Python unittest discovery with subfolders

Question

My unittest folder is organized this way.

.
|-- import
|   |-- import.kc
|   |-- import.kh
|   `-- import_test.py
|-- module
|   |-- module.kc
|   |-- module.kh
|   `-- module_test.py
`-- test.py

I'd want to simply run test.py to run each of my *_test.py using the unittest Python module.

Currently, my test.py contains

#!/usr/bin/env python

import unittest

if __name__ == "__main__":
    suite = unittest.TestLoader().discover('.', pattern = "*_test.py")
    unittest.TextTestRunner(verbosity=2).run(suite)

The python documentation says that it should automatically discover my test in the subfolders. But it does not.

At the moment, it only outputs

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Ran 0 tests in 0.000s

OK

I'm sure it is not a problem with my *_test.py file, because when I move them into the root directory, it works fine.. What am I doing wrong?

score 45 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 01 '12 at 13:34

45

Add __init__.py in the import and module directories.

answered Oct 01 '12 at 13:34

Warren Weckesser

102,583
19
173
194

It worked by just touching the `__init__.py` file, thanks you. Can you explain me why I have to do this ? And is there another solution wich ? Because I am working with other people, and I would like tests to be the easiest way possible to create. – tomahh Oct 01 '12 at 13:37
3

This is an artifact of the way test discovery is implemented. Essentially, each directory that contains a test has to be importable as a Python module. See the [docs](http://docs.python.org/2/library/unittest.html#test-discovery) for more information. – Collin M Sep 28 '13 at 01:09
1

From [documentation](https://docs.python.org/3.7/library/unittest.html#test-discovery) it says that namespace packages should be supported since 3.4, but I found that `__init__.py` is still needed. Why? – Franklin Yu Aug 24 '19 at 14:53
Struggled for a while till I found this. Thank you. Another nuance of the Python world. – Sau001 Dec 27 '20 at 23:25

score 3 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 01 '12 at 13:38

3

Consider using nose instead of the vanilla unittest module, if you are able to switch. You won't need to mess around with your own test.py file or anything; a run of nosetests will find and run all your tests.

answered Oct 01 '12 at 13:38

jbowes

3,904
20
37

Python unittest discovery with subfolders

2 Answers2

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