What causes "Call named() before createTestSuite()." in google/guava?

Add .named(" ") to the builder chain before createTestSuite().

google/guava · error · IllegalStateException

Call named() before createTestSuite().

Error message

Call named() before createTestSuite().

What it means

Thrown by checkCanCreate() when createTestSuite() is called but the suite name (set via named(...)) is still null. The name is used as the JUnit TestSuite display name and in log output, so the builder treats an unnamed suite as a misconfiguration rather than defaulting it.

Source

Thrown at android/guava-testlib/src/com/google/common/collect/testing/FeatureSpecificTestSuiteBuilder.java:212

    for (@SuppressWarnings("rawtypes") // class literals
    Class<? extends AbstractTester> testerClass : testers) {
      @SuppressWarnings("unchecked") // getting rid of the raw type, for better or for worse
      TestSuite testerSuite =
          makeSuiteForTesterClass((Class<? extends AbstractTester<?>>) testerClass);
      if (testerSuite.countTestCases() > 0) {
        suite.addTest(testerSuite);
      }
    }
    return suite;
  }

  /** Throw {@link IllegalStateException} if {@link #createTestSuite()} can't be called yet. */
  protected void checkCanCreate() {
    if (subjectGenerator == null) {
      throw new IllegalStateException("Call using() before createTestSuite().");
    }
    if (name == null) {
      throw new IllegalStateException("Call named() before createTestSuite().");
    }
    if (features == null) {
      throw new IllegalStateException("Call withFeatures() before createTestSuite().");
    }
  }

  @SuppressWarnings("rawtypes") // class literals
  protected abstract List<Class<? extends AbstractTester>> getTesters();

  private boolean matches(Test test) {
    Method method;
    try {
      method = extractMethod(test);
    } catch (IllegalArgumentException e) {
      logger.finer(Platform.format("%s: including by default: %s", test, e.getMessage()));
      return true;
    }
    if (suppressedTests.contains(method)) {

View on GitHub (pinned to 94f39958ba)

Solutions

Add .named("<human-readable suite name>") to the builder chain before createTestSuite().
Keep the canonical chain order using(...) -> named(...) -> withFeatures(...) -> createTestSuite().
If you refactored name into a constant/variable, confirm it is non-null at call time.

Example fix

// before
TestSuite suite = ListTestSuiteBuilder.using(gen)
    .withFeatures(ListFeature.GENERAL_PURPOSE)
    .createTestSuite();

// after
TestSuite suite = ListTestSuiteBuilder.using(gen)
    .named("MyList")
    .withFeatures(ListFeature.GENERAL_PURPOSE)
    .createTestSuite();

Defensive patterns

Strategy: validation

Validate before calling

java.util.Objects.requireNonNull(suiteName, "named() requires a non-null name");
TestSuite suite = ListTestSuiteBuilder.using(gen).named(suiteName).withFeatures(F).createTestSuite();

Prevention

Treat the builder chain as a checklist; never skip named(...).
Store suite names in constants to avoid accidental null/deletion.

When it happens

Trigger: A builder chain that calls using(...) and withFeatures(...) but omits named("...") before createTestSuite(). The guard at line 211 sees name == null and throws.

Common situations: Reordering a fluent builder chain and losing the named(...) call; renaming a suite variable and accidentally deleting the named() step; assuming createTestSuite() derives a name from the generator class (it does not).

Related errors

AI-assisted analysis of google/guava@94f39958ba (2026-08-13). Data as JSON: /api/errors/da272ff34c34a5d2. Report an issue: GitHub.