rspec2-strange-behavior.rb

# in customers_controller.rb

def CustomersController < ApplicationController
  before_filter :load_languages, :only => :new

  def new
    ...
  end

  protected

  def load_languages
    @languages = LANGUAGES
  end

end

# in customers_controller_spec.rb

# FAILING
# this satisfies the controller.should_receive expectation
# but assigns[:languages] is then nil

describe CustomersController do
  context "when creating a new customer" do
    it "should load languages through a before_filter" do
      controller.should_receive(:load_languages).exactly(1).times
      get :new
      assigns[:languages].should eql(LANGUAGES)
    end
  end
end

# PASSING
# Moving the controller.should_receive expectation to another example makes all green

describe CustomersController do
  context "when creating a new customer" do
    it "should call the before_filter" do
      controller.should_receive(:load_languages).exactly(1).times
      get :new
    end
    it "should load languages thanks to the before_filter" do
      get :new
      assigns[:languages].should eql(LANGUAGES)
    end
  end
end