Javascript functions objects

[nivekyenwod]

Hi,

Can anyone explain why this is?

functions can be declared in the constructor or in the prototype or on the object after the object has been initialised.

functions can not be declared on the object previous to initialisation, it is not available after iniaialisation.

e.g.
<script type="text/javascript">
var Person = function () {
this.ctx = 'this is some other stuff'; // Public ;
var stuff = 'this is some stuff'; // Private

this.getThisSuff = function () { // this works
return stuff;
};
};

Person.getMyOtherStuff = function () { // this doesnt work

return (function () {return this.ctx;})();

};

Person.prototype.getMyStuff = function () { // this works

return this.ctx;
};


Person.StuffHolder = 'more stuff'; // this works


var p = new Person();

alert('1 ' + p.getThisSuff()); // works

alert('2 ' + p.getMyStuff()); // works

alert('3 ' + p.getMyOtherStuff()); // dont work, why so?
</script>

[Kor]

Should be:

Person.prototype.getMyOtherStuff = function () { 
return this.ctx;
};

Person is the constructor. p is the object.

If you are using the constructor to add a new property/method, you should use the prototype.

[nivekyenwod]

Thnaks for your reply,

dont declare methods in the constructor use prototype. Good. Crockford recommends!

I realised what you are talking about with this implementation in the example:

Person.prototype.getMyStuff = function () { // this works

return this.ctx;
};

---

My question is however, why doest this work?


Person.prototype.getMyStuff = function () { // this works

return this.stuff;
};


// I Posted the wrong example in my post

[nivekyenwod]

//Should have posted this example

<script type="text/javascript">
var Person = function () {
this.ctx = 'this is some other stuff'; // Public ;
var stuff = 'this is some stuff'; // Private

this.getThisSuff = function () { // this works
return stuff;
};
};

Person.getMyOtherStuff = new function () { // this doesnt work

return this.ctx;

};

Person.prototype.getMyStuff = function () { // this works

return this.ctx;
};


Person.StuffHolder = 'more stuff'; // this works


var p = new Person();

alert('1 ' + p.getThisSuff()); // works

alert('2 ' + p.getMyStuff()); // works

alert('3 ' + p.getMyOtherStuff()); // dont work, why so?
stuff.html:35Uncaught TypeError: Object [object Object] has no method 'getMyOtherStuff'

</script>

[nivekyenwod]

// Last time !
<script type="text/javascript">
var Person = function () {
this.ctx = 'this is some other stuff'; // Public ;
var stuff = 'this is some stuff'; // Private

this.getThisSuff = function () { // this works
return stuff;
};
};

Person.getMyOtherStuff = new function () { // this doesnt work

return this.ctx;

};

Person.prototype.getMyStuff = function () { // this works

return this.ctx;
};


Person.StuffHolder = 'more stuff'; // this works


var p = new Person();

alert('1 ' + p.getThisSuff()); // works

alert('2 ' + p.getMyStuff()); // works

alert('3 ' + p.getMyOtherStuff()); // dont work, why so?
</script>

[Kor]

Once again: don't confound the Object with its Constructor.

If you want to add new properties/methods to a Constructor, you must add them to its prototype, so that any other object which might be created using that Constructor could share the new property/method. That is the principle of delegation in JavaScript. What is not clear so far?

function Constructor(name,color){ // this is a constructor
this.name=name;
this.color=color;
}
Constructor.prototype.alertColor=function(){ // this is a new method added straight to the Constructor via its prototype; it will work for all the objects which will be created using this constructor
alert(this.color);
}
var myObject=new Constructor('myObject','red'); // this is an object
myObject.alertName=function(){alert(this.name)} // this is new method added to the object; it will work only for this particular object
//test
myObject.alertName(); // has its own method
myObject.alertColor(); // gets the general method of the prototype of the constructor

var newObject=new Constructor('newObject','green'); // this is another object created using the same constructor
//test
newObject.alertColor(); // gets the general method of the prototype of the constructor (by delegation)

[nivekyenwod]

So basically.

Anything to do with the Creation of the Object must happen in the constructor or the prototype. End of Story. Any thing created out side the constructor but on the same instance is irrelevant.

i.e.

Person.getMyOtherStuff = new function () {

return this.ctx;

};

[Kor]

So basically.

Anything to do with the Creation of the Object must happen in the constructor or the prototype. End of Story. Any thing created out side the constructor but on the same instance is irrelevant.

i.e.

Person.getMyOtherStuff = new function () {

return this.ctx;

};

Not quite. The Constructor (in your case, the function Person()) can be treated also like an object, as any other function, but as an object with its own properties, which have nothing in common with the Object constructed (your case: p)

You should, also, understand the position and the meaning of the token this

Here:

var Person = function () {
this.ctx = 'this is some other stuff'; 
}

this does not refer the constructor Person() itself. It refers the object which might be created via that constructor. For instance, your case, the object p.

On the contrary, in the code:

Person.getMyOtherStuff = function () { 
return this.ctx;
}

this refers the function Person(), not the object created via that function. Or the function Person() has no property called ctx, thus there will be an error.

[nivekyenwod]

reiterate:

Anything to do with the Object after a new event, the instance, must happen in the constructor or the prototype.

Anything outside of the Constructor, a new event is not relevant and are the properties/methods of the object which contains the constructor. If you like static methods.

Thanks for all you help with this. I almost have my head around object and classes.

[nivekyenwod]

That is to say, methods created outside the constructor and prototype are like static method properties/methods

[Kor]

That is to say, methods created outside the constructor and prototype are like static method properties/methods

You may say so. Yes.

[nivekyenwod]

Thanks very much for your support, I will call again!