serializer-settings.source.md

Serializer settings

Serialization settings can be customized at three levels:

• Method: Will run the verification in the current test method.
• Class: Will run for all verifications in all test methods for a test class.
• Global: Will run for test methods on all tests.

toc

Default settings

The default serialization settings are:

snippet: defaultSerialization

Single quotes used

JsonTextWriter.QuoteChar is set to single quotes '. The reason for this is that it makes approval files cleaner and easier to read and visualize/understand differences.

QuoteName is false

JsonTextWriter.QuoteName is set to false. The reason for this is that it makes approval files cleaner and easier to read and visualize/understand differences.

Empty collections are ignored

By default empty collections are ignored during verification.

To disable this behavior globally use:

snippet: DontIgnoreEmptyCollections

Guids are scrubbed

By default guids are sanitized during verification. This is done by finding each guid and taking a counter based that that specific guid. That counter is then used replace the guid values. This allows for repeatable tests when guid values are changing.

snippet: guid

Results in the following:

snippet: Tests.ShouldReUseGuid.verified.txt

To disable this behavior globally use:

snippet: DontScrubGuids

Dates are scrubbed

By default dates (DateTime and DateTimeOffset) are sanitized during verification. This is done by finding each date and taking a counter based that that specific date. That counter is then used replace the date values. This allows for repeatable tests when date values are changing.

snippet: Date

Results in the following:

snippet: Tests.ShouldReUseDatetime.verified.txt

To disable this behavior globally use:

snippet: DontScrubDateTimes

Default Booleans are ignored

By default values of bool and bool? are ignored during verification. So properties that equate to 'false' will not be written,

To disable this behavior globally use:

snippet: DontIgnoreFalse

Change defaults at the verification level

DateTime, DateTimeOffset, Guid, bool, and empty collection behavior can also be controlled at the verification level:

snippet: ChangeDefaultsPerVerification

Changing settings globally

To change the serialization settings for all verifications use Global.ApplyExtraSettings():

snippet: ExtraSettings

Scoped settings

snippet: ScopedSerializer

Result:

snippet: Verify.Xunit.Tests/VerifyObjectSamples.ScopedSerializer.verified.txt

Ignoring a type

To ignore all members that match a certain type:

snippet: AddIgnoreType

Result:

snippet: Tests.IgnoreType.verified.txt

Ignoring a instance

To ignore instances of a type based on delegate:

snippet: AddIgnoreInstance

Result:

snippet: Tests.AddIgnoreInstance.verified.txt

Obsolete members ignored

Members with an ObsoleteAttribute are ignored:

snippet: WithObsoleteProp

Result:

snippet: Tests.WithObsoleteProp.verified.txt

Including Obsolete members

Obsolete members can be included using IncludeObsoletes:

snippet: WithObsoletePropIncluded

Result:

snippet: Tests.WithObsoletePropIncluded.verified.txt

Ignore member by expressions

To ignore members of a certain type using an expression:

snippet: IgnoreMemberByExpression

Result:

snippet: Tests.IgnoreMemberByExpression.verified.txt

Ignore member by name

To ignore members of a certain type using type and name:

snippet: IgnoreMemberByName

Result:

snippet: Tests.IgnoreMemberByName.verified.txt

Members that throw

Members that throw exceptions can be excluded from serialization based on the exception type or properties.

By default members that throw NotImplementedException or NotSupportedException are ignored.

Note that this is global for all members on all types.

Ignore by exception type:

snippet: IgnoreMembersThatThrow

Result:

snippet: Tests.CustomExceptionProp.verified.txt

Ignore by exception type and expression:

snippet: IgnoreMembersThatThrowExpression

Result:

snippet: Tests.ExceptionMessageProp.verified.txt