Running in Node.js: HTMLElement is not defined

[koko236]

Hi,

I try to run matter-js serverside in node. Actually I have browser simulation which I'm porting to the server now. I got rid of renderer and now the obstacle is when I run most basic code:

var Mt = require('matter-js')
this.engine = Mt.Engine.create() // throws error: 'HTMLElement is not defined'

Which points me right to the very beginning of the Engine.create() function:

Engine.create = function(element, options) {
        // options may be passed as the first (and only) argument
        options = Common.isElement(element) ? options : element; /// <----
        element = Common.isElement(element) ? element : null;
        options = options || {};
(...)

and:

Common.isElement = function(obj) {
        return obj instanceof HTMLElement;
    };

This is SO obvious that I suspect I may be doing something totally wrong. I can't see any mention of Node specific setup in the getting started...

[koko236]

I temp fixed it by patching Common.isElement():

Common.isElement = function(obj) {
        return typeof HTMLElement !== 'undefined' && obj instanceof HTMLElement;
    };

but now I see unchecked references to window in Common.now(). I can fix this as well but I don't know how far down the rabbit hole this will lead me so here's my more general question:

Is the master branch of matter-js supposed to work in nodejs environment at all?

[koko236]

FYI, safeguarding references to window in Common.now seems to fix the engine for Node at least for my current use case.

[liabru]

Yeah it supports node but looks like I've slipped up here, thanks for the heads up. I'll handle fixing all the reference issues. Also related is #459.