Javascript/JQuery variable

Question

I have seen javascript code that uses variables as follows:

var defaultVar = { type : 'reports', order : 'ASC', column : '1' }

What kind of variables are these? When should it be used? Also, how do you access each element?

[A re-introduction to JavaScript (JS Tutorial)](https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/A_re-introduction_to_JavaScript). Note that "jQuery variable" isn't a thing - jQuery is essentially a collection of JavaScript functions, it doesn't have its own variables or syntax separate to what JavaScript has. — nnnnnn, Nov 19 '13 at 21:42

joews · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-19T21:28:24.287

3

That is an object literal. Used like this it acts much like a dict, hash or associative array in other languages.

You should use it wherever you need to combine several variables or functions into a single entity.

You access the members like this:

defaultVar['type'] // -> 'reports'
defaultVar.type // -> 'reports'
defaultVar['order'] = "DESC"
defaultVar.order = "DESC"

edited Nov 19 '13 at 21:28

answered Nov 19 '13 at 21:17

joews

4

The quotes are important: `defaultVar['type']` – gen_Eric Nov 19 '13 at 21:19

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Nov 19 '13 at 21:25

1

This is object in javascript. Currently its having type, order, column as its properties.

There are verious ways of creating object

Method 1: var obj = {name: 'robin', rollnumber : '1'}; 

Method 2 : var obj = new Object();  obj.name = 'robin'; obj.rollnumber = '1';

etc.

Objects can have methods as well. e.g. var obj = {callMe : function () {//dosomthing}};

To access elements of objects, just use dot (.) operator.

answered Nov 19 '13 at 21:25

BSS

2

`also called as json`, that is incorrect. JSON is a *string representation* of data that is a "subset of the object literal notation of JavaScript". If it's not a string, it's *not* JSON. – gen_Eric Nov 19 '13 at 21:26
1

You can also do `var obj = {};` instead of `var obj = new Object();` :-) – gen_Eric Nov 19 '13 at 21:30
1

:) yes various ways. Javascript objects are just containers to hold key-value pairs – BSS Nov 19 '13 at 21:31

score -4 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 19 '13 at 21:18

-4

Those are JSON Objects that can be accessed like so:

var type = defaultVar.type;

answered Nov 19 '13 at 21:18

tylerargo

There's no such thing as a "JSON object". He as an object literal. JSON is a *string representation* of data; if it's not a string, it's not JSON. The link says "JSON is a subset of the object literal notation of JavaScript". – gen_Eric Nov 19 '13 at 21:20
I have been served. That's what I get for trying to pick the low hanging fruit :P Thank you for the clarification. – tylerargo Nov 19 '13 at 21:23

score -5 · Answer 4 · answered Nov 19 '13 at 21:16

-5

this is used to create an associative array.

answered Nov 19 '13 at 21:16

AJames

This is by no means to create an _associative array_, and it definitely isn't JSON – dbf Nov 19 '13 at 21:18
2

Not quite. JavaScript doesn't have associative arrays. Also, JSON is only when it's in a *string context*. If it's not a string, it's not JSON. – gen_Eric Nov 19 '13 at 21:18

4 Answers4