It the code below I am not certain as to which way is better to write the code. The NewVar is a variable which I think can become which ever value is returned from the functions that are inside of the quotes. Is there a better way of writting this.
var NewVar = {
myVar: function() {
return AnotherValue;
},
isAny: function() {
return SomeValue;
}
};
Can you make the like this: Would the following work the same.
var NewVar;
function myFunc() {
//code here
}
function myFunc2() {
//code here
}
NewVar = myFunc();
or
NewVar = myFunc2();
The NewVar is a variable which I think can become which ever value is returned from the functions
No. NewVar is a variable that gets assigned an object literal that contains these two functions as properties. You can invoke them as methods (without changing NewVar):
console.log(NewVar.isAny()); // SomeValue
console.log(NewVar.myVar()); // AnotherValue
Your second snippet is totally different from that.
Not sure if I understand your question.
In your first snippet NewVar is a object which contains two methods (myVar and isAny) so I can do something like:
var foo = NewVar.myVar();
In the second snippet you are declaring two functions and then you assign to NewVar the return value of one of these functions.
Nope, these two examples are different. In the first example, you can call myVar and isAny as a member of NewVar:
NewVar.myVar(); // returns AnotherValue
NewVar.isAny(); // returns SomeValue
But in the second example, you assign the return value of the functions to the variable NewVar. For example, look at this example:
var myObject = {
addUp: function(a, b) {
return a + b;
}
};
myObject.addUp(1, 2); // returns 3
var myVar = myObject.addUp(1, 2); // myVar holds 3, because myObject.addUp(1,2) returns 3
Related
If I wanted to first declare a function, and then at some point I want to reference the function and not its return value to a variable, how would I do that?
var best = bestPresidentEver;
function bestPresidentEver(a,b){
//for some reason always returns Trump.
}
and then call best(a,b) instead of bestPresidentEver(a,b)
I am wondering how to do that opposed to assigning the function to the var upon declaration.
var best =
function bestPresidentEver(a,b){
//for some reason always returns Trump.
}
Declare your variable like this
var bestPresidentEver= function (a,b){
//for some reason always returns Trump.
return "Trump"; //:D
}
Then call that function like this
//You have to declare a and b variables
var trumpHere = bestPresidentEver(a,b);
If your function is already declared, just assign it to the variable :
function bestPresidentEver (a,b){
//for some reason always returns Trump.
return "Trump"; //:D
}
var trumpHere = bestPresidentEver;
Then call it like this :
var trumpAgain = trumpHere(a, b);
If the variable exists and it's not a const you can simply reassign it's value to the function itself.
Ex
var foo = 'foo';
function bar(a) {
return 'example ' + a;
}
bar('code'); //=> "example code"
/* Further down, reassign the `foo` variable */
foo = bar;
foo('code, again'); //=> "example code, again"
I am using SignalR, and I need to point it to a function, and I also want to call that function in other areas of the application.
If the library expects a function parameter, you can simply pass that function like so.
function first(next /* expects a function parameter */) {
return next('hello');
}
function second(prefix) {
return prefix+ ' world!';
}
first(second); //=> "hello world!"
Since the assignment operator can essentially assign variables to values/objects why cant you assign a variable to a function.
For example: When I assign var b = 5; b turns into 5, same for Objects when I create an instance. var b = c;
However when I assign var b = func(); it gives me the result or the return. Why does it do this and how do you make a duplicate function without the use of a closure or factory?
The () characters are the syntax that means "call the function".
Remove them and you'll get the reference to the function object instead of calling it and getting the return value.
function func () {
alert(1);
}
var b = func;
b();
setTimeout(func, 2000);
This question already has answers here:
dynamically call local function in javascript
(5 answers)
Closed 8 years ago.
I'm having a difficulty calling a function inside of another function when its name is in a variable:
var obj = {}
obj.f = function() {
var inner = {
a: function() {
function b() {
alert('got it!');
}
b(); // WORKS AS EXPECTED
x = 'b';
[x](); // DOESN'T WORK, NEITHER this[x]() window[x](), etc.
}
}
inner.a();
}
obj.f();
I tried prefixing [x]() with different scope paths but so far w/o success. Searching existing answers did not turn up anything. It works with this[x]() if b() is placed directly inside object inner. I would like to keep b() as a function inside function a() because of variable scope in function a(), otherwise I would need to pass many parameters to b().
////
Re duplicate question: Quentin provided a more elegant answer in this thread imo.
There is no sensible way of accessing an arbitrary variable using a string matching the name of the variable. (For a very poor way to do so, see eval).
[x](); // DOESN'T WORK
You're trying to call an array as a function
NEITHER this[x]()
The function isn't a property of the inner object.
window[x](), etc.
Since it isn't a global, it isn't a property of the window object either.
If you need to call a function based on the value of a string variable, then organise your functions in an object and access them from that.
function b() {
alert('got it!');
}
var myFunctions = {
b: b
};
x = 'b';
myFunctions[x]();
Try this. Currently you are assigning string to variable x, instead of a function variable.
x = b;
x();
The problem is with your assignment
use x = b instead of x = 'b' to assign the function object as the latter just assigns the string into x.
Once you fix your assignment you can invoke the function as
x();
a.x();
a[x]();
etc.
You should make array for the function and then access using name in your variable as follow:
var obj = {}
obj.f = function() {
var inner = {
a: function() {
// set up the possible functions:
var myFuncs = {
b: function b() {alert('got it!');}
};
//b(); // WORKS AS EXPECTED --> commented this code
x = 'b';
myFuncs[x]();
}
}
inner.a();
}
The function declaration b will be captured in the closure of the anonymous function expression assigned as a.
When var is used in a closure, there is no (available in JavaScript) Object which gets assigned a property similar to what happens with window in the Global Scope.
Writing a function declaration effectively vars the name of the function.
If you really want to access a variable (i.e. b) by String, you will either need to create an Object which holds b similar to what you've done for a, or (and possibly dangerously) rely on an eval to convert "b" to b.
If you can't create the whole Object ahead-of-time, you can use this format
/* in (higher?) scope */
var fnRef = {};
// now when you
function b() {/* define as desired */}
// also keep a ref.
fnRef['b'] = b;
// fnRef['b']() will work **after this line**
let's say your code is like this:
//instead of x = 'b'
x = function(){}
then your solution could be like this:
var obj = {}
obj.f = function() {
var inner = {
a: function() {
function b() {
alert('got it!');
}
b(); // WORKS AS EXPECTED
//you can define it as a variable
var x = function(){};
//and call it like this
x();
//or define it like this
this[x] = function(){};
//and call it like this
this[x]();
//but you are creating an array [x] which is not a function
//and you are trying to call an array????
[x](); // DOESN'T WORK, NEITHER this[x]() window[x](), etc.
}
}
inner.a();
}
obj.f();
Basically I want to do this:
someFunction() // do something
someFunction.somePropertyFunction()
someFunction() // Now someFunction is modified; it should now exhibit a different behaviour
Is this possible?
EDIT:
I'm not looking for what #Kolink was suggesting. Basically I want to augment a function's functionality by calling one of it's property function.
Specifically, I need to: 1. have access to the original function inside my property function (which is entirely doable using this), and 2. bind a new function to the original function's name (which I'm not sure if it's possible).
Just to be clear, I don't have access to the internal definition of the function that I want to augment. I want to attach a function to Function.prototype (so that it will be available as a property of the function that I want to augment), and then I will call func.augmentThis(), and then func should be augmented. But I'm not sure how, hence the question :P
Easily. Here's an example:
var derp = 123;
someFunction = function() {alert(derp);};
someFunction.somePropertyFunction = function() {derp = 456;};
someFunction(); // alerts 123
someFunction.somePropertyFunction();
someFunction(); // alerts 456
Okay, that's an oversimplified example, but yeah, it's entirely possible.
If your question is whether a function attached as a property to another function has a way to access the function to which it is attached, the answer is no. After all, the same function could be attached to any number of functions of objects.
So one alternative is to explicitly refer to the "mother" function within the function that is attached to it and intended to change its behavior:
function f (n) { alert (n + f.offset); }
f.offset = 0;
f.change_offset = function (i) { f.offset = i; };
f (1); //1
f.change_offset (100);
f (1); //101
Here, f is hard-wired into the definition of change_offset. If this bothers you, or you want something slightly more general, write a little routine to set a function as a property on another function, while binding its this to the function being attached to:
function set_func_as_func_prop ( propname, func_to_set, func_to_set_on ) {
func_to_set_on[propname] = func_to_set.bind(func_to_set_on);
}
Now you can write the function more generally
function change_offset (i) {
this.offset = i;
}
and set it on f or any other function.
set_func_as_func_prop ("change_offset", change_offset, f);
set_func_as_func_prop ("change_offset", change_offset, g);
Sort of:
function someFunction() {
return realFunction.apply(this, arguments);
}
function someFunctionA(name) {
return 'Hello, ' + name + '!';
}
function someFunctionB(name) {
return 'Goodbye, ' + name + '...';
}
var realFunction = someFunctionA;
someFunction.somePropertyFunction = function () {
realFunction = someFunctionB;
};
Sure it's possible. It's not recommended, but it's possible. For example:
function a() {
alert("a");
}
function b() {
alert("b");
}
function c() {
return c.f.apply(this, arguments);
}
c.f = a;
c.toggle = function () {
c.f = c.f === a ? b : a;
};
Now let's test it:
c(); // alerts "a"
c.toggle();
c(); // alerts "b"
See the demo: http://jsfiddle.net/LwKM3/
I want to attach a function to Function.prototype. Then I need to bind a new function to the original function's name (which I'm not sure if it's possible).
That indeed is impossible, you don't know what refers to the function. And you cannot change the internal representation of a function, which is immutable.
The only thing you can do is to create a new function and return that, to let the caller of your method use it somehow - specifically assigning it to the original variable:
somefunction = somefunction.augmentSomehow();
Your method for that will look like this:
Function.prototype.augmentSomehow = function() {
var origFn = this;
return function() {
// in here, do something special
// which might include invoking origFn() in a different way
};
};
Not sure if this helps, but I would implement described problem in following way:
// defined by somebody else - unknown to developer
var someFunction = function() {
alert("this is initial behavior");
}
someFunction(); // returns "this is initial behavior"
// defines parent object on which someFunction() is called
var parentObject = this; // returns window object (as called direclty in the
// browser)
// if you are calling someFunction from some object (object.someFunction())
// it would be:
// var parentObject = object;
// augumentThis definition
someFunction.augumentThis = function() {
var newFunction = function() {
alert("this is changed behavior");
};
parentObject.someFunction.somePropertyFunction = function() {
parentObject.someFunction = newFunction;
parentObject.someFunction();
};
};
someFunction.augumentThis(); // change function behavior
someFunction(); // "this is initial behavior"
someFunction.somePropertyFunction(); // "this is changed behavior"
someFunction(); // "this is changed behavior"
I want to create a quick function that will console.log a variable name and the value. I'd like the result of the function to show in the console: foo: bar.
My basic idea for the function looks like this:
function varlog(var_name)
{
console.log(var_name + ": " + eval(var_name));
}
And I'd call is thusly:
function someRandomFunction()
{
var foo = "bar";
// ... some stuff happens
varlog("foo");
}
This works if foo is global, but doesn't work in the example provided. Another option that also only works globally is using window[var_name] instead of the scary eval.
I don't think what I'm asking is possible, but I figured I'd throw it out there.
I'm spending a lot of time attempting to be lazy. My current method is just console.log('foo: ' + bar); which works just fine. But now I just want to know if this is possible.
Some other questions I referenced in searching for this / creating what I have now:
Variable name as a string in Javascript
How to convert variable name to string in JavaScript?
Javascript, refer to a variable using a string containing its name?
How to find JavaScript variable by its name
--
Edit: I'd love to just call varlog(foo), if the name "foo" can be derived from the variable.
Solution - (for your actual use case) - console.log({foo})
In ES6 IdentifierReferences are being accepted as PropertyDefinitions on the ObjectLiteral's PropertyDefinitionList (see compatibility chart):
The variable name is being set to the Object's Property's key
and the variable value is being set to the Object's Property's value.
As console.log shows Objects with their Propertiy/ies' keys and values you can use that to see both your variable's name and value by invoking console.log({foo}).
Note that when you initialize a single anonymous object with several
variables as I did in the second console.log while they appear in
the same order as initialized here in the snippet's output they might
get reordered (alphabetically) elsewhere.
var testint = 3
var teststring = "hi"
var testarr = ["one", 2, (function three(){})]
var testobj = {4:"four", 5:"five", nested:{6:"six",7:"seven"}}
console.log({testint})
console.log({testint, teststring, testarr, testobj})
Answer - (to the question title) - Object.keys({foo})[0]
You can also use this shorthand Object Initializer together with Object.keys() to straightly access the variable name:
var name = "value"
console.log(Object.keys({name})[0])
The reason it doesn't work is because the variable foo is not accessable to the function varlog! foo is declared in someRandomFunction, and is never passed into varlog, so varlog has no idea what the variable foo is! You can solve this problem by passing the variable foo into the function(or using some sort of closure to make foo in the scope of varlog) along with its string representation, but otherwise, I think you are out of luck.
Hope this helps.
While I'm not aware of such a possibility, I'd wanted to share a small idea:
Object.prototype.log = function(with_message) {
console.log(with_message + ":" + this);
}
var x = "string";
x.log("x");
Like I said, a small idea.
Kind of combining a couple of anwers into a small function
Would this work for you?
const log = function() {
const key = Object.keys(this)[0];
const value = this[key];
console.log(`${key}: ${value}`);
}
let someValue = 2;
log.call({someVlaue}); //someValue: 2
Works with function too, even itself.
log.call({log});
// It would return the following
log:function() {
const key = Object.keys(this)[0];
const value = this[key];
console.log(`${key}: ${value}`);
}
I don't believe what you want to do is possible.
The best alternative I can think of is to pass an object to varlog that is basically a key-value hash:
function varlog(obj)
{
for (var varname in obj) {
console.log(varname + ": " + obj[varname]);
}
}
function someRandomFunction()
{
var foo = "bar";
// ... some stuff happens
varlog({foo: foo});
}
I loved #mhitza idea, so I'm making it a little bigger...
The downside is the need to use .valueto reach the variable content.
Object.prototype.log = function(message) {
if (message) console.log(this.name, this.value, message);
else console.log(this.name, this.value);
}
function nar (name, value) {
var o = {name: name, value: value};
this[name] = o;
return o;
}
// var globalVar = 1;
nar('globalVar', 1);
globalVar.log();
// > globalVar 1
globalVar.value += 5;
globalVar.log('equal six');
// > globalVar 6 equal six
var someFunction = function () {
// var localVar = 2;
nar('localVar', 2);
localVar.log('someInfo');
// > localVar 2 someInfo
};
someFunction();
Surprised to see no super simple solution yet.
let varname = "banana"
console.log(`${JSON.stringify({varname}).split('"')[1]}`)
Prints varname in the console