Mockito Exception - when() requires an argument which has to be a method call on a mock

Question

I have a very simple test case that is using Mockito and Spring Test framework. When I do

when(pcUserService.read("1")).thenReturn(pcUser);

I get this exception.

org.mockito.exceptions.misusing.MissingMethodInvocationException: 
when() requires an argument which has to be 'a method call on a mock'.
For example:
    when(mock.getArticles()).thenReturn(articles);

Also, this error might show up because:
1. you stub either of: final/private/equals()/hashCode() methods.
   Those methods *cannot* be stubbed/verified.
2. inside when() you don't call method on mock but on some other object.

    at com.project.cleaner.controller.test.PcUserControllerTest.shouldGetPcUser(PcUserControllerTest.java:93)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
    at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Unknown Source)
    at org.junit.runners.model.FrameworkMethod$1.runReflectiveCall(FrameworkMethod.java:44)

I have tried with different methods but keep on getting this error message. I am using Spring 3.1.0.RELEASE with Mockito. Please share and guide me in the right direction.

Answer 1

You need to create a MOCK of pcUserService first, and then use that mock.

PcUserService mock = org.mockito.Mockito.mock(PcUserService.class);
when(mock.read("1")).thenReturn(pcUser);