Data driven testing using csv in Protractor

Question

I am trying to run data-driven testing using csv file in protractor:

I have created a read csv promise module:

 let readSync = async function (path1) {
 console.log(path1)
 const csv = require('csv-parser')
 const fs = require('fs')
 const results = [];
 
 
 function getIdRequest(path2) {
 console.log(path2)
 return new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
 
 
 fs.createReadStream(path2)
 .pipe(csv(path2))
 .on('data', (data) => results.push(data))
 .on('end', () => {
 resolve(results);
 })
 });
 }
 console.log(path1)
 return getIdRequest(path1);
 }
 // to get the request body 
 
 module.exports = readSync;

Now i am calling the same from my test file:

 let readCSV = require('../commons/readSync.js');
 
 describe('Validate stage 1 behaviour', function () {
 
 let testdata=await readCSV(browser.params.testFile);
 
 for (let a of testdata) {
 
 it('test {Regression} {Sanity} {Sanity}', async function () {
 //check title
 console.log("inside")
 await mainPage.goto();
 await mainPage.clickElement('inputField')

But i cannot use await inside describe, so I tried using :

 let readCSV = require('../commons/readSync.js'); 
 
 describe('Validate stage 1 behaviour', function () {
 
 readCSV(browser.params.testFile).then(function(testdata){
 
 for (let a of testdata) {
 console.log("outside")
 it('test {Regression} {Sanity} {Sanity}', async function () {
 //check title
 console.log("inside")
 });
 
 }

but in this, 'it' function is not getting executed, its printing only 'outside'

Challenges

1. Cannot use await inside describe as it accepts only synchronous function

2. Cannot use promise.then(describe(function(){} because 'IT' and 'Describe' is not recognized when called inside the callback. I get 0 spec executed message.

3. Tried calling the testdata in before hooks but this also fails as the for loop is outside the It block . So, the compiler tries to run for loop even before 'before hook' is executed .

4. I tried using nested describe and calling await testdata in before each and before all . But even that fails with the same reason , refer: https://stackoverflow.com/q/48344674/6793637

Questions:

1. So is there a better way to run data driven testing using csv in protractor ?

2. Is there a way to synchronously make the suggest solution work?

3. Why is describe or IT block doesn't work inside a callback ? Eg Promise.then(describe()) won't execute describe

• jonrsharpe: It seems like you're really asking how to synchronously read a file, which isn't a testing or QA issue. fs has a blocking method: nodejs.org/api/fs.html#fs_fs_readfilesync_path_options
• PDHide: @jonrsharpe hi the question is more about how to do data driven testing in protractor. I have updated my question thanks for reviewing
• jonrsharpe: stackoverflow.com/questions/25519037/…

Answer 1

Hi i found another csv module : csv-parse : https://csv.js.org/parse/ (Its used in postman)

const parse = require('csv-parse/lib/sync');

Use this module for data-driven testing instead of below-step

Below method is deprecated:

Made it work.

Please suggest any better ways if anyone knows:

Solution:

Install system-sleep module:

npm install system-sleep

.............Updated..........

Now run your tests as:

let testdata=readSync(browser.params.testFile);
var sleep = require('system-sleep');
describe('Validate dfsfdsf 1 behaviour', function () {
//Assign the value when promise gets resolved
//This is asynchronous so we will add a implicit wait
testdata.then(function(b){testdata=b}); 
//sleep till the test resolves
 while(typeof testdata.then === 'function'){
 sleep(1)
 } 
 for(let a of testdata){
 it('test {Regression} {Sanity} {Sanity}', async function () {
 console.log(a)
 });
 }

Update:

https://www.npmjs.com/package/csv-parser-sync-plus-promise

Happy days guys I have created an npm package for this, anyone is free to use it

Now data driven testing is as simple as :

let parser= require('csv-parser-sync-plus-promise');
let testdata = parser.readCsvSync(browser.params.testFile);
describe('Validate dfsfdsf 1 behaviour', function () {
 for(let a of testdata){
 it('test {Regression} {Sanity} {Sanity}', async function () {
 console.log(await parser.readCsvPromise(browser.params.testFile))
 });
 }

• Niels van Reijmersdal: Sleep should never the solution, why not: testdata.then(function(b){ for(let a of b){ // code here}});
• Niels van Reijmersdal: Or use async/await
• PDHide: @NielsvanReijmersdal he please see my question , I tried that , but it and describe block is not being identified inside callback function
• PDHide: @NielsvanReijmersdal async doesn't work inside describe . Describe block supports only synchronous function . I can't keep it inside before hooks also because the for loop is outside the 'it' block and so will get executed before the 'before' hook get executed
• Niels van Reijmersdal: Your example is missing async on the describe function, e.g. describe('Test Suite 1', async function(){ let testdata = await asyncMethod()

Answer 2

A simpler approach using map function: (Considering testArray is an array of objects)

var testParams =testConfig.testArray; 
testParams.map(function(testdata) { 
 it('write your test here', function() { 
 console.log('Username: ', 
 testData.username); 
 });
});

• PDHide: Hi the issues here is of getting the test array :) , if we get an array , then map or for or while any loop works .but the csv parse returns a promise that resolves to a array