fix(test-doubles): use builtin echo/printf in spy to prevent recursion (#607) by SauronBot · Pull Request #614 · TypedDevs/bashunit

SauronBot · 2026-03-29T19:04:29Z

Issue

Closes#607

Background

Spying on echo or printf caused bashunit to hang indefinitely. The spy generates a shell function that overrides the command, but the generated body itself used bare echo and printf calls — which called back into the spy, triggering infinite recursion and process explosion.

Additionally, bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name uses echo to return its value, so spy assertions (which call that helper) were also broken when echo was spied upon.

Goal

Prevent infinite recursion when spying on shell builtins echo or printf, allowing tests that spy on these commands to complete normally.

Changes

src/test_doubles.sh: Use builtin echo and builtin printf inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy, and builtin echo in the no-arg form of bashunit::mock
src/helpers.sh: Use builtin echo in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon
tests/functional/doubles_test.sh: Add two functional tests verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging
tests/functional/fixtures/echo_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls echo
tests/functional/fixtures/printf_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls printf

…n when spying on echo or printf Spying on 'echo' or 'printf' caused bashunit to hang indefinitely because the generated spy function called back into itself through bashunit's internal use of these builtins. Changes: - Use 'builtin echo' and 'builtin printf' inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy to prevent recursive calls when spying on echo or printf - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::mock's no-arg form for the same reason - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so that spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon - Add functional tests (with fixtures) verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging FixesTypedDevs#607

…ausing hang

SauronBot · 2026-03-29T19:04:29Z

Issue

Closes#607

Background

Spying on echo or printf caused bashunit to hang indefinitely. The spy generates a shell function that overrides the command, but the generated body itself used bare echo and printf calls — which called back into the spy, triggering infinite recursion and process explosion.

Additionally, bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name uses echo to return its value, so spy assertions (which call that helper) were also broken when echo was spied upon.

Goal

Prevent infinite recursion when spying on shell builtins echo or printf, allowing tests that spy on these commands to complete normally.

Changes

src/test_doubles.sh: Use builtin echo and builtin printf inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy, and builtin echo in the no-arg form of bashunit::mock
src/helpers.sh: Use builtin echo in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon
tests/functional/doubles_test.sh: Add two functional tests verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging
tests/functional/fixtures/echo_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls echo
tests/functional/fixtures/printf_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls printf

…n when spying on echo or printf Spying on 'echo' or 'printf' caused bashunit to hang indefinitely because the generated spy function called back into itself through bashunit's internal use of these builtins. Changes: - Use 'builtin echo' and 'builtin printf' inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy to prevent recursive calls when spying on echo or printf - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::mock's no-arg form for the same reason - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so that spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon - Add functional tests (with fixtures) verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging FixesTypedDevs#607

…ausing hang

SauronBot · 2026-03-29T19:04:29Z

Issue

Closes#607

Background

Spying on echo or printf caused bashunit to hang indefinitely. The spy generates a shell function that overrides the command, but the generated body itself used bare echo and printf calls — which called back into the spy, triggering infinite recursion and process explosion.

Additionally, bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name uses echo to return its value, so spy assertions (which call that helper) were also broken when echo was spied upon.

Goal

Prevent infinite recursion when spying on shell builtins echo or printf, allowing tests that spy on these commands to complete normally.

Changes

src/test_doubles.sh: Use builtin echo and builtin printf inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy, and builtin echo in the no-arg form of bashunit::mock
src/helpers.sh: Use builtin echo in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon
tests/functional/doubles_test.sh: Add two functional tests verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging
tests/functional/fixtures/echo_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls echo
tests/functional/fixtures/printf_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls printf

…n when spying on echo or printf Spying on 'echo' or 'printf' caused bashunit to hang indefinitely because the generated spy function called back into itself through bashunit's internal use of these builtins. Changes: - Use 'builtin echo' and 'builtin printf' inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy to prevent recursive calls when spying on echo or printf - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::mock's no-arg form for the same reason - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so that spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon - Add functional tests (with fixtures) verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging FixesTypedDevs#607

…ausing hang

SauronBot · 2026-03-29T19:04:29Z

Issue

Closes#607

Background

Spying on echo or printf caused bashunit to hang indefinitely. The spy generates a shell function that overrides the command, but the generated body itself used bare echo and printf calls — which called back into the spy, triggering infinite recursion and process explosion.

Additionally, bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name uses echo to return its value, so spy assertions (which call that helper) were also broken when echo was spied upon.

Goal

Prevent infinite recursion when spying on shell builtins echo or printf, allowing tests that spy on these commands to complete normally.

Changes

src/test_doubles.sh: Use builtin echo and builtin printf inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy, and builtin echo in the no-arg form of bashunit::mock
src/helpers.sh: Use builtin echo in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon
tests/functional/doubles_test.sh: Add two functional tests verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging
tests/functional/fixtures/echo_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls echo
tests/functional/fixtures/printf_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls printf

…n when spying on echo or printf Spying on 'echo' or 'printf' caused bashunit to hang indefinitely because the generated spy function called back into itself through bashunit's internal use of these builtins. Changes: - Use 'builtin echo' and 'builtin printf' inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy to prevent recursive calls when spying on echo or printf - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::mock's no-arg form for the same reason - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so that spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon - Add functional tests (with fixtures) verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging FixesTypedDevs#607

…ausing hang

SauronBot · 2026-03-29T19:04:29Z

Issue

Closes#607

Background

Spying on echo or printf caused bashunit to hang indefinitely. The spy generates a shell function that overrides the command, but the generated body itself used bare echo and printf calls — which called back into the spy, triggering infinite recursion and process explosion.

Additionally, bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name uses echo to return its value, so spy assertions (which call that helper) were also broken when echo was spied upon.

Goal

Prevent infinite recursion when spying on shell builtins echo or printf, allowing tests that spy on these commands to complete normally.

Changes

src/test_doubles.sh: Use builtin echo and builtin printf inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy, and builtin echo in the no-arg form of bashunit::mock
src/helpers.sh: Use builtin echo in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon
tests/functional/doubles_test.sh: Add two functional tests verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging
tests/functional/fixtures/echo_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls echo
tests/functional/fixtures/printf_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls printf

…n when spying on echo or printf Spying on 'echo' or 'printf' caused bashunit to hang indefinitely because the generated spy function called back into itself through bashunit's internal use of these builtins. Changes: - Use 'builtin echo' and 'builtin printf' inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy to prevent recursive calls when spying on echo or printf - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::mock's no-arg form for the same reason - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so that spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon - Add functional tests (with fixtures) verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging FixesTypedDevs#607

…ausing hang

SauronBot · 2026-03-29T19:04:29Z

Issue

Closes#607

Background

Spying on echo or printf caused bashunit to hang indefinitely. The spy generates a shell function that overrides the command, but the generated body itself used bare echo and printf calls — which called back into the spy, triggering infinite recursion and process explosion.

Additionally, bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name uses echo to return its value, so spy assertions (which call that helper) were also broken when echo was spied upon.

Goal

Prevent infinite recursion when spying on shell builtins echo or printf, allowing tests that spy on these commands to complete normally.

Changes

src/test_doubles.sh: Use builtin echo and builtin printf inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy, and builtin echo in the no-arg form of bashunit::mock
src/helpers.sh: Use builtin echo in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon
tests/functional/doubles_test.sh: Add two functional tests verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging
tests/functional/fixtures/echo_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls echo
tests/functional/fixtures/printf_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls printf

…n when spying on echo or printf Spying on 'echo' or 'printf' caused bashunit to hang indefinitely because the generated spy function called back into itself through bashunit's internal use of these builtins. Changes: - Use 'builtin echo' and 'builtin printf' inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy to prevent recursive calls when spying on echo or printf - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::mock's no-arg form for the same reason - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so that spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon - Add functional tests (with fixtures) verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging FixesTypedDevs#607

…ausing hang

SauronBot · 2026-03-29T19:04:29Z

Issue

Closes#607

Background

Spying on echo or printf caused bashunit to hang indefinitely. The spy generates a shell function that overrides the command, but the generated body itself used bare echo and printf calls — which called back into the spy, triggering infinite recursion and process explosion.

Additionally, bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name uses echo to return its value, so spy assertions (which call that helper) were also broken when echo was spied upon.

Goal

Prevent infinite recursion when spying on shell builtins echo or printf, allowing tests that spy on these commands to complete normally.

Changes

src/test_doubles.sh: Use builtin echo and builtin printf inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy, and builtin echo in the no-arg form of bashunit::mock
src/helpers.sh: Use builtin echo in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon
tests/functional/doubles_test.sh: Add two functional tests verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging
tests/functional/fixtures/echo_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls echo
tests/functional/fixtures/printf_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls printf

…n when spying on echo or printf Spying on 'echo' or 'printf' caused bashunit to hang indefinitely because the generated spy function called back into itself through bashunit's internal use of these builtins. Changes: - Use 'builtin echo' and 'builtin printf' inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy to prevent recursive calls when spying on echo or printf - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::mock's no-arg form for the same reason - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so that spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon - Add functional tests (with fixtures) verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging FixesTypedDevs#607

…ausing hang

SauronBot · 2026-03-29T19:04:29Z

Issue

Closes#607

Background

Spying on echo or printf caused bashunit to hang indefinitely. The spy generates a shell function that overrides the command, but the generated body itself used bare echo and printf calls — which called back into the spy, triggering infinite recursion and process explosion.

Additionally, bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name uses echo to return its value, so spy assertions (which call that helper) were also broken when echo was spied upon.

Goal

Prevent infinite recursion when spying on shell builtins echo or printf, allowing tests that spy on these commands to complete normally.

Changes

src/test_doubles.sh: Use builtin echo and builtin printf inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy, and builtin echo in the no-arg form of bashunit::mock
src/helpers.sh: Use builtin echo in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon
tests/functional/doubles_test.sh: Add two functional tests verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging
tests/functional/fixtures/echo_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls echo
tests/functional/fixtures/printf_function.sh: Fixture with a function that calls printf

…n when spying on echo or printf Spying on 'echo' or 'printf' caused bashunit to hang indefinitely because the generated spy function called back into itself through bashunit's internal use of these builtins. Changes: - Use 'builtin echo' and 'builtin printf' inside the eval'd spy function body in bashunit::spy to prevent recursive calls when spying on echo or printf - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::mock's no-arg form for the same reason - Use 'builtin echo' in bashunit::helper::normalize_variable_name so that spy assertions remain functional even when echo is spied upon - Add functional tests (with fixtures) verifying that spying on echo and printf completes without hanging FixesTypedDevs#607

…ausing hang

Chemaclass assigned Chemaclass and SauronBot Mar 29, 2026

Chemaclass added the bug Something isn't working label Mar 29, 2026