isKindOfClass and NSStringFromClass disagree about UIApplicationDelegate

Question

I was playing with a simple OCUnit test for an iPhone app, and just wanted to assert that the app delegate was an instance of the class that I expected it to be. I didn't expect this test to be very useful, but it turned out to reveal a misunderstanding that I have regarding Objective C.

I first get a reference to the delegate. Then I log the class name of what comes back. In my case, the output correctly says "app delegate's class name is CalculatorAppDelegate".

However, the assertion on the next line fails, and I don't understand why.

- (void)testAppDelegate 
{
    id appDelegate = [[UIApplication sharedApplication] delegate];
    NSLog(@"app delegate's class name is %@", NSStringFromClass([appDelegate class]));
    NSLog(@"is it kind? %i", [appDelegate isKindOfClass:[CalculatorAppDelegate class]]);
    NSLog(@"is it member? %i", [appDelegate isMemberOfClass:[CalculatorAppDelegate class]]);
    NSLog(@"class == class %i", [appDelegate class] == [CalculatorAppDelegate class]);
    STAssertTrue([appDelegate isKindOfClass:[CalculatorAppDelegate class]], @"wtf");
}

What circumstances could cause NSStringFromClass() to return the correct class name, while isKindOfClass returns false?

2011-03-19 15:51:13.864 Calculator[40092:207] app delegate's class name is CalculatorAppDelegate
2011-03-19 15:51:13.864 Calculator[40092:207] is it kind? 0
2011-03-19 15:51:13.865 Calculator[40092:207] is it member? 0
2011-03-19 15:51:13.865 Calculator[40092:207] class == class 0
/Users/pohl/Developer/FoundationCalculator/CalculatorTests/CalculatorBrainTests.m:37: error: -[CalculatorBrainTests testAppDelegate] : "[appDelegate isKindOfClass:[CalculatorAppDelegate class]]" should be true. wtf
Test Case '-[CalculatorBrainTests testAppDelegate]' failed (0.002 seconds).

Answer 1

You haven't configured your testing target correctly. If you followed this guide for unit testing applications you should have 3 targets: Calculator, CalculatorTests and CalculatorTesting. Check the 'build phases' section in CalculatorTests. In 'Compile Sources' only the SenTestCase source files should be listed there. I guess you added the CalculatorAppDelegate.m and other files there - this would lead to duplicate assemblies of the same source files which are then linked to the same application when you build the CalculatorTesting target. That explains why your assertions fail.

EDIT: Just realized that you don't need the CalculatorTesting target in Xcode 4. Just go to Project > Edit Schemes... and make sure the unit test bundle is listed in the Test section. Then you can run unit tests with Cmd-U.