[FIXED] How to handle ManyToMany fields while testing django-models?

Issue

I am trying to write tests for my django models. However, I've got a problem with testing ManyToManyFields and haven't resolved it yet.

class TestVolunteeringModels(TestCase):
    def setUp(self) -> None:
        self.test_need = sample_need(title="Need", description="Description")
        self.test_opportunity = sample_opportunity(title="Opportunity", description="Description")
        for i in range(10):
            self.test_category = sample_category(name="Category")
            self.test_need.category = self.test_category
            self.test_opportunity.category = self.test_category

    def tearDown(self) -> None:
        self.test_need.delete()
        self.test_opportunity.delete()

Which brings me this error:

TypeError: Direct assignment to the forward side of a many-to-many set is prohibited. Use category.set() instead.

The problem is when I use .set() as written in traceback instructions, like this:

self.test_need.category.set(self.test_category)
self.test_opportunity.category.set(self.test_category)

It gives me another error, which says "TypeError: 'Category' object is not iterable"

So my question is how can I access ManyToMany field in this case, so I can test it freely?

Solution

.set() expects an iterable as argument, but the argument that you pass, self.test_category, is not iterable. You have two options:

• Use .set([self.test_category,]) instead of .set(self.test_category). Thereby you are passing a list, which is iterable, instead of a single object, which is not iterable (therefor the error message that you get).
• Alternatively, you could use .add(self.test_category). The function .add() takes individual objects as positional arguments, and adds them to any pre-existing catetories.

You should probably opt for .set() though, because this ensures that after its execution, the set of associated categories will be precisely the one that you pass.

Answered By - David S.

Answer Checked By - Mildred Charles (PHPFixing Admin)