[Please do not mail me a copy of your followup] boost-users@lists.boost.org spake the secret code <20100608145455.1645315v636o5csv@webmail.hiwaay.net> thusly:
Is their a good strategy for testing private methods in a class using Boost? I am looking for something that is non-intrusive to the developed code, but I can't think of any good ways without modifying the code under test.
Don't be afraid to move the hard-to-test stuff to a new class and delegate to the new class from the old one. That doesn't change the visibility of the old class and the new class needn't be published in any public API if you want to keep it hidden. However, the new class can have methods with any visibility you like. Michael Feathers calls this technique "Break Out Method Object" in his book "Working Effectively with Legacy Code", which I review here: http://legalizeadulthood.wordpress.com/2007/04/11/working-effectively-with-l... Generally the situation you describe comes up most often when you try to retrofit tests onto existing "legacy code" (code without unit tests). I find that when I practice test-driven development, then things just work out naturally. My tutorial on using Boost.Test also gives you a way to practice test-driven development with C++ and Boost.Test: http://legalizeadulthood.wordpress.com/2009/07/04/c-unit-tests-with-boost-te... -- "The Direct3D Graphics Pipeline" -- DirectX 9 draft available for download http://legalizeadulthood.wordpress.com/the-direct3d-graphics-pipeline/ Legalize Adulthood! http://legalizeadulthood.wordpress.com