Crashing in Javascript Core when setTimeout() is used

[bdkjones]

Bryan here; guy behind CodeKit. I've tracked down an issue that I believe is attributable to JSHint. However, the explanation behind it is incredibly complicated so please bear with me.

Here's a screenshot of some Javascript code:

SUMMARY

See the two commented-out lines? Well, when I uncomment them, JSHint throws an exception when run in Javascript Core and fails to run. As soon as I comment the lines out, JSHint runs fine.

JSLint does not show the same problem; it runs correctly regardless of whether these lines are commented out. This indicates to me that Javascript Core is not the likely cause, since I can isolate the crash to JSHint exclusively.

The interesting part is that if I copy/paste the entire code into the textbox at JSHint.com and run it there, JSHint runs correctly. If I run JSHint on the file from the command line (using node.js), it also runs fine. This implies that there's something going on specifically with JSHint running in Javascript Core --- some sort of incompatibility or issue that only appears when JSHint is running inside Javascript Core.

EXCEPTION INFO

Here's the exception that Javascript Core throws when JSHint crashes on the code above. This is literally all the information it provides:

JavascriptCore Exception thrown: ReferenceError: Can't find variable: console on line 105 of (null)

I don't believe the issue is in my app, since I use the exact same code to run JSLint and that works just fine every time.

CONTENT BETWEEN QUOTES

The plot thickens. If I modify one of these "setTimeout" lines to look like this:

JSHint now runs correctly. However, as soon as I add any content between those quotation marks (other than a space), the exception is thrown and JSHint fails. Literally anything inside the quotes will do it --- a single letter, a function name, etc.

I've tried all sorts of various edits to these lines and this is what I've narrowed it down to. As long as nothing but spaces appear inside the quotation marks, JSHint runs fine.

EXAMPLE FILES

The link below will take you to Dropbox, where I have posted a zip file containing two files. The first is the exact file as I received it from one of my users, with no changes. The second file is one where I have commented out each "setTimeout" line until I got JSHint to run correctly. You can use a file-difference tool to see the exact lines I commented out.

Link: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/25530182/jsHint_files/files.zip

Please let me know if I can provide any additional information. Thanks for looking into this.

[valueof]

What version of JSHint? I assume something pre-1.0.0 since everything else doesn't support JSC anymore (and that's why it doesn't make sense to compare with JSHint website since the website always uses the latest version).

Do you combine everything on one file? Can you paste a gist of that file somewhere? I checked jshint.js and jsc.js from r12 and there's no usage of console whatsoever.

[bdkjones]

I'm using 1.0.0. Also, I'm not running JSHint through the JSC shell. From your docs:

This version removes support for the JavaScriptCore shell due to its limited API. Note that this doesn’t mean that JSHint no longer works in Safari, it simply means that we removed the ability to use jshint via the command line JSC shell.

I'm executing the javascript in jshint.js using the same approach that Safari does; by using the Javascript Core C framework directly in code. I do not go through the shell.

[bdkjones]

Just tested with JSHint 1.1.0 (built from a cloned Git repo using the "make.js" file) and it shows the exact same issue.

[bdkjones]

I show 5 occurrences of the word "console" in jsHint 1.1.0, built using the "make.js" file. I would bet this is related to the problem.

[bdkjones]

Bingo. As suggested by one of my followers here --> https://twitter.com/BenBornschein/status/309935445909839872

If you change the setTimeout line FROM this:

setTimeout("$('#ok_check_share').hide()", 2000);

TO this:

setTimeout(function(){"$('#ok_check_share').hide()"}, 2000);

The issue is resolved and JSHint works correctly! Now the only question left is why the former line causes the exception and brings down JSHint when its running in Javascript Core.

[valueof]

Thanks. Uhm, I'll try to look into it this week. What's the easiest way to run JavaScript through JSC without their shell?

[paulyoung]

@bdkjones - in your last comment you have an anonymous function with a string inside it; what happens when you remove the double quotes?

[bdkjones]

If you work on a Mac, I can throw together a really simple demo app that will run JSHint with default options and log the output to the console.

[valueof]

That's be really helpful, thanks!

On Sunday, March 10, 2013, bdkjones wrote:

If you work on a Mac, I can throw together a really simple demo app that
will run JSHint with default options and log the output to the console.

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHubhttps://github.com//issues/905#issuecomment-14695086
.

[bdkjones]

Sure thing. I'll need a few days, but should have it for you later this week.

[valueof]

Closing since its been 10 months now with no updates and no further complaints.