A better test for this method

PHP
1

Hi,

I am trying to learn how to write less brittle tests. The following example of test passes although I think it is rather brittle. Does anyone have any suggestions for a better test.

In the following test $arrays = $getFields->getByName(); $arrays =

array(1) 
{   [0]=>   array(4) {    
 ["uid_number"]=>     string(5) "10000"    
 ["uid"]=>     string(7) "bcarver"     
["firstName"]=>     string(4) "Bill"    
 ["lastName"]=>     string(6) "Carver"   } }

The Test (getByName):

function testGetByName() {
            // Wiring...
               $container = new bucket_Container(new DbFactory);
            // Application code...
               $container->registerImplementation('IGet', 'GetFields');

            $getFields = $container->get('GetFields');
            $getFields->setTable('users');
            $getFields->setColName('uid');
            $getFields->setName('bcarver');

            $expression = array('uid_number', 'uid', 'firstName', 'lastName');
            $getFields->setSelectExpression($expression);
            $arrays = $getFields->getByName();
            $output = "";
            foreach ($arrays as $array) {
                foreach($array as $key => $row) {
                    $output .= $key . ': ' . $row . '<br />';
                }
                $output .= '<br />';
            }
            $this->assertPattern('~uid_number: 10000<br />uid: bcarver<br />firstName: Bill<br />lastName: Carver<br />*~i', $output);
        }]

The Method:

 function getByName() {

             if (!isset($this->table) ||! isset($this->expression)) {
                //TODO implement this exception into the ErrorHandler Observer
                 throw new Exception('Did not set table or expression. Can not Select by name until these properties are set.');
             }

             $fields = '';

            $field_count = count($this->expression);
            $i = 0;
            foreach ($this->expression as $field) {
                $i++;
                if ($fields == '') {
                    $fields .= $field;
                }else {
                    $fields .= ',' . $field;
                }
            }

            if (empty($this->column_name) || empty($this->name)) {
                $sql ="SELECT $fields FROM " . $this->table;
            } else {
                $sql ="SELECT $fields FROM " . $this->table . " WHERE " . $this->column_name  . " = '" . $this->name  . "'";

            }
            $stmt = $this->pdo->prepare($sql);
            $filelds_and_names = array();
                try {
                        if ($stmt->execute()){
                            $results = $stmt->fetchAll(PDO::FETCH_ASSOC);
                            foreach($results as $result) {
                                $fields_and_names[] = $result;
                            }

                            return $fields_and_names;
                        }
                    } catch (Exception $e){
                            echo 'Caught exception: ', $e->getMessage(), "\
";
                    }
         }

Your thoughts are appreciated