can i improve my code?

[miguel lisboa]

inside this test i compare a redirected outputStream with these strings; the problem is that outputStream keeps previous input with it, so i'd like to clear it everytime i use it again.

in order to stop that behaviour, i write:

((ByteArrayOutputStream)outputStream).reset();  

everytime before a new assertion.

Is there a better way of doing this?

TiA

[Indraneel A Das]

Have you tried using OutputStream.flush() method after writing into the outputstream?

Does that meets your expectation ?

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

Originally posted by Indraneel A Das:
Have you tried using OutputStream.flush() method after writing into the outputstream?

No, that would not help.

Miguel, that's what you need to do if you're essentially running multiple independent tests in a single test method. You should instead consider putting each assertion into its own individual TestCase, and putting any duplicated setup into the setUp() method. Having separate test cases makes it easier to see what's failing and what's not.

[miguel lisboa]

thanks, Ernest

that was my first thought too, but i must test it all togheter: if first atempt is smaller prints SMALLER, if second is bigger prints BIGGER and so on... as i also keep track of number of atempts (how could i do it otherwise?).

I could do it your way, but, just for curiosity, downcasting, in my concrete case, is the only solution?
[ June 24, 2005: Message edited by: miguel lisboa ]

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

This is a variable created in your test code, right? So why not just declare it to be of the specific type ByteArrayOutputStream, so the cast isn't needed?

[miguel lisboa]

in my ignorance i was programming to interfaces, like
Set myList = new HashSet();

[Ernest Friedman-Hill]

Programming to interfaces is generally a good thing -- unless, of course, you're writing code that knowingly works with a specific implementation's extra features.