From "Fixture API docs":http://rails.rubyonrails.com/classes/Fixtures.html :

This type of fixture is in [[YAML|YAML format]] and the preferred default. YAML is a file format which describes data structures in a non-verbose, humanly-readable format. It ships with Ruby 1.8.1+. 

Unlike single-file fixtures, YAML fixtures are stored in a single file per model, which is place in the directory appointed by <code>Test::Unit::TestCase.fixture_path=(path)</code> (this is automatically configured for Rails, so you can just put your files in <your-rails-app>/test/fixtures/). The fixture file ends with the .yml file extension (Rails example: "<code><your-rails-app>/test/fixtures/web_sites.yml</code>"). The format of a YAML fixture file looks like this: 

<pre><code>  rubyonrails:
    id: 1
    name: Ruby on Rails
    url: http://www.rubyonrails.org

  google:
    id: 2
    name: Google
    url: http://www.google.com</code></pre>

This YAML fixture file includes two fixtures. Each YAML fixture (ie. record) is given a name and is followed by an indented list of key/value pairs in the "key: value" format. Records are separated by a blank line for your viewing pleasure.

<hr />

See the "API Docs for Fixtures":http://rails.rubyonrails.com/classes/Fixtures.html for more details on how to use YAML fixtures in your test.

[[YAML]] fixtures "are available as of Rails 0.9 (What's new in 0.9: New YAML fixture format)":http://manuals.rubyonrails.com/read/chapter/7#page14

h2. Questions

*Question:* is there a way to insert arbitrary Ruby code into a test fixture, and have it evaluated? (e.g. I want to assign Time.now to certain timestamp field)
-- AlexeyVerkhovsky

bq. You can now use erb in your fixture files, so <code><%= Time.now %></code> is absolutely valid.

bq. Though you will have _much_ better luck with <code><%=Time.now.strftime("%Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S")%></code>

-mml

<hr />

*Question:* How do I use Fixture to test Class that belongs_to other Class because if I just add 'fixtures :parent' to my \ChildTest class. I will get data integrity error from DB when try to insert that Fixture into DB.

<hr />

*Question:* could anyone look at Fixture code for 0.10.1? It seems to be so buggy compare to 0.9.5 I had. The code seems to be out of sync in how to use another code 

<hr />

*Question:* How do I keep the values @true@ and @false@ from turning into @1@ and @0@?

<blockquote>According to the YAML specs(http://www.yaml.org/refcard.html) "Yes", "yes", "true", 1 are all counted as 1.  Same with false and friends.

The solution is quite simple.  In your YAML file, quote the string like this:

<pre><code>record:
   field: "true"</pre></code>

And the value should be the string "true" rather than 1.
</blockquote>

<hr />

*Question:* How to I create fixtures for the relationship between two models that @have_and_belongs_to@ each other?

bq.  See [[Howto Use Fixtures with habtm]]