Test Unit: inserting test records before method with a callout?

Question

I have a batch apex class that makes a callout at the beginning of each batch. I'm pretty certain that the callout error I'm getting isn't related to the order of DML statements and callouts within the method I'm testing.

However, the method I'm testing requires that there be certain SF records in place in the system for it to work. Therefore, in order to test the method, I need to 'generate' some test data within my test method. I figured if I put the code that creates and inserts records before the test.startTest(); line, it wouldn't trigger the error about making callouts with work pending. Nope, still got the error!

So am I right about the reason for my error? If I start a TestMethod by inserting an account record, then fire up test.startTest();, then execute the method that has a callout in it, will that give me an error? If so, how do I get around the error, since I need those records to exist before I run my method?

I should note that its not important that the records be inserted into the system in the same execution as the code i'm testing. The idea is that those records would already be there.

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Edit in response to SFDCFox's answer:

Well, I still can't get it to work. I put all my test data generation methods (with the DML commands) before the test.StartTest() block, then put my batchable code I was testing in the test block. Still got the System.CalloutException: You have uncommitted work pending. Please commit or rollback before calling out error

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Second Edit: the problem, clarified, and the solution I used

So by now I've confirmed that SF has a legitimate issue with testing callouts that are done within batch apex. Their documentation on the issue only covers tests that involve callouts made separate from batch apex.

Here's the basic outline of my test method:

1. Create and insert an account record.
2. Set the mock callout class, and in that process pass the inserted Account ID to the class so the callout's mock response can include the ID.
3. Within the test.StartTest() and test.StopTest(), I execute the batch apex, which contains the actual callout within its execute portion.

The error is due to inserting the account BEFORE making the callout. Using starttest()/stoptest() as suggested by SFDCfox doesn't seem to solve the issue, nor does the other linked solution on this thread that suggests testing the individual components of the batch process, rather than simply running a batchexecute. This is with the API # of all my classes updated to 30.0.

the solution I used

As linked in PJC's comment below. Essentially, rather than using the testMock class to create fake responses, I created an if clause within the batch apex itself where the callout was made. Before making the callout I check if the callout is being made during a test or not. If it's made during a test, rather than making the actual callout I simply assign the desired test response to the response variable.

Answer 1

See Performing DML Operations and Mock Callouts for more information, but in essence, you need to insert data before Test.startTest, and callout after Test.startTest. Also, this doesn't work with older API versions, so make sure your test methods and classes are running the latest version, if possible. Also note that calling future methods, batches, etc, cause uncommitted work errors, so in some cases you need to call the callout after Test.stopTest, also mentioned in the document.

Test.startTest();
MyClass.asyncCall();
Test.stopTest();

Test.setMock(..); // Takes two arguments
MyClass.mockCallout();

--- or ---

MyClass.asyncCall();

Test.startTest();
Test.setMock(..); // Takes two arguments
MyClass.mockCallout();
Test.stopTest();

Also see Testing HTTP Callouts for more information about testing in general (e.g. the mock callout interfaces, etc).

Answer 2

smohyee

In response to your last comment, look at the following code which does not get a callout exception

The class being tested (greatly simplified):

public with sharing class Foo {
 public String doSomething() {
    Http        h       = new Http();
    HttpRequest hRqst   = new HttpRequest();
    hRqst.setEndpoint('http://my.foo.bar/service');
    hRqst.setMethod('GET');
    hRqst.setTimeout(12000);    
    hRqst.setHeader('Content-Type', 'application/json');    
    HttpResponse hResp =  h.send(hRqst);                    // make the callout.
    return hResp.getBody();                                 // simplified, ignores error checking
 }
}

The testclass with mock callout response and account test data

@isTest
private with sharing class TestFoo {

public class MockCallout implements HttpCalloutMock {       
    private ID  aId;

    public MockCallout(ID aId) {
        this.aId = aId;
    }

    public HTTPResponse respond(HTTPRequest req) {
        HttpResponse res = new HttpResponse();
        // add inserted obj's id to mock response
        res.setBody('{"id" : ' + this.aId + ', "nextAttr" : "bar"}'); 
        res.setStatusCode(200);
        return res;
    }
}

@IsTest
private static void testMyFoo () {
    //  Insert test data before Test.startTest()
    Account a = new Account(name = 'fooAccount');
    insert a;

    Test.startTest();
        //  Establish the mock response, note: pass in ID of inserted Account
        Test.setMock(HttpCalloutMock.class,new TestFoo.MockCallout(a.id));
        Foo foo = new Foo();    // the class being tested
        System.debug(LoggingLevel.INFO,'foo.doSomething returns: ' + foo.doSomething());
    Test.stopTest();
}
}

The debug output clearly shows the mock response including information from the inserted test objects

USER_DEBUG|[30]|INFO|foo.doSomething returns: {"id" : 001J000001RjovnIAB, "nextAttr" : "bar"}