# REXML (1.8.6-p110) backwards compatibility problem with rcov **URL:** \ **Category:** Ruby\ **Created:** [October 22, 2007, 9:51am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rexml-1-8-6-p110-backwards-compatibility-problem-with-rcov/117908 "2007-10-22T09:51:31Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stickstone)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2007, 9:51am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rexml-1-8-6-p110-backwards-compatibility-problem-with-rcov/117908/1 "2007-10-22T09:51:31Z")
When I upgraded my Ubuntu 6.06.1 system from its stock ruby-1.8.4 to ruby-1.8.6-p110, I found that the previously working rcov-0.8.0.2 was raising REXML exceptions when it tried to generate its output (\*) I needed to make a couple of patches to REXML to fix this. The first patch is because rcov passes Fixnums as attribute values, e.g. ``` table_(:cellpadding => 0, :cellspacing => 0, :align => "right") ``` This could have been fixed at the rcov side, but since it _did_ used to work with rexml, I consider this a backwards-compatibility failure. The fix is trivial: — rexml/text.rb.orig 2007-10-22 08:00:04.000000000 +0100 +++ rexml/text.rb 2007-10-22 08:00:33.000000000 +0100 @@ -286,7 +286,7 @@ EREFERENCE = /&(?!#{Entity::NAME};)/ # Escapes all possible entities def Text::normalize( input, doctype=nil, entity\_filter=nil ) - ``` copy = input ``` - ``` copy = input.to_s # Doing it like this rather than in a loop improves the speed #copy = copy.gsub( EREFERENCE, '&' ) copy = copy.gsub( "&", "&" ) ``` (Note that there are other places in this file which might benefit from a to\_s as well) The second is almost certainly a bug in REXML: it’s a misnamed local variable. — rexml/document.rb.orig 2007-10-22 08:02:36.000000000 +0100 +++ rexml/document.rb 2007-10-22 08:03:01.000000000 +0100 @@ -183,7 +183,7 @@ output = Output.new( output, xml\_decl.encoding ) end formatter = if indent \> -1 - ``` if transitive ``` - ``` if trans REXML::Formatters::Transitive.new( indent, ie_hack ) else REXML::Formatters::Pretty.new( indent, ie_hack ) ``` After these changes, rcov seems to run happily. I wasn’t sure where best to post this problem and its solution: ruby-core (since REXML is in the ruby standard library), the REXML home site, or the rcov home site. So I’m posting it here instead 🙂 Regards, Brian. (\*) The exception I saw initially was: /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/text.rb:292:in `normalize': private method`gsub’ called for 0:Fixnum (NoMethodError) from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/element.rb:1084:in `[]=' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/element.rb:586:in`add\_attribute’ from (eval):490:in `table_' from (eval):490:in`each’ from (eval):490:in `table_' from (eval):490:in`each’ from (eval):490:in `table_' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rcov-0.8.0.2/lib/rcov/report.rb:702:in`format\_overview’ … 61 levels… After I fixed this by adding to\_s in Text::normalize, I got /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/document.rb:186:in `write': undefined local variable or method`transitive’ for … \:REXML::Document (NameError) from (eval):93:in `pretty' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rcov-0.8.0.2/lib/rcov/report.rb:727:in`format\_overview’ from /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rcov-0.8.0.2/lib/rcov/report.rb:758:in `create_index' from (eval):104:in`create’ from (eval):80:in `tracking_additions' from (eval):103:in`create’ from (eval):372:in `x_' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rcov-0.8.0.2/lib/rcov/report.rb:758:in`create\_index’ … 21 levels… ---
**Author:** ![stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stickstone)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2007, 10:10am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rexml-1-8-6-p110-backwards-compatibility-problem-with-rcov/117908/2 "2007-10-22T10:10:13Z")
On Mon, Oct 22, 2007 at 08:50:24AM +0100, Brian C. wrote: > The second is almost certainly a bug in REXML: it’s a misnamed local > variable. Oh, I see there’s a fix for this in trunk already, committed 9 days ago: [http://svn.ruby-lang.org/cgi-bin/viewvc.cgi/trunk/lib/rexml/document.rb?r1=13597&r2=13686](http://svn.ruby-lang.org/cgi-bin/viewvc.cgi/trunk/lib/rexml/document.rb?r1=13597&r2=13686) (but I don’t think it has been merged to branches/ruby\_1\_8\_6) I can’t see a fix for Fixnum attribute values though. Regards, Brian. ---
**Author:** ![stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stickstone)\ **Post date:** [October 30, 2007, 7:15pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rexml-1-8-6-p110-backwards-compatibility-problem-with-rcov/117908/3 "2007-10-30T19:15:09Z")
Nice catch! After applying both fixes, I now get this: /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:131:in `[]': no implicit conversion from nil to integer (TypeError) from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:131:in`wrap’ from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:131:in `wrap' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:90:in`write\_text’ from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/default.rb:50:in `write' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:75:in`write\_element’ from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:73:in `each' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:73:in`write\_element’ from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/default.rb:31:in `write’ … 16 levels… rcov outputs the index.html file and the first few controller files, so I can trace it to which file it’s getting choked on, but were there any other fixes you had to put in? Thanks, Sean ---
**Author:** ![stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stickstone)\ **Post date:** [October 31, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rexml-1-8-6-p110-backwards-compatibility-problem-with-rcov/117908/4 "2007-10-31T20:50:45Z")
Ive also applied both fixes and Im seeing exactly the same problem. Any updates on this? /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:131:in `[]’: no > `write_element' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/default.rb:31:in`write’ > … 16 levels… Thanks, ---
**Author:** ![stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stickstone)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2007, 11:11pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rexml-1-8-6-p110-backwards-compatibility-problem-with-rcov/117908/5 "2007-11-04T23:11:07Z")
I got these string of errors in the order reported also. I solved this by editing the following files: …prefix…/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rspec-1.0.8/lib/spec/rake/verify\_rcov.rb …prefix…/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb Plus the files already patched by this point. It seems like if your stack trace says formatters/default.rb instead of formatters/pretty.rb then that is the file you need to patch. My formatters/pretty.rb patch looks like the following: > place = string.rindex(’ ‘, width) || width # Position in string with last ’ ’ before cutoff > \< place = string.rindex(’ ', width) # Position in string with last ’ ’ > before cutoff My rake/verify\_rcov.rb patch looks like: > if line =~ / (\d+.\d+)% \   \/ > \< if line =~ /\(\d+.\d+)%\ \/ Hope that helps someone, Susan unknown wrote: > Ive also applied both fixes and Im seeing exactly the same problem. > Any updates on this? > > /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:131:in `[]’: no > > > `write_element' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/default.rb:31:in`write’ > > … 16 levels… > > Thanks, ---
**Author:** ![stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stickstone)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2008, 8:21pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rexml-1-8-6-p110-backwards-compatibility-problem-with-rcov/117908/6 "2008-08-21T20:21:08Z")
S. Potter wrote: > I got these string of errors in the order reported also. I solved this > by editing the following files: > > …prefix…/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rspec-1.0.8/lib/spec/rake/verify\_rcov.rb > …prefix…/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb > > Plus the files already patched by this point. It seems like if your > stack trace says formatters/default.rb instead of formatters/pretty.rb > then that is the file you need to patch. > > My formatters/pretty.rb patch looks like the following: > > > place = string.rindex(’ ‘, width) || width # Position in string with last ’ ’ before cutoff > > \< place = string.rindex(’ ', width) # Position in string with last ’ ’ > > before cutoff > > My rake/verify\_rcov.rb patch looks like: > > > if line =~ / (\d+.\d+)% \   \/ > > \< if line =~ /\(\d+.\d+)%\ \/ > > Hope that helps someone, > Susan > > unknown wrote: > > > Ive also applied both fixes and Im seeing exactly the same problem. > > Any updates on this? > > > > /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:131:in `[]’: no > > > > > `write_element' from /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/default.rb:31:in`write’ > > > … 16 levels… > > > > Thanks, I have done all the fixes except for the fix to: …prefix…/ruby/gems/1.8/gems/rspec-1.0.8/lib/spec/rake/verify\_rcov.rb Cant find the right file to modify to try that fix… After doing the fix to: …prefix…/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb I am now getting this for an error: 572 tests, 115117 assertions, 0 failures, 0 errors /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:131:in `wrap': stack level too deep (SystemStackError) from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:131:in`wrap’ from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:90:in `write_text' from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/default.rb:50:in`write’ from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:75:in `write_element' from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:73:in`each’ from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:73:in `write_element' from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/default.rb:31:in`write’ from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:75:in `write_element' ... 12 levels... from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/rcov.rb:628:in`each’ from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/rcov.rb:628:in `dump\_coverage\_info’ from /usr/bin/rcov:405 from /usr/lib/ruby/1.8/test/unit.rb:278 Any suggestions or help you guys can give me? ---
**Author:** ![stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stickstone)\ **Post date:** [July 16, 2008, 10:06pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rexml-1-8-6-p110-backwards-compatibility-problem-with-rcov/117908/7 "2008-07-16T22:06:29Z")
Thanks Susan. For the record, I’m running “rake test:functionals” on a Rails 2.1 project using: ruby 1.8.7-p22 from Macports 1.600 on OS X (Tiger) rcov 0.8.1.2.0 and getting the error: /opt/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:131:in `[]’: no implicit conversion from nil to integer (TypeError) until I applied the patch below to pretty.rb S. Potter wrote: > My formatters/pretty.rb patch looks like the following: > > > place = string.rindex(’ ', width) || width # Position in string with last ’ ’ before cutoff ---
**Author:** ![stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stickstone)\ **Post date:** [February 6, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rexml-1-8-6-p110-backwards-compatibility-problem-with-rcov/117908/8 "2009-02-06T23:24:37Z")
> Any suggestions or help you guys can give me? I’m having the same issues as Jeff but am running ruby 1.8.7 ---
**Author:** ![stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stickstone)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2009, 9:55pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rexml-1-8-6-p110-backwards-compatibility-problem-with-rcov/117908/9 "2009-02-15T21:55:45Z")
Sean H. wrote: > Nice catch! > > After applying both fixes, I now get this: > > /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:131:in `[]’: no > implicit conversion from nil to integer (TypeError) Hey Sean, it looks like the rexml code is assuming that there’ll be a ’ ’ somewhere in the code to wrap on. I was able to fix this with the following patch to the pretty.rb file : — /opt/ruby-1.8.7-p72/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb.OLD 2009-02-15 14:47:32.000000000 -0600 +++ /opt/ruby-1.8.7-p72/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb 2009-02-15 14:48:50.000000000 -0600 @@ -126,10 +126,11 @@ ``` def wrap(string, width) # Recursively wrap string at width. return string if string.length <= width place = string.rindex(' ', width) # Position in string with ``` last ’ ’ before cutoff - ``` return string if place.nil? # there aren't any ' 's before ``` cutoff, nothing to split on. return string[0,place] + “\n” + wrap(string[place+1…-1], width) end ``` end ``` end ---
**Author:** ![stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/6f9a4e/32.png) [@stickstone](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stickstone)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2009, 2:57am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/rexml-1-8-6-p110-backwards-compatibility-problem-with-rcov/117908/10 "2009-05-06T02:57:14Z")
Roy Truelove wrote: > Sean H. wrote: > > > Nice catch! > > > > After applying both fixes, I now get this: > > > > /usr/local/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb:131:in `[]’: no > > implicit conversion from nil to integer (TypeError) > > Hey Sean, it looks like the rexml code is assuming that there’ll be a ’ > ’ somewhere in the code to wrap on. I was able to fix this with the > following patch to the pretty.rb file : > > — /opt/ruby-1.8.7-p72/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb.OLD > 2009-02-15 14:47:32.000000000 -0600 > +++ /opt/ruby-1.8.7-p72/lib/ruby/1.8/rexml/formatters/pretty.rb > 2009-02-15 14:48:50.000000000 -0600 > @@ -126,10 +126,11 @@ > > ``` > def wrap(string, width) > # Recursively wrap string at width. > return string if string.length <= width > place = string.rindex(' ', width) # Position in string with > > ``` > > last ’ ’ before cutoff > > - > > ``` > return string if place.nil? # there aren't any ' 's before > > ``` > > cutoff, nothing to split on. > return string[0,place] + “\n” + wrap(string[place+1…-1], > width) > end > > ``` > end > > ``` > > end There might still be spaces in the string, how about, — pretty.rb.old 2009-05-06 10:50:37.000000000 +1000 +++ pretty.rb 2009-05-06 10:55:37.000000000 +1000 @@ -128,6 +128,8 @@ # Recursively wrap string at width. return string if string.length \<= width place = string.rindex(’ ', width) # Position in string with last ’ ’ before cutoff - ``` place = string.index(' ') if place.nil? ``` - ``` return string if place.nil? # there aren't any ' 's before ``` cutoff, nothing to split on. return string[0,place] + “\n” + wrap(string[place+1…-1], width) end