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Better python unittest integration?

I'm using GNU Emacs 24.5.1 to work on Python code. I often want to run just a single unit test. I can do this, for example, by running:
test=spi.test_views.IndexViewTest.generate_select2_data_with_embedded_spaces make test
with M-X compile. My life would be simpler if I could give some command like "Run the test where point is", and have emacs figure out the full name of the test for me. Is possible?
Update: with the folowing buffer, I'd like some command which runs M-X compile with:
test=spi.test_views.IndexViewTest.test_unknown_button make test
where spi is the name of the directory test_views.py is in. Well, technically, I need to construct the python path to my test function, but in practice, it'll be <directory.file.class.function>.
This seems like the kind of thing somebody would have already invented, but I don't see anything in the python mode docs.

I believe you use the "default" python mode, while the so-called elpy mode (that I strongly recommend giving a try when doing Python developments within Emacs) seems to provide what you are looking for:
C-c C-t (elpy-test)
Start a test run. This uses the currently configured test runner to discover
and run tests. If point is inside a test case, the test runner will run exactly
that test case. Otherwise, or if a prefix argument is given, it will run all tests.
Extra details
The elpy-test function internally relies on the function (elpy-test-at-point), which appears to be very close to the feature you mentioned in the question.
See e.g. the code/help excerpt in the following screenshot:

Add setup steps for all tests in directory without adding in each suite

I'd like to add some common keywords in every test suite setup. But as for me, it is not good practice to write same things in each suite.
I tried to use pre-run modifier, but not sure that it's possible to use it in that situation.

You can use an initialization file. In this file you can specify your Suite Setup. It will be applied to all the testsuites in the same folder where the initialization file is placed. See documentation for more details.

pytest run new tests (nearly) first

I am using pytest. I like the way I call pytest (re-try the failed tests first, verbose, grab and show serial output, stop at first failure):
pytest --failed-first -v -s -x
However there is one more thing I want:
I want pytest to run the new tests (ie tests never tested before) immediately after the --failed-first ones. This way, when working with tests that are long to perform, I would get most relevant information as soon as possible.
Any way to do that?

This may not be directly what you are asking about, but, my understanding is that the test execution order is important for you when you create new tests during development.
Since you are already working with these "new" tests, the pytest-ordering plugin might be a good option to consider. It allows you to influence the execution order by decorating your tests with #pytest.mark.first, #pytest.mark.second etc decorators.
pytest-ordering is able to change the execution order by using a pytest_collection_modifyitems hook. There is also pytest-random-order plugin which also uses the same hook to control/change the order.
You can also have your own hook defined and adjusted to your specific needs. For example, here another hook is used to shuffle the tests:
Dynamically control order of tests with pytest

For anyone coming to this now, pytest added a --new-first option to run new tests before all other tests. It can be combined with --failed-first to run new and failed tests. For test-driven development, I've found it helpful to use these options with pytest-watch, which I described in my blog.

Add a pytest option that doesn't have dashes?

I have a lot of tests that take a long time to run. Luckily, the time these tests take is evenly distributed among tests for several subsystems of my project.
I'm using IPython's pytest magic commands. I'd like to be able to just say things like
pytest potato_peeler --donttesti18n --runstresstests
or
pytest garlic_squeezer --donttestsmell --logperfdata
but I can't add the garlic_squeezer and potato_peeler options the same way I do logperfdata et al because parser.addoption gets upset if the option name doesn't start with a --.
I know this seems like a tiny inconvenience, but I have a ton of people running these tests several times a day and I'd like the way they're invoked to make as much sense as possible, by emulating how you issue commands on a command line (command, thing you want to run the command on, then --flags.)
Is there a way have non-dashed options? (that doesn't involve writing a full-blown pytest plugin that overrides the option parsing?)
I was hoping to use the pytest_commandline_parse hook but you can't use that hook in a conftest.py, you have to write a full-blown plugin.

You can mark your tests and run only those with some mark.
For example:
import pytest
#pytest.mark.runstresstests
def test_stress_something():
pass
#pytest.mark.logperfdata
def test_something_quick():
pass
...
If you only want to run stress tests: pytest -m runstresstests
Full documentation at https://docs.pytest.org/en/latest/example/markers.html

Calling and gathering results from py.test from within code

I'm working on a system that needs to be able to test python files with py.test, and use the output (what tests passed and failed) within the program. Is there anyway to call py.test from within python, tell it to run the testing code in [name].py on the code in [otherName].py, and have it return the results of the test?

I think you are looking for Calling pytest from Python code at Usage and Invocations page.
Also limiting tests to the specific file could be done by Specifying tests / selecting tests.
In other words, this should do the trick:
pytest.main(['my_test_file.py'])
P.S.: Py.test Documantation is pretty good, you can find most of the answers there ;).