.throw broken? about chai

[logicalparadox]

As it currently stands, I'm afraid your misusing throw. I can see use cases that match your scenario so, first off, we can use this ticket as a feature request for your scenarios and improve upon the docs.

Until then, the reason your approach isn't working is that chai doesn't support string error matchers. Just instance or regexp.

Supported:

 // checks for any kind of error
expect(badFn).to.throw();

 // will pass for instanceof the error type specified
expect(badFn).to.throw(Error);
expect(badFn).to.throw(ReferenceError);

// check to see if error.message will pass regex test
expect(badFn).to.throw(/match regex to message/); 

As i see it, the 3 following cases are not yet covered.

expect(badFn).to.throw('string message matcher');
expect(badFn).to.throw(ErrorConstructor, 'string message matcher');
expect(badFn).to.throw(ErrorConstructor, /match regex to message/);

Will try to get to them tonight and improve upon the documentation. Keep you posted, and thanks for the report.

[michaelsbradleyjr]

Okay, thanks.

Actually, your explanation reminded me that expect.js also supports regex matching but not string matching for error messages. But in the process of switching to chai, I drifted back into semantics proper to jasmine (which supports string matching for error messages).

Anyway, I can use regex for now and will look forward to the expanded features. Thanks for your hard work on chai. I really enjoy using it in combination with mocha and sinon.

I have an idea for a plugin also, but I need another day or so to tighten up the standalone library which would form the basis for it. I can file another issue to start that conversation (when the time is ripe), but that leads me to ask if the chai folks hang out in a particular IRC channel on Freenode?

[logicalparadox]

I added this to the 0.5.x milestone which I will be working on this weekend.

I sometimes hang out in the #node.js channel, I am "logicalparadox". I also just created a Google Group: https://groups.google.com/group/chaijs that might be a better forum for non-issue questions and help. I will start promoting that shortly.

Also, your waitsFor plugin looks like it would be an awesome addition to the chai toolbelt. Let me know if you have questions as you look to add support.

[michaelsbradleyjr]

Awesome. I just posted a message in the new google group, thanks for setting it up. :-)

Also, I created a new Freenode channel, which is intended for (relatively) focused discussions on JS testing: #letstest.js. I don't know if it will get off the ground, but hopefully some chai fans will chime in.

[logicalparadox]

The throw feature has been implemented in 0.5.0.

Also, made a note of the the Google Group and IRC channel in the README and on the doc site.

Let me know if you have further issues.

[michaelsbradleyjr]

Awesome, thanks for the hard work.