C# Unit Testing validate if data input is being deserialized

Question

How can I unit test if my JSON input is being deserialized? I am trying to deserialize a JSON input, calculate and then serialize. But I don't know how to check if my input is being deserialized. So I am writing unit test to validate.

NOTE: AlphaCalcParam ParseParameter is a private method. This is where I am getting an error.

Unit Test

   [TestMethod()]
            public void ParseParameterTest()
            {
                Algo.Alpha.AlphaCalculator calc = new Alpha.AlphaCalculator();

                string test_input = File.ReadAllText(@"..\..\..\case\Alpha Example Input.json");
                string expected = File.ReadAllText(@"..\..\..\case\Alpha Example DOutput.json");
                string res = calc.AlphaCalcParam(test_input);

                res == expected
                Assert.Fail();
            }

Logic

 public string Calculation(string json_param)
        {
            try
            {
                AlphaCalcParam param = ParseParameter(json_param);
                AlphaCalcResults result = CalculateAlpha(param);

                return JsonConvert.SerializeObject(result);
            }
            catch (Exception e)
            {
                return "Failed in Alpha Calculation!. " + e.Message;
            }
        }

...some more code.. below is what i want to test...

 private AlphaCalcParam ParseParameter(string json_param)
        {
            try
            {
                return JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<AlphaCalcParam>(json_param);
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                throw new Exception("The input json string format is wrong for Alpha Calculation!. " + ex.Message);
            }
        }

Seriously, don't understand with all the downvotes. New to C#. Trying to learn. Help me improve. That is what I thought stackoverflow is for. — Mihir Patel
– Mihir Patel, Commented Feb 17, 2017 at 18:10

dpimente · Accepted Answer · 2017-02-17 17:48:14Z

1

Your unit test right now is always Asserting to a failure. What you need to do is test the expected value of res.

 [TestMethod()]
        public void ParseParameterTest()
        {
            Algo.Alpha.AlphaCalculator calc = new Alpha.AlphaCalculator();

            string test_input = File.ReadAllText(@"..\..\..\case\Alpha Example Input.json");
            string expected = File.ReadAllText(@"..\..\..\case\Alpha Example DOutput.json");
            string res = calc.AlphaCalcParam(test_input);

            Assert.AreEqual(expected, res);
        }

If res isn't the expected value, the unit test will fail.

Take a look at the Assert Class documenation for all available methods of testing.

answered Feb 17, 2017 at 17:48

dpimente

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2 Comments

Mihir Patel Over a year ago

@dpimenete thanks but AlphaCalcParam is a private method.

dpimente Over a year ago

Well the logic of unit testing is what you want. For testing you may have to make the AlphaCalcParam method internal or public, not private. Otherwise a new accessor function could be used.

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