How to create a method for an array class?

Question

Sorry, I know this is programming 101, but I can't find any good documentation...

I have an array, and I want to cast each member as an object and then call them by the name assigned (this would be so much simpler if javascript allowed for non-number index values). For instance:

 var things = ['chair', 'tv', 'bed'];
 var costs = ['10', '100', '75'];

 for (var i = 0; i < things.length; i++) {
      thing.name = things[i];
      thing.cost = costs[i];
 }

 alert(thing.name('tv').cost);

Obviously this isn't the way to do this, but the desired outcome would be an alert that said "100".

I have gotten as far as creating a class that has a method called name which points back to the main object, like so:

function thing(name, cost) {
         function name(thename) {
              return this;
         }
this.thingname = name;
this.name = name;
this.cost = cost;
}

But this still requires that each object has a unique variable name, which goes against the whole point. What I want is to simply throw all of my array into some generic class and call the values I need by the name.

I know this is probably way to easy to ask here, but I'm stuck!

Thanks.

Have you considered using the JSON object format? json.org/js.html — i_am_jorf
– i_am_jorf, Commented May 17, 2009 at 4:44
Btw, this isn't programming 101, you seem to have that down. This is just javascript 101, cuz javascript's notion of an object isn't quite like most other languages' (it's way cooler!). — Jeremy Huiskamp
– Jeremy Huiskamp, Commented May 17, 2009 at 4:49
You say javascript does not allow for non-number index values, but it does! var x; x['imNotaNumber'] = 'hai'; is perfectly valid. — Pim Jager
– Pim Jager, Commented May 17, 2009 at 9:14

Paolo Bergantino · Accepted Answer · 2009-05-17 04:43:52Z

5

Why not use objects?

var things = {
  chair: 10,
  tv: 100,
  bed: 75
};
alert(things.chair); // 10
alert(things['tv']); // 100

answered May 17, 2009 at 4:43

Paolo Bergantino

490k83 gold badges524 silver badges437 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

Jeremy Huiskamp · Accepted Answer · 2009-05-17 04:44:33Z

2

var stuff = {
    chair: 10,
    tv: 100,
    bed: 75
};
alert(stuff.chair); // alerts '10'
alert(stuff['chair']); // alerts '10'

stuff.house = 100000;
stuff['car'] = 10000;
alert(stuff['house']); // you get the picture...
alert(stuff.car);

answered May 17, 2009 at 4:44

Jeremy Huiskamp

5,3145 gold badges28 silver badges19 bronze badges

Comments

ojrac · Accepted Answer · 2009-05-17 04:44:52Z

1

How about just using a dictionary object:

var things = {'chair':10, 'tv':100, 'bed':75};
alert(things['chair'])

// if you want to use things['chair'].cost, it'd look more like this:
var things = {'chair': {cost: 10}, 'tv': {cost: 100}, 'bed': {cost: 75}};

answered May 17, 2009 at 4:44

ojrac

13.5k6 gold badges40 silver badges40 bronze badges

Comments

Dasha Salo · Accepted Answer · 2009-05-17 04:46:15Z

1

use Why don't define your arrays as an object like

var things = {'chair':10, 'tv':100, 'bed':75}

Then you can access prices like properties of an associative array

things.chair

would give you 10

answered May 17, 2009 at 4:46

Dasha Salo

5,1695 gold badges28 silver badges28 bronze badges

Comments

amantur · Accepted Answer · 2009-05-17 05:00:09Z

0

why don't you try JSON:

like

var myArray= {"things": [
                    {"name":"chair","price":"10"},
                    {"name":"tv","price":"100"},
                    {"name":"bed","price":"75"}
             ]};

//now you can use it like this
for(var i=0; i< myArray.things.length; i++)
{
    alert(myArray.things[i].name + " costs " + myArray.things[i].price);
}

answered May 17, 2009 at 5:00

amantur

40.6k22 gold badges136 silver badges192 bronze badges

Comments

Pim Jager · Accepted Answer · 2009-05-17 09:11:59Z

0

If you need to do this using your original data format (because you have no influence on it) use the following:

var things = ['chair', 'tv', 'bed'];
var costs = ['10', '100', '75'];

var associatedThings;

for(i=0,x=things.length;i<x;i++){
    associatedThings[things[i]] = {cost: costs[i]};
}

alert(associatedThings['tv'].cost);

answered May 17, 2009 at 9:11

Pim Jager

32.2k17 gold badges75 silver badges100 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How to create a method for an array class?

6 Answers 6

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

6 Answers 6

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related