encoding/json: missing error unmarshalling null value into field with string tag

[gopherbot]

by accipiter:

What steps will reproduce the problem?
Run: http://play.golang.org/p/o8o3NuIiu4

What is the expected output?
json: invalid use of ,string struct tag, trying to unmarshal "" into int
{A:4 B:2 C:0}

What do you see instead?
{A:4 B:2 C:4}

Which version are you using?  (run 'go version')
go version go1.2 windows/amd64

Please provide any additional information below.
The problem occurs when json.Unmarshal unmarshals into multiple struct fields (not
necessarily within the same struct) where the string field tag option is used. If a json
null value is encountered instead of a string, the package uses the value from previous
field with string option instead of returning an error.
If no previous value has been unmarshalled into such a field when null is encountered,
the expected error is returned.

[davecheney]

Comment 1:

https://golang.org/cl/47260043/

Labels changed: added release-go1.3.

Status changed to Started.

[bradfitz]

Comment 2:

This issue was closed by revision 880442f.

Status changed to Fixed.

[gopherbot]

Comment 3 by nicolashillegeer:

I can confirm that this problem also appears for float64 types. Perhaps also add a test
for that? (Don't know if this fix also fixes float64).

[gopherbot]

Comment 4 by nicolashillegeer:

And as an example test case: http://play.golang.org/p/mT8l5jeN4c

[bradfitz]

Comment 5:

This issue is closed.
Please open a new issue if you find a new bug with the latest (tip) version of Go.

[gopherbot]

Comment 6 by nicolashillegeer:

Ok, I hear from someone that has go tip installed that the expected error is reported
now. Which is a shame in my opinion (while being unable to specify to just leave the
default value of the field when a null value is encountered).
Thanks!

[rsc]

Comment 7:

It was certainly a bug that unmarshaling {"a": "4", "b": 2, "c": null} produced {A:4,
B:2, C:4}. However, I don't believe the fix here was correct. It should have ignored the
null, not made it an error. This is consistent with the non-,string unmarshaling, as
amended due to issue #2540. I am going to change this behavior as part of fixing issue
8587. That should make nicolashillegeer happy at least.