match $.field == '#notpresent' throws error when field doesn't exist

[rc2201]

Description

In Karate v2, match $.field == '#notpresent' throws No results for path: $['field'] when the field doesn't exist in the response. In v1, this correctly passed — asserting the field is absent.

It seems like the issue is specifically with $ JsonPath syntax. Dot-notation (response.field) works correctly with #notpresent.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Create a feature file using the snippets below.

Feature: match $.field == '#notpresent' throws error when field doesn't exist (v2 regression)

  # Bug: $ JsonPath syntax throws "No results for path" on missing fields,
  # breaking #notpresent assertions. Dot-notation works as workaround.

  Scenario: $ JsonPath - existing field works, missing field breaks #notpresent
    Given url 'https://httpbin.org'
    And path '/anything'
    And request { name: 'test', value: 123 }
    When method post
    Then status 200
    # PASSES: existing field with $ syntax
    * match $.method == 'POST'
    # FAILS in v2: "No results for path: $['errors']"
    # PASSES in v1: correctly asserts field is absent
    * match $.errors == '#notpresent'

  Scenario: response dot-notation - workaround that works in both v1 and v2
    Given url 'https://httpbin.org'
    And path '/anything'
    And request { name: 'test', value: 123 }
    When method post
    Then status 200
    # PASSES in both v1 and v2
    * match response.method == 'POST'
    * match response.errors == '#notpresent'

Expected Behavior

1. The scenario should pass, matching the v1 behavior.

Actual Behavior

1. Scenario fails with $ JsonPath syntax when the field is not present.

Karate Version

2.0.9

Java Version

25.0.2

Operating System

macOS

[ptrthomas]

Fixed in 98ce05e.

Root cause: the match LHS $.field was routed straight through Jayway's JsonPath.read, so an absent key threw PathNotFoundException ("No results for path") instead of surfacing as #notpresent. Dot-notation (response.field) already resolved missing keys to #notpresent, which is why only the $ form regressed. v1's evalJsonPath caught PathNotFoundException and returned NOT_PRESENT — this restores that behaviour on the $-prefixed match path. Will ship in the next release.