PHPUnit: use different dataset on every test in a testcase

PHPUnit offers the possibility to perform tests based in database fixtures. The common way is like described in the PHPUnit documentation.

But what if you just want to have a small and different dataset on every test?

My way to achieve that is the following:

1. create a minimal dataset with a table and a column that exist in your database, because getDataSet() has to return an object that implements the PHPUnit_Extensions_Database_DataSet_IDataSet interface.
   

   protected function getDataSet(){
     return $this->createXMLDataSet('testfile.xml);
   }

   
   The minimal dataset might look like the following:
   

   id1

2. implement the getTearDownOperation function which is called after each test
   • resets the database to be empty

   protected function getTearDownOperation() {
     return PHPUnit_Extensions_Database_Operation_Factory::DELETE_ALL();
   }

3. create your own setup function
   • copied from the original SetUp function in PHPUnit_Extensions_Database_TestCase
   • added a parameter to mySetup function to carry the dataset
   • call PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase::SetUp() instead of parent::SetUp()

   protected function mySetup($dataSet){
     PHPUnit_Framework_TestCase::SetUp();
   
     $this->databaseTester = NULL;
   
     $this->getDatabaseTester()->setSetUpOperation(
       $this->getSetUpOperation()
     );
   
     $this->getDatabaseTester()->setDataSet($dataSet);
     $this->getDatabaseTester()->onSetUp();
   }

4. use it on every test function

   public testMyTest(){
     $this->mySetup(
       $this->createXMLDataSet('testCase.xml')
     );
     ...
   }

Enjoy.