fix: outputReferencesTransformed util not handling object-value tokens properly

.changeset/ninety-meals-hug.md

@@ -0,0 +1,5 @@
+---
+'style-dictionary': patch
+---
+
+Hotfix to address outputReferencesTransformed util not handling object-value tokens properly.

lib/common/formatHelpers/createPropertyFormatter.js

@@ -193,12 +193,16 @@ export default function createPropertyFormatter({
       const originalIsObject = typeof originalValue === 'object' && originalValue !== null;
 
       if (!originalIsObject) {
+        // TODO: find a better way to deal with object-value tokens and outputting refs
+        // e.g. perhaps it is safer not to output refs when the value is transformed to a non-object
+        // for example for CSS-like formats we always flatten to e.g. strings
+
         // when original is object value, we replace value by matching ref.value and putting a var instead.
         // Due to the original.value being an object, it requires transformation, so undoing the transformation
-        // by replacing value with original.value is not possible.
+        // by replacing value with original.value is not possible. (this is the early v3 approach to outputting refs)
 
         // when original is string value, we replace value by matching original.value and putting a var instead
-        // this is more friendly to transitive transforms that transform the string values
+        // this is more friendly to transitive transforms that transform the string values (v4 way of outputting refs)
         value = originalValue;
       }
 
@@ -220,7 +224,9 @@ export default function createPropertyFormatter({
               return `${prefix}${ref.name}`;
             }
           };
-          value = value.replace(
+          // TODO: add test
+          // technically speaking a reference can be made to a number or boolean token, in this case we stringify it first
+          value = `${value}`.replace(
             originalIsObject ? refVal : new RegExp(`{${ref.path.join('\\.')}(\\.\\$?value)?}`, 'g'),
             replaceFunc,
           );

lib/utils/references/outputReferencesTransformed.js

@@ -12,8 +12,18 @@ export function outputReferencesTransformed(token, { dictionary, usesDtcg }) {
   const originalValue = usesDtcg ? token.original.$value : token.original.value;
   const value = usesDtcg ? token.$value : token.value;
 
-  // Check if the token's value is the same as if we were resolve references on the original value
-  // This checks whether the token's value has been transformed e.g. transitive transforms.
-  // If it has been, that means we should not be outputting refs because this would undo the work of those transforms.
-  return value === resolveReferences(originalValue, dictionary.tokens, { usesDtcg });
+  // double check if this is a string, technically speaking the token could also be an object
+  // and pass the usesReferences check
+  if (typeof originalValue === 'string') {
+    // Check if the token's value is the same as if we were resolve references on the original value
+    // This checks whether the token's value has been transformed e.g. transitive transforms.
+    // If it has been, that means we should not be outputting refs because this would undo the work of those transforms.
+    return (
+      value ===
+      resolveReferences(originalValue, dictionary.unfilteredTokens ?? dictionary.tokens, {
+        usesDtcg,
+      })
+    );
+  }
+  return true;
 }