(env-data) not initialized when starting REPL

[CryptoPascal31]

It looks like that the environment data is not initialized when starting the REPL.

Thus, when I try to read it, Pact gives a weird error message:

 pact> (read-msg)
<interactive>:0:0: read-msg: parse failed: parsing ObjectMap failed, expected Object, but encountered Null: null
 at <interactive>:0:0: (read-msg)
pact> 

Hopefully after a correct init, everything goes back to normal:

pact> (env-data {})
"Setting transaction data"
pact> (read-msg )
{}
pact>

---

IMO, (env-data) should be automatically initialized to the empty object: {} by the REPL.
Exactly like on-chain, where the transaction data can't be Null and is at least the empty object.

[emilypi]

Fair QOL improvement. I can get this done, or, do you want to try your hand at some haskell? I could help guide it!

[CryptoPascal31]

Looks like you are trying to convert me to Haskell... 😃 .
I can't refuse such a challenge.

I think, there are 2 possible fix:

• In src/Pact/Repl.hs , by initializing correctly eeMsgBody
• or In src/Pact/Native/Internal.hs, by fixing the function parseMsgKey' to behave correctly in case of "no key" and a Null eeMsgBody

Correct ?
Which one do you think it's better ?

[emilypi]

I believe initializing the repl with a value would be best, since the parseMsgKey' bits affect non-repl eval (which should be null if env data is not present in an API request).