Provided a more accurate mechanism for detecting Object.defineProperty (tests in IE8 fixed)

lib/util.js

@@ -35,13 +35,33 @@ var getset = ( Object.prototype.__defineGetter__ === undefined )
 ;
 
 /**
- * Whether we can actually define secure properties, or we need to fall back
+ * Whether we can actually define properties, or we need to fall back
+ *
+ * This check actually attempts to set a property and fails if there's an error.
+ * This is needed because IE8 has a broken implementation, yet still defines
+ * Object.defineProperty for use with DOM elements. Just another day in the life
+ * of a web developer.
+ *
+ * This test is only performed once, when the module is first loaded. Don't
+ * expect a performance hit from it.
+ *
  * @type  {boolean}
  */
-var secure_fallback = ( Object.defineProperty instanceof Function )
-    ? false
-    : true
-;
+var can_define_prop = ( function()
+{
+    if ( typeof Object.defineProperty === 'function' )
+    {
+        try
+        {
+            // perform test, primarily for IE8
+            Object.defineProperty( {}, 'x', {} );
+            return true;
+        }
+        catch ( e ) {}
+    }
+
+    return false;
+} )();
 
 
 /**
@@ -65,8 +85,8 @@ exports.freeze = function( obj )
 
 
 /**
- * Gets/sets whether the system needs to fall back to defining normal properties
- * when a secure property is requested
+ * Gets/sets whether the system needs to fall back to defining properties in a
+ * normal manner when use of Object.defineProperty() is requested
  *
  * This will be set by default if the JS engine does not support the
  * Object.defineProperty method from EcmaScript 5.
@@ -75,14 +95,14 @@ exports.freeze = function( obj )
  *
  * @return  {boolean|Object}  current value if getter, self if setter
  */
-exports.secureFallback = function( val )
+exports.definePropertyFallback = function( val )
 {
     if ( val === undefined )
     {
-        return secure_fallback;
+        return !can_define_prop;
     }
 
-    secure_fallback = !!val;
+    can_define_prop = !val;
     exports.defineSecureProp = getDefineSecureProp();
 
     return exports;
@@ -343,7 +363,7 @@ function getDefineSecureProp()
         obj[ prop ] = value;
     };
 
-    if ( secure_fallback )
+    if ( !can_define_prop )
     {
         return fallback;
     }
@@ -367,7 +387,7 @@ function getDefineSecureProp()
             {
                 // let's not have this happen again, as repeatedly throwing
                 // exceptions will do nothing but slow down the system
-                exports.secureFallback( true );
+                exports.definePropertyFallback( true );
 
                 // if there's an error (ehem, IE8), fall back
                 fallback( obj, prop, value );

test/test-interface-name.js

@@ -24,7 +24,8 @@
 
 var common     = require( './common' ),
     assert     = require( 'assert' ),
-    Interface  = common.require( 'interface' )
+    Interface  = common.require( 'interface' ),
+    util       = common.require( 'util' )
 ;
 
 
@@ -167,7 +168,7 @@ var common     = require( './common' ),
     ;
 
     // if we have getter/setter support, add those to the tests
-    if ( Object.defineProperty )
+    if ( !( util.definePropertyFallback() ) )
     {
         // getter
         tries.push( function()

test/test-member_builder-gettersetter.js

@@ -22,14 +22,9 @@
  * @package test
  */
 
-// no need to test getters/setters in browsers that do not support them
-if ( !Object.defineProperty )
-{
-    return;
-}
-
 var common = require( './common' ),
     assert = require( 'assert' ),
+    util   = common.require( 'util' ),
 
     buildGetter = common.require( 'member_builder' ).buildGetter,
     buildSetter = common.require( 'member_builder' ).buildSetter,
@@ -44,6 +39,13 @@ var common    = require( './common' ),
 ;
 
 
+// no need to test getters/setters in browsers that do not support them
+if ( util.definePropertyFallback() )
+{
+    return;
+}
+
+
 function setUp()
 {
     // clear out the members for a fresh start

test/test-util-define-secure-prop.js

@@ -30,20 +30,20 @@ var obj = {},
     val = 'bar';
 
 var expected = ( ( Object.defineProperty instanceof Function ) ? false : true ),
-    fallback = util.secureFallback();
+    fallback = util.definePropertyFallback();
 
 // IE 8 will fall back on first failure
 if ( !expected && fallback )
 {
     try
     {
-        util.secureFallback( false );
+        util.definePropertyFallback( false );
         util.defineSecureProp( {}, 'foo', 1 );
 
         // If the fallback was changed on us, then there was a problem (and this
         // is likely IE8). Change the value we're expecting so our tests don't
         // fail.
-        if ( util.secureFallback() === true )
+        if ( util.definePropertyFallback() === true )
         {
             expected = true;
         }
@@ -54,14 +54,14 @@ if ( !expected && fallback )
 assert.equal(
     expected,
     fallback,
-    "util.secureFallback() returns whether defining a secure property is " +
+    "util.definePropertyFallback() returns whether defining a secure property is " +
         "unsupported"
 );
 
 assert.equal(
-    util.secureFallback( fallback ),
+    util.definePropertyFallback( fallback ),
     util,
-    "util.secureFallback() returns self when used as a setter"
+    "util.definePropertyFallback() returns self when used as a setter"
 );
 
 // perform secure property tests only if our parser supports it
@@ -108,7 +108,7 @@ if ( fallback === false )
 
 
 // be naughty so we can test the alternative implementation
-util.secureFallback( true );
+util.definePropertyFallback( true );
 
 var obj2 = {},
     val2 = 'baz';
@@ -149,5 +149,5 @@ if ( fallback === false )
 }
 
 // restore in case the tests are not being run in separate processes
-util.secureFallback( fallback );
+util.definePropertyFallback( fallback );