Loading data from files in fakeserver.py

[tobiasbp]

How do you feel about loading the test data returned by fakeserver.py from external files? We could use data dumped from running FreeNAS instances. We could also potentially run tests for different version of FreeNAS if the data was in a path like ./test/data/freenas13.3/disks.query.json.

[sdwilsh]

Throughout my career I've gone back and forth on this. On the one hand, I like small test cases when writing them, because it's less work for me to write the test out. On the other hand, I find it much easier to debug test failures when the method has as much logic in it as possible, so I'm jumping around less. Putting the data in the file often makes it hard to get via IDE's too (no click to jump to it).

I don't have a particularly strong preference, but we should be consistent. If we do go this route, I'd also prefer to have a script checked into to be explicit on how to generate the test data so it's easy to re-create.

[tobiasbp]

Good point about the need to be able to re-create the test data if it is to be loaded from files. Thanks.