Testing element directive - can't access isolated scope methods during tests

Question

I have the following directive.

directivesModule.directive('wikis', function() {
var urlRegex = new RegExp('^(https?)://.+$');

return {
    restrict: 'E', 
    templateUrl: 'templates/wiki-list.html',
    scope: {
        wikis: '='
    },
    link: function(scope, element, attrs) {
        scope.newWikiURL = '';

        scope.$watch('wikis', function() {
            if (scope.wikis == undefined || scope.wikis.length === 0) {
                scope.class = 'hide';
            } else {
                scope.class = 'show';
            }
        }, false);

        scope.addWiki = function() {
            if (scope.wikis == undefined) {
                scope.wikis = [];
            }

            var nw = scope.newWikiURL;
            if (nw != undefined && nw.trim() != '' && urlRegex.exec(nw)) { 
                scope.wikis.push(nw);
                scope.newWikiURL = '';
            }
        }

    }
};

});

When I test it:

describe('Wikis Directive Test Suite', function() {
    var scope, elem, directive, linkFn, html;

    beforeEach(function() {
        html = '<wikis wikis=''></wikis>';

        inject(function($compile, $rootScope) {
            scope = $rootScope.$new();
            scope.wikis = [];

            elem = angular.element(html);

            $compile(elem)(scope);

            scope.$digest();
        });

    });

    it('add Wiki should add a valid wiki URL to artist', function() {
        var url = 'http://www.foo.com';
        scope.newWikiURL = url;
        scope.addWiki();

        expect(scope.wikis.length).toBe(1);
        expect(scope.wikis[0]).toBe(url);
        expect(scope.newWikiURL).toBe('');
    });
});

I get an error saying that Object doesn't have an addWiki method. I tried to debug it, and the link function is not called during the test. I suspect that's why the addWiki method is not part of the scope. Anybody knows why I'm getting this error?

By the way, Is it a normal practice to add some logic into the link function of a directive as it would be a Controller itself? Because looking at the code I know that it's why in reality I'm doing.

Answer 1

As per angular 1.2.0 docs, the way to get the isolate scope is through the method isolateScope

• scope() - retrieves the scope of the current element or its parent.

• isolateScope() - retrieves an isolate scope if one is attached directly to the current element. This getter should be used only on elements that contain a directive which starts a new isolate scope. Calling scope() on this element always returns the original non-isolate scope.

Angular doc - section jQuery/jqLite Extras

BREAKING CHANGE: jqLite#scope()

Answer 2

1. You need to load the module containing your directive, otherwise angular doesn't know what <wikis> is

2. Your directive creates an isolate scope, so once it has been compiled you need to get the new scope using elem.isolateScope()

So with those changes:

describe('Wikis Directive Test Suite', function() {
    var $scope, scope, elem, directive, linkFn, html;

    beforeEach(module('app'));

    beforeEach(function() {
        html = '<wikis></wikis>';

        inject(function($compile, $rootScope, $templateCache) {
            $templateCache.put('templates/wiki-list.html', '<div>wiki template</div>');

            $scope = $rootScope.$new();
            $scope.wikis = [];

            elem = angular.element(html);

            $compile(elem)($scope);

            scope = elem.isolateScope();
            scope.$apply();
        });

    });

    it('add Wiki should add a valid wiki URL to artist', function() {
        var url = 'http://www.foo.com';
        scope.newWikiURL = url;
        scope.addWiki();

        expect(scope.wikis.length).toBe(1);
        expect(scope.wikis[0]).toBe(url);
        expect(scope.newWikiURL).toBe('');
    });
});

http://jsfiddle.net/QGmCF/1/