From Javascript-Garden:
Foo.method = function() {
function test() {
//this is set to the global object
}
test();
}
In order to gain access to Foo from within test, it is necessary to create a local variable inside of method that refers to Foo:
Foo.method = function() {
var that = this;
function test(){
//Use that instead of this here
}
test();
}
Could anyone explain this? As far as I understood, this refers to the global object if it's called in the global scope. But here it's called inside of a function, which is inside a method (first example). Why exactly does it refer to the global object, while the second example doesn't?
As far as I understood, this refers to the global object if it's called in the global scope.
No. this will refer to the default object if the function is called without explicit context. The scope is irrelevant. (In strict mode it will refer to undefined instead).
Why exactly does it refer to the global object
We can't tell what it refers to. The value of this is determined by how the function is called, not how it is defined.
Now you have updated the example, we can see that it is called without context, so this (in the inner function) will be the default object, which in a web browser is window (it would be undefined in strict mode).
while the second example doesn't?
In the second example, the inner function doesn't use this (which will have the same value as the previous example).
The second example uses that instead. that is defined in the scope of the outer function and is set to whatever the value of this is when that function is called.
Assuming that function is called as Foo.method() then (outer) this (and hence that) will be Foo because that is the context on which method was called.
this in a function isn't set when you define the function. It's only dynamically defined to the receiver of the function call.
If you call foo.test(), this in test will be foo.
But if you do
var f = foo.test;
f();
then this in f (which is foo.test) will be the external object (window if you're executing it at the root level).
It would be the same with
foo.test.call(window);
The second example uses a closure to place the outer functions variables on the scope chain of the inner function.
Foo.method = function() {
var that = this;
function test(){
//This function has access to the outer variables scope chain.
}
}
Related
function f1 () {
console.log('f1')
}
var s = 'f1'
runLocalFunctionByName(s)
Is this possible at all to write runLocalFunctionByName() or just call f1 without typing f1 in the source code, but using a variable holding its name? I mean without modifying f1 into a method, that answer is obvious: just make myobj.f1 = function or declare it globally like f1= function(). I am talking about normal local functions declared with function keyword only, not as vars, global vars or some other object property.
Not without the use of eval, which is evil (when used for this purpose for sure!).
Global functions could be called as attributes of the window object, but if they are in a local/closure scope that's not possible.
If you need to call functions by name, the only proper solution is storing them as attributes on an object, and then using obj[s]() for calling them.
One way of doing this is by using the instantiating a Function object.
var runLocalFunctionByName = function(fName) {
return (new Function('','return '+fName+'();'))();
};
Calling runLocalFunctionByName with a name of a function will now return the output of the named function.
EDIT
In case of local functions, the scope has to be mentioned, so we can modify the code, such that:
var runLocalFunctionByName = function(fName, scope) {
return (new Function('','return '+(scope?scope:'this')+'.'+fName+'();'))();
};
You can't access a local function outside its scope until unless you assign it to a variable having an accessible scope. MDN: A function defined by a function expression inherits the current scope. That is, the function forms a closure. On the other hand, a function defined by a Function constructor does not inherit any scope other than the global scope (which all functions inherit)
Consider:
function Thing() {
this.prop = null
}
Thing.prototype.whoIsThis = function() {
console.log(this)
}
a = new Thing()
a.whoIsThis() // logs '> Thing {...}'
f = a.whoIsThis
f() // logs '> Window {...}'
So this is not bound to the Thing in the second call. How does this work in this situation? Isn't a.whoIsThis a "method" of a Thing regardless of any variable its assigned to?
When you say a.whoIsThis, it will refer the function object only. The function object will have no reference to the object on which it is attached. But when you invoke the function, JavaScript dynamically decides the current object and sets that as this inside the function.
This dynamicity allows us to use any object as the current object in the runtime.
But when you simply invoke a function object, without any object reference, by default, JavaScript will set this as the global object (window object in browser) and in Strict mode, this will be set to undefined.
A function's this keyword behaves a little differently in JavaScript compared to other languages. In most cases, the value of 'this' is determined by how a function is called, when 'this' is inside a function.
1) When a function is called as a method of an object, its this is set to the object the method is called on.
2) When a function is called directly, the value of this is not set by the call. Since the code is not in strict mode, the value of this must always be an object so it defaults to the global object. In strict mode, the value of this remains at whatever it's set to when entering the execution context, so 'undefined'.
More info: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Operators/this
This binding is decided at run time and not at author time
having f = a.whoIsThis is just another reference to the function WhoIsThis
now Imagine If you have the function declared in the global scope..which is really what f is now..and when calling f JS at run time run the function as if it was declared in the global scope(as I mentioned) so It asks ..what this refers to if I'm in the global scope => default binding rule would answer..it's simply the global(window) object
When you invoke a top-level function in Javascript, the this keyword inside the function refers to the default object (window if in a browser). My understanding is that it's a special case of invoking the function as method, because by default it is invoked on window (as explained in John Resig's book, Secrets of the JavaScript Ninja, page 49). And indeed both invocations in the following code are identical.
function func() {
return this;
}
// invoke as a top-level function
console.log(func() === window); // true
// invoke as a method of window
console.log(window.func() === window); // true
So far so good... Now here is the part I don't understand:
When a function is nested in another function and invoked without specifying an object to invoke on, the this keyword inside the function also refers to window. But the inner function cannot be invoked on window (see code below).
function outerFunc() {
function innerFunc() {
return this;
}
// invoke without window.* - OK
console.log(innerFunc() === window); // true
// invoke on window
//window.innerFunc(); - error (window has no such method)
console.log(window.innerFunc) // undefined
}
outerFunc();
It makes perfect sense that the nested function isn't available on window, as it is after all nested... But then I don't understand why the this keyword refers to window, as if the function was invoked on window. What am I missing here?
EDIT
Here is a summary of the great answers below and some of my follow up research.
It is incorrect to say that invoking a function "normally" is the same as invoking it as a method of window. This is only correct if the function is defined globally.
The function context (the value of the this keyword) does not depend on where / how the function is defined, but on how it is being invoked.
Assuming that the code is not running in in strict mode, Invoking a function "normally" will have the function context set to to window (when running in a browser, or the corresponding global object in other environments).
An exception to the above rules is the use of bind to create a function. In this case even if the function is invoked "normally", it could have a context other than window. That is, in this case the context is determined by how you create the function, rather than how you invoke it. Although strictly speaking this isn't accurate, because bind creates a new function that internally invokes the given function using apply. The context of that new function will still be determined by the way it's invoked, but it shields the context of the function it internally invokes by using apply.
By invoking "normally" I refer to the following simple way of invocation:
myFunction();
To complete the picture, here is a brief coverage of other ways of invocation and the corresponding context:
As a property of an object (method) - the context is the object
Using apply or call - the context is specified explicitly
With the new operator (as a constructor) - the context is a newly created object
Feel free to update the above as necessary, for the benefit of people with similar questions. Thanks!
You can call any function that is in scope with functionName(). Since you haven't called it on an object, it will be called in the context of the default object (window). (IIRC, it will be called in the context of undefined if you are in strict mode).
The default object for context has nothing to do with where a function is defined or what scope that function appears in. It is simply the default object.
If a function is a property of an object, you can call it as reference.to.object.function(), and it will be called in the context of object instead of the default object.
Other things that change the context are the new keyword and the apply, call, and bind methods.
In JavaScript, when a function is invoked without an explicit context, the context is the global object. In the case of web browsers, the global object is window.
Additionally, JavaScript has functional scope, so any variables or functions within a function are not accessible in a scope outside of that function. This is why you can't access window.innerFunc.
Whether a function is nested inside another one has nothing to do with the value of this when the function is called. The only things that matter are:
If the function is "found" by traversing a property on an object, then the value of this will be a reference to that object:
someObject.prop( whatever );
It doesn't matter how the function was declared.
If you use call() or apply() to invoke a function, then the value of this is taken from the first argument to whichever of those functions you use.
If you've created a bound wrapper for the function with bind(), then the value of this will be as requested when bind() was called.
If you're calling a function as a constructor with new, then this will refer to the newly-created object instance.
Otherwise, this is either a reference to the global context, or else it's undefined (in "strict" mode or in an ES5-compliant runtime).
The "location" in the code where a function is defined does matter, of course, in that the scope includes whatever symbols it includes, and those are available to the function regardless of how a reference to it is obtained.
It does not depend where the function is declared but how it is called:
var obj = {
f: function() {
return this;
}
}
var f = obj.f;
console.log(obj.f()) // obj
console.log(f()) // window/default obj
Or in other words. The syntax obj.f() executes the function with this=obj while f() executes the function with this=window. In JavaScript the caller specifies the value of this.
When you define func in the global scope, it actually is assigned as a property of the window object. That is, the window object holds all globally scoped variables. (*) Therefore, func and window.func represent the same thing. innerFunc is defined inside a function scope and is not available outside of that scope. Therefore, window.innerFunc is (still) undefined.
However, the this context is determined by how you call the function. When you call a method like obj.method(), the this context is set to obj. On the other hand, you can also call the method on its own:
var f = obj.func;
f(); // in this call: this === window
In this case, you're not calling a function on an object and thus the this context is set to the default. The default however is the global scope and as stated above, this is represented by window.
You can always override the this context by using Function.prototype.call() or Function.prototype.apply() which take a this context as first argument. For example:
var f = obj.func;
f.call(obj); // in this call: this == obj
(*) Note that this only applies to JavaScript running inside a browser. In other environments, this may differ. For example, in Node.js the GLOBAL variable holds the global scope.
I am new to JavaScript. I have the following script working,
var navRef = this.navigator;
function onSearch( templateName) {
navRef.onSearch();
}
but not the one below and I am trying to understand why? Any help is appreciated. (navigator is sent as an argument to this object).
function onSearch( templateName) {
this.navigator.onSearch();
}
'this' points to different objects in the two cases. In the first case 'this' most likely refers to the windows object that has navigator as a property. In the second case 'this', most likely, refers to whatever object invoked the function. It's hard to be exact since you didn't give the context. But this should be enough to understand what's going on.
You need to read up on javascript scopes. In the first example the 'this' is referencing the current scope (that has the navigator property). In your second example, the 'this' is actually referencing the current function scope it is in.
You might want to check out this article on the this keyword. Essentially, this is used within a function to refer to the context in which that function is executed. When the function in question is called as a method on an object, this refers to that object. When the function is called in the global scope and has no instance to refer to, this refers to the window object.
Javascript has lexical scope so variables (like your navRef) can be used inside inner functions
var navRef = this.navigator;
function onSearch(){
navRef.onShow();
}
the this "variable", however, is an evil exception. Each function gets its own this (and the value it has depends on how the function was called) so if you want to access an outer this (or one of its properties) you need to use an intermediate variable:
var that = this;
function onSearch(){
that.navigator.onSearch();
}
This is taken from John Resig`s Learning Advanced Javascript #25, called changing the context of a function.
1) in the line fn() == this what does this refer to? is it referring to the this inside the function where it says return this?
2) although I understand the purpose of the last line (to attach the function to a specific object), I don't understand how the code does that. Is the word "call" a pre-defined JavaScript function? In plain language, please explain "fn.call(object)," and explicitly tell me whether the object in parens (object) is the same object as the var object.
3). After the function has been assigned to the object, would you call that function by writing object.fn(); ?
var object = {};
function fn(){
return this;
}
assert( fn() == this, "The context is the global object." );
assert( fn.call(object) == object, "The context is changed to a specific object."
call is a function defined for a Function object. The first parameter to call is the object that this refers to inside the function being called.
When fn() is called without any particular context, this refers to the global context, or the window object in browser environments. Same rules apply for the value of this in the global scope. So in fn() == this), this refers to the global object as well. However, when it is called in the context of some other object, as in fn.call(object), then this inside fn refers to object.
fn.call(object) does not modify or assign anything to object at all. The only thing affected is the this value inside fn only for the duration of that call. So even after this call, you would continue calling fn() as regular, and not as object.fn().
The example simply demonstrates that the this value inside a function is dynamic.