rspec gem clashing with ActiveSupport[4.2.0.rc1]?

[ericbrooke]

This occurs with every rspec test I am running

bundle exec rspec spec/controllers/welcome_controller_spec.rb
Coverage report generated for RSpec to /Users/ericbrooke/dev/revenge_of_the_actor/coverage. 0.0 / 0.0 LOC (100.0%) covered.
/Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/activesupport-4.2.0.rc1/lib/active_support/core_ext/module/deprecation.rb:21:in `deprecate': uninitialized constant Module::ActiveSupport (NameError)
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/activesupport-4.2.0.rc1/lib/active_support/core_ext/class/delegating_attributes.rb:26:in `<class:Class>'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/activesupport-4.2.0.rc1/lib/active_support/core_ext/class/delegating_attributes.rb:6:in `<top (required)>'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/activesupport-4.2.0.rc1/lib/active_support/core_ext/class.rb:2:in `require'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/activesupport-4.2.0.rc1/lib/active_support/core_ext/class.rb:2:in `<top (required)>'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/actionview-4.2.0.rc1/lib/action_view/template/resolver.rb:2:in `require'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/actionview-4.2.0.rc1/lib/action_view/template/resolver.rb:2:in `<top (required)>'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/actionview-4.2.0.rc1/lib/action_view/testing/resolvers.rb:1:in `require'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/actionview-4.2.0.rc1/lib/action_view/testing/resolvers.rb:1:in `<top (required)>'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-rails-3.1.0/lib/rspec/rails/view_rendering.rb:1:in `require'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-rails-3.1.0/lib/rspec/rails/view_rendering.rb:1:in `<top (required)>'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-rails-3.1.0/lib/rspec/rails.rb:4:in `require'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-rails-3.1.0/lib/rspec/rails.rb:4:in `<top (required)>'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/dev/revenge_of_the_actor/spec/spec_helper.rb:20:in `require'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/dev/revenge_of_the_actor/spec/spec_helper.rb:20:in `<top (required)>'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb:1072:in `require'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb:1072:in `block in requires='
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb:1072:in `each'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb:1072:in `requires='
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/configuration_options.rb:103:in `block in process_options_into'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/configuration_options.rb:102:in `each'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/configuration_options.rb:102:in `process_options_into'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/configuration_options.rb:22:in `configure'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:95:in `setup'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:84:in `run'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:69:in `run'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:37:in `invoke'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/rspec-core-3.1.7/exe/rspec:4:in `<top (required)>'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/bin/rspec:23:in `load'
    from /Users/ericbrooke/.rbenv/versions/2.1.5/bin/rspec:23:in `<main>'

[cupakromer]

That doesn't seem like an RSpec issue. That error is coming from Rails code. The first line of the stack trace with RSpec: rspec-rails-3.1.0/lib/rspec/rails/view_rendering.rb:1:in 'require'

That LOC is simply: require 'action_view/testing/resolvers'

Which is confirmed by the line in the stack trace above it: actionview-4.2.0.rc1/lib/action_view/testing/resolvers.rb:1:in '<top (required)>'

I'm not sure what your code is doing; spec/spec_helper.rb no longer has any Rails references in it, yet that is in the stack trace. I'm guessing you're just requiring rspec-rails.

The top of the stack trace shows the file being accessed is this one: active_support/core_ext/module/deprecation. According to the history the last commit related to this file is: rails/rails@1e62457

Looks like it removed a necessary require which is the first time the ActiveSupport constant gets defined in this call chain. So it's attempting to look for it cannot find it anywhere and complains it's not scoped in class Module.

Please log this with Rails core.

[cupakromer]

I took a 2nd look. Still seems like a Rails issue, though I do not think the commit I referenced is the cause as it was added a year ago (I read it as 2014 originally). I re-checked the stack and I'm honestly not sure what change is causing this.

Our spec suite recently started having issues with 4.2, but those are unrelated to the stack you posted.

Can you share your spec/spec_helper.rb?

[cupakromer]

Now I'm not sure this is a rails issue. I think there may be something off with your spec/spec_helper.rb file.

[ericbrooke]

# This file is copied to spec/ when you run 'rails generate rspec:install'
ENV["RAILS_ENV"] ||= 'test'
require 'spec_helper'
require File.expand_path("../../config/environment", __FILE__)
require 'rspec/rails'
# Add additional requires below this line. Rails is not loaded until this point!

# Requires supporting ruby files with custom matchers and macros, etc, in
# spec/support/ and its subdirectories. Files matching `spec/**/*_spec.rb` are
# run as spec files by default. This means that files in spec/support that end
# in _spec.rb will both be required and run as specs, causing the specs to be
# run twice. It is recommended that you do not name files matching this glob to
# end with _spec.rb. You can configure this pattern with the --pattern
# option on the command line or in ~/.rspec, .rspec or `.rspec-local`.
#
# The following line is provided for convenience purposes. It has the downside
# of increasing the boot-up time by auto-requiring all files in the support
# directory. Alternatively, in the individual `*_spec.rb` files, manually
# require only the support files necessary.
#
# Dir[Rails.root.join("spec/support/**/*.rb")].each { |f| require f }

# Checks for pending migrations before tests are run.
# If you are not using ActiveRecord, you can remove this line.
ActiveRecord::Migration.maintain_test_schema!

RSpec.configure do |config|
  # Remove this line if you're not using ActiveRecord or ActiveRecord fixtures
  config.fixture_path = "#{::Rails.root}/spec/fixtures"

  # If you're not using ActiveRecord, or you'd prefer not to run each of your
  # examples within a transaction, remove the following line or assign false
  # instead of true.
  config.use_transactional_fixtures = true

  # RSpec Rails can automatically mix in different behaviours to your tests
  # based on their file location, for example enabling you to call `get` and
  # `post` in specs under `spec/controllers`.
  #
  # You can disable this behaviour by removing the line below, and instead
  # explicitly tag your specs with their type, e.g.:
  #
  #     RSpec.describe UsersController, :type => :controller do
  #       # ...
  #     end
  #
  # The different available types are documented in the features, such as in
  # https://relishapp.com/rspec/rspec-rails/docs
  config.infer_spec_type_from_file_location!
  Capybara.javascript_driver = :poltergeist
end

[ericbrooke]

# This file was generated by the `rails generate rspec:install` command. Conventionally, all
# specs live under a `spec` directory, which RSpec adds to the `$LOAD_PATH`.
# The generated `.rspec` file contains `--require spec_helper` which will cause this
# file to always be loaded, without a need to explicitly require it in any files.
#
# Given that it is always loaded, you are encouraged to keep this file as
# light-weight as possible. Requiring heavyweight dependencies from this file
# will add to the boot time of your test suite on EVERY test run, even for an
# individual file that may not need all of that loaded. Instead, consider making
# a separate helper file that requires the additional dependencies and performs
# the additional setup, and require it from the spec files that actually need it.
#
# The `.rspec` file also contains a few flags that are not defaults but that
# users commonly want.
#
# See http://rubydoc.info/gems/rspec-core/RSpec/Core/Configuration
require 'simplecov'
SimpleCov.start

require 'rspec/rails'
require 'capybara/rails'
require 'capybara/rspec'
require 'capybara/poltergeist'

RSpec.configure do |config|
  # rspec-expectations config goes here. You can use an alternate
  # assertion/expectation library such as wrong or the stdlib/minitest
  # assertions if you prefer.
  config.expect_with :rspec do |expectations|
    # This option will default to `true` in RSpec 4. It makes the `description`
    # and `failure_message` of custom matchers include text for helper methods
    # defined using `chain`, e.g.:
    # be_bigger_than(2).and_smaller_than(4).description
    #   # => "be bigger than 2 and smaller than 4"
    # ...rather than:
    #   # => "be bigger than 2"
    expectations.include_chain_clauses_in_custom_matcher_descriptions = true
  end

  # rspec-mocks config goes here. You can use an alternate test double
  # library (such as bogus or mocha) by changing the `mock_with` option here.
  config.mock_with :rspec do |mocks|
    # Prevents you from mocking or stubbing a method that does not exist on
    # a real object. This is generally recommended, and will default to
    # `true` in RSpec 4.
    mocks.verify_partial_doubles = true
  end

# The settings below are suggested to provide a good initial experience
# with RSpec, but feel free to customize to your heart's content.
=begin
  # These two settings work together to allow you to limit a spec run
  # to individual examples or groups you care about by tagging them with
  # `:focus` metadata. When nothing is tagged with `:focus`, all examples
  # get run.
  config.filter_run :focus
  config.run_all_when_everything_filtered = true

  # Limits the available syntax to the non-monkey patched syntax that is recommended.
  # For more details, see:
  #   - http://myronmars.to/n/dev-blog/2012/06/rspecs-new-expectation-syntax
  #   - http://teaisaweso.me/blog/2013/05/27/rspecs-new-message-expectation-syntax/
  #   - http://myronmars.to/n/dev-blog/2014/05/notable-changes-in-rspec-3#new__config_option_to_disable_rspeccore_monkey_patching
  config.disable_monkey_patching!

  # Many RSpec users commonly either run the entire suite or an individual
  # file, and it's useful to allow more verbose output when running an
  # individual spec file.
  if config.files_to_run.one?
    # Use the documentation formatter for detailed output,
    # unless a formatter has already been configured
    # (e.g. via a command-line flag).
    config.default_formatter = 'doc'
  end

  # Print the 10 slowest examples and example groups at the
  # end of the spec run, to help surface which specs are running
  # particularly slow.
  config.profile_examples = 10

  # Run specs in random order to surface order dependencies. If you find an
  # order dependency and want to debug it, you can fix the order by providing
  # the seed, which is printed after each run.
  #     --seed 1234
  config.order = :random

  # Seed global randomization in this process using the `--seed` CLI option.
  # Setting this allows you to use `--seed` to deterministically reproduce
  # test failures related to randomization by passing the same `--seed` value
  # as the one that triggered the failure.
  Kernel.srand config.seed
=end

end

[cupakromer]

Yep, that seems to be the issue. Your spec/spec_helper.rb on line 20 is doing: require 'rspec/rails'. It does not load anything other than simplecov prior.

That's not the expected sequence. If you look at the generated spec/rails_helper.rb you will see it looks like:

ENV["RAILS_ENV"] ||= 'test'
require 'spec_helper'
require File.expand_path("../../config/environment", __FILE__)
require 'rspec/rails'

rspec-rails is expecting to have the rails environment loaded prior to loading rspec-rails. This ensures the necessary parts of rails are also loaded.

[ericbrooke]

@cupakromer Thank Aaron for having a look at this. With the exception of simplecov the order was as set by the generator. I have not changed this. I removed SimpleCov and I get the same error. I will log with Rails core team as you suggested. I removed all extra changes i.e. Capybara and poltergeist. So started with a new pristine file and got the same error.

[cupakromer]

@ericbrooke looking at this I don't think this is a Rails core issue any more. I think this is a setup issue with your spec/spec_helper.rb file. The rspec-rails 3.x generators no longer add any Rails or rspec-rails code to the spec/spec_helper.rb file. The fact that you have the following in your spec/spec_helper.rb means it was manually added:

require 'rspec/rails'
require 'capybara/rails'
require 'capybara/rspec'
require 'capybara/poltergeist'

In rspec-rails 3.x two helpers are created: spec/spec_helper.rb and spec/rails_helper.rb. The spec/spec_helper.rb comes from rspec-core and is solely a minimal RSpec configuration setup. The spec/rails_helper.rb properly sets the ENV and requires the Rails environment prior to loading rspec-rails (you can see your spec/rails_helper.rb properly does this too).

[ericbrooke]

Thanks @cupakromer

I deleted all my specs and ran

rails generate rspec:install

and now it all works. It seems something in the spec_helper or rails_helper was causing the issue
thank you for your time