[6.x] Add assertNotPresent() assertion

[GingerNinjaNicko]

I recently ran into a use case where I needed to ensure an array of inputs would definitely submit on the page, and another array of inputs definitely were not.

assertPresent() was exactly what I needed, but I could not find an inverse of it.
assertMissing() checked that the input was visible, but some of the inputs are hidden and replaced via JavaScript, so this doesn't work.

Therefore, I added an assertNotPresent() assertion for this specific use-case.
I did think of naming it assertAbsent() but think the distinction between this and assertMissing() could become confusing...

This is the relevant part of the test I wanted to write:

collect($this->data['support_staff_only_fields'])->each(
    fn($field) => $browser->assertPresent("[name='{$field}']")
);
collect($this->data['franchisee_only_fields'])->each(
    fn($field) => $browser->assertNotPresent("[name='{$field}']")
);

[taylorotwell]

So under what circumstances is something "not present"? When it is in the source but not visible? Some other scenario?

[GingerNinjaNicko]

Hi Taylor,

No, something is "not present" when it cannot be found in the source and therefore won't be visible.

Currently, there are the following assertions which descriptions from the docs:

• assertVisible(): Assert that the element matching the given selector is visible
• assertPresent(): Assert that the element matching the given selector is present

To ensure something is not visible I can use:

• assertMissing(): Assert that the element matching the given selector is not visible

But there is no method I can see that allows me to ensure an element is not present

In my case, I am checking the presence of inputs, some of which may be hidden & replaced by javascript for a WYSIWYG editor.
I need to ensure that some of these inputs do not appear in the source, so they don't post along with the form.

[taylorotwell]

assertMissing checks that something is either not visible OR missing entirely from the source. Will that not be sufficient for your use case?

[GingerNinjaNicko]

That was the behaviour I was expecting, but unfortunately, that's not the case.
It only checks that the element is not displayed.

This is the assertMissing function code:

public function assertMissing($selector)
{
    $fullSelector = $this->resolver->format($selector);

    try {
        $missing = ! $this->resolver->findOrFail($selector)->isDisplayed();
    } catch (NoSuchElementException $e) {
        $missing = true;
    }

    PHPUnit::assertTrue(
        $missing,
        "Saw unexpected element [{$fullSelector}]."
    );

    return $this;
}

[GingerNinjaNicko]

Rather than create a breaking change by modifying assertMissing I think an extra function would make more sense.

[taylorotwell]

@GingerNinjaNicko but in the very code you posted, it looks like it catches the exception for a totally missing element and also sets that to $missing = true?

[GingerNinjaNicko]

Ah yes apologies @taylorotwell, I think you were right with your first comment but I got a little confused...

The difference is what causes the assertion to fail.

• assertMissing: passes when the element is not visible, even if it exists within the source.
• assertNotPresent: fails when the element is not present in the source and so also not visible.

Hopefully I'm making more sense now.

[SjorsO]

Maybe assertSourceMissingSelector is a better name for this new method? There is already an assertSourceMissing assertion, but that accepts a string instead of a selector.

[taylorotwell]

@SjorsO yeah that might be a good idea... @GingerNinjaNicko could you rename the method to that and put it by the other assertSourceMissing method?

[taylorotwell]

Eh assertNotPresent is fine I guess.