Add configuration.Debug.ShowStartMarkers support

[davidmatson]

PR Summary

Allow displaying an indication when each test starts:

[|] Test name...

PR Checklist

• PR has meaningful title
• Summary describes changes
• PR is ready to be merged
• Tests are added/update (if required)
  (Parity with ShowNavigationMarkers)
• Documentation is updated/added (if required)

fixes #2583

[nohwnd]

It would be nice to add a high level test that will ensure the output is correct. This would probably be a P-test.

[davidmatson]

It would be nice to add a high level test that will ensure the output is correct. This would probably be a P-test.

sure, added one in Pester.RSpec.Output.ts.ps1.

[nohwnd]

@fflaten do you have some opinion here? I am not against the functionality, but the option feels a little too special in the output tab. In v5 we tried to move away from the super configurable output, and this is slightly bringing that back.

[fflaten]

I agree. I'd prefer a generic ANSI option showing progress like "Test abc running (x/y tests completed)" and potentially more. Not worried about CI noise as long as it's configurable.

How do other frameworks solve this (the starting indicator)?

[davidmatson]

I'd be happy to move it back to the Debug tab if that's preferred (I originally had it there but moved it per PR feedback).

Displaying a separate line for test starting seems to be a common practice or option. For example, with GoogleTest, there's a separate "[ RUN ]" line:

PS C:\temp> .\simple-googletest-test.exe
Running main() from <...>\gtest_main.cc
[==========] Running 1 test from 1 test suite.
[----------] Global test environment set-up.
[----------] 1 test from tests
[ RUN      ] tests.passes
[       OK ] tests.passes (0 ms)
[----------] 1 test from tests (0 ms total)

[----------] Global test environment tear-down
[==========] 1 test from 1 test suite ran. (0 ms total)
[  PASSED  ] 1 test.

With Boost.Test, there's an option to enable a separate "Entering test case" line:

PS C:\temp> .\simple-boost-test.exe -l all
Running 1 test case...
Entering test module "boost-testmd-tests"
...\program.cpp(6): Entering test case "passes"
.../program.cpp(9): info: check x == 1 has passed
...\program.cpp(6): Leaving test case "passes"; testing time: 412us
Leaving test module "boost-testmd-tests"; testing time: 1321us

*** No errors detected

[davidmatson]

xUnit.net also has a separate "[STARTING]" line in verbose mode:

PS C:\temp> & xunit.console.exe .\simple-xunittest.dll -verbose
xUnit.net Console Runner v2.9.3+9712244020 (64-bit .NET Framework 4.8, runtime: 4.0.30319.42000)
  Discovering: simple-xunittest
  Discovered:  simple-xunittest
  Starting:    simple-xunittest
    Tests.Test_That_Passes [STARTING]
    Tests.Test_That_Passes [FINISHED] Time: 0.1723501s
  Finished:    simple-xunittest
=== TEST EXECUTION SUMMARY ===
   simple-xunittest  Total: 1, Errors: 0, Failed: 0, Skipped: 0, Time: 0.256s

[davidmatson]

@nohwnd - would you like me to move this option back to the Debug tab?
(Note that fflaten reacted to the latest reply above.)

[fflaten]

The reaction was thanks for providing examples for reference 🙂 I don't have any strong opinions on this.

[davidmatson]

@nohwnd - I moved this setting back to the Debug tab given the feedback above and for parallelism with Debug.ShowNavigationMarkers.

[nohwnd]

Thanks, and sorry for re-designing after you were done with the code.

[nohwnd]

/backport to rel/5.x.x

[github-actions]

Started backporting to rel/5.x.x: https://github.com/pester/Pester/actions/runs/13443529197

[davidmatson]

Thanks, and sorry for re-designing after you were done with the code.

No problem. Thanks, @nohwnd and @fflaten!