1113954 - console defines commands that pollute the namespace, can confuse developer during debugging

Status: NEW

(DevTools :: Console, defect, P3)

Description

[Hallvord R. M. Steen [:hallvors]]

Per Mike's observation in https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1083932#c5 having 'cd' bound to some built-in console function during debugging is confusing.

Opera Dragonfly solved this by implementing console commands with a comment syntax. Instead of cd() you would type // cd() into the console.

To test this, go to example.com and open dev tools / console tab. Type "cd" (no quotes) and press enter. You should get a warning about cd not being defined.

Comment 1

[Eddy Bruel [:ejpbruel]]

This bug requires changes in the console, not the debugger, so I'm moving it there.

Comment 2

[Florent Fayolle]

Well, about the command-as-comments, I have some concerns. With Firebug.next, we would have the command editor, and pasting functions with comments would be common...

FWIW, Firebug ideas related to that :
- define a "firebug" object with firebug commands in it: https://code.google.com/p/fbug/issues/detail?id=5810
- Commands in Firebug (using a ":" prefix): https://code.google.com/p/fbug/issues/detail?id=4176

Another idea I have just got: what about adding |"force commands";| and |"unforce commands";| statements (*with* the quotes, just like "use strict"), that will enable a prioritized mode for commands over the debuggee environment?
The statement would necessarily be at the top of the evaluated expression (for simplicity of implementation). What do you think?

Florent

Comment 3

[Panos Astithas (he/him) [:past] (please ni?)]

There is a long-standing plan to combine GCLI and web console, which would result in using a prefix to submit GCLI commands. Perhaps we could move console helpers to that prefix at that time.

Comment 4

[Nicolas Chevobbe [:nchevobbe]]

For the record, we moved some of gcli commands into the console, where we use `:` to trigger them (:screenshot, :help).