cbMockData — Test Data Generation Reference

When to Use This Skill

• Generating realistic fake data for test seeding, fixtures, or factories
• Creating arrays of mock objects (users, orders, products, etc.)
• Producing nested or related data structures
• Using custom supplier closures for computed or conditional test data

---

Overview

cbMockData is a data generation module bundled with TestBox. It generates realistic fake values — names, emails, dates, SSNs, UUIDs, lorem ipsum, and more — via a simple fluent API.

WireBox ID: MockData@cbMockData

Module: Included automatically with TestBox. No separate installation needed.

---

Getting an Instance

In Tests via WireBox

property name="mockData" inject="MockData@cbMockData"

// or get it lazily inside a method:
var mockData = getInstance( "MockData@cbMockData" )

Directly (No WireBox)

var mockData = new cbmockdata.models.MockData()

In BDD beforeAll()

component extends="testbox.system.BaseSpec" {

    property name="mockData" inject="MockData@cbMockData"

    function run() {
        describe( "User registration", () => {

            var user = {}

            beforeAll( () => {
                user = mockData.mock(
                    fname: "fname",
                    lname: "lname",
                    email: "email"
                )
            } )

            it( "has a valid email", () => {
                expect( user.email ).toMatch( ".+@.+\..+" )
            } )

        } )
    }

}

---

The mock() Method

mockData.mock(
    [fieldName]:  "[typeString]",   // repeated for each field
    $num:         10,               // number of records to return (default: 1)
    $returnType:  "array"           // "array" | "struct" (default: "array")
)

• When $num > 1 the return is always an array.
• When $num == 1 and $returnType == "struct" a single struct is returned.

---

All Type Strings

Type	Description	Example Output
age	Age 1–99	34
all_age	Age 1–120	89
autoincrement	Incrementing integer per call	1, 2, 3
baconlorem	Bacon ipsum sentences	"Bacon ipsum dolor amet..."
boolean	true or false	true
boolean-digit	1 or 0	1
date	Date string	"2023-04-15"
datetime	Date+time string	"2023-04-15 14:32:00"
datetime-iso	ISO 8601 datetime	"2023-04-15T14:32:00Z"
email	Valid email address	"[email protected]"
fname	First name	"Alice"
lname	Last name	"Smith"
name	Full name	"Alice Smith"
num	Number 1–9999	4721
oneof:a:b:c	Random pick from colon-separated list	"b"
rnd:min:max / rand:min:max	Random integer in range	rnd:1:100 → 57
sentence	Lorem ipsum sentence	"Lorem ipsum dolor..."
ssn	US SSN format	"123-45-6789"
string	Random alphanumeric string	"aB3kZ9"
string-alpha	Random alphabetic string	"AbCdEf"
string-numeric	Random numeric string	"482910"
string-secure	Cryptographically random string	"x9Qa#mK..."
tel	Phone number	"(555) 867-5309"
uuid	UUID v4	"550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-..."
guid	GUID (same as uuid)	"550e8400-..."
url	URL	"https://example.com/path"
words	1–5 random words	"lorem ipsum dolor"
lorem	Paragraph of lorem ipsum	"Lorem ipsum..."
imageurl	Placehold.it image URL	"https://placehold.it/320x200"
ipaddress	IPv4 address	"192.168.1.42"

---

Basic Usage

Single Record (Struct)

var user = mockData.mock(
    $returnType: "struct",
    id:          "autoincrement",
    firstName:   "fname",
    lastName:    "lname",
    email:       "email",
    phone:       "tel",
    age:         "age",
    isActive:    "boolean",
    createdAt:   "datetime-iso"
)
// user.firstName => "Alice"
// user.email     => "[email protected]"
// user.isActive  => true

Array of Records

// By default $num returns an array
var users = mockData.mock(
    $num:      20,
    id:        "autoincrement",
    firstName: "fname",
    lastName:  "lname",
    email:     "email",
    role:      "oneof:admin:editor:viewer"
)
// returns array of 20 user structs
// each has a unique id (1-20), random names/emails, and one of 3 roles

---

Advanced Patterns

Fixed Value (Non-Type)

Any value that is NOT a recognized type string is used as-is:

var record = mockData.mock(
    $returnType: "struct",
    status:      "active",        // literal string — always "active"
    version:     1,               // literal number — always 1
    source:      "test-suite"
)

oneof — Enumerated Values

var order = mockData.mock(
    $returnType: "struct",
    status:      "oneof:pending:processing:shipped:delivered:cancelled",
    priority:    "oneof:low:medium:high",
    paymentType: "oneof:credit:debit:paypal"
)

rnd / rand — Numeric Range

var product = mockData.mock(
    $returnType: "struct",
    price:       "rnd:10:999",     // integer 10–999
    quantity:    "rand:1:50",      // integer 1–50
    discount:    "rnd:0:40"        // integer 0–40 (percent)
)

---

Nested Data Structures

Array of Objects (Nested Array)

var orders = mockData.mock(
    $num:       5,
    id:         "autoincrement",
    customerId: "uuid",
    total:      "rnd:50:5000",
    items: {               // nested: array of item structs
        $num:   "rnd:1:5",
        sku:    "uuid",
        name:   "words",
        price:  "rnd:5:200",
        qty:    "rnd:1:10"
    }
)
// Each order has an `items` array with 1–5 item structs

Nested Object (Single Struct)

var userWithAddress = mockData.mock(
    $returnType: "struct",
    id:          "autoincrement",
    name:        "name",
    email:       "email",
    address: {        // nested single struct (no $num = single object)
        street:  "words",
        city:    "words",
        country: "oneof:US:CA:UK:AU"
    }
)

Array of Scalar Values

var record = mockData.mock(
    $returnType: "struct",
    id:          "autoincrement",
    tags:        [ "words" ]      // array wrapper = array of that type
    // tags will be an array of random word strings
)

---

Custom Supplier Closures

When no built-in type covers your need, pass a closure. The closure receives the current mock struct (partial, built so far) and returns the value:

var record = mockData.mock(
    $returnType: "struct",
    firstName:   "fname",
    lastName:    "lname",
    email:       function( current ) {
        // derive email from already-generated names
        return lCase( current.firstName & "." & current.lastName & "@example.com" )
    },
    slug:        function( current ) {
        return lCase( replace( current.firstName & "-" & current.lastName, " ", "-", "all" ) )
    },
    score:       function( current ) {
        return randRange( 0, 100 )
    }
)

---

Integration with Test Factories

Use cbMockData inside a factory helper to produce consistent test data across specs:

// tests/helpers/UserFactory.bx
class {
    property name="mockData" inject="MockData@cbMockData"

    // Return a valid user struct
    function make( struct overrides={} ) {
        var user = mockData.mock(
            $returnType: "struct",
            id:          "autoincrement",
            firstName:   "fname",
            lastName:    "lname",
            email:       "email",
            role:        "oneof:admin:editor:viewer",
            isActive:    "boolean",
            createdAt:   "datetime-iso"
        )
        // merge overrides onto generated defaults
        return user.append( overrides, true )
    }

    // Return N user structs
    function makeMany( numeric count=5, struct overrides={} ) {
        return mockData.mock(
            $num:      count,
            id:        "autoincrement",
            firstName: "fname",
            lastName:  "lname",
            email:     "email",
            role:      "oneof:admin:editor:viewer",
            isActive:  "boolean"
        ).map( ( u ) => u.append( overrides, true ) )
    }

}

// In a test bundle
property name="userFactory" inject="UserFactory@myApp"

function run() {
    describe( "UserService", () => {

        it( "can find admin users", () => {
            var admin = userFactory.make( { role: "admin" } )
            userService.seed( admin )
            expect( userService.getAdmins() ).notToBeEmpty()
        } )

    } )
}

---

Quick Reference

// Single struct
mockData.mock( $returnType: "struct", email: "email", name: "name" )

// Array of 10
mockData.mock( $num: 10, id: "autoincrement", name: "name" )

// Enum / pick one
mockData.mock( $returnType: "struct", status: "oneof:active:inactive:pending" )

// Range
mockData.mock( $returnType: "struct", score: "rnd:1:100" )

// Nested objects
mockData.mock( $num: 3, name: "name", address: { city: "words", country: "oneof:US:UK" } )

// Supplier closure
mockData.mock( $returnType: "struct", id: "autoincrement", label: ( curr ) => "Item-#curr.id#" )