Trying to test two controller actions that share Session data. MVC - asp.net-mvc

Question

I'm trying to write a Unit test that checks two controller actions. These controller actions rely on Session variables. So far I have this:
Unit Test:
[TestMethod]
public void TableOfContentReportTest()
{
// Arrange
var fakeDb = TestFakes.SetupFakeDbContext();
var controller = TestFakes.ProjectController(fakeDb);
// Act
var selectedSubs = AutoMapper.Mapper.Map<ProjectSubmissionViewModel>(fakeDb.ProjectSubmission.FirstOrDefault());
selectedSubs.Selected = true;
controller.Session["SelectedSubmissions"] = new List<ProjectSubmissionViewModel> {selectedSubs};
var result = controller.SubmissionIndex("ProjectTitle", true,1, 10,"","","","","",
StaticStrings.Report_TableOfContents) as ViewResult;
// Assert
Assert.IsNotNull(result);
var testSession = controller.processReport();
}
TestFakes.ProjectController sets up the session for the controller like this:
//...
var session = new Mock<HttpSessionStateBase>();
var context = new Mock<HttpContextBase>(MockBehavior.Strict);
context.SetupGet(x => x.Session).Returns(session.Object);
var rc = new RequestContext(context.Object, new RouteData());
var controller = new ProjectController(fakeDb);
controller.ControllerContext = new ControllerContext(rc, controller);
//...
SubmissionIndex sets the Session variable:
public virtual ActionResult SubmissionIndex(
string sortBy = "ProjectTitle",
bool ascending = true,
int page = 1,
int pageSize = 10,
string projectId = "",
string submissiontitle = "",
string firstname = "",
string lastname = "",
string email = "",
string showreport = "")
{
var selectedSubmissions = Session["SelectedSubmissions"] as ICollection<ProjectSubmissionViewModel>;
//... Uses selectedSubmissions to build bookResources and chapters
Session["reportData"] = viewModel.GetContentsReport(bookResources, chapters);
//...
}
At runtime, the code works. With the unit test, SubmissionIndex sees Session["SelectedSubmissions"] as null.
Am I setting up the fake controller's session wrong? How can I work with the Session while testing?
Update: I often call the SubmissionIndex action from a Redirect:
Session["SelectedSubmissions"] = model.Submissions.Where(s => s.Selected).ToList();
return RedirectToAction("SubmissionIndex", "Project", routeValues);

Answer 1

Have you tried mocking it a bit more directly:
var session = new Mock<HttpSessionStateBase>();
var myCollection = new ICollection<ProjectSubmissionViewModel> { object1, object2... etc };
session.Setup(x => x["SelectedSubmissions"]).Returns(myCollection);
Or you could even return based on a generic input
session.Setup(x => x[It.IsAny<string>()]).Returns(myCollection);
Example
private ProjectController controller;
[TestSetup]
public void Setup()
{
var dbMock = new Mock<db>();
//Set up properties etc
var context = new Mock<HttpContextBase>(MockBehavior.Strict);
context.SetupGet(x => x.Session["SelectedSubmissions"]).Returns(object1);
context.SetupGet(x => x.Session["reportStuff"]).Returns(object2);
controller = new ProjectController(dbMock.Object);
}
[TestMethod]
public void TableOfContentReportTest()
{
var result = controller.SubmissionIndex(
"ProjectTitle",
true,
1, 10,"","","","","",
StaticStrings.Report_TableOfContents) as ViewResult;
// Assert
Assert.IsNotNull(result);
var testSession = controller.processReport();
}