zeus: spec_helper.rb:17:in `': undefined method `configure' for RSpec:Module (NoMethodError)

I’m running a new rails 4.1 app with rspec 3.0, and zeus 0.15.1.

❯❯❯ zeus test
/home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/spec/spec_helper.rb:17:in `<top (required)>': undefined method `configure' for RSpec:Module (NoMethodError)
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/activesupport-4.1.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:247:in `require'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/activesupport-4.1.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:247:in `block in require'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/activesupport-4.1.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:232:in `load_dependency'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/activesupport-4.1.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:247:in `require'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus/rails.rb:189:in `test_helper'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:200:in `run_action'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:74:in `block (2 levels) in boot_steps'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus/load_tracking.rb:7:in `features_loaded_by'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:73:in `block in boot_steps'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:56:in `catch'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:56:in `boot_steps'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:48:in `go'
    from -e:1:in `<main>'

If I add require rspec/rails on the top, zeus works, but rspec stops working:

❯❯❯ rspec spec
/home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/actionview-4.1.2/lib/action_view/template.rb:8:in `<class:Template>': uninitialized constant ActiveSupport::Autoload (NameError)
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/actionview-4.1.2/lib/action_view/template.rb:7:in `<module:ActionView>'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/actionview-4.1.2/lib/action_view/template.rb:5:in `<top (required)>'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/actionview-4.1.2/lib/action_view/template/resolver.rb:4:in `require'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/actionview-4.1.2/lib/action_view/template/resolver.rb:4:in `<top (required)>'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/actionview-4.1.2/lib/action_view/testing/resolvers.rb:1:in `require'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/actionview-4.1.2/lib/action_view/testing/resolvers.rb:1:in `<top (required)>'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-rails-3.0.1/lib/rspec/rails/view_rendering.rb:1:in `require'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-rails-3.0.1/lib/rspec/rails/view_rendering.rb:1:in `<top (required)>'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-rails-3.0.1/lib/rspec/rails.rb:4:in `require'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-rails-3.0.1/lib/rspec/rails.rb:4:in `<top (required)>'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/spec/spec_helper.rb:18:in `require'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/spec/spec_helper.rb:18:in `<top (required)>'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb:1024:in `require'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb:1024:in `block in requires='
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb:1024:in `each'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/configuration.rb:1024:in `requires='
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/configuration_options.rb:101:in `block in process_options_into'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/configuration_options.rb:100:in `each'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/configuration_options.rb:100:in `process_options_into'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/configuration_options.rb:22:in `configure'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:96:in `setup'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:85:in `run'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:70:in `run'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/lib/rspec/core/runner.rb:38:in `invoke'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/rspec-core-3.0.2/exe/rspec:4:in `<top (required)>'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/bin/rspec:16:in `load'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/bin/rspec:16:in `<main>'

I’m pretty sure this error appeared after having spec/rails_helper.rb and spec/spec_helper.rb, but I don’t know how to fix it =/. Any idea?

# spec/rails_helper.rb

# This file is copied to spec/ when you run 'rails generate rspec:install'
ENV["RAILS_ENV"] ||= 'test'
require 'spec_helper'
require File.expand_path("../../config/environment", __FILE__)
require 'fabrication'
require 'rspec/rails'

# Requires supporting ruby files with custom matchers and macros, etc, in
# spec/support/ and its subdirectories. Files matching `spec/**/*_spec.rb` are
# run as spec files by default. This means that files in spec/support that end
# in _spec.rb will both be required and run as specs, causing the specs to be
# run twice. It is recommended that you do not name files matching this glob to
# end with _spec.rb. You can configure this pattern with with the --pattern
# option on the command line or in ~/.rspec, .rspec or `.rspec-local`.
Dir[Rails.root.join("spec/support/**/*.rb")].each { |f| require f }

# Checks for pending migrations before tests are run.
# If you are not using ActiveRecord, you can remove this line.
# ActiveRecord::Migration.maintain_test_schema!

RSpec.configure do |config|
  # Remove this line if you're not using ActiveRecord or ActiveRecord fixtures
  # config.fixture_path = "#{::Rails.root}/spec/fixtures"

  # If you're not using ActiveRecord, or you'd prefer not to run each of your
  # examples within a transaction, remove the following line or assign false
  # instead of true.
  # config.use_transactional_fixtures = true

  # RSpec Rails can automatically mix in different behaviours to your tests
  # based on their file location, for example enabling you to call `get` and
  # `post` in specs under `spec/controllers`.
  #
  # You can disable this behaviour by removing the line below, and instead
  # explicitly tag your specs with their type, e.g.:
  #
  #     RSpec.describe UsersController, :type => :controller do
  #       # ...
  #     end
  #
  # The different available types are documented in the features, such as in
  # https://relishapp.com/rspec/rspec-rails/docs
  config.infer_spec_type_from_file_location!
end

# spec/spec_helper

# This file was generated by the `rspec --init` command. Conventionally, all
# specs live under a `spec` directory, which RSpec adds to the `$LOAD_PATH`.
# The generated `.rspec` file contains `--require spec_helper` which will cause this
# file to always be loaded, without a need to explicitly require it in any files.
#
# Given that it is always loaded, you are encouraged to keep this file as
# light-weight as possible. Requiring heavyweight dependencies from this file
# will add to the boot time of your test suite on EVERY test run, even for an
# individual file that may not need all of that loaded. Instead, make a
# separate helper file that requires this one and then use it only in the specs
# that actually need it.
#
# The `.rspec` file also contains a few flags that are not defaults but that
# users commonly want.
#
# See http://rubydoc.info/gems/rspec-core/RSpec/Core/Configuration

RSpec.configure do |config|
# The settings below are suggested to provide a good initial experience
# with RSpec, but feel free to customize to your heart's content.
=begin
  # These two settings work together to allow you to limit a spec run
  # to individual examples or groups you care about by tagging them with
  # `:focus` metadata. When nothing is tagged with `:focus`, all examples
  # get run.
  config.filter_run :focus
  config.run_all_when_everything_filtered = true

  # Many RSpec users commonly either run the entire suite or an individual
  # file, and it's useful to allow more verbose output when running an
  # individual spec file.
  if config.files_to_run.one?
    # Use the documentation formatter for detailed output,
    # unless a formatter has already been configured
    # (e.g. via a command-line flag).
    config.default_formatter = 'doc'
  end

  # Print the 10 slowest examples and example groups at the
  # end of the spec run, to help surface which specs are running
  # particularly slow.
  config.profile_examples = 10

  # Run specs in random order to surface order dependencies. If you find an
  # order dependency and want to debug it, you can fix the order by providing
  # the seed, which is printed after each run.
  #     --seed 1234
  config.order = :random

  # Seed global randomization in this process using the `--seed` CLI option.
  # Setting this allows you to use `--seed` to deterministically reproduce
  # test failures related to randomization by passing the same `--seed` value
  # as the one that triggered the failure.
  Kernel.srand config.seed

  # rspec-expectations config goes here. You can use an alternate
  # assertion/expectation library such as wrong or the stdlib/minitest
  # assertions if you prefer.
  config.expect_with :rspec do |expectations|
    # Enable only the newer, non-monkey-patching expect syntax.
    # For more details, see:
    #   - http://myronmars.to/n/dev-blog/2012/06/rspecs-new-expectation-syntax
    expectations.syntax = :expect
  end

  # rspec-mocks config goes here. You can use an alternate test double
  # library (such as bogus or mocha) by changing the `mock_with` option here.
  config.mock_with :rspec do |mocks|
    # Enable only the newer, non-monkey-patching expect syntax.
    # For more details, see:
    #   - http://teaisaweso.me/blog/2013/05/27/rspecs-new-message-expectation-syntax/
    mocks.syntax = :expect

    # Prevents you from mocking or stubbing a method that does not exist on
    # a real object. This is generally recommended.
    mocks.verify_partial_doubles = true
  end
=end
end

About this issue

Original URL
State: open
Created 10 years ago
Comments: 30

Most upvoted comments

I encountered this issue as well and solved it by putting this in the top of spec_helper:

 # Zeus does not preload RSpec, but running `rspec spec` does
 require 'rspec/core' unless defined? RSpec.configure

I believe this keeps the vanilla rspec runner from loading the whole rails stack for non-rails specs. I could be wrong however.

+11

maxcal on Sep 27, 2014

You’re calling Rspec.configure before requiring rspec/rails.

latortuga on Jul 7, 2014

I met the same problem, Also adding require 'rspec/rails before requring spec_helper in rails_helper.rb solved the problem.

# rails_helper.rb

require "rspec/rails"
require "spec_helper"

Gaolz on Apr 26, 2016

Hm, okay… I thought this was unrelated to #308, but it seems it’s the same… adding:

# spec/spec_helper.rb
require File.expand_path("../../config/environment", __FILE__)
require 'rspec/rails'

Makes both commands work… I don’t understand why in the world I would need that.

I fixed it with this:

# spec/rails_helper.rb
require 'spec_helper'

# spec/spec_helper.rb
require File.expand_path("../../config/environment", __FILE__)
require 'rspec/rails'

===== post data You are right, RSpec it’s likely defined by them. Anyway, as I said by default with my rails app, the problem doesn’t exist. When I used zeus started to fail (which imho it’s not what you expect). If you think it’s make sense, I can add that “gotcha” to the documentation, since it’s a new “issue” when starting a new app with rspec 3.0 (I think upgrading will not result in any problem).

pablox-cl on Jul 7, 2014

I just ran into the same issue. Fresh Rails 4.2.0.rc3, RSpec 3.1.7 with Zeus 0.15.3 and it still refused to load the tests with the same message (spec/spec_helper.rb:17:in <top (required)>': undefined methodconfigure’ for RSpec:Module (NoMethodError)

But according to that last commit (d126abf) it should properly load rails_helper instead of just spec_helper. Well, after fiddling a bit with it, it turns out that my generated rails_helper.rb looks like this:

# This file is copied to spec/ when you run 'rails generate rspec:install'
ENV["RAILS_ENV"] ||= 'test'
require 'spec_helper'
require File.expand_path("../../config/environment", __FILE__)
require 'rspec/rails'
# Add additional requires below this line. Rails is not loaded until this point!

Hm, and looking at the very last comment in that snippet it seemed obvious. I have to require rspec/rails before spec_helper since the former one requires ‘rspec-core’ which in turn defines the RSpec module.

So with reordering my the first few lines in my spec/rails_helper.rb to zeus starts right and using zeus test works like a charm again.

ENV["RAILS_ENV"] ||= 'test'
require File.expand_path("../../config/environment", __FILE__)
require 'rspec/rails'
# Add additional requires below this line. Rails is not loaded until this point!
require 'spec_helper'

johvet on Dec 22, 2014

I agree with some of the previous comments here. Currently, zeus doesn’t work with a stock rails 4+/5 setup and rspec setup – rails_helper.rb must be modified for zeus to function at all. Being that this is the case, either:

a. zeus should be changed to support the default rails behavior b. The zeus documentation should clearly lay out these required changes to rails_helper.rb.

ajsharp on May 15, 2017

Easily solved, in your Gemfile:

gem "rspec-rails", require: "rspec/rails"

💃

xiy on Apr 3, 2015

My mistake, I didn’t realize this issue was about changed behavior in rspec.

@daino3 mentioned the desire to switch the zeus-auto-require to require rails_helper. Would it be an agreeable fix to do this for rspec 3.1+? @maxcal @PaBLoX-CL thoughts?

We do have the environment variable RAILS_TEST_HELPER so that could be used to fix this as well but it would be nice to work out of the box with new rspec.

latortuga on Nov 7, 2014

@PaBLoX-CL’s suggestion worked for me, but this is a bug. Zeus should work out of the box; nobody should have to unravel arcane dependencies in order to use it. Zeus has enough of a perception problem as it is.

dreki on Nov 7, 2014

FWIW, I encountered this same issue this morning creating a new Rails 4.1.5 project using Rspec 3.0.4 and Zeus 0.15.1.

Initially, I hit the error by running zeus with a new installation in rails.rb. The rspec-rails gem for rspec 3 split out spec_helper.rb from rails_helper.rb for specs not requiring the rails environment to be loaded.

A fix for executing rspec with the rails environment when not running zeus is to add --require rails_helper to the .rspec file.

I fixed my installation by running $ export RAILS_TEST_HELPER=rails_helper to set up the ENV[‘RAILS_TEST_HELPER’] variable to load the right file and then I had to reorder my rails_helper.rb file to require spec_helper after requiring the rspec/rails:

 # This file is copied to spec/ when you run 'rails generate rspec:install'
 ENV["RAILS_ENV"] ||= 'test'
-require 'spec_helper'
 require File.expand_path("../../config/environment", __FILE__)
 require 'rspec/rails'
+require 'spec_helper'

chilcutt on Aug 30, 2014

The error message says that you’re calling configure on a nonexistent module, Rspec. That means that your first call to Rspec.configure is coming before you’re loading rspec. If you use the executable, something in the executable loads rspec for you so you don’t have to worry about it. Without the rspec executable, you have to make sure to load it yourself, as you are with require 'rspec/rails'. You just have to make sure you require rspec before you start configuring it. If this is at all unclear to you, you should read up on how require works in Ruby - you can’t use classes/modules that you have not yet required.

The error message is quite clear, we don’t need any more documentation than this issue and the #308 duplicate.

latortuga on Jul 7, 2014

No, it’s fine. If I ran rspec spec, the specs ran fine. Besides, those are the default files that are created with rspec… I only get those issues when running them through zeus.

❯❯❯ rspec spec
Run options: include {:focus=>true}

All examples were filtered out; ignoring {:focus=>true}
.

Finished in 0.0258 seconds (files took 2.3 seconds to load)
1 example, 0 failures

Top 1 slowest examples (0.01591 seconds, 61.7% of total time):
  HomeController GET 'index' returns http success
    0.01591 seconds ./spec/controllers/home_controller_spec.rb:6
❯❯❯ zeus start
Starting Zeus server v0.15.1
[ready] [crashed] [running] [connecting] [waiting]
boot
└── default_bundle
    ├── development_environment
    │   └── prerake
    └── test_environment
        └── test_helper

Available Commands: [waiting] [crashed] [ready]
zeus rake (alias: r)
zeus runner (alias: rn)
zeus console (alias: c)
zeus server (alias: s)
zeus generate (alias: g)
zeus destroy (alias: d)
zeus dbconsole
zeus test (alias: rspec) [run to see backtrace]
zeus test_console (alias: tc)
# open a new terminal
❯❯❯ zeus test
/home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/spec/spec_helper.rb:18:in `<top (required)>': undefined method `configure' for RSpec:Module (NoMethodError)
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/activesupport-4.1.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:247:in `require'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/activesupport-4.1.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:247:in `block in require'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/activesupport-4.1.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:232:in `load_dependency'
    from /home/pablo/code/rails/pescve/vendor/bundle/gems/activesupport-4.1.2/lib/active_support/dependencies.rb:247:in `require'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus/rails.rb:189:in `test_helper'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:200:in `run_action'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:74:in `block (2 levels) in boot_steps'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus/load_tracking.rb:7:in `features_loaded_by'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:73:in `block in boot_steps'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:56:in `catch'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:56:in `boot_steps'
    from /home/pablo/.rbenv/versions/2.1.1/lib/ruby/gems/2.1.0/gems/zeus-0.15.1/lib/zeus.rb:48:in `go'

What dazzles me though, is that for some reason if I run it directly through rspec, the file still requires spec_helper first, I don’t understand why it doesn’t fail then.

pablox-cl on Jul 7, 2014