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Kevin Powell - Community•15mo ago

Bawdy Ink Slinger

If `console.dir(x, {showHidden: true, });` prints `TestController {}`, does that mean x empty?

I wrote some code that keeps erroring saying click() does not exist on my testController object. To troubleshoot, I wrote this code:

const testController = new TestController();
console.dir(testController, {showHidden: true, }); // TestController {}

const testController = new TestController();
console.dir(testController, {showHidden: true, }); // TestController {}

Does TestController {} mean the object has no functions, properties, getters/setters, methods (or whatever word categorizes all of these things), or do I need to pass in different options to see everything on it?

45 Replies

ἔρως•15mo ago

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/console/dir

console: dir() method - Web APIs | MDN

The method console.dir() displays an interactive list of the properties of the specified JavaScript object. The output is presented as a hierarchical listing with disclosure triangles that let you see the contents of child objects.

ἔρως•15mo ago

i dont see the 2nd parameter

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

I'm writing typescript, and this is the generated js file for my class:

export class TestController {
    click(selector
    ) {
        const asyncClick = Promise.resolve(this).then((testController) => {
            selector.$.trigger('click');
            console.log(`asyncClick`, testController);
            return testController;
        });
        return Object.assign(asyncClick, this);
    }
    expect(actual) {
        return {};
    }
}

export class TestController {
    click(selector
    ) {
        const asyncClick = Promise.resolve(this).then((testController) => {
            selector.$.trigger('click');
            console.log(`asyncClick`, testController);
            return testController;
        });
        return Object.assign(asyncClick, this);
    }
    expect(actual) {
        return {};
    }
}

ἔρως•15mo ago

so, no, there's no options or anything to send

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

@ἔρως there is here: https://nodejs.org/api/console.html#consoledirobj-options I'm using node

ἔρως•15mo ago

are you running the code in the browser or in node?

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

node but i'm using jsdom that's why the code might appear otherwise

ἔρως•15mo ago

https://nodejs.org/api/util.html#utilinspectobject-options <-- why don't you try this instead?

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

well, I have in the past but console.dir supposedly calls it anyway I guess I'll try it here too

ἔρως•15mo ago

yeah, but seems that that has a lot more options maybe one of them will work for you

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

const testController = new TestController();
console.log(inspect(testController, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true})); // TestController {}

const testController = new TestController();
console.log(inspect(testController, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true})); // TestController {}

Could I be missing something else or does this confirm it's an empty object?

ἔρως•15mo ago

maxdepth as well set to null?

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

you mean depth? same output

ἔρως•15mo ago

yes then it's empty if you're in vscode, you can press f12 and see if there's anything in it

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

you mean in debug mode or something?

ἔρως•15mo ago

no

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

oh no, nm

ἔρως•15mo ago

just the editor put the prompt on the value, press f12 and it searches the definition

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

Yeah, it takes me to my file:

import { Assertion } from './assertion';
import { Selector } from './selector';


export class TestController {
  click(
    this: TestController,
    selector:
    Selector
  ): TestControllerPromise {
    const asyncClick = Promise.resolve(this).then<TestController>((testController) => {
      selector.$.trigger('click');
      console.log(`asyncClick`, testController);
      return testController;
    });
    return Object.assign(asyncClick, this);
  }

  expect<A>(actual: A | Promise<A>): Assertion<A> {
    return {} as Assertion<A>;
  }
}

export interface TestControllerPromise<T = TestController>
  extends TestController,
    Promise<T> {}

import { Assertion } from './assertion';
import { Selector } from './selector';


export class TestController {
  click(
    this: TestController,
    selector:
    Selector
  ): TestControllerPromise {
    const asyncClick = Promise.resolve(this).then<TestController>((testController) => {
      selector.$.trigger('click');
      console.log(`asyncClick`, testController);
      return testController;
    });
    return Object.assign(asyncClick, this);
  }

  expect<A>(actual: A | Promise<A>): Assertion<A> {
    return {} as Assertion<A>;
  }
}

export interface TestControllerPromise<T = TestController>
  extends TestController,
    Promise<T> {}

I don't understand how it's possible to new TestController() and get an empty object back Am I making some obvious mistake?

ἔρως•15mo ago

that's how objects work you get an object when you call new

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

an empty one?

ἔρως•15mo ago

no, it has 1 public method called expect

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

why isn't click public? also, why doesn't it say expect is on the new TestController()?

ἔρως•15mo ago

https://tenor.com/view/confused-what-really-no-words-huh-gif-4487358

Tenor

Confused Castle

ἔρως•15mo ago

I KNOW! IT DOESN'T HAVE A CONSTRUCTOR wait, that doesn't make sense

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

but if there is no defined constructor, doesn't it get a default, no-arg one?

ἔρως•15mo ago

yeah that's why i said this try to use TestController.click directly? or pass TestController to console.dir?

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

the typescript compiler says click doesn't exist. I can for it to run anyway if you want.

console.log(inspect(TestController, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));
/*
<ref *1> [class TestController] {
  [length]: 0,
  [name]: 'TestController',
  [prototype]: {
    [constructor]: [Circular *1],
    [click]: [Function: click] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'click' },
    [expect]: [Function: expect] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'expect' }
  }
}
*/

console.log(inspect(TestController, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));
/*
<ref *1> [class TestController] {
  [length]: 0,
  [name]: 'TestController',
  [prototype]: {
    [constructor]: [Circular *1],
    [click]: [Function: click] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'click' },
    [expect]: [Function: expect] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'expect' }
  }
}
*/

hm... So many questions, but is [constructor]: [Circular *1], normal?

ἔρως•15mo ago

yes it's a circular reference it references TestController

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

okay

ἔρως•15mo ago

the length: 0 means it takes no arguments to create it

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

I know how to read the rest of this output but I don't know what it tells me re: new TestController() returning an empty object

ἔρως•15mo ago

I KNOW WHAT IT MAY BE, and if it is that, it's dumb as hell

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

🙂

ἔρως•15mo ago

the object doesn't have anything but the prototype does and the prototype is part of the constructor but what you have is no longer a constructor, but an instance to a class i may be absolutely wrong but it kinda makes sense

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

I would've assumed inspect would have shown me I guess I'll create an empty constructor and see if that changes anything

ἔρως•15mo ago

don't do that just try to do console.log(new TestController().click); and see what it says

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

[Function: click]

ἔρως•15mo ago

it works! i was right it didn't fetch the prototype 🤣 probably to avoid going down the prototype chain

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

I don't see that as an option to show in inspect either?

ἔρως•15mo ago

i didn't see anything either and it doesn't make sense either it should show 1 prototype, i think

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

hm well here's what my code does now:

    console.log(`inspecting TestController: `, inspect(TestController, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));
    console.log(`inspecting new TestController: `, inspect(new TestController, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));
    console.log(`inspecting new TestController(): `, inspect(new TestController(), { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));
    console.log(`inspecting new TestController().click: `, inspect(new TestController().click, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));
    console.log(`inspecting new TestController().click(): `, inspect(new TestController().click, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));

/*
inspecting class name:  <ref *1> [class TestController] {
  [length]: 0,
  [name]: 'TestController',
  [prototype]: {
    [constructor]: [Circular *1],
    [click]: [Function: click] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'click' },
    [expect]: [Function: expect] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'expect' }
  }
}
inspecting new class name:  TestController {}
inspecting new class name():  TestController {}
inspecting new class name().click:  [Function: click] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'click' }
inspecting new class name().click():  [Function: click] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'click' }
*/

    console.log(`inspecting TestController: `, inspect(TestController, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));
    console.log(`inspecting new TestController: `, inspect(new TestController, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));
    console.log(`inspecting new TestController(): `, inspect(new TestController(), { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));
    console.log(`inspecting new TestController().click: `, inspect(new TestController().click, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));
    console.log(`inspecting new TestController().click(): `, inspect(new TestController().click, { showHidden: true, showProxy: true, getters: true, depth: null}));

/*
inspecting class name:  <ref *1> [class TestController] {
  [length]: 0,
  [name]: 'TestController',
  [prototype]: {
    [constructor]: [Circular *1],
    [click]: [Function: click] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'click' },
    [expect]: [Function: expect] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'expect' }
  }
}
inspecting new class name:  TestController {}
inspecting new class name():  TestController {}
inspecting new class name().click:  [Function: click] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'click' }
inspecting new class name().click():  [Function: click] { [length]: 1, [name]: 'click' }
*/

ἔρως•15mo ago

yup, it doesn't go down the prototype chain that's bizarre but makes sense, as prototype chains can be extremely long

Bawdy Ink SlingerOP•15mo ago

thank you for the help 🙂

ἔρως•15mo ago

you're welcome

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