generating py.test tests in python

Question

Question first, then an explanation if you're interested.

In the context of py.test, how do I generate a large set of test functions from a small set of test-function templates?

Something like:

models = [model1,model2,model3]
data_sets = [data1,data2,data3]

def generate_test_learn_parameter_function(model,data):
    def this_test(model,data):
        param = model.learn_parameters(data)
        assert((param - model.param) < 0.1 )
    return this_test

for model,data in zip(models,data_sets):
    # how can py.test can see the results of this function?
    generate_test_learn_parameter_function(model,data)

Explanation:

I'm trying hard to get into unit testing. I code for 'science', in that I'm writing code that I think is complicated mathematically but not all that bad from a programming point of view, i.e. I have maybe five functions to test. That I come from 'science' means that I'm pretty new to unit testing, but have been convinced my CS buddies that it's The Thing To Do.

The code I'm writing takes a model structure, some data, and learns the parameters of the model. So my unit testing consists of a bunch of model structures and pre-generated data sets, and then a set of about 5 machine learning tasks to complete on each structure+data.

So if I hand code this I need one test per model per task. Every time I come up with a new model I need to then copy and paste the 5 tasks, changing which pickled structure+data I'm pointing at. This feels like bad practice to me. Ideally what I'd like is 5 template functions that define each of my 5 tasks and then to just spit out test functions for a list of structures that I specify.

Googling about brings me to either a) factories or b) closures, both of which addle my brain and suggest to me that there must be an easier way, as this problem must be faced regularly by proper programmers. So is there?

---

EDIT: So here's how to solve this problem!

def pytest_generate_tests(metafunc):
    if "model" in metafunc.funcargnames:
        models = [model1,model2,model3]
        for model in models:
            metafunc.addcall(funcargs=dict(model=model))

def test_awesome(model):
    assert model == "awesome"

This will apply the test_awesome test to each model in my list of models! Thanks @dfichter!

(NOTE: that assert always passes, btw)