window is defined, breaking platform-detection in node environment.

[johnjbarton]

We have code that tests its environment:

if (typeof window === 'undefined') {
  // node stuff
} else {
  // browser stuff.
}

To use iron-node on node apps with such tests, window from iron-node cannot be visible to the app under debug.

[s-a]

Check out famous libs like jquery or underscore. I suggest test the variable module

// Export the Underscore object for **CommonJS**, with backwards-compatibility
// for the old `require()` API. If we're not in CommonJS, add `_` to the
// global object.
if (typeof module !== 'undefined' && module.exports) {
        module.exports = _;
        root._ = _;
        isNode = true;
} else {
        root._ = _;
}

[johnjbarton]

Thanks. Unfortunately that kind of test will only work if the JS has been loaded with require(). (Node's require() function adds the module as a argument). Any node code that uses eval, eg REPLs, module loaders, transcoders, will fail.

It would be helpful if the documentation had a section on limitations, outlining that the node code runs in a browser environment.

[dhritzkiv]

I have a similar issue related to the presence of the window variable.

mongoose / mongodb do a check for window and determine whether to use the node's Buffer or a browser's UINT8Array. When window is present, mongoose stops working properly for me. Is there a way to disable the windows variable using the iron-node configuration options, or otherwise?

[s-a]

@hendrikswan just reported the same issue.

This is a general concern that I've felt since coding ironNode. In fact we cannot overwrite window and this usecase is the exact opposite to #90 where window is usefull. So I don't see any easy fix... Please feel free to brainstorm!

[hendrikswan]

@s-a is it even possible to do something about this? Does the global window var come from electron?

Update: Sorry was busy typing this question while you were commenting :)

[s-a]

Yes this is the result of Electron ' s hybrid environment.

[johnjbarton]

iron-node is providing both process orchestration -- one command debugs my nodejs app -- and attachment of Chrome Devtools to that nodejs app. Unfortunately the attachment is kinda cheating: rather than running the nodejs in a nodejs environment iron-node runs the app in a hybrid browser environment so electron's own Chrome Devtools is ready at hand. (Its a great strategy by the way!)

To run the nodejs app in a nodejs environment iron-node would need to start the app in another process and attach the chrome devtools in the electron UI to that process via ipc or rpc. Unfortunately this step is not simple.

One issue that is unclear to me is how the Electron UI is involved. Are there two BrowserWindows in iron-node, one for the nodejs app being debugged and one for the iron-node UI? Mixing the iron-node UI with the nodejs app makes solving the window problem much harder.

[s-a]

If this one http://stackoverflow.com/questions/35211056/how-to-change-the-node-js-module-wrapper would be possible we could easy pass a window parameter as undefined. Pls upvote there to get more attention. 👍

[johnjbarton]

I don't see how the module wrapper can help here. window isn't a parameter, it's a global reference. (And I'm unsure if Chrome Devtools will work against a JS environment w/o window)

[s-a]

While we use require each code file runs in an own context scope and if we could change the wrapper code and add window as argument node.js will pass undefined. So this problem would be solved.

[johnjbarton]

There are some hacky ways to manipulate nodejs Module that are widely (ab)used, for example:
https://github.com/google/traceur-compiler/blob/master/src/node/require.js

[jonaswindey]

Having the same issue with the mongodb (js-bson) driver that fails when global.window is defined.

Anyone an idea why setting global.window = undefined doesn't fix this?

Edit; exactly like @dhritzkiv says

[dhritzkiv]

@jonaswindey have you tried updating to the latest mongodb? Updating mongoose (which included an updated mongodb) fixed this issue for me.

[jonaswindey]

Yes I did, I even forked mongoose to use a patched version of js-bson (https://github.com/officert/js-bson.git) that disabled the check on global.window

I keep getting MongoError {name: "MongoError", message: "data.copy is not a function"}

@dhritzkiv Which npm version do you use? I'm using node v5.2.0 but still npm 2.x

[s-a]

Stay tuned . I will try some things out this weekend.

[s-a]

Hey guys. could not wait to try this out. 😄

There are new options available now at

iron-node/.iron-node.js

Line 6 in 5195b8b

"window", "document", "self", "global", "navigator",

I think this is a pretty cool solution.
Can someone please install from master branch and test out the new feature to confirm that this works as expected before i publish this to npm?

[s-a]

My tests performed well. Just published https://github.com/s-a/iron-node/releases/tag/v2.2.15 to npm.

[hendrikswan]

So far so good for me too!

On Thu, 18 Feb 2016 at 14:08 Stephan Ahlf notifications@github.com wrote:

My tests performed well. Just published
https://github.com/s-a/iron-node/releases/tag/v2.2.15 to npm.

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub
#71 (comment).

[johnjbarton]

This is much better, thanks! But there is still a bit more to do ;-) I'll open a new issue about global.