ruby - Incrementing an instance variable in the before :each clause of a MiniTest -

i'm writing ruby wrapper web-based api , each request requires unique transaction id sent along request.

i have written test shell using minitest::spec, the transaction id not incrementing between each test.

the test shell, leaving out tedious details, follows:

describe "should expected responses server"   before :all     # random number between 1 , maxint - 100     @txid = 1 + securerandom.random_number(2 ** ([42].pack('i').size * 8 - 2) - 102)     @username = securerandom.urlsafe_base64(20).downcase   end    before :each     # increment txid     @txid += 1     puts "new txid #{@txid}"   end    "should blah blah"     # test uses @txid   end    "should blah blah blah"     # different test uses incremented @txid   end end 

the puts line in there shows @txid not incrementing between each test.

a few more tests demonstrate assignment of value instance variable within body of test has no effect on value of variable.

is expected? correct way handle this?

minitest doesn't support before :all way rspec does. type pass before do (such :all or :each) ignored in underlying implementation.

see this issue relevant discussion, , note the docs specify that: "type ignored , there make porting easier."

you use class variables (not beautiful, they'd meet needs here). alternatively, looks can set custom runner if use minitest::unit - check out the docs, this older answer, , this gist more details.