console.log in prototypes

[Martii]

This might seem like a really dumb question but it has been on my mind for a few years and is starting to "task me".

How come console.log doesn't seem to work in myobject.prototype.method = function () { console.log('foo?'); }?

I'm using a very plain vanilla editor so I have no development environment inspector... so basically yet another poor mans debug is what I'm attempting to resolve.

Is there something else that will output to the terminal what I want to see when I launch node app.js and hit that area of code execution?

Ref(s):

$ node -v
v14.16.1

Thanks for your kindness.

[aduh95]

Do you have something specific in mind? Depending on what myobject is, it should work just fine.

• if myobject is a class:

  class myobject {}
  myobject.prototype.method = function () { console.log('foo?'); }
  new myobject().method(); // outputs `foo?` in the console.

• if myobject is an instance of a class, you need to reach the prototype of its constructor class:

  class SomeClass {}
  const myobject = new SomeClass();
  myobject.constructor.prototype.method = function () { console.log('foo?'); }
  myobject.method(); // outputs `foo?` in the console.

  Alternatively you can set a method specific to the instance:

  class SomeClass {}
  const myobject = new SomeClass();
  myobject.method = function () { console.log('foo?'); }
  myobject.method(); // outputs `foo?` in the console.

[Martii]

Do you have something specific in mind?

Of course... just checking to see if another identifier is properly available inside of a function call. It's probably best to show the code so at https://github.com/OpenUserJS/OpenUserJS.org/blob/a303691b34972db9d65b4412f781b51b0f2a5c4c/libs/repoManager.js is the Code that was defined by a contributor.

For example if I remove the conditional at: https://github.com/OpenUserJS/OpenUserJS.org/blob/a303691b34972db9d65b4412f781b51b0f2a5c4c/libs/repoManager.js#L76-L78 I never see it when the route in express is triggered that calls up that stack/chain (whatever verbiage is correct here). It would actually be nice to see the response object with console.

My main objective is to confirm that one of our requires is actually fully present during runtime at:

https://github.com/OpenUserJS/OpenUserJS.org/blob/a303691b34972db9d65b4412f781b51b0f2a5c4c/libs/repoManager.js#L28

I tried putting in a console.log between https://github.com/OpenUserJS/OpenUserJS.org/blob/a303691b34972db9d65b4412f781b51b0f2a5c4c/libs/repoManager.js#L99-L100 but it literally never shows up in the terminal. I know it's triggering the code but I'm completely blind for the poor mans debugging there. I usually don't use an IDE for anything because I'd rather have my noggin do the thinking instead of "an idiot gauge"... personal preference.

... it should work just fine.

I would think it would work but it hasn't for several years. I usually fuddle around (and guess what should work where) with what I know about JavaScript and how it should work when I'm in this section of code.

[aduh95]

Maybe you have something in your app that disables console, or redirects it to a file? Anyway, what what you are really looking for is https://nodejs.org/api/debugger.html: no need for a fancy editor, just a CLI and a Chromium browser.

[Martii]

Maybe you have something in your app that disables console, or redirects it to a file?

Nope unless a dependency does it.

... https://nodejs.org/api/debugger.html ...

Thanks. I'll give that another try but I would think running node directly through my terminal would automatically show that since it is a node app (that's the CLI). Also I use pretty much all the browsers which is required with express. console works outside of the functions and prototypes on initialization... but inside the functions and prototypes there, never during runtime. It's very frustrating albeit I've waited several years to reach out to ask (this discussion here).

[Martii]

Hmm... well the V8 inspector via Chrome DevTools is "sort of working"... I had to do the following:

1. Copy my entire project to ~/ in order to add folders to the workspace in order to set a breakpoint i.e. it doesn't work with fstab entries on other additional drives. /home2 doesn't even show up in chromiums file/folder/directory dialog. Very inconvenient bug in Chrome DevTools.
2. node --inspect app.js
3. Setting a test breakpoint never occurs at https://github.com/OpenUserJS/OpenUserJS.org/blob/a303691b34972db9d65b4412f781b51b0f2a5c4c/libs/repoManager.js#L371 ... Set by mouse click usually but did try a right click. Had the blue background with the arrow... but never gets there. i.e. doesn't pause on breakpoint. I know for a fact that code gets executed otherwise I wouldn't see a list of my scripts on our import function. Does work if I set a breakpoint somewhere inside app.js but that's not useful in a rest type application in a different file.

So I'm basically back to what to do with getting console working inside a prototype, more precisely inside the function it calls.

Way back when (years ago) I tried nodes native debugger but that never worked with breakpoints and most of the time it didn't even like the syntax recommendations at https://nodejs.org/api/debugger.html

Appreciate the try though.

---

Need to go do some code tracing again... seems there is some dead code but most of the points I've tried don't log... but has been a while since I did those tests.