Using a string to return a variable

Question

I'm trying to find a way of using a string to refer to a variable. Here is an example using jQuery:

var array = [1,2,3];

$('.array').click(function(){
    var foo = $(this).attr('class');
    return foo[1];
});

I want this to return the number '2' - but as foo is a string it will return the sub string 'r'.

edit - the answer I was looking for was:

var array = [1,2,3];

$('.array').click(function(){
    var foo = $(this).attr('class');
    return eval(foo)[1];
});

You seem to be mixing up some major concepts here, please elaborate further on what, how and why you're trying to do. — Etheryte, Jul 03 '14 at 20:13
From what's provided I don't see how it "obviously" returns 2 at all. — Davie Brown, Jul 03 '14 at 20:15
@Adjit the array OP created is called `array` and the return is `foo` — Huangism, Jul 03 '14 at 20:17
`$(this).attr('class');` is probably the string "`array`" (look at the jQuery selector with `.click`); OP wants to refer to the variable by name. — apsillers, Jul 03 '14 at 20:21
Similar to http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5613834/convert-string-to-variable-name-in-javascript — soktinpk, Jul 03 '14 at 20:22

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 03 '14 at 20:20

I don't know if this is quite what you mean, but a Javascript object can do this.:

foo = {}; // create object
foo["string"] = [1,2,3]; // now the list [1,2,3] can be referenced
                        //  by foo.string, or foo["string"]
console.log(foo["string"][1]); // Output with string.

Is that what you mean?

Using a string to return a variable

1 Answers1