How to keep variable's value from the previous step?

Question

I’m testing an app that sending/receiving alerts.

In my tests, I send an alert, waiting to receive it and then check its content.

So, the steps are (with my functions):

Then /I send an alert/ do    
  alertTime = Time.new    
  enterAlertHeader(“New alert - #{ alertTime.sec }”)    
  pressSendButton    
end


Then /I open the alert/ do
  pressOnText(“New alert - #{ alertTime.sec }”)
end

In the second step, the alertTime changed to 0

How can I keep the value?

Do I need to write to a file and then read it?

Answer 1

Use a cucumber World variable. In the example below, the @shared_alert_time is a World variable. I recommend not over using variables to save state. However, sometimes it is necessary and/or convenient.

Then /I send an alert/ do    
  @shared_alert_time = Time.new    
  enterAlertHeader("New alert - #{ @shared_alert_time.sec }")    
  pressSendButton
end


Then /I open the alert/ do
  pressOnText("New alert - #{ @shared_alert_time.sec }")
end