Access members within function/setting them from outside - javascript

I would really like to do this:
var Html = function() {
alert('internal: ' + this.val);
};
Html.val = "x";
alert('external: ' + Html.val);
Html();
but it doesn't work. why? how can I get the function code to see values set after its creation?
- update -
because my original post was not so clear in its intent, and because I've posted a solution that's closer to the intention than that of other posters here, allow me to say that what I wanted was a mechanism for accessing the internal members of a function with the explicit purpose of being able to create a generic function that can be seeded to modify its behaviour later and independently

The this context of a JavaScript function depends on how you call the function. You can pass the context explicitly with call:
var Html = function() {
alert('internal: ' + this.val);
};
Html.call({ val:'x' });
If you meant to use the function as a constructor you can instantiate with new:
function Html(val) {
this.val = val;
}
var html = new Html('x'); // Must be used with `new`
alert('internal: '+ html.val);
You can add methods to the prototype if you want to extend your object:
Html.prototype.getVal = function() {
return 'internal: '+ this.val;
};
var html = new Html('x');
alert(html.getVal());

In Javascript, the "this" is the object associated to a method, not the method itself. The simplest solution would be to change the Html function to a method:
var html = {
val: "x",
draw: function(){
console.log('internal: ' + this.val);
}
}
html.draw();
html.val = "y"
html.draw();
If you want to keep the html function as a direct function you can either craete a wrapper around a method.
var Htmldraw = function(){
return html.draw();
}
html.val = "asd"
Or you can change the function to use lexically scoped variables instead of "this"
var val;
var Html = function() {
console.log('internal: ' + val);
};
val = "x";
alert('external: ' + val);
Html();

thank you both for taking the time to post elaborate answers. you both got thank you points.
I'm going to answer my own question for the sake of some poor sod who may struggle with this in the future... what I wanted to do is best accomplished as shown below (please see my edits in the original posting to clarify what my intention was):
function fn() {
this.val = "x";
this.show = function() {
alert("internal = " + this.val);
};
return this;
};
var x = fn();
alert("initial = " + x.val);
x.val = "y";
alert("reset = " + x.val);
x.show();
from which you can see that a variable internal to my function is accessible from the outside. This allows me to manufacture a function and subsequently load it with a bunch of data for its use, without having to pass parameters during its creation (which is useful because when the function is actually called (as opposed to created), it will receive a different set of parameters)

Related

What is the advantage of using call method instead of passing an object in the parameter

In the below code, which one is the right and how these two are different
Using call method
var obj = {
num: 10
};
var add = function(a) {
return this.num + a
}
console.log(add.call(obj,4))
Passing object in parameter
var obj = {
num: 10
};
var add = function(obj,a) {
return obj.num + a
}
console.log(add(obj,4))
Your second code block is just a regular function. The first one however is a bit more tricky. So the question is basically:
When to work with context in javascript?
In javascript, the term context basically means this. It is usually used when you call a method of an object, so that you can refer to the object. That's one of the core concepts of OOP, were we only define a function once inside the prototype, and every object of that class which inherits from it exposes this method, it won't work without context. So that's what this was invented for. However there are some cases, were context is useful without inheritance. E.g. Eventhandlers are usually contextless, as they are not part of any object:
window.addEventListener("load", function(evt){
const el = evt.target;
};
However as it is an Eventhandler of window, wouldn't it make sense that it is executed in the context of window? If you now say "YES", then you (will) probably love JS:
window.addEventListener("load", function(){
this.document.body.innerHTML = "Dynamic context can be cool!";
});
So in JS this is the way of refering to the object, the function refers to. Through Function.prototype.call we can make use of this everywhere. However that does not mean that we should use it everywhere. this should stay in the sense of context, as using it somewhere else will create confusion / uglify your code / make your code buggy.
var add = function(a) {
return this.num + a;
}
In your codesnippet i think its unclear what thisrefers to. So its rather a misuse of this. However it could get a meaning if you make it a method of obj, so its context becomes clear from the code:
const num = {
value:10,
add(a){ return this.value + a }
};
It gets even more beautiful if you use inheritance to make it reusable:
class CustomNumber {
constructor(n = 0){
this.value = n;
}
add(a){ return this.value + a; }
}
const num = new CustomNumber(10);

Understanding the superior method introduced by Crockford

In the functional inheritance pattern, Crockford introduces a new superior method via:
Object.method('superior', function (name) {
var that = this,
method = that[name];
return function () {
return method.apply(that, arguments);
};
});
Where method is :
Function.prototype.method = function (name, func) {
this.prototype[name] = func;
return this;
};
Example:
var coolcat = function (spec) {
var that = cat(spec),
super_get_name = that.superior('get_name');
that.get_name = function (n) {
return 'like ' + super_get_name() + ' baby';
};
return that;
};
My question is Why don't just assign that.get_name to super_get_name ?
"My question is Why don't just assign that.get_name to super_get_name?"
Because the way the get_name method has its this value set to the that object is by invoking it as:
that.get_name();
When a function is invoked as the method of an object, the object becomes the value of this in that invocation of the function.
If you had done this instead:
var super_get_name = that.get_name;
super_get_name();
Now you're invoking a detached function, so it doesn't know what its this value should be, and so it uses the default, which is usually the window object.
I don't like the solution that crockford shows at all. Typically, in that situation, you'd simply make a new function right there instead of relying on extensions to Object.prototype to do it for you. (Extending Object.prototype is very ugly IMO.)
var coolcat = function (spec) {
var that = cat(spec),
_original_get_name = that.get_name,
super_get_name = function() {
return _original_get_name.apply(that, arguments);
};
that.get_name = function (n) {
return 'like ' + super_get_name() + ' baby';
};
return that;
};
Or in modern implementations, you'd use Function.prototype.bind to create a new function with its this value bound to whatever you provided as the first argument to .bind().
var coolcat = function (spec) {
var that = cat(spec),
super_get_name = that.get_name.bind(that);
that.get_name = function (n) {
return 'like ' + super_get_name() + ' baby';
};
return that;
};
In the sense of Crockford's Functional Inheritance Pattern it is completely valid to reference the base class method
var super_get_name = that.get_name;
This is how Crockford teaches it in his lecture JavaScript Master Class , see the part on Functional Inheritance.
Later - the method might be overriden by the derived class - you invoke it simply
super_get_name();
Crockford's superior method makes no sense in the Functional Inheritance Pattern.
Because in my opinion this is never needed in a method defined by a producer function. If you use this in your methods you'll run in all sorts of trouble because of dynamic scoping and manipulation of this:
function mammal(spec){
var that = {};
that.legs = Math.round(Math.random() * 4);
that.get_name = function(){
return spec.name + "with" + that.legs; // always use that not this
};
that.isProperThis = function(){
console.log( this === that );
};
return that;
};
var myMammal = mammal({name: 'Herb'});
myMammal.isProperThis(); // true
myMammal.isProperThis.call(window); // false
setTimeout(myMammal.isProperThis, 1); // false
If you insist on using this in your methods you can no longer treat them as "first-class" variables in JavaScript. Instead you have to convert them to "binders" by calling bind as described in the first answer in this post.
superior is a method defined in the prototype of the Object constructor function. It caches an object's method, so that it returns the original method even if it were changed later.
From JavaScript: The Good Parts, p.54:
The function will invoke the original method even if the property is changed.
The accepted answer given by cookie monster is correct, but I would like to add clarification.
As cookie monster says, if you write
var super_get_name = that.get_name;
invocation of super_get_name will no longer bind any value to this, making it an unbound function.
However, in the case of the example Crockford gives in The Good Parts, it would not matter if super_get_name were unbound by writing it in the way you propose, because this would never be used in its invocation.
You would essentially end up doing the following:
super_get_name = function () {
return that.says() + ' ' + spec.name +
' ' + that.says();
(where the right operand executes in the context of the function assigned to cat).
I assume that Crockford avoids unbound functions here to demonstrate a general principle, even though his specific example does not require binding.

How do I create a prototype function that binds another prototype function as syntactic sugar (and keep the context of the instance)?

I have declared a prototype function A.a but would like to provide some syntactic sugar by other functions, e.g. A.sayHi and A.sayBye. The problem is binding the context because of course I'd like it to point to the instance but don't have access to it when I declare the prototype.
function A() {
this.txt = 'so';
};
A.prototype.a = function (txt) {
alert(txt + ' ' + this.txt);
}
A.prototype.sayHi = A.prototype.a.bind(A, 'hi');
A.prototype.sayBye = A.protoype.a.bind(A.prototype, 'bye');
When I do new A().sayHi().sayBye(); I get alerts with "hi undefined" and "bye undefined". Sure, I can do
A.prototype.sayHi = function() {
this.a('hi');
};
but that's ugly :)
Is there a way that I keep the context of the instance (so that this.txt equals 'so') without writing a function?
Bind is not what you want.
Bind is designed to create a function that wraps a this pointer (which must exist when Bind is called), to avoid having to write lots of temporary functions like
var that = this;
callMeBack(function() { that.callback(); });
(i.e. the above becomes)
callMeBack(this.callback.Bind(this));
It can be used for partial application / limited currying, but in your case you don't have a this at the point you're trying to call Bind. You definitely don't want either the constructor or its prototype object to be this, you want this to be the actual object, but that doesn't exist when you run this code.
Your last example is exactly right.
Digression: I don't think it is ugly - it is clear, and explicit, and highly idiomatic Javascript. Perhaps a touch verbose. If you think this is ugly, then you may not be used to Javascript yet. Get used to functions as first-class data, e.g.:
var A = function() { ... };
instead of
function A { ... }
the former being what Javascript means by the latter. Getting into the habit of thinking of functions as just another data-type, will help you 'get' Javascript and see its inherent beauty. And will have the side-effect that you won't be offended by the 'ugly' on show when you program for node.js :)
you can try little change a function
function A() {
this.txt = 'so';
};
A.prototype.a = function (txt) {
return function(){
alert(txt + ' ' + this.txt);
return this;
}
}
A.prototype.sayHi = A.prototype.a("Hi")
A.prototype.sayBye = A.protoype.a('bye');
Does this work for you?
function runtimeContextBinder(func){
var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments, 1);
return function(){
func.apply(this,args);
}
}
function A() {
this.txt = 'so';
};
A.prototype.a = function (txt) {
alert(txt + ' ' + this.txt);
}
A.prototype.sayHi = runtimeContextBinder(A.prototype.a,'hi');
A.prototype.sayBye = runtimeContextBinder(A.prototype.a, 'bye');
What I'm doing here is to create a closure on the function, which is then executed in the context of the instance.

Refer to javascript function from within itself

Consider this piece of code
var crazy = function() {
console.log(this);
console.log(this.isCrazy); // wrong.
}
crazy.isCrazy = 'totally';
crazy();
// ouput =>
// DOMWindow
// undefined
From inside crazy() 'this' refers to the window, which I guess makes sense because normally you'd want this to refer to the object the function is attached to, but how can I get the function to refer to itself, and access a property set on itself?
Answer:
Don't use arguments.callee, just use a named function.
"Note: You should avoid using arguments.callee() and just give every function (expression) a name." via MDN article on arguments.callee
I think you are asking for arguments.callee, but it's deprecated now.
https://developer.mozilla.org/en/JavaScript/Reference/Functions_and_function_scope/arguments/callee
var crazy = function() {
console.log(this);
console.log(arguments.callee.isCrazy); // right.
}
crazy.isCrazy = 'totally';
crazy();
// ouput =>
// DOMWindow
// totally
As rfw said, this is the most straight forward way to go if the function has one single name:
var crazy = function() {
console.log(crazy);
console.log(crazy.isCrazy);
};
crazy.isCrazy = 'totally';
crazy();
In case it may have different names, or you wanted to pass it around, it must be wrapped in a closure:
var crazy = (function(){
var that = function() {
console.log(that);
console.log(that.isCrazy);
};
return that;
})();
crazy.isCrazy = 'totally';
crazy();
Bind the function to itself (taking a hint from answers by #ArunPJohny and #BudgieInWA):
crazy = crazy.bind(crazy);
This will give you access from the function to its properties via this.
> crazy()
function () {
console.log(this);
console.log(this.isCrazy); // works now
}
This seems like a better solution than the accepted answer, which uses the callee feature which is deprecated and doesn't work in strict mode.
You could also now have the function call itself recursively with this() were you so inclined.
We will call this self-thisifying. Write a little utility function:
function selfthisify(fn) { return fn.bind(fn); }
crazy = selfthisify(crazy);
crazy();
Or, if you prefer more "semantic" names, you could call it accessOwnProps.
If you're a syntactic sugar type of person, you could add a selfthisify property to the Function prototype:
Object.defineProperty(Function.prototype, 'selfthisify', {
get: function() { return this.bind(this); }
});
Now you can say
crazy.selfthisify();
You have to give it its own name, so:
var crazy = function() {
console.log(crazy);
console.log(crazy.isCrazy);
}
crazy.isCrazy = 'totally';
crazy();
The variable this is only applicable in the scope of an object, for instance, if you invoked your version of the crazy function with crazy.call(crazy), it will call the function in the context of the function crazy and all would be well.
This has to deal with the scope of the function crazy. If can pass any scope to a function using the function call().
Instead of
crazy();
Use
crazy.call(crazy);
For details refer
http://odetocode.com/blogs/scott/archive/2007/07/05/function-apply-and-function-call-in-javascript.aspxhttps://developer.mozilla.org/en/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Function/Callhttp://devlicio.us/blogs/sergio_pereira/archive/2009/02/09/javascript-5-ways-to-call-a-function.aspx
You can use the call method
var crazy = function() {
console.log(this);
console.log(this.isCrazy);
}
crazy.isCrazy = 'totally';
crazy.call(crazy);
// calls crazy using crazy as the target, instead of window:
// functionToCall.call(objectToUseForThis);
Though if your function only ever has one name, you can do this:
var crazy = function() {
console.log(crazy);
console.log(crazy.isCrazy);
}
crazy.isCrazy = 'totally';
crazy();
Easiest way to make the function itself available in its body is to do
var crazy = function crazy2() { crazy2(); }, it's okay for crazy and crazy2 to have the same name since the first occurrence is the name in the outer scope and the second is the name in the function body.
Or simply do function crazy() { crazy(); } which will define crazy in both scopes.
how can I get the function to refer to
itself?
The idea of 'itself' does not exist with functions. What you need is an object and not just a function. An object has knowledge of itself available through the keyword 'this'. Within a function, 'this' points to the global object - in this case the window object. But if you use your function as a constructor function to create an object (using the new operator) then the object's 'this' pointer will point to the object itself.
i.e this points to the object if you write:
var anObject = new crazy();
So you can re-write your code as follows:
var crazy = function() {
this.printMe = function(){
console.log(this);
console.log(this.isCrazy);
}
}
var anObject = new crazy(); //create an object
anObject.isCrazy = 'totally'; //add a new property to the object
anObject.printMe(); //now print
In case you wish to add the property before the object is created, then you have to add the property to the function's prototype as follows:
var crazy = function() {
console.log(this);
console.log(this.isCrazy);
}
crazy.prototype.isCrazy = 'totally'; //add the property to the function's prototype
var anObject = new crazy(); //invoke the constructor
See more on my blog for a detailed explanation of these concepts with code-samples.
Are you actually trying to create an object 'class'?
function crazy(crazyState) {
this.isCrazy = crazyState;
console.log(this);
console.log(this.isCrazy);
}
crazy.prototype.alertMe = function() { alert('I am '+ this.isCrazy +' crazy.'); }
var crazyObj = new crazy('totally');
crazyObj.alertMe();
crazyObj.isCrazy = 'not';
crazyObj.alertMe();
Funny that you should ask, mate. I just went through this same issue for a different purpose. The quick version of the final code is:
$a = function() {};
$ = function() {
if (!(this instanceof $)) {
return new $();
}
this.name = "levi";
return this;
};
//helper function
var log = function(message) {
document.write((message ? message : '') + "<br/>");
};
log("$().name == window.name: " + ($().name == window.name)); //false
log("$().name: " + $().name); //levi
log("window.name: " + window.name); //result
log();
log("$a instanceof $: " + ($a instanceof $)); //false
log("typeof $a: " + (typeof $a)); //function
log("typeof $: " + (typeof $)); //function
The critical piece:
if (!(this instanceof $)) {
return new $();
}
If this isn't pointing to an object of the right type, then it makes a new one, which will properly scope this. The rest of the code is just there for verification that it does indeed work as intended.
In order to make you code to work follow below
function crazy_object (crazy) {
this.isCrazy = crazy
}
var create_crazy = new crazy_object('hello') //creating object
console.log(create_crazy); //=> { isCrazy = 'hello' }
var crazy = function() {
console.log(this); //=> { isCrazy = 'totally' }
console.log(this.isCrazy); //=> 'totally'
}
create_crazy.isCrazy = 'totally'; //=> isCrazy = 'totally'
//below we pass the created object in function crazy.
//And doing that we can use the keywork `this` and refer to the object
crazy.call(create_crazy, null);
Using the call and apply method we can pass to a function a
property,and in that function we can use the property with the keyword this
For example:
function speak (message) {
console.log(`A person with name ${this.name} say ${message}`);
}
speak.call({ name: 'Roland' }, 'Javascript is awesome');
To use it with property:
function speak (message) {
console.log(`A person with name ${this.name} say ${message}`);
}
var name = 'Roland'
speak.call({ name }, 'Javascript is awesome');

Accessing variables trapped by closure

I was wondering if there is any way to access variables trapped by closure in a function from outside the function; e.g. if I have:
A = function(b) {
var c = function() {//some code using b};
foo: function() {
//do things with c;
}
}
is there any way to get access to c in an instance of A. Something like:
var a_inst = new A(123);
var my_c = somejavascriptmagic(a_inst);
A simple eval inside the closure scope can still access all the variables:
function Auth(username)
{
var password = "trustno1";
this.getUsername = function() { return username }
this.eval = function(name) { return eval(name) }
}
auth = new Auth("Mulder")
auth.eval("username") // will print "Mulder"
auth.eval("password") // will print "trustno1"
But you cannot directly overwrite a method, which is accessing closure scope (like getUsername()), you need a simple eval-trick also:
auth.eval("this.getUsername = " + function() {
return "Hacked " + username;
}.toSource());
auth.getUsername(); // will print "Hacked Mulder"
Variables within a closure aren't directly accessible from the outside by any means. However, closures within that closure that have the variable in scope can access them, and if you make those closures accessible from the outside, it's almost as good.
Here's an example:
var A = function(b) {
var c = b + 100;
this.access_c = function(value) {
// Function sets c if value is provided, but only returns c if no value
// is provided
if(arguments.length > 0)
c = value;
return c;
};
this.twain = function() {
return 2 * c;
};
};
var a_inst = new A(123);
var my_c = a_inst.access_c();
// my_c now contains 223
var my_2c = a_inst.twain();
// my_2c contains 446
a_inst.access_c(5);
// c in closure is now equal to 5
var newer_2c = a_inst.twain();
// newer_2c contains 10
Hopefully that's slightly useful to you...
Answers above are correct, but they also imply that you'll have to modify the function to see those closed variables.
Redefining the function with the getter methods will do the task.
You can do it dynamically.
See the example below
function alertMe() {
var message = "Hello world";
console.log(message);
}
//adding the getter for 'message'
var newFun = newFun.substring(0, newFun.lastIndexOf("}")) + ";" + "this.getMessage = function () {return message;};" + "}";
//redefining alertMe
eval(newFun);
var b = new alertMe();
now you can access message by calling b.getMesage()
Of course you'll have to deal with multiple calls to alertMe, but its just a simple piece of code proving that you can do it.
The whole point to that pattern is to prevent 'c' from being accessed externally. But you can access foo() as a method, so make it that it will see 'c' in its scope:
A = function(b) {
var c = function() {//some code using b};
this.foo = function() {
return c();
}
}
No, not without a getter function on A which returns c
If you only need access to certain variables and you can change the core code there's one easy answer that won't slowdown your code or reasons you made it a closure in any significant way. You just make a reference in the global scope to it basically.
(function($){
let myClosedOffObj = {
"you can't get me":"haha getting me would be useful but you can't cuz someone designed this wrong"
};
window.myClosedOffObj = myClosedOffObj;
})(jQuery);
myClosedOffObj["you can't get me"] = "Got you now sucker";
Proof of concept: https://jsfiddle.net/05dxjugo/
This will work with functions or "methods" too.
If none of the above is possible in your script, a very hacky solution is to store it in a hidden html-object:
// store inside of closure
html.innerHTML+='<div id="hiddenStore" style="display:none"></div>';
o=document.getElementById("hiddenStore")
o.innerHTML="store this in closure"
and outside you can read it with
document.getElementById("hiddenStore").innerHTML
You should be able to use an if statement and do something like:
if(VaraiableBeingPasses === "somethingUniqe") {
return theValueOfC;
}

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