Execute code before and after specification

Question

I have simple specification with several cases in it:

class MySpec extends Specification {

  "Something" should {

    "case 1" in {
      ...
    }

    "case 2" in {
      ...
    }
  }
}

Now I need to start application, run all cases, and shutdown the application. Starting/stopping the application is time consuming and I don't want it to happen around each case.

How do I run code before cases are started and after all the cases have finished?

Answer 1

I've come up with the following solution based on cmbaxter answer.

import org.specs2.specification.Step

trait BeforeAllAfterAll extends Specification {
  // see http://bit.ly/11I9kFM (specs2 User Guide)
  override def map(fragments: =>Fragments) = 
    Step(beforeAll) ^ fragments ^ Step(afterAll)

  protected def beforeAll()
  protected def afterAll()
}

Then mix BeforeAllAfterAll in Specification and implement beforeAll and afterAll methods:

class MySpec extends Specification with BeforeAllAfterAll {

  def beforeAll() {
    println("Doing setup work...")
  }

  def afterAll() {
    println("Doing shutdown work...")
  }

  "Something" should {

    "case 1" in {
      ...
    }

    "case 2" in {
      ...
    }
  }
}

Finally, extract initialization to share it between specifications:

trait InApplication extends BeforeAllAfterAll {
  def beforeAll() {
    println("Doing setup work...")
  }

  def afterAll() {
    println("Doing shutdown work...")
  }
}

class MySpec extends Specification with InApplication {

  "Something" should {

    "case 1" in {
      ...
    }

    "case 2" in {
      ...
    }
  }
}