Assert that a method was called in a Python unit test

Yes if you are using Python 3.3+. You can use the built-in unittest.mock to assert method called. For Python 2.6+ use the rolling backport Mock, which is the same thing.

Here is a quick example in your case:

from unittest.mock import MagicMock
aw = aps.Request("nv1")
aw.Clear = MagicMock()
aw2 = aps.Request("nv2", aw)
assert aw.Clear.called

I use Mock (which is now unittest.mock on py3.3+) for this:

from mock import patch
from PyQt4 import Qt


@patch.object(Qt.QMessageBox, 'aboutQt')
def testShowAboutQt(self, mock):
    self.win.actionAboutQt.trigger()
    self.assertTrue(mock.called)

For your case, it could look like this:

import mock
from mock import patch


def testClearWasCalled(self):
   aw = aps.Request("nv1")
   with patch.object(aw, 'Clear') as mock:
       aw2 = aps.Request("nv2", aw)

   mock.assert_called_with(42) # or mock.assert_called_once_with(42)

Mock supports quite a few useful features, including ways to patch an object or module, as well as checking that the right thing was called, etc etc.

Caveat emptor! (Buyer beware!)

If you mistype assert_called_with (to assert_called_once or assert_called_wiht) your test may still run, as Mock will think this is a mocked function and happily go along, unless you use autospec=true. For more info read assert_called_once: Threat or Menace.