RSpec failure: could not find table after migration...?

Question

I have a naked rails 3 app with one model, generated using rails g model User.

I've added a factory (using factory_girl_rails):

Factory.define :user do |f|
  f.email "[email protected]"
  f.password "blah"
  f.password_confirmation "blah"
  f.display_name "neezer"
end

Then I've added one test:

require 'spec_helper'

describe User do

  subject { Factory :user }

  it "can be created from a factory" do
    subject.should_not be_nil
    subject.should be_kind_of User
  end

end

Then I migrate my database using rake db:migrate.

Then I run the test using rspec spec, and the test fails with the following:

Failures:

  1) User can be created from a factory
     Failure/Error: subject { Factory :user }
     ActiveRecord::StatementInvalid:
       Could not find table 'users'
     # ./spec/models/user_spec.rb:5:in `block (2 levels) in <top (required)>'
     # ./spec/models/user_spec.rb:8:in `block (2 levels) in <top (required)>'

I'm confused, because I did just migrate my database, and my schema.db file reflects that there is a users table present, so what gives?

I know this is a beginner question, but banging my head against a wall isn't working...

factory_girl (1.3.3)
factory_girl_rails (1.0.1)
rails (3.0.5)
rspec-rails (2.5.0)
sqlite3 (1.3.3)

Tacklind

Answer 1

Try to execute

rake db:test:prepare

This should fix your tests db.

Barbarbarbara

Do I need to run that whenever I make new migrations, or just does it just "bootstrap" the test database? – Tacklind

just once, it's like db:migrate, i actually always put it in a custom task that i make that migrates, loads fixtures, test db and more. – Barbarbarbara

Any ideas of what to do if rake db:test:prepare does not fix the problem? :( – Affectional

check your migration script too, just incase it's not defined properly. it means your table is indeed not created correctly. – Heartwood

When will I stop getting burned by this?? I think I need to tattoo rake db:test:prepare to the back of one of my hands. – Tarra

Answer 2

The point here is that rspec command doesn't execute migrations on your test database. and rake db:migrate only runs migrations in your current environment, probably development. Others environment like production and test ends without having those changes.

You can run

rake spec

That will prepare your testing db (drop and create using schema.rb) and run all tests.

As the other answer suggested, this:

rake db:test:prepare

Will also setup your testing db, but you have to run the rspec command after that, so, personally I prefer the first option.

Roan

Answer 3

try this out:

For rails version > 4.1+ this solution will work as the current scenario.

but in Rails 4.1+, rake db:test:prepare is deprecated.

try using

rake db:migrate RAILS_ENV=test (it will work for all version of rails)

Hoahoactzin

I think it would be more helpful for the OP and further visitors, when you added some explainations for your intension. – Tagmemic