Python NameError: global name 'assertEqual' is not defined

Question

I'm following Learn Python the Hard Way and I'm on Exercise 47 - Automated Testing (http://learnpythonthehardway.org/book/ex47.html)

I am using Python3 (vs the book's use of Python 2.x) and I realize that assert_equals (which is used in the book) is deprecated. I am using assertEqual.

I am trying to build a test case but for some reason, when using nosetests in cmd, I get the error: NameError: global name 'assertEqual' is not defined

Here is the code:

from nose.tools import *
from ex47.game import Room



def test_room():
    gold = Room("GoldRoom",
        """ This room has gold in it you can grab. There's a
            door to the north. """)
    assertEqual(gold.name, "GoldRoom")
    assertEqual(gold.paths, {})

def test_room_paths():
    center = Room("Center", "Test room in the center.")
    north = Room("North", "Test room in the north.")
    south = Room("South", "Test room in the south.")

    center.add_paths({'north': north, 'south': south})
    assertEqual(center.go('north'), north)
    assertEqual(center.go('south'), south)

def test_map():
    start = Room("Start", "You can go west and down a hole")
    west = Room("Trees", "There are trees here. You can go east.")
    down = Room("Dungeon", "It's dark down here. You can go up.")

    start.add_paths({'west': west, 'down': down})
    west.add_paths({'east': start})
    down.add_paths({'up': start})

    assertEqual(start.go('west'), west)
    assertEqual(start.go('west').go('east'), start)
    assertEqual(start.go('down').go('up'), start)

I've tried searching GitHub for any solutions, and I'm just not sure why it's giving me the NameError and how would I go about fixing it.

Isn't `assertEqual` part of unittest? nose still uses `assert_equal`. — Blender, Jul 22 '13 at 03:35
Wow you're right. I just changed `assertEqual` to `assert_equal` like you stated and it works flawlessly. Thank you! — auro, Jul 22 '13 at 03:40

score 10 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 19 '17 at 20:19

10

Had a similar problem with the second module in a python selenium test script. Solved it by including 'self.' before the 'assertIn'.

Before:

assertIn('images/checkbox-checked.png', ET)

After:

self.assertIn('images/checkbox-checked.png', webelement)

answered Sep 19 '17 at 20:19

user8636702

101
1
2

score 5 · Answer 2 · edited Nov 21 '17 at 07:36

5

assertEqual is a method of unittest.TestCase class, so you can only use it on objects that inherit from that class. Check the unittest documentation.

edited Nov 21 '17 at 07:36

charlesreid1

4,360
4
30
52

answered Jul 22 '13 at 15:09

Joop

7,840
9
43
58

exactly the reason for the NameError. nose.tools have no assertEqual function – Joop Jul 23 '13 at 11:58
6

Sure, but answering a question by pointing to the docs for a library he's not using instead of pointing to the docs for the library he's using strikes me as somewhat backwards... – Fredrik Jul 23 '13 at 17:36

score 1 · Answer 3 · edited Sep 05 '20 at 13:05

You can use assertEqual in python 3 with the help of unittest Library.

import unittest

class TestBalanceCheck(unittest.TestCase):

    def test(self,sol):
        self.assertEqual(sol('[](){([[[]]])}('),False)
        self.assertEqual(sol('[{{{(())}}}]((()))'),True)
        self.assertEqual(sol('[[[]])]'),False)
        print('ALL TEST CASES PASSED')
    
t = TestBalanceCheck()
t.test(balance_check)`

Make sure assertEqual is inside unittest.Testcase

ISD · Answer 4 · 2020-09-05T07:46:51.657

Why there is `NameError`?

Because nose.tools haven't got assertEqual() method. Possibly, you are mixing nose.tools with unittest.

How to avoid it in your case?

As someone said (in comments) nose has got assert_equal:

from nose.tools import *
from ex47.game import Room

def test_room():
    gold = Room("GoldRoom",
        """ This room has gold in it you can grab. There's a
            door to the north. """)
    assert_equal(gold.name, "GoldRoom")
    assert_equal(gold.paths, {})

But, officially it is deprecated. Any usage of it causes DeprecationWarning:

...
Asserts something ...
.../test.py:123:    
DeprecationWarning: Please use assertEqual instead.
  assert_equals(a, b)
ok
...

So, you should use assertEqual from unittest:

import unittest
from ex47.game import Room

class TestGame(unittest.TestCase):
    def test_room(self):
        gold = Room("GoldRoom",
            """ This room has gold in it you can grab. There's a
                door to the north. """)
        self.assertEqual(gold.name, "GoldRoom")
        self.assertEqual(gold.paths, {})

Read the docs here

Python NameError: global name 'assertEqual' is not defined

4 Answers4

Why there is NameError?

How to avoid it in your case?

Why there is `NameError`?