python mocked function not called

Question

I'm testing python code (A django 3.0.5 project although I don't think it's relevant), but I can't get the functions of my mocked objects to be called. Here is my code:

**myproject.mypackage.myhelpers**


def get_dict():
    return dict()

**myproject.mypackage.mythings**

from .myhelpers import get_dict


def use_dict():
    the_dict = get_dict()
    pass
    return


**myproject.tests.test_mythings**

from ..mypackage import mythings
import unittest
import unittest.mock as mock


class MyThingsTests(unittest.TestCase):

    @mock.patch('myproject.mypackage.myhelpers')
    def test_using_dict(self, mock_myhelpers):
        test_dict = {
            "hi": "foo",
            "there": "bar",
            "sir": "foobar"
        }

        mock_myhelpers.get_dict.return_value = test_dict

        mythings.use_dict()

        mock_myhelpers.get_dict.assert_called_once()

However in the end the test fails with error:

AssertionError: Expected 'get_dict' to have been called once. Called 0 times

Answer 1

Solution 1

• replace myproject.mypackage.myhelpers with myproject.mypackage.mythings

# @mock.patch('myproject.mypackage.myhelpers')
@mock.patch('myproject.mypackage.mythings.get_dict')
def test_using_dict(self, mock_get_dict):
    test_dict = {
        "hi": "foo",
        "there": "bar",
        "sir": "foobar"
    }

    mock_get_dict.return_value = test_dict

Solution 2

• replace from .myhelpers import get_dict with import .myhelpers as helpers

**myproject.mypackage.mythings**

# from .myhelpers import get_dict
import .myhelpers as helpers

def use_dict():
    the_dict = helpers.get_dict()
    pass
    return

Summary

• solution 1 is better since it won't bother you to update the import style in all your .py files