Variables as 'literals'

Question

I am wondering whether I can use variables that I pass to a function as arguments as "literals" (I don't know a better way to describe the problem, perhaps the example will clear things up):

banana = yellow;
minion = cute;

function ex(banana, minion) {
    banana.minion;
}

// What I want is: yellow.cute

Edit I think I might not have been asking exactly what I meant. I'm sorry for that. Here's the actual code that might clarify things.

function ex(banana, minion){
    createjs.Tween.get(banana, {override: true}).to({banana: minion}, -(value + -banana.minion) * speed, createjs.Ease.ease);
console.log(banana); // returns 'yellow'
console.log(minion); // returns 'cute'
console.log(banana.minion); // returns 'undefined'
console.log(banana[minion]); // returns 'undefined' too
}

So I want to pass whatever I define as banana or minion to be 'literal', so that it will read createjs.Tween.get(yellow, {override: true}).to({yellow: cute}, -(value + -yellow.cute) * speed, createjs.Ease.ease);

So you just want to call `banana(minion)` inside your `ex`function ...? — CBroe, Jun 24 '13 at 09:01

Jeff Foster · Answer 1 · 2013-06-24T09:04:11.280

2

You can pass the name as a string and use the array syntax to access the property.

function ex(banana, minion) {
  return banana[minion];
}

If you want the left hand side of an object to be a string as well (e.g. banana, you could use eval(banana)[minion] but that might raise a few eyebrows at a code review. Note that this works for both properties and methods e.g. eval(banana)[minion](), though I'd step back a bit and ask why you need to do this kind of moderately bonkers stuff :)

edited Jun 24 '13 at 09:04

answered Jun 24 '13 at 08:57

Jeff Foster

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Sorry, I wasn't clearer. `minion` is supposed to reference to a method. So the function will pass whatever name I pass to `minion` as the method for `banana`. Hope this makes more sense. – AKG Jun 24 '13 at 08:59
1

@AKG: Method or property, it doesn't matter. You can use the same idea for methods. – Jakob Jun 24 '13 at 09:03
Please see updated question. Sorry for the confusion. – AKG Jun 24 '13 at 09:07

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 24 '13 at 08:58

1

Use bracket notation instead of dot notation as the member operator

ex

 banana[minion];

answered Jun 24 '13 at 08:58

Arun P Johny

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Variables as 'literals'

2 Answers2