Visual Studio Hacks

Run Unit Tests Inside Visual Studio #93

Chapter 13, Enhancing Visual Studio

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HACK

Test Output and Task List

The Test output pane is the window in which all test results and warning

messages appear and is shown in Figure 13-4. Trace and debug information

is also sent there, along with console output and error messages. If all tests

in a project or solution are being executed, the Test output pane will dis-

play only ignored or failed tests.

When a test fails, the name of the test, together with the exception message

and stack trace, is displayed. If code has been compiled with debugging

information, the corresponding portions of the stack trace will contain line

numbers. Double-clicking on these portions is a convenient way of navigat-

ing to the offending code.

As well as sending information to the output pane, failing tests also get

added to the task list. If many tests have failed, this creates a useful sum-

mary view as shown in Figure 13-5. Generally, the further up the stack trace,

the more likely the code will be of interest. Double-clicking a test in the task

list is an alternative way of accessing the code in question.

Test With... Debugger

The Test With… menu offers many alternative contexts in which to run

tests. Selecting the Debugger context executes test(s) with the Visual Studio

debugger attached, as shown in Figure 13-6. By setting a breakpoint on a

method and selecting Test With… ...