unit testing - Python mock return of a getattr() call -

edit: might falling xy problem trap here. here's want know.

i have following function:

def foo():   bar = functogetbar()   return bar.getattr("some_attr", none) 

in test, try do:

mocked_bar = magicmock() expected_return_val = [obj1, obj2, ...] functogetbar.return_value = mocked_bar  # functogetbar patched  def testgetbar(self):   assertequal(expected_return_val, foo()) 

now want provide expected_return_val onto some_attr attribute on bar object.

i have tried using propertymock:

type(mocked_bar).getattr = propertymock(return_value=expected_return_value) 

running test error:

typeerror: 'list' object not callable 

if return_value set scalar (not list), result of getattr call in real function mock, , not scalar provided.

also, i'm worried mocking out getattr method, since common method used elsewhere in function. how can set list on attribute of mock object under test?