Develop Reference

arguments.length run the function if 3 arguments are passed, otherwise throw an error object

TasksI need to modify the displaySortedTaskList function so that it runs if there are 3 arguments passed, and throws an error object with a message if there aren't 3 arguments passed. My attempt:
"use strict";
var sortTaskList = function(tasks) {
var isArray = Array.isArray(tasks);
if (isArray) {
tasks.sort();
}
return isArray;
};
var displaySortedTaskList = function(tasks, div, handler) {
if(arguments.length = Function.length){
var html = "";
var isArray = sortTaskList(tasks);
if (isArray) {
//create and load html string from sorted array
for (var i in tasks) {
html = html.concat("<p>");
html = html.concat("<a href='#' id='", i, "'>Delete</a>");
html = html.concat(tasks[i]);
html = html.concat("</p>");
}
div.innerHTML = html;
// get links, loop and add onclick event handler
var links = div.getElementsByTagName("a");
for (var i = 0; i < links.length; i++) {
links[i].onclick = handler;
}
}
} else {document.getElementById("message").innerHTML = "The displaySortedTaskList function of the tasklist library requires three arguments"}
};
var deleteTask = function(tasks, i) {
var isArray = sortTaskList(tasks);
if (isArray) { tasks.splice(i, 1); }
};
var capitalizeTask = function(task) {
var first = task.substring(0,1);
return first.toUpperCase() + task.substring(1);
};

You might use rest parameters and check whether the length of the array is 3:
var displaySortedTaskList = function(...args) {
if (args.length !== 3) {
document.getElementById("message").textContent = "The displaySortedTaskList function of the tasklist library requires three arguments";
return;
// or `throw new Error('not enough args')` ?
}
const [tasks, div, handler] = args;
// rest of your code
(note that you should assign to .textContent when inserting text - .innerHTML is appropriate when inserting HTML markup, which is not the case here)
Live snippet:
var displaySortedTaskList = function(...args) {
if (args.length !== 3) {
return console.log('error');
}
console.log('rest of the code');
}
displaySortedTaskList('foo', 'bar');
displaySortedTaskList('foo', 'bar', 'baz');
displaySortedTaskList('foo', 'bar', 'baz', 'buzz');

influence Javascript function invokation

I want to invoke function X everytime any other function is invoked. I want to keep this as generic as possible.
having these two functions
function x(){ console.log("invoke BEFORE"); }
function someFunction(something){ console.log(something); }
When someFunction is invoked
someFunction("testoutput");
I want the console to output this:
>> invoke BEFORE
>> testoutput
I also want this behaviour to apply to any function of a certain object.
For example:
var myFunctions = {
first:function(){/* do something */},
second:function(){/* do something else*/}
}
myFunctions.before(function(){/do something before/});
Anyone know a solution?
EDIT:
I have come up with a solution like this:
Object.prototype.before = function(x){
for(var key in this){
if(typeof this[key] === "function")
this[key] = (function(x, f) {
var g = f;
return (function() {
x();
return g.apply(this, arguments);
});
}(x, this[key]));
}
}
var test = { func: function(){console.log("test")}};
test.before(function(){console.log("before")});
test();
results in:
>> before
>> test
YAAAYYY
how do you like this?

This is a bad idea that will make understanding and debugging your program much harder.
You can use what in Python is called "monkey-patching" to achieve this:
(function() {
{
var origSomeFunction = someFunction;
someFunction = (function() {
x();
return origSomeFunction.apply(this, arguments);
});
}();
This works because I changed the (global) name someFunction to refer to a new function that I defined. Within the closure of that function I keep a reference to the original function that you want to pass the call on to.

In my opinion, event binding is more flexible than function wrapping since you can remove x whenever you want. Here is a possible implementation:
// Observable
var Observable = {};
Observable.create = function (options) {
var observable = { events: {} };
var events = options.events || [];
var i, l = events.length;
for (i = 0; i < l; i++) {
observable.events[events[i]] = [];
}
return observable;
};
Observable.one = function (observable, event, handler) {
Observable.on(observable, event, function f () {
Observable.un(observable, event, f);
handler.apply(this, arguments);
});
};
Observable.on = function (observable, event, handler) {
observable.events[event].push(handler);
};
Observable.un = function (observable, event, handler) {
observable.events[event].splice(
observable.events[event].indexOf(handler), 1
);
};
Observable.emit = function (observable, event, params) {
var handlers = observable.events[event];
var i, l = handlers.length;
if (!params) params = {};
params.source = observable;
for (i = 0; i < l; i++) {
handlers[i].call(observable, params);
}
};
Observable.observeMethod = function (observable, name) {
var meth = observable[name];
var before = 'before' + name.toLowerCase();
var after = 'after' + name.toLowerCase();
observable.events[before] = [];
observable.events[after] = [];
observable[name] = function () {
var ret;
Observable.emit(observable, before);
ret = meth.apply(observable, arguments);
Observable.emit(observable, after, { value: ret });
return ret;
};
};
// init
var printer = init({
sayHello: function () {
this.print('Hello World.');
},
sayHi: function (e) {
this.print('Hi ' + e.pseudo + '.');
},
print: function (msg) {
print(msg);
}
});
var clock = init({
tid: null,
events: ['tick'],
stop: function () {
clearTimeout(this.tid);
},
start: function () {
var me = this;
var time = 0;
clearTimeout(this.tid);
(function tick () {
me.tid = setTimeout(tick, 1000);
me.emit('tick', { time: time++ });
})();
}
});
// demo: printer
printer.on('afterprint', printNewline);
printer.on('beforesayhello', printBullet);
printer.sayHello();
printer.sayHello();
printer.un('beforesayhello', printBullet);
printer.sayHello();
// demo: clock
clock.on('tick', function (e) {
if (e.time) printer.print('tick ' + e.time);
if (e.time === 3) this.stop();
});
clock.one('afterstop', clock.start);
clock.start();
// helpers
function init (obj) {
obj = initObservable(obj);
obj.one = function (event, handler) {
Observable.one(this, event, handler);
};
obj.on = function (event, handler) {
Observable.on(this, event, handler);
};
obj.un = function (event, handler) {
Observable.un(this, event, handler);
};
obj.emit = function (event, params) {
Observable.emit(this, event, params);
};
return obj;
}
function initObservable (obj) {
var k, observable;
observable = Observable.create({
events: obj.events
});
for (k in observable) {
obj[k] = observable[k];
}
for (k in obj) {
if (typeof obj[k] === 'function') {
Observable.observeMethod(obj, k);
}
}
return obj;
}
function printBullet () {
print('• ');
}
function printNewline () {
print('<br />');
}
function print (html) {
document.body.innerHTML += html;
}

Writing a function to set some but not necessarily all parameters in another function

I had a coding interview test that asked the following question which I was not able to fully solve. I'm wondering the best way to do this following my approach -- also sorry this is long.
You are given a function to read in like this (not necessarily 2 parameters):
function add(a, b) {
return a + b;
}
The objective is to create a function to initialize some of those variables and again call the function to perform the calculation like, function setParam(func, params). To use this you would do the following:
_add = setParam(add, {b:9})
_add(10) // should return 19
My solution was to parse the function to see how many parameters there are, then set them using the given parameters but since I barely know javascript I was never able to actually return a function with only some variables set and others still undefined.
(attempt at solution)
function setParam(func, params) {
// varray is an array of the the varriables from the function, func
// ie varray = [a,b] in this test
var varray = /function[^\(]*\(([^\)]*)\)/.exec(func.toString())[1].split(',');
//creates an array, paramset, that has the variables in func defined
//where possible
// ex paramset = [a,9] if only b was set
var paramsset = []
for (i = 0; i < varray.length; i++) {
if (typeof(params[varray[i]]) == "undefined"){
paramsset[i] = varray[i];
} else {
paramsset[i] = params[varray[i]];
}
}
//////
// need to modify existing function and return with added parameters
// where I'm stuck as this doesn't work.
newfunc = (function(){
var _func = func;
return function() {
return _func.apply(this, paramsset);
}
})();
newfunc()
}
I'm sure I'm not doing this the correct way, but any help would be appreciated.

I'm certainly not advocating to go towards that solution, but I still implemented something to follow your initial's API design for fun. The signatures weak map is necessary in order to preserve the initial function's signature so that we can call setParams again on partially applied functions.
var setParams = (function () {
var signatures = new WeakMap();
return function (fn, paramsToApply) {
var signature = signatureOf(fn), newFn;
validateParams(paramsToApply, signature.params);
newFn = function () {
var params = appliedParamsFrom(arguments, paramsToApply, signature.indexes);
return fn.apply(this, params);
};
signatures.set(newFn, signature);
return newFn;
};
function signatureOf(fn) {
return signatures.has(fn)?
signatures.get(fn) :
parseSignatureOf(fn);
}
function parseSignatureOf(fn) {
return String(fn)
.match(/function.*?\((.*?)\)/)[1]
.replace(/\s+/g, '')
.split(',')
.reduce(function (r, param, index) {
r.indexes[param] = index;
r.params.push(param);
return r;
}, { indexes: {}, params: [] });
}
function validateParams(paramsToApply, actualParams) {
Object.keys(paramsToApply).forEach(function (param) {
if (actualParams.indexOf(param) == -1) throw new Error("parameter '" + param + "' could not be found in the function's signature which is: 'function (" + actualParams + ")'");
});
}
function appliedParamsFrom(args, paramsToApply, paramsIndex) {
var appliedParams = [],
usedIndexes = [],
argsIndex = 0,
argsLen = args.length,
argSpotIndex = 0;
Object.keys(paramsToApply).forEach(function (param) {
var index = paramsIndex[param];
appliedParams[index] = paramsToApply[param];
usedIndexes.push(index);
});
while (argsIndex < argsLen) {
if (usedIndexes.indexOf(argSpotIndex) == -1) {
appliedParams[argSpotIndex] = args[argsIndex++];
}
++argSpotIndex;
}
return appliedParams;
}
})();
function add(a, b) { return a + b; }
var addTo9 = setParams(add, { b: 9 });
var add10To9 = setParams(addTo9, { a: 10 });
document.write(addTo9(10) + ', ' + add10To9());
Now, note that JavaScript comes with the Function.prototype.bind function which allows to perform in-order partial function application. The first parameter to bind has nothing to do with arguments, it's to bind the this value.
function add(a, b) { return a + b; }
var addTo9 = add.bind(null, 9);
document.write(addTo9(10));
And finally, an implementation with a placholder if you need one:
var partial = (function (undefined) {
var PLACEHOLDER = {};
function partial(fn, partialArgs) {
return function () {
return fn.apply(this, applyPartialArgs(arguments, partialArgs));
};
}
Object.defineProperty(partial, 'PLACEHOLDER', {
get: function () { return PLACEHOLDER; }
});
return partial;
function applyPartialArgs(args, partialArgs) {
var appliedArgs = partialArgs.map(function (arg) {
return arg === PLACEHOLDER? undefined : arg;
}),
partialArgsLen = partialArgs.length,
argsLen = args.length,
argsIndex = 0,
argSpotIndex = 0;
while (argsIndex < argsLen) {
if (
partialArgs[argSpotIndex] === PLACEHOLDER ||
argSpotIndex >= partialArgsLen
) {
appliedArgs[argSpotIndex] = args[argsIndex++];
}
++argSpotIndex;
}
return appliedArgs;
}
})();
function add(a, b, c, d) {
return a + b + c + d;
}
var _ = partial.PLACEHOLDER;
var addTo9 = partial(add, [_, 5, _, 4]);
document.write(addTo9(5, 5));

I'm guessing that they might have been testing for knowledge of partial application. (not currying)
Edit: Edited based upon your comments. This is Crockford's curry function straight from his book.
function add(a, b) {
return a + b;
}
if (!Function.prototype.partial) {
Function.prototype.partial = function() {
var slice = Array.prototype.slice,
args = new Array(arguments.length),
that = this;
for (var i = 0; i < args.length; i++) {
args[i] = arguments[i];
}
return function() {
return that.apply(null, args.concat(slice.apply(arguments)));
}
};
}
var example = add.partial(4);
console.log(example(10)); // output 14
console.log(example(20)); // output 24
var example = adder(4) assigns example to be function with a closure with a (in this case 4). When example is called like in the console.log, it will in effect be returning "the value of a when example was assigned, plus this new number."
Walkthrough of the partial() function:
Converts arguments to an array
returns a function gets passed the arguments given, which can be called later. It has a closure with the previously assigned arguments.

What is wrong with my observable pattern?

I'm testing the observable pattern in javascript. My callbacks in the array never seem to execute. What is wrong with my syntax?
<script type="text/javascript">
var Book = function (value) {
var onChanging = [];
this.name = function () {
for (var i = 0; i < onChanging.length; i++) {
onChanging[i]();
}
return value;
}
this.addTest = function (fn) {
onChanging.push(fn);
}
}
var b = new Book(13);
b.addTest(function () { console.log("executing"); return true; });
b.name = 15;
</script>

From your code above it looks like you need to call your function name instead of assigning a value something like:
var b = new Book(13);
b.addTest(function () { console.log("executing"); return true; });
b.name(); //<-- Before b.name = 15

Setting b.name = 15 doesn't execute the function, it just overwrites the value of b.name.
You could use getters and setters to react to a changing value. See John Resig's blog post or the MDN reference
I edited your code to use them:
var Book = function (value) {
this.onChanging = [];
this._name = "";
}
Book.prototype = {
addTest: function (fn) {
this.onChanging.push(fn);
},
get name() {
return this._name;
},
set name(val) {
for (var i = 0; i < this.onChanging.length; i++) {
this.onChanging[i](val);
}
this._name = val;
}
};
var b = new Book(13);
b.addTest(function (val) {
console.log("executing", val);
return true;
});
b.name = 15;
b.name = 17;
working demo.

You can also make a more generic solution that can work for all your properties without having to define the getters and setters, a lot of frameworks use this approach.
Book = function () {
this._events = [];
this._rawdata = {};
}
Book.prototype = {
bind: function (fn) {
this._events.push(fn);
},
// pass the property, and it returns its value, pass the value and it sets it!
attr: function (property, val) {
if (typeof val === "undefined") return this._rawdata[property];
this._rawdata[property] = val;
for (var i = 0; i < this._events.length; i++)
// we pass out the val and the property
this._events[i](val, property);
}
};
b = new Book();
b.bind(function (val) {
console.log("executing", val);
return true;
});
b.attr("name","The Hobbit");
b.attr("SKU" ,1700109393901);
console.log(b.attr("name")); // --> The Hobbit
http://jsfiddle.net/wv4ch6as/
Of course you would want to change the binder so that you can bind onto properties not one bind for all properties, but I think this gets the idea.

How to "new" a returned function in Javascript

I am trying to simulate a namespace feature in Javascript.
var com = {};
com.domain = {};
com.domain.system = {};
com.domain.net = {};
com.domain.net.ip = {};
com.domain.net.ip.tcp = {};
com.domain.net.ip.udp = {};
com.domain.net.ip.ssl = {};
com.domain.util = {};
com.domain.util.timer = {};
com.domain.plugins = {};
com.domain.session = {};
com.domain.io = {};
com.domain.algorithm = {};
com.domain.debug = {};
This is the namespaces declaration. Later I will add functions to these namespaces.
This is my selector function:
For a convenient way to use namespaces, I add a function named $. This function will walk all namespaces in com. If the selected name exists, return the object.
function $ (selector) {
function digger (namespace, selector) {
for (var prop in namespace) {
if (typeof namespace[prop] == "array" || typeof namespace[prop] == "object") {
if (prop == selector) {
return namespace[prop];
}
var dig = digger(namespace[prop], selector);
if (dig != null) {
return dig;
}
} else {
if (prop == selector) {
return namespace[prop];
}
}
}
}
return digger (com, selector);
}
After that, I add a timer to namespace com.doamin.util.
com.domain.util.timer = function () {
this._handle = new InnerObj.SystemTimer(io);
return this;
};
com.domain.util.timer.prototype.expiresFromNow = function (seconds, cbHandler) {
this._handle.ExpiresFromNow (seconds, cbHandler);
};
com.domain.util.timer.prototype.wait = function (seconds, cbHandler) {
this._handle.Wait (seconds, cbHandler);
};
com.domain.util.timer.prototype.expiresAt = function (seconds, cbHandler) {
this._handle.Wait (seconds, cbHandler);
};
com.domain.util.timer.prototype.cancel = function () {
this._handle.Cancel ();
};
Usage:
1. var timer = new com.domain.util.timer (); OK
timer.expiresAt (1, {}); OK
2. var func = $("timer"); OK
var timer = new func (); OK
timer.expiresAt (1, {}); OK
But but but but but
var timer = new $("timer") (); NG
Can anyone tell me why the last new function is not working?

Try var timer = new ($("timer"))();.
Your question is not clear but I guess since $("timer") returns a function, you want a new instance of the result of $("timer") and not a new instance of $().