Espresso / How can I move button state between activities in Espresso tests?

Issue

I have experienced next scenario:

• each test in my test-project uses separate activity
• test1 (main screen) belong to activity#1, there is a button on this screen which can change state from STATE#1 (OFF) to STATE#2 (ON)
• tap on button STATE#1 (from test1) cause raise of another screen which belong to activity#2 (there is test2 starting), then on act.#2 user perform some actions which should change button state to STATE#2
• but in my test button STATE#2 wouldn't be refreshed and passed to the previous the activity#1

Do I need to sync test data in specific way? If button's state (which is on activity#1) can be changed from another test activity (activity#2)

---

Here is example of what I'm doing:

First of all test after which button state should be changed

TEST2 - test that should change button1 state

@RunWith(AndroidJUnit4.class)
 public class ChangeBtnState extends MyIdle
    {
       @Rule
        public ActivityTestRule<Activity#2> EspressoTestRule#2 = new ActivityTestRule<>(Activity#2.class, false, true);
        private MyIdle IdlingRecourseActivity#2;

       @Before
        public void SetUpTest2()
        {
         EspressoTestRule#2.getActivity().getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction();

         IdlingRecourseActivity#2 = (ESP_idling) EspressoTestRule#2.getActivity().getIdlingResource();
         Espresso.registerIdlingResources(IdlingRecourseActivity#2);
        }
       @Test
        public void StartTestRule2()
        {
         // Just some actions on activity#2 after which button1 state should be from STATE#1 to STATE#2
         ViewInteraction ButtonSendtoOFF = Espresso.onView(allOf(ViewMatchers.withId(android.R.id.SomebuttonONact#2))
         .check(ViewAssertions.matches(ViewMatchers.isDisplayed()));
         ButtonSendtoOFF.preform(click()); // here click 
        }

        }

       @After
        public void unregistereSetUpTest2()
        {
            if (IdlingRecourseActivity#2 != null)
            {
                Espresso.unregisterIdlingResources(IdlingRecourseActivity#2);
            }
        }

    }

---

Now checking does button state changed on activity#1

@RunWith(AndroidJUnit4.class)
 public class CheckBtnState extends MyIdle
    {
       @Rule
        public ActivityTestRule<Activity#1> EspressoTestRule#1 = new ActivityTestRule<>(Activity#1.class, false, true);
        private MyIdle IdlingRecourseActivity#1;

       @Before
        public void SetUpTest1()
        {
         EspressoTestRule#1.getActivity().getSupportFragmentManager().beginTransaction();

         IdlingRecourseActivity#1 = (ESP_idling) EspressoTestRule#1.getActivity().getIdlingResource();
         Espresso.registerIdlingResources(IdlingRecourseActivity#1);
        }
       @Test
        public void StartTestRule1()
        {
        // Check some actions FROM activity#2 to change **button1** from STATE#1 to STATE#2
         ViewInteraction ButtonSTATE = Espresso.onView(allOf(ViewMatchers.withId(android.R.id.Button1), withText("OFF"))
         .check(ViewAssertions.matches(ViewMatchers.isDisplayed()));
         //ButtonSTATE.preform(click()); // here click 
        }

       @After
        public void unregistereSetUpTest1()
        {
            if (IdlingRecourseActivity#1 != null)
            {
                Espresso.unregisterIdlingResources(IdlingRecourseActivity#1);
            }
        }

    }

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BTW, I have look through a lot of topics and even found examples with intents, but it doesn't work for me, perhaps there is should be specific structure. If you need extra info please add your question in comments.

Solution

The problem is that you are writing two tests such that the second test relies on the state of the first one. This is incorrect test design. Every test should be able to run completely independent of any other tests. You need to rethink what each of your tests are testing. What happens in the second activity that affects the state of the first one? Are you using startActivityForResult()? If so, your test for the second activity should verify that the expected result is set from the second activity. This test should not rely on anything in the first activity.

Answered By - Code-Apprentice