c# - How to let Autofixture create an instance of a type that contains properties with an interface type?

Question

I have such a class:

public class ViewModel
{
    public IPagination<Data> List { get; set; } // interface!
    public SearchFilter SearchFilter { get; set; }
    public string Test { get; set; }
}

public class SearchFilter
{
    public string Name { get; set; }
}

A dynamic proxy shall be created around the IPagination interface and the proxy shall be filled with test data. Now is it possible to let AutoFixture create an instance of the ViewModel type? Be aware that I only know the type at runtime (typeof(ViewModel)).

By now I know I can do this:

var context = new SpecimenContext(fixture.Compose());
var value = context.Resolve(new SeededRequest(typeof(ViewModel), null))

Answer 1

Theoretically, it should be possible to fill the properties of an auto-mocked instance.

Assuming that the IPagination<T> property of the ViewModel type is defined as:

public interface IPagination<T>
{
    SearchFilter Property1 { get; set; }
    string Property2 { get; set; }
}

We could create an ad-hoc auto-mocking customization, e.g. MyCustomization.

var fixture = new Fixture()
    .Customize(new MyCustomization());
var context = new SpecimenContext(fixture.Compose());

Then, the following call will create an instance of the ViewModel (which is known only at runtime), provide an auto-mocked instance of the IPagination<Data> and assign values to the properties.

var value = context.Resolve(typeof(ViewModel));
// List -> {IPagination`1Proxy593314cf4c134c5193c0019045c05a80}
// List.Property1.Name -> "Namef71b8571-a1a0-421d-9211-5048c96d891b" 
// List.Property2 -> "f58cae65-b704-43ec-b2ce-582a5e6177e6"

MyCustomization

Before you apply this customization, please keep in mind that this should only work for this particular scenario (thus the ad-hoc in the description). I would strongly suggest to use one of the extensions for Auto Mocking, AutoMoq, AutoRhinoMocks, AutoFakeItEasy, or AutoNSubstitute everywhere else.

internal class MyCustomization : ICustomization
{
    public void Customize(IFixture fixture)
    {
        fixture.Customizations.Add(new MySpecimenBuilder());
    }

    private class MySpecimenBuilder : ISpecimenBuilder
    {
        public object Create(object request, ISpecimenContext context)
        {
            var type = request as Type;
            if (type == null || !type.IsInterface)
            {
                return new NoSpecimen(request);
            }

            object specimen = this
                .GetType()
                .GetMethod(
                    "Create",
                    BindingFlags.NonPublic | BindingFlags.Static)
                .MakeGenericMethod(new[] { type })
                .Invoke(this, new object[] { context });

            return specimen;
        }

        private static object Create<TRequest>(ISpecimenContext context)
            where TRequest : class
        {
            var mock = new Mock<TRequest>();
            mock.SetupAllProperties();

            foreach (PropertyInfo propInfo in typeof(TRequest).GetProperties())
            {
                object value = context.Resolve(propInfo.PropertyType);
                propInfo.SetValue(mock.Object, value);
            }
            return mock.Object;
        }
    }
}