why is before :save callback hook not getting called from FactoryGirl.create()?

Question

This simple example uses DataMapper's `before :save` callback (aka hook) to increment `callback_count`. callback_count is initialized to 0 and should be set to 1 by the callback. This callback is invoked when the TestObject is created via: ``` TestObject.create() ``` but the callback is skipped when created by FactoryGirl via: ``` FactoryGirl.create(:test_object) ``` Any idea why? [Note: I'm running ruby 1.9.3, factory_girl 4.2.0, data_mapper 1.2.0] Full details follow... The DataMapper model ``` # file: models/test_model.rb class TestModel include DataMapper::Resource property :id, Serial property :callback_count, Integer, :default => 0 before :save do self.callback_count += 1 end end ``` The FactoryGirl declaration ``` # file: spec/factories.rb FactoryGirl.define do factory :test_model do end end ``` The RSpec tests ``` # file: spec/models/test_model_spec.rb require 'spec_helper' describe "TestModel Model" do it 'calls before :save using TestModel.create' do test_model = TestModel.c…

Accepted Answer

At least for `factory_girl 4.2` (don't know since which version it is supported), there is another workwaround through the use of custom methods to persist objects. As it is stated in a response to an issue about it in Github, it is just a matter of calling `save` instead of `save!`.

```
FactoryGirl.define do
  to_create do |instance|
    if !instance.save
      raise "Save failed for #{instance.class}"
    end
  end
end
```

Of course it is not ideal because it should be functional in FactoryGirl core, but I think right now it is the best solution and, at the moment, I'm not having conflicts with other tests...

The caveat is that you have to define it in each factory (but for me it wasn't an inconvenient)

why is before :save callback hook not getting called from FactoryGirl.create()?

Solution

Problem