How can XUnit be configured to show just the method name in the Visual Studio 2015 Test Explorer?

Question

When using xunit.runner.visualstudio version 2.0.1 in Visual Studio 2015, the names of the tests show up fully qualified. Is there a way for the tests to show only the method name?

Consider the following test: -

namespace MySolution.Tests
{
    public class MyTestClass
    {
        [Fact]
        public void ClassUnderTest_WhenDefaultConstructorUsed_SomePropertyIsNotNull()
        {
            *... test code in here*
        }
    }
}

In the Test Explorer this shows as: -

MySolution.Tests.MyTestClass.ClassUnderTest_WhenDefaultConstructorUsed_SomePropertyIsNotNull

Using MSTest/VSTest this will show up as: -

ClassUnderTest_WhenDefaultConstructorUsed_SomePropertyIsNotNull

See a [lower answer](https://stackoverflow.com/a/41643793/1739931) for __net-core__. — THBBFT, Sep 07 '17 at 01:59

score 72 · Answer 1 · edited Jan 23 '20 at 11:58

72

You can also add it with json.

In the root directory of your test project add a file called "xunit.runner.json".

Right-click the file, properties. Select "Copy if newer" for copy to Output directory.

Then in the file enter this json:

{
    "methodDisplay": "method"
}

Note that you may¹ require to restart the IDE in order to have the changes applied.

¹ Visual Studio 2019 requires an IDE restart.

edited Jan 23 '20 at 11:58

Yennefer

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answered Jan 13 '17 at 21:34

lorengphd

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1

So much easier to read in **Test Explorer** now - great find! Worked for me in VS 2017 RTM. – SliverNinja - MSFT May 09 '17 at 17:33
1

It took me few visits to this answer before I realised I should upvote this. My apologies. – tia Aug 02 '17 at 10:32
2

Please note: for me it also required to reopen project for changes to take effect. – shytikov Dec 16 '17 at 10:08
2

Can I just note that this JSON method works for the Xamarin IOS Test Runner! :) the app.config one did not appear too. – WickedW Feb 21 '18 at 14:30
It worked for me after "restart" Visual Studio 2019 Professional. I don't know why. – Jordan Ferr Nov 22 '19 at 20:04
This was only part of the answer for me. I'm using Visual Studio 2022. For this to work, I also had to add some configuration to the .csproj file. For specifics, see the [xUnit docs on configuration](https://xunit.net/docs/configuration-files). – Steve Nyholm Jan 05 '22 at 03:48

score 62 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 01 '17 at 17:10

62

Set xunit.methodDisplay in your App.config file.

<configuration>
  <appSettings>
    <add key="xunit.methodDisplay" value="method"/>
  </appSettings>
</configuration>

Taken from http://xunit.github.io/docs/configuring-with-xml.html

edited Apr 01 '17 at 17:10

cleftheris

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answered Sep 04 '15 at 16:10

Brad Wilson

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Thanks Brad! Don't know how I missed that and curiously it's at odds with this thread: - https://github.com/xunit/xunit/issues/524 – Wayne Birch Sep 07 '15 at 11:05
Note that this works only for version 2.0+ of the test runner. See the documentation at http://xunit.github.io/docs/configuring-with-xml.html. – MiloDC Dec 09 '15 at 01:17
6

I've tried setting the 'methodDisplay' config option to 'method', using the dnx runner. I followed this doc http://xunit.github.io/docs/configuring-with-json.html for the configuration of the dnx runner. My problem is that the name shown in the Test Explorer is still [Class].[Method], even though I expected it to be [Method]. It does seem to work as expected when running tests using the 'dnx test' command in a console though. – Nikolaj Dam Larsen Mar 21 '16 at 03:43
2

@Impero after you changed the `App.config`, close VS, go to `%TEMP%\VisualStudioTestExplorerExtensions`, remove `xunit...` folders and start VS. – meze Apr 21 '16 at 05:26
1

Not working for me. Same as Nikolaj Dam Larsen. Tried what meze suggested. – VivekDev Aug 14 '16 at 17:25
If it is not working for you, try changing the **App.config** property **"Copy to output directory" to "Copy Always"**. Did the trick for me. – jeanadam Dec 21 '16 at 18:35
3

For .NET Core, you need to use https://xunit.github.io/docs/configuring-with-json.html However, there is an issue with copying the file: you need to make sure you actually change a test so it will fully recompile before you can see the changes! Of course, also set the JSON file's copy settings to "copy always" – Structed Mar 31 '17 at 12:37

How can XUnit be configured to show just the method name in the Visual Studio 2015 Test Explorer?

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