Android - AssertionFailedError on startActivity method in ActivityUnitTestCase test class

Question

I am trying to test an activity in a module. I am just trying to start this activity in the test method, but I always have a AssertionFailedError. I searched the web for this issue but could not find any solution. Any help is appreciated.

This is my test class:

public class ContactActivityTest extends ActivityUnitTestCase<ContactActivity> {

    public ContactActivityTest() {
        super(ContactActivity.class);
    }


    @Override
    public void setUp() throws Exception {
        super.setUp();
    }


    public void testWebViewHasNotSetBuiltInZoomControls() throws Exception {
        Intent intent = new Intent(getInstrumentation().getTargetContext(),
                ContactActivity.class);
        startActivity(intent, null, null);
    }


    @Override
    public void tearDown() throws Exception {
        super.tearDown();
    }
}

And this is the error:

junit.framework.AssertionFailedError
at android.test.ActivityUnitTestCase.startActivity(ActivityUnitTestCase.java:147)
at com.modilisim.android.contact.ContactActivityTest.testWebViewHasNotSetBuiltInZoomControls(ContactActivityTest.java:29)
at android.test.InstrumentationTestCase.runMethod(InstrumentationTestCase.java:214)
at android.test.InstrumentationTestCase.runTest(InstrumentationTestCase.java:199)
at android.test.AndroidTestRunner.runTest(AndroidTestRunner.java:191)
at android.test.AndroidTestRunner.runTest(AndroidTestRunner.java:176)
at android.test.InstrumentationTestRunner.onStart(InstrumentationTestRunner.java:555)
at android.app.Instrumentation$InstrumentationThread.run(Instrumentation.java:1763)

Regards.

Tosspot

Have you tried with an empty activity or could it be that ContactActivity code is responsible for the error? – Rumilly

@Rumilly it might well be, the problem is which part of the code. I tried with an extension of either FragmentActivity and Activity, and I emptied the latter's code and it still crashed with the same issue. – Faerie

I believe you need to have the startActivity(...) code in setUp() Can you check this, and if so I'll add an answer for you to accept. – Junkie

@MGranja That's the JUnit 3 that deals with calling the test method – Faerie

@DougEdey According to the javadoc it should NOT be called in setUp() (because of a ClassLoader issue), but I tried anyway to call in eithersetUp or test method, with the same issue. – Faerie

@Xcihnegn that's the line: startActivity(intent, null, null); – Faerie

actually I saw one sample test codes that calls startActivity from setup , so could just put in setup without put in test method – Vilberg

Is the Activity defined in the manifest file? I tracked down the exception, and it ends up here: grepcode.com/file/repository.grepcode.com/java/ext/… (ActivityNotFoundException) – Lietuva

try to update java veraion from 1.6 or upgrade ane run again. May be it work. If upgrade then try to down grade try both. – Euplastic

@Faerie are you seeing this exact error? – Downcast

Answer 1

ActivityUnitTestCase's startActivity() method needs to be called on the main thread only.

This can be done in the following ways:

1. Use the @UiThreadTest annotation before your test method:

   @UiThreadTest
   public void testWebViewHasNotSetBuiltInZoomControls() throws Exception {
       Intent intent = new Intent(getInstrumentation().getTargetContext(),
               ContactActivity.class);
       startActivity(intent, null, null);
   }
   

2. Use the runOnMainSync method of the Instrumentation class:

   public void testWebViewHasNotSetBuiltInZoomControls() throws Exception {
       final Intent intent = new Intent(getInstrumentation().getTargetContext(),
               ContactActivity.class);
   
       getInstrumentation().runOnMainSync(new Runnable() {
           @Override
           public void run() {
               startActivity(intent, null, null);
              }
           });
    }
   

Why am I right?

Talapoin

I'm sorry that I could not verify the answer to give you my initial bounty. But the annotation solved the issue, so here it is repaired, you deserved this bounty. Thanks! – Faerie

This answer solves the issue, it would be great if the OP of question accepts this as answer. – Humidistat

You might want to extend ActivityInstrumentationTestCase2 instead. – Stopgap