Unit Test not Returning Expected Value

Question

In an Apex class, I've got a simple Boolean that sets itself to either true or false depending on whether the field (Picklist) Candidate_Type__c is equal to:

• Contract/Interim
• Permanent

See below:

public Boolean isContractInterim {
  get {
    if (isContractInterim == null) {
      String candidateType = [SELECT Candidate_Type__c FROM Contact WHERE Id = :con.Id].Candidate_Type__c;

      if (candidateType == 'Contract/Interim') {
        isContractInterim = true;
      }
      else {
        isContractInterim = false;
      }
    }

    return isContractInterim;
  }
  set;
}

To quickly write a unit test for this, in the @testSetup annotated method I used the following:

Contact con = new Contact(
  FirstName = 'Joe',
  LastName = 'Allen',
  Candidate_Type__c = 'Contract/Interim'
);

INSERT con;

And ran this unit test:

@isTest static void test_is_contract_interim() {
  Contact con = [SELECT Id, Candidate_Type__c FROM Contact WHERE Name = 'Joe Allen'];

  System.debug('@@@@@@@@@@ ' + con);

  LatestCandidatePrescreenCont controller = new LatestCandidatePrescreenCont(new ApexPages.StandardController(con));

  System.assertEquals(true, controller.isContractInterim);
}

What's strange here is that con only seemed to debug the Id and not Candidate_Type__c (as though it's somehow not being set?) and the assertion failed citing it was false when I was expecting true.

I've managed to get around this by removing the Candidate_Type__c = 'Contract/Interim' line from @testSetup and instead performing an UPDATE DML inside the method which ultimately passes it:

@isTest static void test_is_contract_interim() {
  Contact con = [SELECT Id, Candidate_Type__c FROM Contact WHERE Name = 'Joe Allen'];
  con.Candidate_Type__c = 'Contract/Interim';

  UPDATE con;

  System.debug('@@@@@@@@@@ ' + con);

  LatestCandidatePrescreenCont controller = new LatestCandidatePrescreenCont(new ApexPages.StandardController(con));

  System.assertEquals(true, controller.isContractInterim);
}

I'm stumped here though as to why I have to update it to get it to return what I expect?

Answer 1

I have created a similar test here and everything worked fine, creating a Contact in a @testSetup annotated method, using a picklist, testing a static boolean in a controller, etc. So I guess there is nothing wrong about this structure.

As you noticed in your code, the debug is not printing the Candidate_Type__c you just set, so I guess there is some other thing such as as workflow rule or trigger updating your Contact as soon as you create it and affecting your results.