using pytest.raises to catch expected custom error

pytest, python

Solution

What is stopping you importing the specific exception and using it in your `with` pytest.raises statement? Why is this not working? It would be more helpful if you could provide more detail about what problem you are facing.

# your code

class CustomError(Exception):
    pass


def foo():
    raise ValueError('everything is broken')

def bar():
    raise CustomError('still broken')    

#############    
# your test

import pytest
# import your module, or functions from it, incl. exception class    

def test_fooErrorHandling():
    with pytest.raises(ValueError) as excinfo:
        foo()
    assert excinfo.value.message == 'everything is broken'

def test_barSimpleErrorHandling():
    # don't care about the specific message
    with pytest.raises(CustomError):
        bar()

def test_barSpecificErrorHandling():
    # check the specific error message
    with pytest.raises(MyErr) as excinfo:
        bar()
    assert excinfo.value.message == 'oh no!'

def test_barWithoutImportingExceptionClass():
    # if for some reason you can't import the specific exception class,
    # catch it as generic and verify it's in the str(excinfo)
    with pytest.raises(Exception) as excinfo:
        bar()
    assert 'MyErr:' in str(excinfo)

Problem

I am new to `pytest` and am trying to convert some functional test scripts into ones that play nicely with `pytest`. My module has custom error types and I'm trying to use the `with pytest.raises() as excinfo` method. This is a scientific/numerical package and I need to test that certain methods are consistent when called, so I can't just drill down to the lower-level stuff.

Original source

Related problems