test: make file based testing more robust with unique identifiers (#649)

## 📺 PR Description

update all file based tests to follow a naming convention in a dedicated
testing folder to prevent clashes. Make sure all needed files are in
place before running the test

## Checklist

<!-- a quick pass through the following items to make sure you haven't
forgotten anything -->

- [x] my commits **and PR title** follow the [conventional
commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/en/v1.0.0/#summary) format
- [ ] if this is a new feature, I have added tests to consolidate the
feature and prevent regressions
- [ ] if this is a bug fix, I have added a test that reproduces the bug
(if applicable)
- [x] I have added a reasonable amount of documentation to the code
where appropriate

.gitignore

@@ -29,3 +29,6 @@ Cargo.lock
 .vscode/
 
 **/node_modules/
+
+# test artifacts
+target_dir/

tests/cli/cli_config.rs

@@ -4,19 +4,22 @@
 //! ensuring that users can customize their setup and work in different directories.
 
 use super::common::*;
+use std::path::Path;
 
 /// Tests that the PATH positional argument correctly sets the working directory.
 #[test]
 fn test_path_as_positional_argument_sets_working_directory() {
     let mut tester = PtyTester::new();
-    let tmp_dir = std::env::temp_dir();
+    let tmp_dir = Path::new(TARGET_DIR);
 
     // Create initial files to be detected
-    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("file1.txt"), "").unwrap();
+    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("UNIQUE16CHARIDfile.txt"), "").unwrap();
 
     // Starts the files channel in the specified temporary directory
     let cmd = tv_local_config_and_cable_with_args(&[
         "files",
+        "--input",
+        "UNIQUE16CHARID",
         tmp_dir.to_str().unwrap(),
     ]);
     let mut child = tester.spawn_command_tui(cmd);
@@ -25,8 +28,8 @@ fn test_path_as_positional_argument_sets_working_directory() {
     tester.assert_tui_frame_contains(
         "╭───────────────────────── files ──────────────────────────╮",
     );
-    // Verify that the test file `file1.txt` is present
+    // Verify that the test file is present
-    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("file1.txt");
+    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("UNIQUE16CHARIDfile.txt");
 
     // Send Ctrl+C to exit cleanly
     tester.send(&ctrl('c'));

tests/cli/cli_input.rs

@@ -85,19 +85,23 @@ fn test_multiple_keybindings_override() {
 #[test]
 fn test_exact_matching_enabled() {
     let mut tester = PtyTester::new();
+    let tmp_dir = Path::new(TARGET_DIR);
+
+    // Create initial file to be detected
+    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("UNIQUE16CHARIDfile.txt"), "").unwrap();
 
     // This enables exact substring matching instead of the default fuzzy matching
     let cmd = tv_local_config_and_cable_with_args(&[
         "files",
         "--exact",
         "--input",
-        "file1",
+        "UNIQUE16CHARIDfile",
-        Path::new(TARGET_DIR).to_str().unwrap(),
+        tmp_dir.to_str().unwrap(),
     ]);
     let mut child = tester.spawn_command_tui(cmd);
 
     // Verify the TUI started successfully with exact matching enabled
-    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("file1.txt");
+    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("UNIQUE16CHARIDfile.txt");
 
     // Send Ctrl+C to exit the application
     tester.send(&ctrl('c'));
@@ -107,21 +111,25 @@ fn test_exact_matching_enabled() {
 #[test]
 fn test_exact_matching_enabled_fails() {
     let mut tester = PtyTester::new();
+    let tmp_dir = Path::new(TARGET_DIR);
+
+    // Create initial file to be detected
+    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("UNIQUE16CHARIDfile.txt"), "").unwrap();
 
     // This enables exact substring matching instead of the default fuzzy matching
     let cmd = tv_local_config_and_cable_with_args(&[
         "files",
         "--exact",
         "--input",
-        "fl1",
+        "UNIQUE16CHARIDfl",
-        Path::new(TARGET_DIR).to_str().unwrap(),
+        tmp_dir.to_str().unwrap(),
     ]);
     let mut child = tester.spawn_command_tui(cmd);
 
     // Verify the TUI started successfully with exact matching enabled and no results
-    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("│> fl1");
+    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("│> UNIQUE16CHARIDfl");
     tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("0 / 0");
-    tester.assert_not_tui_frame_contains("file1.txt");
+    tester.assert_not_tui_frame_contains("UNIQUE16CHARIDfile.txt");
 
     // Send Ctrl+C to exit the application
     tester.send(&ctrl('c'));

tests/cli/cli_monitoring.rs

@@ -4,15 +4,16 @@
 //! ensuring users can enable real-time data updates.
 
 use super::common::*;
+use std::path::Path;
 
 /// Tests that --watch enables live monitoring with automatic source command re-execution.
 #[test]
 fn test_watch_reloads_source_command() {
     let mut tester = PtyTester::new();
-    let tmp_dir = std::env::temp_dir();
+    let tmp_dir = Path::new(TARGET_DIR);
 
     // Create initial file to be detected
-    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("file1.txt"), "").unwrap();
+    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("UNIQUE16CHARIDfile.txt"), "").unwrap();
 
     // This monitors the temp directory and updates every 0.5 seconds
     let cmd = tv_local_config_and_cable_with_args(&[
@@ -20,21 +21,23 @@ fn test_watch_reloads_source_command() {
         "0.5",
         "--source-command",
         "ls",
+        "--input",
+        "UNIQUE16CHARID",
         tmp_dir.to_str().unwrap(),
     ]);
     let mut child = tester.spawn_command_tui(cmd);
 
     // Verify the initial file is detected
-    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("file1.txt");
+    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("UNIQUE16CHARIDfile.txt");
 
     // Create a second file
-    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("control.txt"), "").unwrap();
+    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("UNIQUE16CHARIDcontrol.txt"), "").unwrap();
 
     // Wait longer than watch interval
     std::thread::sleep(std::time::Duration::from_millis(2000));
 
     // Verify the new file appears after the watch interval
-    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("control.txt");
+    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("UNIQUE16CHARIDcontrol.txt");
 
     // Send Ctrl+C to exit
     tester.send(&ctrl('c'));

tests/cli/cli_ui_behavior.rs

@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
 //! These are integration tests that combine CLI setup with interactive behavior.
 
 use super::common::*;
+use std::path::Path;
 
 /// Tests that the toggle preview keybinding functionality works correctly.
 #[test]
@@ -132,32 +133,32 @@ fn test_scroll_preview_keybindings() {
 #[test]
 fn test_reload_source_keybinding() {
     let mut tester = PtyTester::new();
-    let tmp_dir = std::env::temp_dir();
+    let tmp_dir = Path::new(TARGET_DIR);
 
     // Create initial file to be detected
-    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("file1.txt"), "").unwrap();
+    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("UNIQUE16CHARIDfile.txt"), "").unwrap();
 
     // Start with the files channel
     let cmd = tv_local_config_and_cable_with_args(&[
         "files",
         "--input",
-        ".txt",
+        "UNIQUE16CHARID",
         tmp_dir.to_str().unwrap(),
     ]);
     let mut child = tester.spawn_command_tui(cmd);
 
     // Verify the initial file appears in the TUI
-    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("file1.txt");
+    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("UNIQUE16CHARIDfile.txt");
 
     // add another file to be detected
-    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("control.txt"), "").unwrap();
+    std::fs::write(tmp_dir.join("UNIQUE16CHARIDcontrol.txt"), "").unwrap();
 
     // Send Ctrl+R to reload the source command
     tester.send(&ctrl('r'));
 
     // Verify the new file appears in the TUI as well as the existing one
-    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("control.txt");
+    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("UNIQUE16CHARIDcontrol.txt");
-    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("file1.txt");
+    tester.assert_tui_frame_contains("UNIQUE16CHARIDfile.txt");
 
     // Send Ctrl+C to exit
     tester.send(&ctrl('c'));

tests/common/mod.rs

@@ -18,6 +18,8 @@ pub const DEFAULT_CABLE_DIR: &str = "./cable/unix";
 #[cfg(windows)]
 pub const DEFAULT_CABLE_DIR: &str = "./cable/windows";
 
+pub const TARGET_DIR: &str = "./tests/target_dir";
+
 pub const DEFAULT_PTY_SIZE: PtySize = PtySize {
     rows: 30,
     cols: 120,