121966 - Should "eval()" work with java.lang.String?

Status: VERIFIED INVALID

(Rhino Graveyard :: Core, enhancement)

Description

[Steve Klingsporn]

The following does not work as I'd assume it would:

js> s = new java.lang.String("print('hey')");
print('hey')
js> eval(s)
print('hey')

In order to evaluate the java.lang.String, it must be a JavaScript string:

js> eval("" + s)
hey

Came across this when experimenting with sending code over sockets, 
remote code/message execution stuff.  Quite cool.

Should be easy enough to add to Rhino; even I could probably figure out 
how to do it.  Not sure what the "right thing" to do is; the work-around is 
certainly reasonable in any case and one can argue it offers a slight bit of 
security, but it's slightly inconsistent in that one would expect Strings to be 
strings...

Comment 1

[Phil Schwartau]

OS : Mac ---> All, as this question pertains generally -

Comment 2

[Norris Boyd]

I believe this is the correct behavior, although you could argue the language
should have been designed differently. Note that even the built-in JavaScript
String object shows the same behavior:

js> eval(new String("3 + 4"))
3 + 4

Here's the relevant ECMA section:

15.1.2 Function Properties of the Global Object
15.1.2.1 eval (x)
When the eval function is called with one argument x, the following steps are taken:
1. If x is not a string value, return x.
....

Comment 3

[Phil Schwartau]

Marking Verified. Steve, thank you for this report - 

Comment 4

[Igor Bukanov]

Targeting as resolved against 1.5R3