Java Extreme Programming Cookbook

Submitting Form Data

Problem

You want to verify that your servlet correctly handles form parameters.

Solution

Write a ServletTestCase to simulate passing valid and invalid form parameters to a servlet.

Is Cactus Too Difficult?

Cactus provides a way to test server-side code running within a servlet container. A Cactus test, commonly known as an in-container test, can sometimes be overkill, depending on what you are testing. For example, this recipe shows how to use Cactus to test form parameters passed to a servlet. You may recall that Chapter 5 also shows how to test form parameters. In our opinion, HttpUnit is a lot easier to use than Cactus. Another approach, which some would argue is even easier, is to use a mock object. Specifically, you would have a mock implementation of the HttpServletRequest interface that provides the functionality you need to test request (form) parameters. So which is better? The answer lies in what you are comfortable using. If you are using Cactus for most of your tests, it may make sense to bite the bullet and use Cactus for all tests, even if the test is harder to write. On the other hand, if you do not mind mixing different unit testing frameworks in your project, then a mock implementation is probably the easiest solution.

Discussion

Most web applications have some sort of user input. A good example is a page for new customers to create an account. The page might ask for name, address, age, and gender. In the web world, this calls for an HTML form containing ...