Error message "SyntaxError: Parse error" doesn't help to find its source

[AlexzAK]

As you know when one of files has invalid syntax PhantomJs provides us just with message:
"SyntaxError: Parse error"

If your file have many lines of if you have multiple files it is painful to search for error cause.
The Jshint tool can help, but it is possible to solve this task using only PhantomJs

if the cpp file src/webpage.cpp at line 160 there is the function javaScriptError

    void javaScriptError(const QString &message, int lineNumber, const QString &sourceID, const QString &stack) {
        Q_UNUSED(lineNumber);
        Q_UNUSED(sourceID);
        emit m_webPage->javaScriptErrorSent(message, stack);
    }

As you can see, arguments lineNumber and sourceID are not used and throwed away.
But them contains valid information about SyntaxError source file and line.
I've check it using debug output

So,
Can you, please, forward arguments lineNumber and sourceID into the javaScriptErrorSent handler and make those arguments available in the javascript onError handler?

It seems that many people find this error message confusing.
It can be far easier to understand and handle error when source of the error is shown

[JamesMGreene]

Hmm, that may or may not be true... would have to test it out. While the error signal will fire for a parse error, the error signals are generally geared toward runtime errors, so I wouldn't be surprised if the line number and source ID might be 0 and "" respectively, just like the stack argument is an empty array ([]).

For example:

Code:

phantom.onError = function(msg, stack) {
  console.log("FATAL ERROR!\nMessage: " + msg + "\nStack: " + JSON.stringify(stack));
  phantom.exit(1);
}

phantom.injectJs("parseError.js");

console.log("Injected.");

phantom.exit();

Result:

FATAL ERROR!
Message: SyntaxError: Parse error
Stack: []

[AlexzAK]

I have added qDebug to the void javaScriptError() and checked that lineNumber and sourceID filled with correct values.
It should work

As you see, SyntaxError occurs not in runtime, but in parse stage. During parsing stack isn't available
And this is the reason why the stack is empty

[JamesMGreene]

Thanks for doing the research, @AlexzAK. Yes, this would definitely be an improvement. Several other methods could probably benefit from a similar change as well, e.g. onConsoleMessage, etc.

[shellscape]

Does #11784 resolve this issue? Seems to be an issue still in the latest stable.

[a-x-]

i have current issue

[vitallium]

Fixed in 2.0. Please upgrade to PhantomJS 2.0.

[mao73a]

Just downloaded phantom.js v 2.1.1 and now syntax error causes phantom to stop responding. No error message at all.

[shellscape]

@mao73a normally I wouldn't suggest another project, but given that the last maintainer has stepped down (https://www.infoq.com/news/2017/04/Phantomjs-future-uncertain) and this project won't be maintained anymore, I'd suggest using Headless Chrome (check out the chromy module) or Electron.