Develop Reference

How to assign a function to a object method in javascript?

I'd like to 'proxy' (not sure if that's the term at all) a function inside a function object for easy calling.
Given the following code
function Soldier() {
this.el = $("<div></div>").addClass('soldier');
this.pos = this.el.position; // $(".soldier").position(), or so I thought
}
In the console:
s = new Soldier();
$("#gamemap").append(s.el); // Add the soldier to the game field
s.pos === s.el.position // this returns true
s.el.position() // Returns Object {top: 0, left: 0}
s.pos() // Returns 'undefined'
What am I doing wrong in this scenario and is there an easy way to achieve my goal (s.pos() to return the result of s.el.position()) ?
I thought about s.pos = function() { return s.el.position(); } but looks a bit ugly and not apropriate. Also I'd like to add more similar functions and the library will become quite big to even load.

When you're calling s.pos(), its this context is lost.
You can simulate this behavior using call():
s.pos.call(s); // same as s.pos()
s.pos.call(s.el); // same as s.el.position()
This code is actually ok:
s.pos = function() { return s.el.position(); }
An alternative is using bind():
s.pos = s.el.position.bind(el);
You can use the prototype, that way the functions will not be created separately for every object:
Soldier.prototype.pos = function(){ return this.el.position(); }

I'd recommend to use the prototype:
Soldier.prototype.pos = function() { return this.el.position(); };
Not ugly at all, and quite performant actually.
If you want to directly assign it in the constructor, you'll need to notice that the this context of a s.pos() invocation would be wrong. You therefore would need to bind it:
…
this.pos = this.el.position.bind(this.el);

It's because the context of execution for position method has changed. If you bind the method to work inside the element context it will work.
JS Fiddle
function Soldier() {
this.el = $("<div></div>").addClass('soldier');
this.pos = this.el.position.bind(this.el);
}
var s = new Soldier();
$("#gamemap").append(s.el);
console.log(s.pos());

Bind Javascript Objects to HTML elements

I just want to share an experience with you all. So my problem was, that I came across the problem of binding javascript back-end objects to HTML front-end elements. Now, i have searched through google and read some stackoverflow articles about this problem, and many posts answer to this is to use jQuery.data(), however in my first attempts I did not succeed because there was something I did not know about jQuery's object creation method. My problem was that, I wanted to retrieve the stored data outside of the scope where i stored this, and jQuery always(i think) returns a new object reference when i write jQuery('selectorID'). So for example:
var ref1 = $('#myID');
var ref2 = $('#myID');
if(ref1 == ref2)
{
alert(true);
}
else
{
alert(false);
}
Will always alert false. However replacing the jQuery method with javascript's built-in getElementById() we will get the same reference! Hence the following code will always alert true!
var ref1 = document.getElementById("myID");
var ref2 = document.getElementById("myID");
if(ref1 == ref2)
{
alert(true);
}
else
{
alert(false);
}
The little morale of my story is that if you want to globally bind javascript objects to HTML elements and are thinking about using jQuery's data() method, store the data on the reference returned by javascript's built-in getElementById(). That way, whereever you retrieve the reference with getElementByID, you will always get the same reference and can get the data from it using jQuery's data() method.
My Questions:
Is my logic of thinking ok?
Is there a better way to globally bind javascript objects to HTML elements?

Whatever the reason behind the code you mention not working was, it was decidedly not the fact that jQuery gives you a new collection for every query. Given the HTML:
<div id="somediv"> foo bar </div>
the following Javascript works as expected:
var $ref1 = $('#somediv');
var $ref2 = $('#somediv');
console.log("$ref1:", $ref1);
console.log("$ref2:", $ref2);
// compare the collections / references
console.log("$ref1 == $ref2:", $ref1 == $ref2); // => false
console.log("$ref1 === $ref2", $ref1 === $ref2); // => false
// compare the referred DOM elements themselves
console.log("$ref1[0] == $ref2[0]:", $ref1[0] == $ref2[0]); // => true
console.log("$ref1[0] === $ref2[0]", $ref1[0] === $ref2[0]); // => true
$ref1.data('somedata', 'SOMEDATA');
console.log('$ref1->somedata:', $ref1.data('somedata')); // => SOMEDATA
console.log('$ref2->somedata:', $ref2.data('somedata')); // => SOMEDATA

The way I do it is something like this.
var ref1 = $('a');
var ref2 = $('div');
var equal = ref1.length === ref2.length;
if (equal) {
$.each(ref1, function(i) {
equal = equal && ref1[i] === ref2[i];
if (!equal) {
return false;
}
});
}
if (equal) {
alert(true);
} else {
alert(false);
}

ref1[0] === ref2[0] // Should return true
I think jQuery's instances are unique, so you can compare its matched items, which should be just one element when you reference an ID.
You could do something like this:
var ref1 = $('#myID')[0];
var ref2 = $('#myID')[0];

I dive into jQuery's source code, and find the constructor of jQuery. As follow:
// Define a local copy of jQuery
jQuery = function( selector, context ) {
// The jQuery object is actually just the init constructor 'enhanced'
return new jQuery.fn.init( selector, context, rootjQuery );
}
Whenever you use ref2 = $('#myID') to retrive a corresponding jQuery element, jQuery will create a new object to you. So the == will return false to you coz' the two element is completely different to js object engine.
Seems getElementById method is more fit your need. But I don't know how js engine perform its getElementById method.

How can I refresh a stored and snapshotted jquery selector variable

I ran yesterday in a problem with a jquery-selector I assigned to a variable and it's driving me mad.
Here is a jsfiddle with testcase:
assign the .elem to my obj var
log both lengths to the console. Result => 4
Remove #3 from the DOM
log obj to the console => the removed #3 is still there and the length is still 4.
I figured out that jquery query is snapshotted? to the variable and can't?won't? be updated
log .elem to the console.. yep Result => 3 and the #3 is gone
Now I update .elem with a new width of 300
logging obj & obj.width gives me 300.. So the snapshot has been updated ? What's interesting is that 3 of the 4 divs have the new width, but the removed #3 doesn't...
Another test: Adding a li element to the domtree and logging obj and .elem.
.elem does have the new li and obj doesn't, because it's still the old snapshot
http://jsfiddle.net/CBDUK/1/
Is there no way to update this obj with the new content?
I don't want to make a new obj, because in my application there is a lot information saved in that object, I don't want to destroy...

Yeah, it's a snapshot. Furthermore, removing an element from the page DOM tree isn't magically going to vanish all references to the element.
You can refresh it like so:
var a = $(".elem");
a = $(a.selector);
Mini-plugin:
$.fn.refresh = function() {
return $(this.selector);
};
var a = $(".elem");
a = a.refresh();
This simple solution doesn't work with complex traversals though. You are going to have to make a parser for the .selector property to refresh the snapshot for those.
The format is like:
$("body").find("div").next(".sibling").prevAll().siblings().selector
//"body div.next(.sibling).prevAll().siblings()"
In-place mini-plugin:
$.fn.refresh = function() {
var elems = $(this.selector);
this.splice(0, this.length);
this.push.apply( this, elems );
return this;
};
var a = $(".elem");
a.refresh() //No assignment necessary

I also liked #Esailija solution, but seems that this.selector has some bugs with filter.
So I modified to my needs, maybe it will be useful to someone
This was for jQuery 1.7.2 didn`t test refresh on filtered snapshots on higher versions
$.fn.refresh = function() { // refresh seletor
var m = this.selector.match(/\.filter\([.\S+\d?(\,\s2)]*\)/); // catch filter string
var elems = null;
if (m != null) { // if no filter, then do the evarage workflow
var filter = m[0].match(/\([.\S+\d?(\,\s2)]*\)/)[0].replace(/[\(\)']+/g,'');
this.selector = this.selector.replace(m[0],''); // remove filter from selector
elems = $(this.selector).filter(filter); // enable filter for it
} else {
elems = $(this.selector);
}
this.splice(0, this.length);
this.push.apply( this, elems );
return this;
};
Code is not so beautiful, but it worked for my filtered selectors.

Clean and generic solution worked properly with jQuery 3.4.1:
My solution is to do the following:
Intercept the selector at the time of jQuery object initialization and in the same time maintain all other jQuery functionalities transparently all this using inheritance
Build refresh plugin that make use of the new "selector" property we added during initialization
Definition:
$ = (function (originalJQuery)
{
return (function ()
{
var newJQuery = originalJQuery.apply(this, arguments);
newJQuery.selector = arguments.length > 0 ? arguments[0] : null;
return newJQuery;
});
})($);
$.fn = $.prototype = jQuery.fn;
$.fn.refresh = function ()
{
if (this.selector != null && (typeof this.selector === 'string' || this.selector instanceof String))
{
var elems = $(this.selector);
this.splice(0, this.length);
this.push.apply(this, elems);
}
return this;
};
Usage:
var myAnchors = $('p > a');
//Manipulate your DOM and make changes to be captured by the refresh plugin....
myAnchors.refresh();
//Now, myAnchors variable will hold a fresh snapshot
Note:
As optimization, object selectors don't need refresh as they are pass by reference by nature so, in refresh plugin, we only refresh if the selector is a string selector not object selector for clarification, consider the following code:
// Define a plain object
var foo = { foo: "bar", hello: "world" };
// Pass it to the jQuery function
var $foo = $( foo );
// Test accessing property values
var test1 = $foo.prop( "foo" ); // bar
// Change the original object
foo.foo = "koko";
// Test updated property value
var test2 = $foo.prop( "foo" ); // koko

Jquery .selector is deprecated, it's better to remeber string with selector value to some variable at the moment when you assign
function someModule($selector, selectorText) {
var $moduleSelector = $selector;
var moduleSelectorText = selectorText;
var onSelectorRefresh = function() {
$moduleSelector = $(moduleSelectorText);
}
}
https://api.jquery.com/selector/

You can also return the JQuery selector in a function, and save this function into the variable. Your code will look a bit different but it works. Every time when you execute the function, your jquery selector will search the DOM again.
In this example I used an arrow function without brackets which will return whatever is next to arrow. In this case it will return the JQuery collection.
const $mySelector = () => $('.selector');
console.log($mySelector().last().text());
$('.parent').append('<li class="selector">4</li>')
console.log($mySelector().last().text()); //RETURNS 4 not 3
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<ul class="parent">
<li class="selector">1</li>
<li class="selector">2</li>
<li class="selector">3</li>
</ul>

If you use remove() it will remove only a part of the DOM but not all the children or related, instead if you use empty() on the element the problem is gone.
E.G.:
$('#parent .child).find('#foo').empty();
Maybe it can be useful to someone!

JavaScript access elements from custom object

This must be a very stupid question, but I just can't get it to work.
I'm creating my own UIKit for iOS. (Website-kit which will allow iPhone-like interfaces).
But, I'm trying to create a JavaScript library, which can be used to change several elements of the document. For instance, set a custom background colour when the document loads.
I'm trying to do that with object-orientated JavaScript. Like this:
var UI = new Interface();
UI.setBackground("#000");
How could I achieve this?
(So the custom "UI" Object, and (an example) on how to change the background color of the document, from INSIDE the object.)

You can save a reference to the DOM inside the JS object and rewrite it as needed.
function Interface() {
this.setBackground = function (color) {
this.pointTo.style.background = color;
};
this.pointTo = document.body;
}
You can initialize this by:
var UI = new Interface();
UI.pointTo = document.getElementById('some_id');
UI.setBackground("#000");
// Set another style, on a different element
UI.pointTo = document.getElementById('some_other_id');
UI.setBackground("#FFF");
This is a simple implementation and need to be allot smarter, but it should do the job.
Edit:
Made a mistake in original posting, and fixed erroneous code. Also made an example: http://jsfiddle.net/HpW3E/

Like silverstrike's code, but you can pass the target object in the interface constructor to don't get trouble in the future.
function Interface(target) {
target = target || document.body;
this.setBackground = function (color) {
target.style.background = color || 'white';
};
}
Ok now you can do this:
var UI = new Interface(document.body);
UI.setBackground("#000");
or even in somecases that you are applying the interface in global scope !ONLY!:
var UI = new Interface(this.body);
UI.setBackground("#000");
Also will work as this:
var UI = new Interface();
UI.setBackground("#000");

Here is a very simple approach
// define the object
var Interface = function () {
var interface = document.getElementById("interface"); // just an example
// your new methods
this.setBackground = function (color) {
interface.style.backgroundColor = color;
}
// rest of your code
}
now you can make use of it
var UI = new Interface();
UI.setBackground("#000");

Functional object basics. How to go beyond simple containers?

On the upside I'm kinda bright, on the downside I'm wracked with ADD. If I have a simple example, that fits with what I already understand, I get it. I hope someone here can help me get it.
I've got a page that, on an interval, polls a server, processes the data, stores it in an object, and displays it in a div. It is using global variables, and outputing to a div defined in my html. I have to get it into an object so I can create multiple instances, pointed at different servers, and managing their data seperately.
My code is basically structured like this...
HTML...
<div id="server_output" class="data_div"></div>
JavaScript...
// globals
var server_url = "http://some.net/address?client=Some+Client";
var data = new Object();
var since_record_id;
var interval_id;
// window onload
window.onload(){
getRecent();
interval_id = setInterval(function(){
pollForNew();
}, 300000);
}
function getRecent(){
var url = server_url + '&recent=20';
// do stuff that relies on globals
// and literal reference to "server_output" div.
}
function pollForNew(){
var url = server_url + '&since_record_id=' + since_record_id;
// again dealing with globals and "server_output".
}
How would I go about formatting that into an object with the globals defined as attributes, and member functions(?) Preferably one that builds its own output div on creation, and returns a reference to it. So I could do something like...
dataOne = new MyDataDiv('http://address/?client');
dataOne.style.left = "30px";
dataTwo = new MyDataDiv('http://different/?client');
dataTwo.style.left = "500px";
My code is actually much more convoluted than this, but I think if I could understand this, I could apply it to what I've already got. If there is anything I've asked for that just isn't possible please tell me. I intend to figure this out, and will. Just typing out the question has helped my ADD addled mind get a better handle on what I'm actually trying to do.
As always... Any help is help.
Thanks
Skip
UPDATE:
I've already got this...
$("body").prepend("<div>text</div>");
this.test = document.body.firstChild;
this.test.style.backgroundColor = "blue";
That's a div created in code, and a reference that can be returned. Stick it in a function, it works.
UPDATE AGAIN:
I've got draggable popups created and manipulated as objects with one prototype function. Here's the fiddle. That's my first fiddle! The popups are key to my project, and from what I've learned the data functionality will come easy.

This is pretty close:
// globals
var pairs = {
{ div : 'div1', url : 'http://some.net/address?client=Some+Client' } ,
{ div : 'div2', url : 'http://some.net/otheraddress?client=Some+Client' } ,
};
var since_record_id; //?? not sure what this is
var intervals = [];
// window onload
window.onload(){ // I don't think this is gonna work
for(var i; i<pairs.length; i++) {
getRecent(pairs[i]);
intervals.push(setInterval(function(){
pollForNew(map[i]);
}, 300000));
}
}
function getRecent(map){
var url = map.url + '&recent=20';
// do stuff here to retrieve the resource
var content = loadResoucrce(url); // must define this
var elt = document.getElementById(map.div);
elt.innerHTML = content;
}
function pollForNew(map){
var url = map.url + '&since_record_id=' + since_record_id;
var content = loadResoucrce(url); // returns an html fragment
var elt = document.getElementById(map.div);
elt.innerHTML = content;
}
and the html obviously needs two divs:
<div id='div1' class='data_div'></div>
<div id='div2' class='data_div'></div>
Your 'window.onload` - I don't think that's gonna work, but maybe you have it set up correctly and didn't want to bother putting in all the code.
About my suggested code - it defines an array in the global scope, an array of objects. Each object is a map, a dictionary if you like. These are the params for each div. It supplies the div id, and the url stub. If you have other params that vary according to div, put them in the map.
Then, call getRecent() once for each map object. Inside the function you can unwrap the map object and get at its parameters.
You also want to set up that interval within the loop, using the same parameterization. I myself would prefer to use setTimeout(), but that's just me.
You need to supply the loadResource() function that accepts a URL (string) and returns the HTML available at that URL.
This solves the problem of modularity, but it is not "an object" or class-based approach to the problem. I'm not sure why you'd want one with such a simple task. Here's a crack an an object that does what you want:
(function() {
var getRecent = function(url, div){
url = url + '&recent=20';
// do stuff here to retrieve the resource
var content = loadResoucrce(url); // must define this
var elt = document.getElementById(div);
elt.innerHTML = content;
}
var pollForNew = function(url, div){
url = url + '&since_record_id=' + since_record_id;
var content = loadResoucrce(url); // returns an html fragment
var elt = document.getElementById(div);
elt.innerHTML = content;
}
UpdatingDataDiv = function(map) {
if (! (this instanceof arguments.callee) ) {
var error = new Error("you must use new to instantiate this class");
error.source = "UpdatingDataDiv";
throw error;
}
this.url = map.url;
this.div = map.div;
this.interval = map.interval || 30000; // default 30s
var self = this;
getRecent(this.url, this.div);
this.intervalId = setInterval(function(){
pollForNew(self.url, self.div);
}, this.interval);
};
UpdatingDataDiv.prototype.cancel = function() {
if (this.intervalId) {
clearInterval(this.intervalId);
this.intervalId = null;
}
}
})();
var d1= new UpdatingDataDiv('div1','http://some.net/address?client=Some+Client');
var d2= new UpdatingDataDiv('div2','http://some.net/otheraddress?client=Some+Client');
...
d1.cancel();
But there's not a lot you can do with d1 and d2. You can invoke cancel() to stop the updating. I guess you could add more functions to extend its capability.

OK, figured out what I needed. It's pretty straight forward.
First off disregard window.onload, the object is defined as a function and when you instantiate a new object it runs the function. Do your setup in the function.
Second, for global variables that you wish to make local to your object, simply define them as this.variable_name; within the object. Those variables are visible throughout the object, and its member functions.
Third, define your member functions as object.prototype.function = function(){};
Fourth, for my case, the object function should return this; This allows regular program flow to examine the variables of the object using dot notation.
This is the answer I was looking for. It takes my non-functional example code, and repackages it as an object...
function ServerObject(url){
// global to the object
this.server_url = url;
this.data = new Object();
this.since_record_id;
this.interval_id;
// do the onload functions
this.getRecent();
this.interval_id = setInterval(function(){
this.pollForNew();
}, 300000);
// do other stuff to setup the object
return this;
}
// define the getRecent function
ServerObject.prototype.getRecent = function(){
// do getRecent(); stuff
// reference object variables as this.variable;
}
// same for pollForNew();
ServerObject.prototype.pollForNew = function(){
// do pollForNew(); stuff here.
// reference object variables as this.variable;
}
Then in your program flow you do something like...
var server = new ServerObject("http://some.net/address");
server.variable = newValue; // access object variables
I mentioned the ADD in the first post. I'm smart enough to know how complex objects can be, and when I look for examples and explanations they expose certain layers of those complexities that cause my mind to just swim. It is difficult to drill down to the simple rules that get you started on the ground floor. What's the scope of 'this'? Sure I'll figure that out someday, but the simple truth is, you gotta reference 'this'.
Thanks
I wish I had more to offer.
Skip