Test Database

The database.php Switch

The web server is a separate PHP process. To read the fixtures, it must use the datasource the fixtures are loaded into, test. As in Symfony, set PANTHER_APP_ENV=test: Panther gives the web server the environment variable APP_ENV=test. Use the test datasource as default in the constructor of DATABASE_CONFIG when APP_ENV is test:

public function __construct()
{
    if (env('APP_ENV') === 'test') {
        $this->default = $this->test;
    }
}

pieceofcake2/app's config/database.php.default has these lines. The test datasource must be a database both processes can open: a database server, or an SQLite file, not :memory:.

Fixtures Shared With the Web Server

PantherTestCase is a CakeTestCase: $fixtures are loaded into the test datasource before each test, and the web server reads them because APP_ENV is test. What the browser saves is in the test datasource too, so the test can check it with a model.

The web server inherits the environment variables of the test process: the ones of your shell, and the ones in $_ENV or $_SERVER (Symfony Process does not pass a variable that is only set with putenv()). The DB_TEST_* variables of pieceofcake2/app reach the web server this way.