This is a strange one, but I'm exploring it to see if it's possible.
Let's say that I have a .NET application where I am using PubSub. I want a way to define the topic string using chained objects (not functions). The goal is to allow me a way of defining strings that lets me to take advantage of Visual Studio's IntelliSense and reduce the likelihood of spelling errors.
Here's an example:
/* Manual way */
var topic = "App.Navigation.CurrentItem"
/* Desired Solution */
// ... define the objects here ...
var topic = App.Navigation.CurrentItem;
console.log(topic); // "App.Navigation.CurrentItem"
var topic2 = App.Footer.CurrentItem;
console.log(topic2); // "App.Footer.CurrentItem"
I'd like each object to be responsible for outputing it's own value, and have the chaining process responsible for joining itself to the previous chained object via a predefined separator (in my case, a period [.]).
I've been playing with JavaScript getter syntax, but I'm curious if there's a better way.
Has anyone done something like this before, and if so, how did you solve it?
You're requirements aren't totally clear to me, but are you looking for something like this?
function namespace(ns) { this._ns = ns; }
namespace.prototype.toString = function() {return this._ns};
namespace.prototype.extend = function(suffix) {
return new namespace(this._ns + "." + suffix)
};
Usage:
App = new namespace('App');
App.Navigation = App.extend('Navigation');
App.Navigation.CurrentItem = App.Navigation.extend('CurrentItem');
console.log(App.Navigation.CurrentItem.toString()); // "App.Navigation.CurrentItem"
This is what I ended up with after reviewing StriplingWarrior's answer:
function Namespace(name, config) {
if (typeof name === "object") {
config = name;
name = null;
}
config = config || {};
this._ns = name;
this.define(config);
}
Namespace.prototype.toString = function() { return this._ns };
Namespace.prototype.define = function(config, base) {
base = base || this;
for (key in config) {
var name = (base._ns) ? base._ns + "." + key : key;
base[key] = new Namespace(name);
base.define(config[key], base[key]);
}
return base;
};
Usage:
var App = new Namespace("App", {
Navigation: {
Items: {
Current: {}
}
},
Content: {},
Footer: {
Items: {
Current: {}
}
}
});
console.log(App.toString()); // App
console.log(App.Navigation.Items.Current.toString()); // App.Navigation.Items.Current
console.log(App.Footer.toString()); // App.Footer
I also wrote a convenience method to reduce the toString():
function NS(namespace) {
return namespace.toString();
}
console.log(NS(App.Navigation.Items.Current));
Thanks again to StriplingWarrior for the the help!
I have couple of modules that do their own thing, but need them to sometimes access a property of one another (not that intertwined, just one json obj). Like so
var Bananas = (function() {
// Bananas.properties would look like this
// Bananas.properties = { 'color' : 'yellow' };
var methodToGetProperties = function() {
API.get('bananas')
.done(function(data) {
Bananas.properties = data;
}
};
var publiclyReturnProperties = function() {
if (!Bananas.properties) {
methodToGetProperties();
} else {
return Bananas.properties;
}
};
var doSomethingBananas = function() {
bananas.doing.something;
bananaHolder.innerHTML = Bananas.properties;
}
var init = function() {
doSomethingBananas
}
return {
init: init,
properties: publiclyReturnProperties,
};
})();
var Apples = (function() {
var doSomethingApples = function() {
apple.innerHTML = Bananas.properties.color;
};
var init = function() {
doSomethingApples();
};
return {
init: init
};
})();
Bananas.init(); Apples.init();
Now, the way I do it now is by simply revealing the methodToGetProperties, which returns the API call, and then work on using jQueries deferred method wherever I call it. But I feel this ruins my code by putting .done everywhere.
I've been reading up to singleton pattern and feel it might be the solution to my problem, but I'm not sure how to implement it. Or maybe implement a callback function in methodToGetProperties, but again not confident as to how.
Would kindly appreciate advice on how to organise my app.
Ok, difficult to understand from the title only. Here is an example. I want a function to refer to a variable that is "injected" automagically, ie:
function abc() {
console.log(myVariable);
}
I have tried with:
with({myVariable: "value"}) { abc() }
but this doesn't work unless abc is declared within the with block, ie:
with({myVariable: "value"}) {
function abc() {
console.log(myVariable);
}
abc(); // This will work
}
So the last piece will work, but is it possible to fake the with statement, or do I have to force the developers to declare their function calls in a with statement?
Basically the call I want to do is:
doSomething({myVariable: "value"}, function() {
console.log(myVariable);
});
Ofcourse, I am aware I could pass this is a one parameter object, but that is not what I am trying to do:
doSomething({myVariable: "value"}, function(M) {
console.log(M.myVariable);
});
Further more, I am trying to avoid using eval:
with({myVariable: "value"}) {
eval(abc.toString())(); // Will also work
}
Is this not supported at at all beyond eval in Javascript?
JavaScript does not provide any straightforward way to achieve the syntax you're looking for. The only way to inject a variable into a Lexical Environment is by using eval (or the very similar Function constructor). Some of the answers to this question suggest this. Some other answers suggest using global variables as a workaround. Each of those solutions have their own caveats, though.
Other than that, your only option is to use a different syntax. The closest you can get to your original syntax is passing a parameter from doSomething to the callback, as Aadit M Shah suggested. Yes, I am aware you said you don't want to do that, but it's either that or an ugly hack...
Original answer (written when I didn't fully understand the question)
Maybe what you're looking for is a closure? Something like this:
var myVariable = "value";
function doSomething() {
console.log(myVariable);
};
doSomething(); // logs "value"
Or maybe this?
function createClosure(myVariable) {
return function() {
console.log(myVariable);
};
}
var closure = createClosure("value");
closure(); // logs "value"
Or even:
var closure = function(myVariable) {
return function() {
console.log(myVariable);
};
}("value");
closure(); // logs "value"
I asked a similar question a long time ago: Is it possible to achieve dynamic scoping in JavaScript without resorting to eval?
The short answer is no, you can't achieve dynamic scoping without resorting to eval. The long answer is, you don't need to.
JavaScript doesn't support dynamic scoping, but that's not an issue because you can make your free variables parameters of the function that they belong to.
In my humble opinion this is the best solution:
function doSomething(context, callback) {
callback(context);
}
doSomething({myVariable: "value"}, function(M) {
console.log(M.myVariable);
});
However since you don't want to write a formal parameter, the next best thing is to use this instead:
function doSomething(context, callback) {
callback.call(context);
}
doSomething({myVariable: "value"}, function() {
console.log(this.myVariable);
});
Another option would be to manipulate the formal parameter list of the program as follows:
function inject(func, properties) {
var args = [], params = [];
for (var property in properties) {
if (properties.hasOwnProperty(property)) {
args.push(properties[property]);
params.push(property);
}
}
return Function.apply(null, params.concat("return " + func.toString()))
.apply(null, args);
}
Now we can use this inject method to inject properties into a function as follows:
function doSomething(context, callback) {
var func = inject(callback, context);
func();
}
doSomething({myVariable: "value"}, function() {
console.log(myVariable);
});
See the demo: http://jsfiddle.net/sDKga/1/
Note: The inject function will create an entirely new function which will not have the same lexical scope as the original function. Hence functions with free variables and partially applied functions will not work as expected. Only use inject with normal functions.
The Function constructor is kind of like eval but it's much safer. Of course I would advise you to simply use a formal parameter or this instead. However the design decision is your choice.
Try:
function doSomething(vars, fun) {
for (var key in vars) { // set the variables in vars
window[key] = vars[key];
}
fun.call(); // call function
for (var key in vars) { // remove the variables again. this will allow only the function to use it
delete window[key];
}
}
Set global variables that can then be received inside of fun
The JSFiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/shawn31313/MbAMQ/
Warning: disgusting code ahead
function callWithContext(func, context, args) {
var oldProperties = {};
for(var n in context) {
if(context.hasOwnProperty(n)) {
var oldProperty = Object.getOwnPropertyDescriptor(self, n);
oldProperties[n] = oldProperty;
(function(n) {
Object.defineProperty(self, n, {
get: function() {
if(arguments.callee.caller === func) {
return context[n];
}
if(!oldProperty) {
return;
}
if(oldProperty.get) {
return oldProperty.get.apply(this, arguments);
}
return oldProperty.value;
},
set: function(value) {
if(arguments.callee.caller === func) {
context[n] = value;
}
if(!oldProperty) {
return;
}
if(oldProperty.set) {
return oldProperty.get.apply(this, arguments);
} else if(!oldProperty.writable) {
var fakeObject = {};
Object.defineProperty(fakeObject, n, {value: null, writable: false});
fakeObject[n] = value; // Kind of stupid, but…
return;
}
oldProperty.value = value;
}
});
})(n);
}
}
func.apply(this, args);
for(var n in context) {
if(context.hasOwnProperty(n)) {
if(oldProperties[n]) {
Object.defineProperty(self, n, oldProperties[n]);
} else {
delete self[n];
}
}
}
}
This is vomitously horrendous, by the way; don’t use it. But ew, it actually works.
i don't see why you can't just pass the info in or define a single global, but i think that would be best.
that said, i am working on a Module maker/runner that allows sloppy/dangerous code to execute without interference to the host environment. that provides the opportunity to re-define variables, which can be passed as an object.
this does use eval (Function() technically) but it can run in "use strict", so it's not too crazy/clever.
it doesn't leave behind artifacts.
it also won't let globals get hurt.
it's still a work in progress, and i need to iron out a couple minor details before i vouch for security, so don't use it for fort knox or anything, but it's working and stable enough to perform the operation asked for.
tested in ch28, FF22, IE10:
function Module(strCode, blnPreventExtensions, objWhitelist, objExtend) {
var __proto__=self.__proto__, pbu=self.__proto__, str=strCode, om=[].map, wasFN=false,
params = {Object:1}, fnScrubber, natives= [ Object, Array, RegExp, String, Boolean, Date] ,
nativeSlots = [],
preamble = "'use strict';" ,
inherited="__defineGetter__,__defineSetter__,__proto__,valueOf,constructor,__lookupGetter__,__lookupSetter__",
late = inherited +
Object.getOwnPropertyNames(__proto__||{}) + Object.getOwnPropertyNames(window);
late.split(",").sort().map(function(a) {
this[a] = 1;
}, params);
preamble+=";var "+inherited+";";
//turn functions into strings, but note that a function was passed
if(str.call){wasFN=true; str=String(str); delete params.Object; }
objExtend=objExtend||{};
var vals=Object.keys(objExtend).map(function(k){ return objExtend[k]; })
// build a usable clone of Object for all the new OOP methods it provides:
var fakeOb=Object.bind();
(Object.getOwnPropertyNames(Object)||Object.keys(Object)).map(function(a){
if(Object[a] && Object[a].bind){this[a]=Object[a].bind(Object); } return this;
},fakeOb)[0];
//allow "eval" and "arguments" since strict throws if you formalize them and eval is now presumed safe.
delete params.eval;
delete params.arguments;
params.hasOwnProperty=undefined;
params.toString=undefined;
params['__proto__']={};
__proto__=null;
Object.keys(objWhitelist||{}).map(function ripper(a,b){
b=this[a];
if(typeof b!=='object'){
delete this[a];
}
}, params);
// var ok=Object.keys.bind(Object);
// prevent new prototype methods from being added to native constructors:
if (blnPreventExtensions) {
natives.forEach(function(con, i) {
var proto=con.prototype;
Object.getOwnPropertyNames(proto).map(function(prop){
if(proto[prop] && proto[prop].bind ){ this[prop]=proto[prop];}
}, nativeSlots[i] = {});
delete con.constructor;
delete con.prototype.constructor;
}); //end con map()
} /* end if(blnPreventExtensions) */
//white-list harmless math utils and prevent hijacking:
delete params.Math;
if(blnPreventExtensions){Object.freeze(Math);}
//prevent literal constructors from getting Function ref (eg: [].constructor.constructor, /./.constructor.constructor, etc...):
Function.prototype.constructor = null;
try {
//generate a private wrapper function to evaluate code:
var response = Function(
Object.keys(objExtend) + (vals.length?",":"") +
Object.keys(params).filter(/./.test, /^[\w\$]+$/), // localize most globals
preamble + " return " + str.trim() // cram code into a function body with global-blocking formal parameters
);
// call it with a blank this object and only user-supplied arguments:
if (blnPreventExtensions) { //( user-land code must run inside here to be secure)
response = response.apply({}, vals.concat(fakeOb)).apply({}, [].slice.call(arguments,4) );
}else{
response = response.apply({}, vals.concat(fakeOb));
}
} catch (y) {
response = y + "!!";
} /* end try/catch */
if (blnPreventExtensions) {
om.call(natives, function(con, i) {
var pro=con.prototype;
//remove all proto methods for this con to censor any additions made by unsafe code:
Object.getOwnPropertyNames(pro).map(function(a){ try{delete pro[a];}catch(y){}});
//restore all original props from the backup:
var bu = nativeSlots[i];
om.call(Object.keys(bu), function(prop){ con.prototype[prop]=bu[prop]; }, bu);
}); //end con map()
} /* end if(blnPreventExtensions) */
//restore hidden Function constructor property:
Function.prototype.constructor = Function;
return response;
} /* end Module() */
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
function doSomething(context, fn){
console.log(myVariable);
return myVariable;
}
//use 1:
alert( Module(doSomething, true, {console:1}, {myVariable: "value123"} ) );// immed
//use2:
var fn=Module(doSomething, false, {console:1}, {myVariable: "value123"} );// as function
alert(fn);
alert(fn());
again, i think OP would be best off not doing things later than need be, but for the sake of comprehensiveness and inspiration i'm putting this out there in good faith.
You need to use call() to construct a context, as in:
var f=function(){
console.log(this.foo);
};
f.call({foo:'bar'})
will print "bar"
You can avoid using eval() in calling the function, if you are willing to use it in doSomething():
function abc() {
console.log(myVariable);
}
// Prints "value"
callWith({ myVariable: "value" }, abc);
function callWith(context, func) {
for(var i in context) eval('var ' + i + ' = context[i];');
eval('(' + func.toString() + ')')();
}
Have a look at this post.
Have a look at goog.partial, scroll a little bit up to see the description of what it does:
Here is an implementation of it:
var b = goog.partial(alert, 'Hello world!');
b();//alerts "Hello world!"
In the example it passes the function alert with parameter "Hello world!" but you can pass it your own function with multiple parameters.
This allows you to create a variable that points to a function that is always called with a certain paramater. To use parameters in a function that are not named you can use arguments:
function test(){
console.log(arguments);//["hello","world"]
}
test("hello","world");
I started trying to create a timer function that would let me wrap a callback function so that I could later alter the behavior dynamically.
This led to a general realization that I really don't understand functions yet, and definitely don't understand what is happening with 'this'
I have a test environment setup on jsfiddle
myns = {};
myns.somefunc = function(txt) {
this.data = txt;
this.play = function() {
alert(this.data + ' : '+dafunc.data);
};
};
var dafunc = new myns.somefunc('hello world');
myns.Timer = function(msec, callback) {
this.callback = null;
this.timerID = null;
this.ding = function() {
this.callback();
};
this.set1 = function( msec, callback ) {
this.stop();
this.callback = callback;
this.timerID = setTimeout(this.ding, msec );
};
this.set2 = function( msec, callback ) {
this.callback = callback;
var wrappedDing = (function(who) {
return function() {
who.ding();
};
})(this);
this.timerID = setTimeout(wrappedDing, msec );
};
//this.set1(msec, callback);
this.set2(msec, callback);
};
var ttimer = new myns.Timer(1000, dafunc.play);
If I use the set1 method, then the callback doesn't work.
So I am trying the set2 method. This gets me to the play method but "this" is not referring to the instance of somefunc.
I thought I was on the right track, but the mix up on 'this' has me confused.
Any clues would be welcome.
The problem is that, unlike in a language like python, when you take a dafunc.play and pass it somewhere else (callback = dafunc.play) it forgets it was associated with dafunc, son you you would need to use yet another wrapper function, like you did in the set2 function.
var ttimer = new myns.Timer(1000, function(){ return dafunc.play(); });
Making all there extra functions by yourself is annoying. You could instead use the bind method that is available in newer browsers:
var wrappedDing = this.ding.bind(this);
new myns.Timer(1000, dafunc.play.bind(dafunc) );
Or you could use a similar shim if you need to support older versions of IE too.
Finally, if you are not going to take advantage of some form of inheritance or dynamic binding, you could instead rewrite your code to use closures. Since everything is lexicaly scoped, you don't have to worry about the this anymore:
(btw, I ended up simplifying the code in the proccess...)
myns = {};
myns.somefunc = function(txt) {
var obj = { data : txt };
obj.play = function() {
alert(obj.data);
};
return obj;
};
var dafunc = myns.somefunc('hello world');
myns.timer = function(msec, callback) {
var timerID = null;
var set = function(){
stop();
timerID = setTimeout(callback, msec);
};
set();
return {
set: set
};
};
var ttimer = myns.timer(1000, dafunc.play);
And one last thing: If you don't hate yourself use console.log and your browser's debugger and development console instead of using alerts for output.
In trying to make my Javascript unobtrusive, I'm using onLoads to add functionality to <input>s and such. With Dojo, this looks something like:
var coolInput = dojo.byId('cool_input');
if(coolInput) {
dojo.addOnLoad(function() {
coolInput.onkeyup = function() { ... };
});
}
Or, approximately equivalently:
dojo.addOnLoad(function() {
dojo.forEach(dojo.query('#cool_input'), function(elt) {
elt.onkeyup = function() { ... };
});
});
Has anyone written an implementation of Ruby's andand so that I could do the following?
dojo.addOnLoad(function() {
// the input's onkeyup is set iff the input exists
dojo.byId('cool_input').andand().onkeyup = function() { ... };
});
or
dojo.byId('cool_input').andand(function(elt) {
// this function gets called with elt = the input iff it exists
dojo.addOnLoad(function() {
elt.onkeyup = function() { ... };
});
});
I don't know Dojo, but shouldn't your first example read
dojo.addOnLoad(function() {
var coolInput = dojo.byId('cool_input');
if(coolInput)
coolInput.onkeyup = function() { ... };
});
Otherwise, you might end up trying to access the element before the DOM has been built.
Back to your question: In JavaScript, I'd implement andand() as
function andand(obj, func, args) {
return obj && func.apply(obj, args || []);
}
Your example could then be written as
dojo.addOnLoad(function() {
andand(dojo.byId('cool_input'), function() {
this.onkeyup = function() { ... };
});
});
which isn't really that much shorter than using the explicit if statement - so why bother?
The exact syntax you want is not possible in JavaScript. The way JavaScript executes would need to change in a pretty fundamental fashion. For example:
var name = getUserById(id).andand().name;
// ^
// |-------------------------------
// if getUserById returns null, execution MUST stop here |
// otherwise, you'll get a "null is not an object" exception
However, JavaScript doesn't work that way. It simply doesn't.
The following line performs almost exactly what you want.
var name = (var user = getUserById(id)) ? user.name : null;
But readability won't scale to larger examples. For example:
// this is what you want to see
var initial = getUserById(id).andand().name.andand()[0];
// this is the best that JavaScript can do
var initial = (var name = (var user = getUserById(id)) ? user.name : null) ? name[0] : null;
And there is the side-effect of those unnecessary variables. I use those variables to avoid the double lookup. The variables are mucking up the context, and if that's a huge deal, you can use anonymous functions:
var name = (function() {return (var user = getUserById(id)) ? user.name : null;})();
Now, the user variable is cleaned-up properly, and everybody's happy. But wow! what a lot of typing! :)
You want dojo.behavior.
dojo.behavior.add({
'#cool_input': {
onKeyUp: function(evt) { ... }
}
});
How about something like this:
function andand(elt, f) {
if (elt)
return f(elt);
return null;
}
Call like this:
andand(dojo.byId('cool_input'), function(elt) {
// this function gets called with elt = the input iff it exists
dojo.addOnLoad(function() {
elt.onkeyup = function() { ... };
});
});
As far as I know there isn't a built-in JavaScript function that has that same functionality. I think the best solution though is to query by class instead of id and use dojo.forEach(...) as you will be guaranteed a non-null element in the forEach closure.
You could always use the JavaScript equivalent:
dojo.byId('cool_input') && dojo.byId('cool_input').whateverYouWantToDo(...);
I've never used dojo, but most javascript frameworks (when dealing with the DOM) return the calling element when a method is called from the element object (poor wording, sorry). So andand() would be implicit.
dojo.addOnLoad(function() {
dojo.byId('cool_input').onkeyup(function(evt) { /*event handler code*/
});
});
For a list:
Array.prototype.andand = function(property, fn) {
if (this.filter(property).length > 0) this.map(fn);
}