Tests depending from a module not required from the tested module fail

The class EntityAPIRulesIntegrationTestCase has a reference to rules.module in its setUp() method.
The problem seems caused by the fact the test server install the modules that are being tested but not their dependencies.

@fago: Did you try adding the dependency to rules.module in entity_test.info? The PIFR server can only detect any dependency from the .info files.

PIFR is the module that handles the tests.

To make a summary, the problem is that a test can depend on a Drupal core module, or the module being tested; it's not possible for the test to require an extra module, and it's not possible to test the integration of two separated modules.

You can add a 'dependencies' key to your getInfo, as below. Sadly, this doesn't actually help, as the dependent module is not loaded by the testbot; there is currently no support for that. So adding the dependencies key just prevents the test from being run on the bot. But it allows a valid test to not cause your entire testsuite to fail.

class RenderExampleTestCase extends DrupalWebTestCase {
  public static function getInfo() {
    return array(
      'name' => 'Render example functionality',
      'description' => t('Test Render Example'),
      'group' => 'Examples',
      'dependencies' => array('devel'),
    );
  }

I am not sure if the modules from which Profile2 depends are loaded, or not.
Looking at the log, the checkout operation is completed, but there are two operations that are reported to be ignored.

[09:20:24] Dependency [entity] checkout complete.
[09:20:27] Dependency [profile2] checkout complete.
[09:20:27] Invoking operation [check]...
[09:20:27] Ignoring operation [check].
[09:20:27] Invoking operation [apply]...
[09:20:27] Ignoring operation [apply].

When I add 'dependecies' the testbot still runs the tests and then fails because the modules aren't loaded. What am I doing wrong? (Clock module - http://qa.drupal.org/pifr/test/47673)

Sounds like you are looking for the soft dependencies that will be provided by #102102: Parse project .info files: present module list and dependency information.

Meaning you have dependencies required for testing, but not required for your module to work. Like "recommended" modules...modules that you provide integration for, but are not required.

This also has been fixed from within SimpleTest 6.x-2.x itself. It now respsects the 'dependencies' property in getInfo() and will skip the test. It's still up to #102102: Parse project .info files: present module list and dependency information to actually pull in the proper modules for testing though.

I am closing this issue, which is for a not supported Drupal version.