Android unit testing if an activity starts with a timeout or after a delay is not working

Issue

I am developing an Android application using Kotlin programming language. I am adding instrumented tests into my project. Now, I am having a problem with testing if an activity is started after a delay. I am using Espresso for instrumented tests.

This is my activity class

class MainActivity : AppCompatActivity() {

    companion object {
        val LAUNCH_DELAY: Long = 2000
    }

    override fun onCreate(savedInstanceState: Bundle?) {
        super.onCreate(savedInstanceState)
        setContentView(R.layout.activity_main)
        Handler().postDelayed({
            this.startLoginActivity()
        }, LAUNCH_DELAY)
    }

    protected fun startLoginActivity()
    {
        startActivity(Intent(this, LoginActivity::class.java))
    }
}

I tried this

@RunWith(AndroidJUnit4::class)
class MainActivityTest {
    @Rule @JvmField
    val mainActivityRule: ActivityTestRule<MainActivity> = ActivityTestRule<MainActivity>(MainActivity::class.java)

    @Test
    fun itStartsLoginActivityAfterDelay() {
        Intents.init()
        mainActivityRule.launchActivity(Intent())
        Handler().postDelayed({
            Intents.intended(hasComponent(LoginActivity::class.java.name))
            Intents.release()
        }, 2000);
    }
}

I got this error

E/TestRunner: failed: itStartsLoginActivityAfterDelay(com.example.memento.MainActivityTest)
    ----- begin exception -----
E/TestRunner: java.lang.RuntimeException: Can't create handler inside thread Thread[Instr: com.example.memento.MockTestRunner,5,main] that has not called Looper.prepare()
        at android.os.Handler.<init>(Handler.java:205)
        at android.os.Handler.<init>(Handler.java:118)
        at com.example.memento.MainActivityTest.itStartsLoginActivityAfterDelay(MainActivityTest.kt:37)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
        at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:50)
        at org.junit.internal.runners.model.ReflectiveCallable.run(ReflectiveCallable.java:12)
        at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod.invokeExplosively(FrameworkMethod.java:47)
        at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.InvokeMethod.evaluate(InvokeMethod.java:17)
        at androidx.test.rule.ActivityTestRule$ActivityStatement.evaluate(ActivityTestRule.java:531)
        at org.junit.rules.RunRules.evaluate(RunRules.java:20)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runLeaf(ParentRunner.java:325)
        at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:78)
        at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:57)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.run(ParentRunner.java:290)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:71)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:288)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:58)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:268)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:363)
        at androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnit4.run(AndroidJUnit4.java:104)
        at org.junit.runners.Suite.runChild(Suite.java:128)
        at org.junit.runners.Suite.runChild(Suite.java:27)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.run(ParentRunner.java:290)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:71)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:288)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:58)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:268)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:363)
        at org.junit.runner.JUnitCore.run(JUnitCore.java:137)
        at org.junit.runner.JUnitCore.run(JUnitCore.java:115)
        at androidx.test.internal.runner.TestExecutor.execute(TestExecutor.java:56)
        at androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner.onStart(AndroidJUnitRunner.java:388)
        at android.app.Instrumentation$InstrumentationThread.run(Instrumentation.java:2145)
    ----- end exception -----

I also tried this

@Test
    fun itStartsLoginActivityAfterDelay() {
        Intents.init()
        mainActivityRule.launchActivity(Intent())
        Thread.sleep(2000);
        Intents.intended(hasComponent(LoginActivity::class.java.name))
        Intents.release()
    }

This time I got this error

E/TestRunner: failed: itStartsLoginActivityAfterDelay(com.example.memento.MainActivityTest)
E/TestRunner: ----- begin exception -----
E/TestRunner: androidx.test.espresso.base.DefaultFailureHandler$AssertionFailedWithCauseError: Wanted to match 1 intents. Actually matched 2 intents.

    IntentMatcher: has component: has component with: class name: is "com.example.memento.LoginActivity" package name: an instance of java.lang.String short class name: an instance of java.lang.String

    Matched intents:
    -Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
    -Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])

    Recorded intents:
    -Intent { flg=0x10000000 cmp=com.example.memento/.MainActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
    -Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
    -Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
        at dalvik.system.VMStack.getThreadStackTrace(Native Method)
        at java.lang.Thread.getStackTrace(Thread.java:1538)
        at androidx.test.espresso.base.DefaultFailureHandler.getUserFriendlyError(DefaultFailureHandler.java:94)
        at androidx.test.espresso.base.DefaultFailureHandler.handle(DefaultFailureHandler.java:57)
        at androidx.test.espresso.ViewInteraction.waitForAndHandleInteractionResults(ViewInteraction.java:318)
        at androidx.test.espresso.ViewInteraction.check(ViewInteraction.java:300)
        at androidx.test.espresso.intent.Intents.intended(Intents.java:189)
        at androidx.test.espresso.intent.Intents.intended(Intents.java:170)
        at com.example.memento.MainActivityTest.itStartsLoginActivityAfterDelay(MainActivityTest.kt:47)
        at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
        at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:50)
        at org.junit.internal.runners.model.ReflectiveCallable.run(ReflectiveCallable.java:12)
        at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod.invokeExplosively(FrameworkMethod.java:47)
        at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.InvokeMethod.evaluate(InvokeMethod.java:17)
        at androidx.test.internal.runner.junit4.statement.RunBefores.evaluate(RunBefores.java:80)
        at androidx.test.rule.ActivityTestRule$ActivityStatement.evaluate(ActivityTestRule.java:531)
        at org.junit.rules.RunRules.evaluate(RunRules.java:20)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runLeaf(ParentRunner.java:325)
        at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:78)
        at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:57)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.run(ParentRunner.java:290)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:71)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:288)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:58)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:268)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:363)
        at androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnit4.run(AndroidJUnit4.java:104)
        at org.junit.runners.Suite.runChild(Suite.java:128)
        at org.junit.runners.Suite.runChild(Suite.java:27)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.run(ParentRunner.java:290)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:71)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:288)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:58)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:268)
        at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:363)
        at org.junit.runner.JUnitCore.run(JUnitCore.java:137)
        at org.junit.runner.JUnitCore.run(JUnitCore.java:115)
        at androidx.test.internal.runner.TestExecutor.execute(TestExecutor.java:56)
        at androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner.onStart(AndroidJUnitRunner.java:388)
        at android.app.Instrumentation$InstrumentationThread.run(Instrumentation.java:2145)
     Caused by: junit.framework.AssertionFailedError: Wanted to match 1 intents. Actually matched 2 intents.

    IntentMatcher: has component: has component with: class name: is "com.example.memento.LoginActivity" package name: an instance of java.lang.String short class nam
    ----- end exception -----
I/TestRunner: finished: itStartsLoginActivityAfterDelay(com.example.memento.MainActivityTest)
I/MonitoringInstr: Activities that are still in CREATED to STOPPED: 4
    Finishing activity: com.example.memento.LoginActivity@97c0733
I/MonitoringInstr: Finishing activity: com.example.memento.LoginActivity@65a941b
I/MonitoringInstr: Finishing activity: com.example.memento.MainActivity@39cc00e

androidx.test.espresso.base.DefaultFailureHandler$AssertionFailedWithCauseError: Wanted to match 1 intents. Actually matched 2 intents.

IntentMatcher: has component: has component with: class name: is "com.example.memento.LoginActivity" package name: an instance of java.lang.String short class name: an instance of java.lang.String

Matched intents:
-Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
-Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])

Recorded intents:
-Intent { flg=0x10000000 cmp=com.example.memento/.MainActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
-Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
-Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
at dalvik.system.VMStack.getThreadStackTrace(Native Method)
at java.lang.Thread.getStackTrace(Thread.java:1538)
at androidx.test.espresso.base.DefaultFailureHandler.getUserFriendlyError(DefaultFailureHandler.java:94)
at androidx.test.espresso.base.DefaultFailureHandler.handle(DefaultFailureHandler.java:57)
at androidx.test.espresso.ViewInteraction.waitForAndHandleInteractionResults(ViewInteraction.java:318)
at androidx.test.espresso.ViewInteraction.check(ViewInteraction.java:300)
at androidx.test.espresso.intent.Intents.intended(Intents.java:189)
at androidx.test.espresso.intent.Intents.intended(Intents.java:170)
at com.example.memento.MainActivityTest.itStartsLoginActivityAfterDelay(MainActivityTest.kt:47)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:50)
at org.junit.internal.runners.model.ReflectiveCallable.run(ReflectiveCallable.java:12)
at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod.invokeExplosively(FrameworkMethod.java:47)
at org.junit.internal.runners.statements.InvokeMethod.evaluate(InvokeMethod.java:17)
at androidx.test.internal.runner.junit4.statement.RunBefores.evaluate(RunBefores.java:80)
at androidx.test.rule.ActivityTestRule$ActivityStatement.evaluate(ActivityTestRule.java:531)
at org.junit.rules.RunRules.evaluate(RunRules.java:20)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runLeaf(ParentRunner.java:325)
at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:78)
at org.junit.runners.BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.runChild(BlockJUnit4ClassRunner.java:57)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.run(ParentRunner.java:290)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:71)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:288)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:58)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:268)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:363)
at androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnit4.run(AndroidJUnit4.java:104)
at org.junit.runners.Suite.runChild(Suite.java:128)
at org.junit.runners.Suite.runChild(Suite.java:27)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$3.run(ParentRunner.java:290)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$1.schedule(ParentRunner.java:71)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.runChildren(ParentRunner.java:288)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.access$000(ParentRunner.java:58)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner$2.evaluate(ParentRunner.java:268)
at org.junit.runners.ParentRunner.run(ParentRunner.java:363)
at org.junit.runner.JUnitCore.run(JUnitCore.java:137)
at org.junit.runner.JUnitCore.run(JUnitCore.java:115)
at androidx.test.internal.runner.TestExecutor.execute(TestExecutor.java:56)
at androidx.test.runner.AndroidJUnitRunner.onStart(AndroidJUnitRunner.java:388)
at android.app.Instrumentation$InstrumentationThread.run(Instrumentation.java:2145)
Caused by: junit.framework.AssertionFailedError: Wanted to match 1 intents. Actually matched 2 intents.

IntentMatcher: has component: has component with: class name: is "com.example.memento.LoginActivity" package name: an instance of java.lang.String short class name: an instance of java.lang.String

Matched intents:
-Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
-Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])

Recorded intents:
-Intent { flg=0x10000000 cmp=com.example.memento/.MainActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
-Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
-Intent { cmp=com.example.memento/.LoginActivity } handling packages:[[com.example.memento]])
at junit.framework.Assert.fail(Assert.java:50)
at androidx.test.espresso.intent.VerificationModes$Times.verify(VerificationModes.java:80)
at androidx.test.espresso.intent.Intents.internalIntended(Intents.java:346)
at androidx.test.espresso.intent.Intents$2.check(Intents.java:193)
at androidx.test.espresso.ViewInteraction$SingleExecutionViewAssertion.check(ViewInteraction.java:419)
at androidx.test.espresso.ViewInteraction$2.call(ViewInteraction.java:282)
at androidx.test.espresso.ViewInteraction$2.call(ViewInteraction.java:268)
at java.util.concurrent.FutureTask.run(FutureTask.java:266)
at android.os.Handler.handleCallback(Handler.java:873)
at android.os.Handler.dispatchMessage(Handler.java:99)
at android.os.Looper.loop(Looper.java:193)
at android.app.ActivityThread.main(ActivityThread.java:6669)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Native Method)
at com.android.internal.os.RuntimeInit$MethodAndArgsCaller.run(RuntimeInit.java:493)
at com.android.internal.os.ZygoteInit.main(ZygoteInit.java:858)

That is not working as well. How can I test it?

Solution

The problem is that you have multiple matches for the target intent: Wanted to match 1 intents. Actually matched 2 intents What you can do is to modify your matcher code like this:

intended(hasComponent(LoginActivity::class.java.name), Intents.times(2))

UPDATE:

The actual problem is in your test.

You call mainActivityRule.launchActivity(Intent()) in your test method and that line starts another MainAcivity which launches another LoginActivity for you (that's why you have two in your intent stack).

You don't have to start the activity from your test because the mainActivityRule: ActivityTestRule<MainActivity> you defined in your class does that for each of your test method.

This should work:

@Test
fun itStartsLoginActivityAfterDelay() {
        Intents.init()
        Thread.sleep(2000);
        Intents.intended(hasComponent(LoginActivity::class.java.name))
        Intents.release()
}

Answered By - adrianbukros