51462 - error case: File.isDir returns 'false' for invalid parameter

Status: VERIFIED INVALID

(Core Graveyard :: Installer: XPInstall Engine, defect, P3)

Description

[David Epstein]

builds 2000-09-05-08-M18. all platforms.
1. Go to http://jimbob/trigger3.html
2. Enter f_fileop_fileisdirectory_err.xpi in URL field (http://jimbob/jars).
3. Trigger. OK.
4. Check logfile.
Result: Returns 'false' for invalid parameters (i.e. strings) to File.isDir
Expected: Error -208 (although the API returns a boolean, it still should catch 
invalid params and return the error).

script:

initInstall("Functional: f_fileop_fileisdirectory_err", "functional", "1.1.1.1", 
0);

err1 = File.isDirectory("myFile");
logComment("String input to File.isDirectory should return -208 = " + err1);

err2 = File.isDirectory(10);
logComment("Integer input to File.isDirectory should return -208 = " + err2);

err3 = File.isDirectory();
logComment("Empty input to File.isDirectory should return -208 = " + err3);

err4 = File.isDirectory(null);
logComment("Null input to File.isDirectory should return -208 = " + err4);

performInstall();

Comment 1

[Daniel Veditz [:dveditz]]

Sorry, only two values from a boolean. If it's a directory you get true, 
anything else you get false.  false by itself doesn't tell you what it is -- 
that's why isFile() and exists() are there, to help people narrow it down.

Comment 2

[David Epstein]

But then this routine (and others that return booleans like File.isFile) isn't 
handling error conditions. 'False' then is either a syntax error or indicates 
the target is not a directory. It would be desirable for the script writer to 
know when the routine has an invalid input. Maybe it would be better if these 
routines returned an integer value and convert 1 & 0 to 'True' & 'False' 
respectively.

Comment 3

[Jimmy Lee]

Changing QA Contact to David.  Ccing me.

Comment 4

[Daniel Veditz [:dveditz]]

They are supposed to handle error conditions just fine, they just don't report 
them. This is hardly unusual behavior, it is quite similar to the behavior of 
the underlying nsILocalFile API we are using.

Comment 5

[David Epstein]

.