I'm taking the plunge and just installed TestBox into a legacy CFML app (no coldbox or frameworks used), based on very helpful information from people here a while ago, but I'm a little lost still. I gitignored the TestBox directory created and created a new tests folder at the top level of my project where I want my tests split into nice organized files and folders in. I'm reading about a runner.cfm and creating mappings to tell TestBox where to find and run tests, but it looks like there is already a runner.cfm and a tests folder in the gitignored TestBox directory, so I'm confused - do I move those out of the gitignored testbox folder and modify the runner somehow? Or do I create a new runner file that I add custom mappings to ..or? Not sure how to get everything setup, but I got as far as 'box install testbox' 🤘

How did you install testbox?

I went to the top level of my project, adjacent to views and model folder, for example but outside of wwwroot where public browser stuff is served and ran 'box install testbox' (I have commandbox installed on my machine, not in docker etc just to be clear). It created the box json like you pointed out from before and the TestBox folder which I gitignored as advised as well. The generate commands for scaffolding a runner sound promising I'll try that

Think of a mapping as a shortcut or a symlink if you're a linux user. The directory can be anywhere on your disk; Eg. the physical location of the "tests" folder is in: Win:

c:\my\convoluted\path\tests

or Linux

/my/convoluted/path/tests

(this is just an example - you place the folders where you want them to live. Then the "mapping" is how you tell CF / Lucee - Where to find the physical files AND how to mount them in your application. so if you want

<https://mywebsite.com/tests>

to to be the url you hit you have a mapping like the following in you config.json (if you're using commandbox) Windows

"CFMappings": {
        "/tests": {
            "INSPECTTEMPLATE": "always",
            "PHYSICAL": "c:\my\convoluted\path\tests"
        }
}

Linux

"CFMappings": {
        "/tests": {
            "INSPECTTEMPLATE": "always",
            "PHYSICAL": "/my/convoluted/path/tests"
        }
}

if for example you wanted the following URL to work;

<https://mywebsite.com/my/really/really/convoluted/path/tests>

you would use;

"CFMappings": {
        "/my/really/really/convoluted/path/tests": {
            "INSPECTTEMPLATE": "always",
            "PHYSICAL": "/my/convoluted/path/tests"
        }
}

In CFML - just think Shortcut / symlink when you hear "mapping". At what path "in" my application do I want XXX directory to appear? NOTE: The (Windows/linux) user account that runs CFML needs access to the physical location. JUST having the mapping isn't enough. NOTE2: You don't HAVE to use mappings. You CAN use a literal windows "soft" shortcut or a Linux symlink to place the directory you need. The difference is ownership / where the configuration lies... Does your IT dept control the OS/infrastructure?' Do you have rights to create OS level shortcuts/symlinks? Do you want the "mappings" controlled by the CFML application's configuration? It is "standard convention" to use CFML mappings as opposed to OS shortcuts - but it is NOT a requirement. As for having the tests directory as being browsable / accessible... Use your web server's configuration to set the permissions appropriately. - just as you would for an applications "uploads" directory - so that they aren't accessible/browsable to the general public. Use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) to limit access to the directory to certain IPs or via a specific URL...

Ah ok, thanks for the explanation. So a mapping is:

where/my/stuff/exists

=

where/Lucee/thinks/my/stuff/exists