# FAQ and other help

## Frequently asked questions

Q: How do I use coverage.py with nose?

The best way to use nose and coverage.py together is to run nose under coverage.py:

    coverage run $(which nosetests)

You can also use `nosetests --with-coverage` to use nose’s built-in plugin, but it isn’t recommended.

The nose plugin doesn’t expose all the functionality and configurability of coverage.py, and it uses different command-line options from those described in coverage.py’s documentation. Additionally nose and its coverage plugin are unmaintained at this point, so they aren’t receiving any fixes or other updates.

Q: How do I run nosetests under coverage.py with tox?

Assuming you’ve installed tox in a virtualenv, you can do this in tox.ini:

    [testenv]
    commands = coverage run {envbindir}/nosetests

Coverage.py needs a path to the nosetests executable, but `coverage run $(which nosetests)` doesn’t work in tox.ini because tox doesn’t handle the shell command substitution. Tox’s string substitution shown above does the trick.

Q: I use nose to run my tests, and its coverage plugin doesn’t let me create HTML or XML reports. What should I do?

First run your tests and collect coverage data with nose and its plugin. This will write coverage data into a .coverage file. Then run coverage.py from the command line to create the reports you need from that data.

Q: Why do unexecutable lines show up as executed?

Usually this is because you’ve updated your code and run coverage.py on it again without erasing the old data. Coverage.py records line numbers executed, so the old data may have recorded a line number which has since moved, causing coverage.py to claim a line has been executed which cannot be.

If you are using the `-x` command line action, it doesn’t erase first by default. Switch to the `coverage run` command, or use the `-e` switch to erase all data before starting the next run.

Q: Why do the bodies of functions (or classes) show as executed, but the def lines do not?

This happens because coverage.py is started after the functions are defined. The definition lines are executed without coverage measurement, then coverage.py is started, then the function is called. This means the body is measured, but the definition of the function itself is not.

To fix this, start coverage.py earlier. If you use the command line to run your program with coverage.py, then your entire program will be monitored. If you are using the API, you need to call coverage.start() before importing the modules that define your functions.

Q: Coverage.py is much slower than I remember, what’s going on?

Make sure you are using the C trace function. Coverage.py provides two implementations of the trace function. The C implementation runs much faster. To see what you are running, use `coverage debug sys`. The output contains details of the environment, including a line that says either `tracer: CTracer` or `tracer: PyTracer`. If it says `PyTracer` then you are using the slow Python implementation.

Try re-installing coverage.py to see what happened and if you get the CTracer as you should.

Q: Isn’t coverage testing the best thing ever?

It’s good, but it isn’t perfect.

Q: Where can I get more help with coverage.py?

You can discuss coverage.py or get help using it on the Testing In Python mailing list.

Bug reports are gladly accepted at the Bitbucket issue tracker.

Announcements of new coverage.py releases are sent to the coveragepy-announce mailing list.

I can be reached in a number of ways, I’m happy to answer questions about using coverage.py.

## History

Coverage.py was originally written by Gareth Rees. Since 2004, Ned Batchelder has extended and maintained it with the help of many others. The change history has all the details.