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Throw if searchValue is a non-global RegExp #24

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11 changes: 6 additions & 5 deletions README.md
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -44,15 +44,16 @@ It also removes the need to escape special regexp characters (note the unescaped

The proposed signature is the same as the existing `String.prototype.replace` method:

```
```js
String.prototype.replaceAll(searchValue, replaceValue)
```

Per the current TC39 consensus, `String.prototype.replaceAll` behaves identically to `String.prototype.replace` in all cases, **except** for the case where `searchValue` is a string.
Per the current TC39 consensus, `String.prototype.replaceAll` behaves identically to `String.prototype.replace` in all cases, **except** for the following two cases:

In that case, `String.prototype.replace` only replaces a single occurrence of the `searchValue`, whereas `String.prototype.replaceAll` replaces *all* occurrences of the `searchValue` (as if `.split(searchValue).join(replaceValue)` or a global & properly-escaped regular expression had been used).
1. If `searchValue` is a string, `String.prototype.replace` only replaces a single occurrence of the `searchValue`, whereas `String.prototype.replaceAll` replaces *all* occurrences of the `searchValue` (as if `.split(searchValue).join(replaceValue)` or a global & properly-escaped regular expression had been used).
1. If `searchValue` is a non-global regular expression, `String.prototype.replace` replaces a single match, whereas `String.prototype.replaceAll` throws an exception. This is done to avoid the inherent confusion between the lack of a global flag (which implies "do NOT replace all") and the name of the method being called (which strongly suggests "replace all").

Notably, `String.prototype.replaceAll` behaves just like `String.prototype.replace` if `searchValue` is a regular expression, [including if it's a non-global regular expression](https://github.com/tc39/proposal-string-replaceall/issues/16).
Notably, `String.prototype.replaceAll` behaves just like `String.prototype.replace` if `searchValue` is a global regular expression.

## Comparison to other languages

Expand Down Expand Up @@ -87,7 +88,7 @@ A: This is an awkward interface — because the default limit is 1, the user wou
## TC39 meeting notes

- [November 2017](https://tc39.es/tc39-notes/2017-11_nov-28.html#10ih-stringprototypereplaceall-for-stage-1)
- [March 2019](https://github.com/rwaldron/tc39-notes/blob/master/meetings/2019-03/mar-26.md#stringprototypereplaceall-for-stage-2)
- [March 2019](https://github.com/tc39/tc39-notes/blob/master/meetings/2019-03/mar-26.md#stringprototypereplaceall-for-stage-2)
- [July 2019](https://github.com/tc39/tc39-notes/blob/master/meetings/2019-07/july-24.md#stringprototypereplaceall)

## Specification
Expand Down
30 changes: 29 additions & 1 deletion spec.html
Original file line number Diff line number Diff line change
Expand Up @@ -42,8 +42,13 @@ <h1>String.prototype.replaceAll ( _searchValue_, _replaceValue_ )</h1>
<emu-alg>
1. Let _O_ be ? RequireObjectCoercible(*this* value).
1. If _searchValue_ is neither *undefined* nor *null*, then
1. Let _isRegExp_ be ? IsRegExp(_searchString_).
1. If _isRegExp_ is true, then
1. Let _flags_ be ? Get(_searchValue_, *"flags"*).
1. If _flags_ is not *undefined*, then
1. If ? ToString(_flags_) does not contain *"g"*, throw a *TypeError* exception.
1. Let _replacer_ be ? GetMethod(_searchValue_, @@replace).
2. If _replacer_ is not *undefined*, then
1. If _replacer_ is not *undefined*, then
1. Return ? Call(_replacer_, _searchValue_, « _O_, _replaceValue_ »).
1. Let _string_ be ? ToString(_O_).
1. Let _searchString_ be ? ToString(_searchValue_).
Expand Down Expand Up @@ -76,3 +81,26 @@ <h1>String.prototype.replaceAll ( _searchValue_, _replaceValue_ )</h1>
1. Return _result_.
</emu-alg>
</emu-clause>

<emu-clause id="sec-string.prototype.matchall">
<h1>String.prototype.matchAll ( _regexp_ )</h1>
<p>Performs a regular expression match of the String representing the *this* value against _regexp_ and returns an iterator. Each iteration result's value is an Array object containing the results of the match, or *null* if the String did not match.</p>
<p>When the `matchAll` method is called, the following steps are taken:</p>
<emu-alg>
1. Let _O_ be ? RequireObjectCoercible(*this* value).
1. If _regexp_ is neither *undefined* nor *null*, then
1. <ins>Let _isRegExp_ be ? IsRegExp(_regexp_).</ins>
1. <ins>If _isRegExp_ is true, then</ins>
1. <ins>Let _flags_ be ? Get(_regexp_, *"flags"*).</ins>
1. <ins>If _flags_ is not *undefined*, then</ins>
1. <ins>If ? ToString(_flags_) does not contain *"g"*, throw a *TypeError* exception.</ins>
1. Let _matcher_ be ? GetMethod(_regexp_, @@matchAll).
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it does seem kind of odd that a non RegExp can have any kind of non “all” behavior it wants, but an actual RegExp is forced to have the proper “all” behavior. Not sure anything can be done about that, but it is an inconsistency introduced by this change.

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I see what you're saying. Still, there's value in making built-ins work well / in unsurprising ways by default, even if for userland subclasses, this is up to the user.

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If we only/mostly care about built-ins, I wonder if makes more sense to move this check into https://tc39.es/ecma262/#sec-regexp-prototype-matchall?

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Interesting. I don't have a strong preference tbh. Any opinions? @schuay @ljharb

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No strong opinion. One argument for the current spot is that the location is consistent between matchAll and replaceAll. There's no @@replaceAll so we could not consistently move both checks to a RegExp builtin. I'm fine with either way.

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It seems like the motivation/value of moving it inside the symbol methods is so a subclass could override the behavior - ie, could lack the g flag but still be “all” (vice versa is already going to be possible). I don’t see any benefit in allowing regex subclasses to deviate from this rather strong guard that we’ll have decided on - without concrete use cases, i think here is probably a better spot.

1. If _matcher_ is not *undefined*, then
1. Return ? Call(_matcher_, _regexp_, &laquo; _O_ &raquo;).
1. Let _S_ be ? ToString(_O_).
1. Let _rx_ be ? RegExpCreate(_regexp_, `"g"`).
1. Return ? Invoke(_rx_, @@matchAll, &laquo; _S_ &raquo;).
</emu-alg>
<emu-note>The `matchAll` function is intentionally generic, it does not require that its *this* value be a String object. Therefore, it can be transferred to other kinds of objects for use as a method.</emu-note>
<emu-note>Similarly to `String.prototype.split`, `String.prototype.matchAll` is designed to typically act without mutating its inputs.</emu-note>
</emu-clause>