Forward native prototype extensions through `require`

[MattiSG]

If I try to evaluate a program that uses a library extending native prototypes, LightTable loses connection with the Node process, saying it crashed, and the console reads the following:

…/LightTable/LightTable.app/Contents/Resources/app.nw/plugins/javascript/node/ltnodeclient.js:99
      vm.runInContext(cleanCode(fs.readFileSync(path)), sb, path);
         ^
TypeError: Object function Object() { [native code] } has no method 'extend'
at …/Watai/src/lib/mootools-additions.js:3:8

Indeed, it seems that the sbRequire function wraps original require calls without sharing prototypes, since all modules are evaluated in their own (shared) context, not in the global context.

For reference, this behavior can be tested by trying to evaluate stuff in Watai’s src/index.js.

[cldwalker]

Just now getting a chance to look at this. On node 0.10.32 on a mac, when I eval index.js line by line, I see an early exit due to validateParams and the number of console args and not a require. Could you explain what evals you did to get the above?

[MattiSG]

Wow, it's been a while… No, I wouldn't be able to tell you how I tried to call code back then :-/

You should be able to test that on a project that has mootools installed, and have:

require('mootools');

Object.extend({}, {});  // <-- I guess this should crash since it's an extension to the native Object
[1, 2].each(function(val) { console.log(val) }); // <-- if not, then this should (extension of proto)

[cldwalker]

I'm able to require mootools in your project but can't execute either of the lines after it successfully. Any specific recommendations on sharing prototypes within sbRequire?

[MattiSG]

Well, perhaps you could iterate over all natives and inject them in the context you're creating.

Unfortunately, I am not currently at a time where I can experiment with this :(

[cldwalker]

Ok. We don't have the bandwidth to look into this more currently but leaving this open for a while to see if others are interested in adding support for this