typeof fails on trigger object property - google-apps-script

Question

I am trying to add an dumpObject function to a Spreadsheet Container bound Script.
Ideally, it is for visibility into variables passed through triggers.
I can run it all day long from within the Script Editor, but when setup as either an onEdit event or onEdit Installible trigger, it dies with no error.
I did some trial and error toast messages and confirmed the code in dumpObject is being executed from the Trigger.
If you take this code below, setup onEdit2 as an installable trigger, you might see it.
To see it work as a Trigger, uncommment the first line //e of onEdit2.
Best I can figure, is something in the e object coming from the trigger that is not quite what is expected of an object?
This test should be limiting the maxDepth to 5, so I don't think I'm hitting the 1000 depth limit.
UPDATE: The problem is calling typeof on the trigger object properties. For example, "typeof e.user" reports the following error: Invalid JavaScript value of type
Thanks,
Jim
function onEdit2(e) {
//e = {fish:{a:"1",b:"2"},range:SpreadsheetApp.getActiveSpreadsheet().getActiveRange(),B:"2"};
Browser.msgBox(typeof e);
Browser.msgBox("U:" + Utilities.jsonStringify(e));
e.range.setComment("Edited at: " + new Date().toTimeString());
Browser.msgBox("ShowOBJ:"+dumpObject(e, 5));
}
function dumpObject(obj, maxDepth) {
var dump = function(obj, name, depth, tab){
if (depth > maxDepth) {
return name + ' - Max depth\n';
}
if (typeof obj === 'object') {
var child = null;
var output = tab + name + '\n';
tab += '\t';
for(var item in obj){
child = obj[item];
if (typeof child === 'object') {
output += dump(child, item, depth + 1, tab);
} else {
output += tab + item + ': ' + child + '\n';
}
}
}
return output;
};
return dump(obj, '', 0, '');
}

Answer 1

You're not getting quite what you expect from the event object. If you throw in:
for(var q in e) {
Logger.log(q + " = " + e[q])
}
and then check the View->Logs menu item in the script editor you get
source = Spreadsheet
user = <your user>
So, checking the docs, you can come up with this as an alternative to your e.range.setComment("Edited at: " + new Date().toTimeString());:
e.source.getActiveSheet().getActiveCell().setComment("Edited at: " + new Date().toTimeString());
note: you can debug an error like you were (secretly) getting by wrapping your statement in a try catch like so:
try {
e.range.setComment("Edited at: " + new Date().toTimeString());
} catch (ex) {
Logger.log(ex);
}
and then checking the logs as mentioned above (or dumping to Browser.msgBox(), if you prefer).

Answer 2

This might not be a great "answer" but it works.
I found that replacing typeof with Object.prototype.toString.call(obj) I got something usable.
Of note, the e object returns [object Object] but the properties (e.user) return [object JavaObject]
if (Object.prototype.toString.call(obj).indexOf("object") != -1) {
var child = null;
var output = tab + name + '\n';
tab += '\t';
for(var item in obj){
child = obj[item];
if (Object.prototype.toString.call(child).indexOf("object") != -1) {
output += dump(child, item, depth + 1, tab);