionary
                 GetActionResponse(ApiController controller,HttpMethod method,
                          String actionUrl,Func callBack)
    {
        FirstPart(controller, method, actionUrl);
        var response = callBack();
        return SecondPart(response);
    }
}

public class HttpResponseModelGetter : RequestCreator
{
    public Dictionary 
             GetActionResponse(ApiController controller,HttpMethod method,
                String actionUrl,Func callBack,T param) 
    {
        FirstPart(controller, method, actionUrl);
        var response = callBack(param);
        return SecondPart(response);
    }
}

public class HttpResponseModelGetter : RequestCreator
{
    public Dictionary 
        GetActionResponse(ApiController controller,HttpMethod method, 
             String actionUrl,Func callBack,
             T1 param1,T2 param2)


    {
        FirstPart(controller, method, actionUrl);
        var response = callBack(param1,param2);
        return SecondPart(response);
    }
} 
//and so on...

and usage :

var responseGetter = new HttpResponseModelGetter();
var result = responseGetter.GetActionResponse(controller,HttpMethod.Get,
                    "http://localhost/Project/api/MyControllerApi/SomeApiMethod",
                                              controller.SomeApiMethod);

Boolean isComplete = Boolean.Parse(result["isComplete"].ToString());