Python mock patch a function within another function

Question

def f1():
    return 10, True

def f2():
    num, stat = f1()
    return 2*num, stat

How do I use python\'s mock library to patch f1()

Answer 1

Assuming that you're using this mock libary:

def f1():
    return 10, True

def f2():
    num, stat = f1()
    return 2*num, stat

import mock

print f2()   # Unchanged f1 -> prints (20, True)

with mock.patch('__main__.f1') as MockClass:       # replace f1 with MockClass 
    MockClass.return_value = (30, True)     # Change the return value

    print f2()     # f2 with changed f1 -> prints (60, True)

If your code is divided into modules you would probably need to replace __main__.f1 with the path to your module/function.

Answer 2

First example suggests that f1() and f2() defined in the same module. Hence the following should work:

from foo.bar import f2
from mock import patch

class MyTest(TestCase):

    @patch('foo.bar.f1')
    def test_f2_2(self, some_func):
        some_func.return_value = (20, False)
        num, stat = f2()
        self.assertEqual((num, stat), (40, False))

Patch is on the same as import: @patch('foo.bar.f1')

Here is a good answer on the issue:

http://bhfsteve.blogspot.nl/2012/06/patching-tip-using-mocks-in-python-unit.html