Loading huge array in Internet Explorer 11 cause stack overflow

Question

I have a (generated) page with a very large jagged array. It does not initialize in IE11; I get SCRIPT28: Out of stack space and SCRIPT2343: Stack overflow at line: 1. I have reduced the problematic page to the bare minimum with randomized data, and this is what it looks like:

<html><body>
    <div id="info">
        Loading...
    </div>
    <script>

        var d = [];
        var i = 0;

        d[i++] = [
        "XHC_14",
        0
        ];

        d[i++] = [
        "ZXS_26",
        "UVT_27",
        "QML_3149",
        "MJO_3150",
        15993327
        ];

        d[i++] = [
        "VKG_3156",
        "ZEA_3157",
        "KZG_3159",
        "MNA_3162",
        "AKX_3163",
        "KLK_3164",
        618601
        ];

        // more array initialization ...

        info.innerHTML = "<h1>Ready!</h1>"; // this will only show if the initialization succeeded
    </script>
</body></html>

The real file is ~500k lines, repeating the array initialization around ~14k times. Real file available here: ie11_stack_overflow_problem.zip

It will only crash when the array initialization is large enough. I have triad all kinds of variation, including putting it inside a function to give it its own scope, to no avail. It works in all other browsers I tested, including IE8 on XP. My config is Win7 with IE 11.0.9600.17107 (fully updated).

Can anyone figure out why this is happening?

I don't think this is a runtime problem. I think that you've hit some limit in the compiler/interpretter. That's a pretty chunky source file. I might consider externalizing that data and trying to load it in via XMLHttpRequest. — spender
– spender, Commented May 19, 2014 at 12:28
I can't, since the point of the file is to be self contained (it is created by a utility generates html based file listings) — rlv-dan
– rlv-dan, Commented May 19, 2014 at 12:33
I should add this: The jagged array seems to be part of the problem. If you just take one of the dir[i++] and multiply to the same size it does not happen. — rlv-dan
– rlv-dan, Commented May 19, 2014 at 12:36

spender · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-19 12:48:30Z

4

That file is horrendous and is the kiss of death to both Visual Studio and Notepad++... and indeed IE11. You've blown up the interpreter.

I got this to work by using

JSON.serialize(d)

in another browser, then pasting the output as a string into the source file.

Then:

var jsonStr = '[[blablabla...I go on foreeeeeever]]';
var d=JSON.parse(jsonStr);

Now it loads in IE11.

So the solution is to write your data structure out as a JSON string and to parse it.

edited May 19, 2014 at 12:48

answered May 19, 2014 at 12:40

spender

121k36 gold badges245 silver badges369 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

rlv-dan Over a year ago

Interesting work-around. Although it does not give an answer to what is causing the crash. I wonder if it is a bug in IE11?

spender Over a year ago

I think it's clear. Your code is blowing up the interpreter because it has run out of memory (stack space). It's debatable whether or not this qualifies as a bug or a design feature (I imagine that whichever stack is overflowing is probably constrained in size, by design). Is running out of memory a bug? Do both by Visual Studio and Notepad++ have the same bug? If you push hard enough, all browsers will have a limit. I think your file qualifies as a rather hard push.

spender Over a year ago

(...and we always knew that IE is a bit rubbish anyway...).

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Loading huge array in Internet Explorer 11 cause stack overflow

1 Answer 1

3 Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

3 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related