before_record hook

The before_record hook is called before a cassette is written to disk. This can be used to modify the HTTP interaction before it is recorded.

Your block should accept up to 2 arguments. The first argument will be the HTTP interaction that is about to be written to disk. The second argument will be the current cassette.

If you wish to prevent VCR from recording the HTTP interaction you can call #ignore! on the interaction.

If you don't want your hook to apply to all cassettes, you can use tags to select which cassettes a given hook applies to. Consider this code:

  VCR.configure do |c|
    c.before_record(:twitter) { ... } # modify the interactions somehow
  end

  VCR.use_cassette('cassette_1', :tag => :twitter) { ... }
  VCR.use_cassette('cassette_2') { ... }

In this example, the hook would apply to the first cassette but not the second cassette.

Modify recorded response

Given a file named "before_record_example.rb" with:

$server = start_sinatra_app do
  get('/') { "Hello Earth" }
end

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.hook_into :webmock
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'

  c.before_record do |i|
    i.response.body.sub!('Earth', 'World')
  end
end

VCR.use_cassette('recording_example') do
  Net::HTTP.get_response('localhost', '/', $server.port)
end

When I run ruby before_record_example.rb

Then the file "cassettes/recording_example.yml" should contain "Hello World"

And the file "cassettes/recording_example.yml" should not contain "Earth".

Modify recorded response based on the cassette

Given a file named "before_record_example.rb" with:

$server = start_sinatra_app do
  get('/') { "Hello Earth" }
end

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.hook_into :webmock
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'

  c.before_record do |interaction, cassette|
    interaction.response.body << " (#{cassette.name})"
  end
end

VCR.use_cassette('recording_example') do
  Net::HTTP.get_response('localhost', '/', $server.port)
end

When I run ruby before_record_example.rb

Then the file "cassettes/recording_example.yml" should contain "Hello Earth (recording_example)".

Prevent recording by ignoring interaction in before_record hook

Given a file named "before_record_ignore.rb" with:

$server = start_sinatra_app do
  get('/') { "Hello World" }
end

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.hook_into :webmock
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'
  c.before_record { |i| i.ignore! }
end

VCR.use_cassette('recording_example') do
  response = Net::HTTP.get_response('localhost', '/', $server.port)
  puts "Response: #{response.body}"
end

When I run ruby before_record_ignore.rb

Then it should pass with "Response: Hello World"

And the file "cassettes/recording_example.yml" should not exist.

Multiple hooks are run in order

Given a file named "multiple_hooks.rb" with:

$server = start_sinatra_app do
  get('/') { "Hello World" }
end

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.hook_into :webmock
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'

  c.before_record { puts "In before_record hook 1" }
  c.before_record { puts "In before_record hook 2" }
end

VCR.use_cassette('example', :record => :new_episodes) do
  response = Net::HTTP.get_response('localhost', '/', $server.port)
  puts "Response: #{response.body}"
end

When I run ruby multiple_hooks.rb

Then it should pass with:

Response: Hello World
In before_record hook 1
In before_record hook 2

Use tagging to apply hook to only certain cassettes

Given a file named "tagged_hooks.rb" with:

$server = start_sinatra_app do
  get('/') { "Hello World" }
end

require 'vcr'

VCR.configure do |c|
  c.hook_into :webmock
  c.cassette_library_dir = 'cassettes'

  c.before_record(:tag_1) do
    puts "In before_record hook for tag_1"
  end
end

[:tag_1, :tag_2, nil].each do |tag|
  puts
  puts "Using tag: #{tag.inspect}"

  VCR.use_cassette('example', :record => :new_episodes, :tag => tag) do
    response = Net::HTTP.get_response('localhost', '/', $server.port)
    puts "Response: #{response.body}"
  end
end

When I run ruby tagged_hooks.rb

Then it should pass with:

Using tag: :tag_1
Response: Hello World
In before_record hook for tag_1

Using tag: :tag_2
Response: Hello World

Using tag: nil
Response: Hello World