Easy Variable Scope question...

[Mike P]

I have, what should be, a simple scope problem. Can you help me fix this?

I'm trying to end up like this:
originalArray = [1,2,7] and newArray = [6,7,12].

Instead I wind up like this:
originalArray = [6,7,12] and newArray = [6,7,12].

Here's my code:

var originalArray = [1,2,7]; /* I'm pulling this from a form and want
to keep it as is, but the function modifies it */
var newArray = createNewArray( originalArray ); /* I want to wind up
with newArray = [6,7,12] */

function createNewArray( x ) {
for ( var i = 0; i < x.length; i++ ) { x[i] += 5 }
return x;
}

I've also tried this:

function createNewArray( x ) {
var y = x;
for ( var i = 0; i < y.length; i++ ) { y[i] += 5 }
return y;
}

and this:

var originalArray = [1,2,3];
var tmpArray = originalArray;
var newArray = createNewArray( tmpArray );

function createNewArray( x ) {
for ( var i = 0; i < x.length; i++ ) { x[i] += 5 } return x;
}

all with the same disasterous results.

Thanks!

Mike

[web.dev]

Mike P wrote:

I have, what should be, a simple scope problem. Can you help me fix this?

I'm trying to end up like this:
originalArray = [1,2,7] and newArray = [6,7,12].

Instead I wind up like this:
originalArray = [6,7,12] and newArray = [6,7,12].

Here's my code:

var originalArray = [1,2,7]; /* I'm pulling this from a form and want
to keep it as is, but the function modifies it */
var newArray = createNewArray( originalArray ); /* I want to wind up
with newArray = [6,7,12] */

function createNewArray( x ) {
for ( var i = 0; i < x.length; i++ ) { x[i] += 5 }
return x;
}

I've also tried this:

function createNewArray( x ) {
var y = x;
for ( var i = 0; i < y.length; i++ ) { y[i] += 5 }
return y;
}

and this:

var originalArray = [1,2,3];
var tmpArray = originalArray;
var newArray = createNewArray( tmpArray );

function createNewArray( x ) {
for ( var i = 0; i < x.length; i++ ) { x[i] += 5 } return x;
}

all with the same disasterous results.

Thanks!

Mike

Hi Mike,

You were very close to the solution, taking one of your solutions from
above and modified it as follows will work:

function createNewArray( x)
{
var y = new Array();

for (var i = 0; i < x.length; i++)
{
y[i] = x[i] + 5
}

return y;
}

var originalArray = [1, 2, 7];
var newArray = createNewArray( originalArray);

You were missing the following:

var y = new Array();

It was because you were referencing the same Array that was causing the
problem. If you explicitly created a new array, that will solve your
problem.

[Lee]

Mike P said:

I have, what should be, a simple scope problem. Can you help me fix this?

I'm trying to end up like this:
originalArray = [1,2,7] and newArray = [6,7,12].

Instead I wind up like this:
originalArray = [6,7,12] and newArray = [6,7,12].

Here's my code:

var originalArray = [1,2,7]; /* I'm pulling this from a form and want
to keep it as is, but the function modifies it */
var newArray = createNewArray( originalArray ); /* I want to wind up
with newArray = [6,7,12] */

function createNewArray( x ) {
for ( var i = 0; i < x.length; i++ ) { x[i] += 5 }
return x;
}

No matter how you assign an array variable to another variable,
you are only assigning a reference to the original array.
You need to create an entirely new array:

function createNewArray( x) {
var y=new Array(x.length) ;
for(var i=0;i<x.length; i++) {
y[i]=x[i]+5;
}
return y;
}

[Mike P]

Thanks... got it :)

Mike

[RobG]

Mike P wrote:

Thanks... got it :)

The fastest way to copy an array is to use its concat() method:

var A = [1, 2];
var B = A.concat();

Done.

concat() was introduced with JavaScript 1.2, so maybe some 'version 4'
browsers won't have it, but any even remotely modern browser will.

The usual caveat applies - elements of A that are objects (arrays or
whatever) are 'copied' as references. The other solutions offered do
the same.

--
Rob

[Mike P]

Thanks RobG.... you're quickly becoming my best friend :)

Mike

[Mike P]

"RobG" <rg***@iinet.ne t.au> wrote in message
news:43******** *************** @per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au ...

The fastest way to copy an array is to use its concat() method:

var A = [1, 2];
var B = A.concat();

I got this... tried it with a simple array, and it worked. Now, I've
restructured things a bit by mixing arrays and objects. And, it's broken.
Is there something that I need to do to make sure this complex mix of
objects and arrays is copied, not referenced with an object?

Here's my code:

var A = {name: "name", contents: [{a:1, b:1},{a:6, b:3}]};
var B = {name: "newname"};
B.contents = A.contents.conc at();
B.contents[0].a = 99;
document.write( "This should be 1, but it equals " + A.contents[0].a);

Thanks again, for the assist!

Mike

[RobG]

Mike P wrote:

"RobG" <rg***@iinet.ne t.au> wrote in message
news:43******** *************** @per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au ...

The fastest way to copy an array is to use its concat() method:

var A = [1, 2];
var B = A.concat();
I got this... tried it with a simple array, and it worked. Now, I've
restructured things a bit by mixing arrays and objects. And, it's broken.

Only types that are passed by value (strings, numbers) will be copied,
anything passed by reference (e.g. objects, arrays, functions) will have
a referenced passed.

Is there something that I need to do to make sure this complex mix of
objects and arrays is copied, not referenced with an object?
Yes, look at what the thing is then do the right thing. The more
complex you make the stuff you put in there, the more complex the
operation becomes.

At some point you realise it is easier to create your own custom objects
(probably using a constructor) and give them the methods they need to
pass values.

Here's my code:

var A = {name: "name", contents: [{a:1, b:1},{a:6, b:3}]};
var B = {name: "newname"};
B.contents = A.contents.conc at();

For A, you may want to give it a getContents() method so you can do
something like:

B.contents = A.getContents() ;

or similar. You need to learn a bit about designing classes (although
JavaScript doesn't have classes, the concept of constructor functions
for objects is very similar) and interfaces to know how to do this properly.

Anyhow, a quick 'n dirty copy function (sorry, you'll have to tidy this
up yourself...):

function copyThing(x)
{
if ( 'number' == typeof x) return x;
if ( 'string' == typeof x) return x;
if ( 'object' == typeof x){
if (x.constructor && Array == x.constructor) {
var z = [];
for (var i=0, len=x.length; i<len; ++i){
z[i] = copyThing(x[i]);
}
return z;
}
if (x.constructor && Object == x.constructor) {
var z = {};
for (prop in x){
z[prop] = copyThing(x[prop]);
}
return z;
}
}
return 'Fell through: ' + x.constructor;
}

// Call using:
B.contents = copyThing(A.con tents);

// Just to prove we did copy B:
alert(
'A.contents[1][\'a\']: ' + A.contents[1]['a']
+ '\n' +
'B.contents[1][\'a\']: ' + B.contents[1]['a']
);

B.contents[1]['a'] *= 3;

alert(
'A.contents[1][\'a\']: ' + A.contents[1]['a']
+ '\n' +
'B.contents[1][\'a\']: ' + B.contents[1]['a']
);

Note that it doesn't deal with functions, booleans, etc. so if you want
to stuff those into objects then copy them you'll need to add more if
statements. You can write a similar function that gets the contents of
the objects and prints them out so you can check the properties/contents.


--
Rob

[VK]

Besides RobG answer in the above posting:

If you are interested in a versatile data serialization media you may
also check JSON way:
<http://www.crockford.c om/JSON/>

[Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn]

RobG wrote:

Mike P wrote:

"RobG" <rg***@iinet.ne t.au> wrote in message
news:43******** *************** @per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au ...

The fastest way to copy an array is to use its concat() method:
var A = [1, 2];
var B = A.concat();

I got this... tried it with a simple array, and it worked. Now, I've
restructured things a bit by mixing arrays and objects. And, it's
broken.

Only types that are passed by value (strings, numbers) will be copied,
anything passed by reference (e.g. objects, arrays, functions) will have
a referenced passed.

There is no such thing as "pass by reference" in JS/ECMAScript,
object references are values.
PointedEars