When I am writing a jQuery selectors within a specific-page javascript, I'd like to be able to use a simplified (scoped) selection mechanism.
To reference the element currently I need to use the full selector:
$('#home-view #events-cloud')'
Since the code line above is used within a home-view backing js file, I'd like to be able to do something like this:
$.SetSelectorPrefix('#home-view');
$('#events-cloud');
Is there a possibility to do something to address the code-location specific selections?
Simply modify the default jQuery init function so that the context is the one chosen by you:
jQuery.noConflict();
$ = function (selector, context) {
return new jQuery.fn.init(selector, context || document.getElementById('home-view'));
};
$.fn = $.prototype = jQuery.fn;
jQuery.extend($, jQuery);
console.log($('#events-cloud'));
Explanation:
jQuery.noConflict();
This line prevent jQuery's default assign to $.
$ = function (selector, context) {
return new jQuery.fn.init(selector, context || document.getElementById('wrapper'));
};
Assign to $ the new modified function that will return a new jQuery instance with the context modified for your purposes(this is the clue of the script)!
$.fn = $.prototype = jQuery.fn;
Creates a new property fn to the $ function, and assign it to the prototype inheriting properties from jQuery.fn.
jQuery.extend($, jQuery);
Extends the created object with jQuery functions, so you can use it exactly as jQuery.
See a working fiddle of this snippet.
You could use something like this:
var container = $('#home-view');
// Will only search elements within #home-view
container.find('#events-cloud');
// Changing container
container = $('#main-view');
// Will only search elements within #main-view
container.find('anotherSelector');
I suppose you need genericity on your generic sections, otherwise you would not ask.
So a generic code could call $('#selector') without being aware of the context.
The simplest way: use a custom function $$
function $$(selector, context) {
return $(selector, context ? $(context, $$.stack[0]) : $$.stack[0]);
}
$$.stack = [];
$$.push = function(context){ $$.stack.unshift(context); }
$$.pop = function(){ return $$.stack.shift(); }
In your generic sections use $$('#selector') instead of $('#selector')
Around your generic code execution use:
$$.push('#home-view');
// generic code call using $$
// e.g. $$('#events-cloud') <=> $('#events-cloud', '#home-view') <=> $('#home-view #events-cloud')
$$.pop();
With this custom function, you can nest contexts and even use the $$(selector, localcontext) form. Thus for the generic code, the current global context is totally transparent.
Related
I try to create a method that can be called from the created DOM element corresponding to my B class, like that:
$("#" + data.selectedId).eventCallback(data);
My eventCallback is defined in a mother class A, as you can see in the following code:
function A (){
this.addToPage = function () {
...
var context = this;
// This call is well overridden
context.onEvent("toto");
jQuery.fn.extend({
// This call uses A's method every time
eventCallback: function (data) {context.onEvent(data);}
});
};
this.onEvent = function (data) {
console.log("to override");
};
}
function B (){
this.onEvent = function (data) {
console.log("overridden");
};
}
B.prototype = Object.create(A.prototype);
The problem is, as commented, that I seem to not being able to use the same context when I enter the block jQuery.fn.extend. Is there a better (and cleaner) way to do it? Do I miss something?
Edit, to clarify:
The A class define the structure of widgets which are set in my html document (so to my mind an A instance is somehow linked to a part of the DOM).
As a user, I want to be able to select a widget that call a method (which definition is depending on B).
So My idea was to implement a callBack in the class and then make it callable from the DOM objects created with an A instance.
I am writing a jQuery plugin which, ideally I would like in it's own namespace.
So far, this seems to work (in terms of namespace nesting)
(function($) {
$.fn.nspace = {
foo: function() {
// Does not work becuase $(this) is not the correct selector.
$(this).show();
}
}
})(jQuery);
So given then example above, I might call my function like so:
$("html, body").nspace.foo();
but $(this) is not [html, body]...How can I solve this?
EDIT: To clarify (based on user comments)...
$("html, body").nspace.foo(); should call foo for [html, body] but, $(this) inside nspace resolves to nspace...so it's trying to call nspace.foo();
You shouldn't do this, but just because I dislike when someone says "You can't" in programming (often untrue, especially in Javascript) - here's how you could do this:
The jQuery object is constructed each time using its prototype.init function, which is aliased to fn.init, so you could overwrite it with a wrapped function that adds your namespace object in a way that doesn't harm any existing usage or libraries, like so:
(function($) {
var baseInit = $.fn.init;
$.fn.init = function(selector, context, rootjQuery) {
// Instantiate jQuery the way it expects
var j = new baseInit(selector, context, rootjQuery);
// Add our extra object/namespace
// Use j inside to refer to the current jQuery object
j.nspace = {
foo: function() {
j.show();
}
};
// Return it all and other libraries are none the wiser
return j;
}
})(jQuery);
http://jsfiddle.net/b9chris/7TPZY/
You should consider using the classic pattern for a jQuery plugin: define only one method: in your case, nspace. Inside this method, you'll take every case into account. Sounds hard, but it's pretty easy once you've looked into that.
(By the way you definitely have to look at that when writing a jQuery plugin)
You can't add an object as a plugin and still get the jQuery object that was used to get the object. You simply have no reference to that jQuery object when you call a method in your object.
Put the function directly as the plugin:
(function($) {
$.fn.nspace = function() {
this.show();
};
})(jQuery);
Usage:
$("html, body").nspace();
(Note that the object is the jQuery instance, not a selector or an element, so you don't need to use $(this)).
I read the jquery documentation of plugin authoring and am familiar with that. However, the examples given always operate on a set of previously matched elements. I want to create a function that can do both:
// example usage of my to-be-created plugin function
// this is the way described in the docs, and I know how to do that
$("a").myFunction ()
// but I also want to be able to call the function without a collection:
$.myFunction ();
If $.myFunction ()is called without a collection to operate on, it would create it's own collection of what elements to match - kind of an initialization process (but not necessarily run only once). Also, $.myFunction ()should maintain chainability.
The pseudocode of what I want to achieve:
// [...]
function myFunction (): {
if (notCalledOnACollection) {
// this should run when called via $.myFunction ()
$elements = $("a.myClass");
}
else {
$elements = $(this);
}
return $elements.each (function () {
// do sth. here
});
}
I would really like to keep all of the functions implementation/functionality within a single function definition, and not have two separately named functions or two equally named functions in two separately places within the jQuery object.
And of course I could add a parameter myFunction (do_init) that indicates what branch of the if statement to execute, but that would clutter my argument list (I want to use that approach for multiple plugins, and there will be argumentes to myFunction () that I just left out here for simplicity).
Any good suggestions?
By simply adding another reference in the plugin definiton, you can easily use the standard plugin code:
(function( $ ) {
$.myPlugin = $.fn.myPlugin = function(myPluginArguments) {
if(this.jquery)
//"this" is a jquery collection, do jquery stuff with it
} else {
//"this" is not a jquery collection
}
};
$.fn.myPlugin.otherFunc = function() {
};
})( jQuery );
The only difference here is the $.myPlugin = part which allows you to directly call your plugin without running jquery's selector function. Should you decide you need other functions or properties, you can create them as properties of your plugin.
Usage:
//using a selector (arguments optional)
$(".someClass").myPlugin();
//using the options variable - or whatever your arguments are
$.myPlugin({id: "someId"});
//accessing your other functions/properties
$.myPlugin.otherFunc();
i was exploring in the last few days how big frameworks works , how they assign their function name and it can't(?) be override , i pretty much know how framework work with anonymous function , for example they do it this way or similar version :
(function(){
var Sizzle = function (){
var x;
};
Sizzle.f = function(){
alert("!");
};
window.Sizzle = Sizzle;
})();
i still don't get few things about those huge frameworks and i hope i can find answer :
how do they assign function name and the name can't be override?
in the code above to call the function i need to write Sizzle.f() to get the function to work , but when i use jquery i don't write Jquery.show() , just show() , how do they vanish the "jquery" from "jquery.show()" function call?
by saying the name can't be override i mean , if i create function with one of the jquery functions names , the jquery function will work.
thanks in advance.
As has been shown for #2, it's really easy for BIG_NAMESPACE.Functions.doStuff to be added to anything you want.
var _ = BIG_NAMESPACE.Functions.doStuff;
_(); // runs BIG_NAMESPACE.Functions.doStuff;
As for #1:
Most libraries DO let their functions be overwritten.
It's the values that are inside of the framework's closure which are preserved, for safety reasons.
So you could do something like:
BIG_NAMESPACE.Functions.doStuff = function StealEverything() {};
(BIG_NAMESPACE.Functions.doStuff === StealEverything) // true;
But doStuff would have NO access to any of the variables hidden inside of the framework's closure.
It would also mean that until the page was reloaded, doStuff would also not work the way you want it to.
HOWEVER, in newer versions of JavaScript (ECMA5-compatible browsers), it WILL be possible to do something like what you're suggesting.
BIG_NAMESPACE = (function () {
var do_stuff = function () { console.log("doin' stuff"); },
functions = {
set doStuff (overwrite) { }
get doStuff () { return do_stuff; }
};
return { Functions : functions };
}());
Then, this will work:
BIG_NAMESPACE.Functions.doStuff(); // "doin' stuff"
BIG_NAMESPACE.Functions.doStuff = function () { console.log("ain't doin' jack"); };
BIG_NAMESPACE.Functions.doStuff(); // "doin' stuff"
However, Frameworks aren't going to use this for a LONG time.
This is not even remotely backwards compatible. Maybe in 2016...
There were defineGetter and defineSetter methods as well, but they aren't a formal part of the JavaScript language. Like innerHTML, they're things that the browser vendors put in, to make life better... ...as such, there's no real guarantee that they're going to be in any/all browsers your users have. Plus, they're deprecated, now that new browsers use the get and set constructs that other languages have.
(function(){
var jqueree = {};
jqueree.someval = 22;
jqueree.somefunc = function(){ alert(this.someval); };
window.jqueree = jqueree;
window.somefunc = function(){ jqueree.somefunc.call(jqueree); };
window.$$$ = jqueree;
})();
// all equivalent
window.somefunc();
window.jqueree.somefunc();
$$$.somefunc();
somefunc();
Answering your Questions
At the top of jQuery you'll see: var jQuery = (function() {, which creates the local function (its incomplete; the }); occurs elsewhere).
At the very end of jQuery you'll notice the following, which is how it attaches it to the global namespace:
// Expose jQuery to the global object
window.jQuery = window.$ = jQuery;
I have never seen a jQuery function called without referencing the jQuery object. I think you always need to use jQuery.show() or $.show(); however maybe you're saying you don't have to call window.jQuery.show(), which you are permitted to drop the window, since that is the default.
Using your example
(function(){
/* This is where Sizzle is defined locally, but not exposed globally */
var Sizzle = function (){
var x;
};
/* If you put "window.f = Sizzle.f = function(){" then you could *
* call f() w/o typing Sizzle.f() */
Sizzle.f = function(){
alert("!");
};
/* The following line is what makes it so you can use Sizzle elsewhere *
* on your page (it exposes it globally here) */
window.Sizzle = Sizzle;
})();
use function _name_() {} and the name is static
the simply use var $ = jQuery; to create an alias.
jQuery works this way:
Supposed you have this jQuery code:
$("#title").show();
You have three elements to that line.
$ is a javascript function
"#title" is an argument to that function
.show() is a method call
Here's how it works.
Javascript executes the function named $ and passed it an argument of "#title".
That function does it's business, finds the #title object in the DOM, creates a jQuery object, puts that DOM element into the array in the jQuery object and returns the jQuery object.
The Javascript execution engine then takes the return value from that function call (which is now a jQuery object) and looks for and executes the .show() method on that object.
The .show() method then looks at the array of DOM elements in the jQuery object and does the show operation for each DOM element.
In answer to your question, there is no .show() all by itself. It's a method on a jQuery object and, in this example, that jQuery object is returned from the $("#title") function call.
Almost all of the examples in the jQuery tutorials that I've read, usually use one major public function for their selecting plugin. When I say 'selecting' plugin, I mean one that is not simply a static function extended onto jQuery.
For example:
(function($) {
jQuery.fn.actionList = function(options) {
var opts = $.extend({}, $.fn.actionList.defaults, options);
return this.each(function(){
alert(this);
});
};
$.fn.actionList.defaults = {
listHtml: '<div>Set the list html</div>'
};
})(jQuery);
but not:
jQuery.log = function(message) {
if(window.console) {
console.debug(message);
} else {
alert(message);
}
};
This works fine for most things, but what I would like to do is be able to call a second function on the object returned from the first call.
var actionBox = $('actionBox').actionList(options);
//Many light-cycles later
actionBox.refreshData(data);
or maybe even:
$('actionBox').actionList(options);
// laaateerr
$('actionBox').actionList.refreshData(data);
I'm guessing one or both of these is not possible or, at least not advisable, but I'm only now getting into the deepest aspects of jQuery and javascript.
Could someone explain how to do this, or if it's not possible or advisable, why? and what they would do instead?
Thanks for reading!
I'm not quite sure what you're getting at, but you can call a second function on the object returned from the first function - in fact, it is very much encouraged to return a jQuery object from your plugins, and the reason why you can chain commands in jQuery.
Using your examples
var actionBox = $('actionBox').actionList(options);
//Many light-cycles later
actionBox.refreshData(data);
would work fine, so long as both .actionList() and .refreshData(data) commands both return a jQuery object.
And
$('actionBox').actionList.refreshData(data);
would need to be
$('actionBox').actionList().refreshData(data);
EDIT:
Looking at the jQuery source code,
jQuery.fn = jQuery.prototype = {
/*
Load of 'property' functions of jQuery object...
*/
}
so, adding properties (a.k.a plugins) to jQuery.fn extends the prototype of the jQuery object. When you call
$(selector, context);
a new jQuery object is returned, using the init property function of the jQuery object
jQuery = window.jQuery = window.$ = function( selector, context ) {
// The jQuery object is actually just the init constructor 'enhanced'
return new jQuery.fn.init( selector, context );
},
I think I've got a plugin that might be very useful for you. It allows you to apply any constructor/object to jQuery as it's own namespace AND you can use 'this' as you would normally with jQuery to refer to the object set. Using this[methodName] will call a method on your object, etc.
http://code.google.com/p/jquery-plugin-dev/source/browse/trunk/jquery.plugin.js
Some code samples are here:
http://groups.google.com/group/jquery-dev/browse_thread/thread/664cb89b43ccb92c/34f74665423f73c9?lnk=gst&q=structure+plugin+authoring#34f74665423f73c9
It's about halfway down the page.
I hope you find it useful!