encoding/json: document actual behavior for Unmarshal into interface{}

Fixes #4900.

R=golang-dev, bradfitz
CC=golang-dev
https://golang.org/cl/13400044

2 files changed, 42 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/src/pkg/encoding/json/decode.go b/src/pkg/encoding/json/decode.go
index b6c23cc77a..458fb39ec0 100644
--- a/src/pkg/encoding/json/decode.go
+++ b/src/pkg/encoding/json/decode.go
@@ -38,9 +38,7 @@ import (
 // keys to the keys used by Marshal (either the struct field name or its tag),
 // preferring an exact match but also accepting a case-insensitive match.
 //
-// To unmarshal JSON into an interface value, Unmarshal unmarshals
-// the JSON into the concrete value contained in the interface value.
-// If the interface value is nil, that is, has no concrete value stored in it,
+// To unmarshal JSON into an interface value,
 // Unmarshal stores one of these in the interface value:
 //
 //	bool, for JSON booleans
diff --git a/src/pkg/encoding/json/decode_test.go b/src/pkg/encoding/json/decode_test.go
index 6635ba6ec6..22c5f89f79 100644
--- a/src/pkg/encoding/json/decode_test.go
+++ b/src/pkg/encoding/json/decode_test.go
@@ -210,6 +210,12 @@ type Ambig struct {
 	Second int `json:"Hello"`
 }
 
+type XYZ struct {
+	X interface{}
+	Y interface{}
+	Z interface{}
+}
+
 var unmarshalTests = []unmarshalTest{
 	// basic types
 	{in: `true`, ptr: new(bool), out: true},
@@ -1275,3 +1281,38 @@ func TestSkipArrayObjects(t *testing.T) {
 		t.Errorf("got error %q, want nil", err)
 	}
 }
+
+// Test semantics of pre-filled struct fields and pre-filled map fields.
+// Issue 4900.
+func TestPrefilled(t *testing.T) {
+	ptrToMap := func(m map[string]interface{}) *map[string]interface{} { return &m }
+
+	// Values here change, cannot reuse table across runs.
+	var prefillTests = []struct {
+		in  string
+		ptr interface{}
+		out interface{}
+	}{
+		{
+			in:  `{"X": 1, "Y": 2}`,
+			ptr: &XYZ{X: float32(3), Y: int16(4), Z: 1.5},
+			out: &XYZ{X: float64(1), Y: float64(2), Z: 1.5},
+		},
+		{
+			in:  `{"X": 1, "Y": 2}`,
+			ptr: ptrToMap(map[string]interface{}{"X": float32(3), "Y": int16(4), "Z": 1.5}),
+			out: ptrToMap(map[string]interface{}{"X": float64(1), "Y": float64(2), "Z": 1.5}),
+		},
+	}
+
+	for _, tt := range prefillTests {
+		ptrstr := fmt.Sprintf("%v", tt.ptr)
+		err := Unmarshal([]byte(tt.in), tt.ptr) // tt.ptr edited here
+		if err != nil {
+			t.Errorf("Unmarshal: %v", err)
+		}
+		if !reflect.DeepEqual(tt.ptr, tt.out) {
+			t.Errorf("Unmarshal(%#q, %s): have %v, want %v", tt.in, ptrstr, tt.ptr, tt.out)
+		}
+	}
+}