Inconsistent ImportString behavior on the cloud

[dreiss (David Reiss)]

The following small piece of code yields $Failed when executed in a cloud notebook through a browser.
However it gives the proper answer when executed in the same cloud notebook accessed via the “Wolfram Desktop” (and, of course, works in a desktop Mathematica environment):

temp=ExportString[(1+a)/b,"MathML"]; 
ImportString[temp]

Any thoughts on this? I’ve reported it as a possible bug, but would like to understand whether it is by design and, if so, what are the additional restrictions on cloud programming–whether in cloud notebooks, Instant APIs, or cloud Forms.

[dreiss (David Reiss)]

Any insights from the community on these issues?

[mthiel (Marco Thiel)]

Dear David,

I can reproduce what you describe. I also suspect that it is probably an unwanted feature, i.e. a bug. Other formats in ExportString seem to work ok-ish.

ExportString[(1 + a)/b, "TeX"]

seems to work alright in the cloud. Importing it:

ImportString[%]

gives

The error messages say

General::stop: Further output of FrontEndObject::notavail will be
suppressed during this calculation.

FrontEndObject::notavail: A front
end is not available; certain operations require a front end.

FrontEndObject::notavail: A front end is not available; certain
operations require a front end.

FrontEndObject::notavail: A front end
is not available; certain operations require a front end.

Ops, this is strange. I just re-ran your commands in the cloud and now they give this:

which is the output I get on a Desktop as well.

Either WRI are working on this right now or I do not understand this behaviour at all.

Cheers,

Marco