turn string into executable function javascript

Question

var arr = ['abc','xyz'];

$.each(arr, function(i,val){
var val = val; //where I got abc, xyz here
if(some condition){
   //run abc function but I don't want to do abc(), possible?
}

});

function abc(){}
function xyz(){}

Instead of hardcode my function name like abc(), is there anywhere I can turn string (val) into executable function? by that way I can execute whatever function by just adding values in my array.

Possible duplicate of [Is there a way to create a function from a string with javascript?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/7650071/is-there-a-way-to-create-a-function-from-a-string-with-javascript) — alex, Jul 22 '16 at 03:15

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 22 '16 at 03:16

Assuming your functions are in the global scope, you can access them through window[functionname]():

var arr = ['abc','xyz'];

$.each(arr, function(i,val){
  window[val]();
});

function abc() {
  console.log('In abc()');
}

function xyz(){
  console.log('In xyz()');
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>

score 0 · Accepted Answer · answered Jul 22 '16 at 03:17

0

Instead of passing in a string, just pass in a reference to the function itself:

var arr = [abc, xyz];

$.each(arr, function(i, fn) {
  if (true) {
    fn();
  }
});

function abc() {
  console.log('abc');
}

function xyz() {
  console.log('xyz');
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>

answered Jul 22 '16 at 03:17

Robby Cornelissen

91,784
22
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but what does if(true) do there? – Eunice Chia Jul 22 '16 at 03:40
1

Nothing. I just put it there because you had `if (some condition)` in your code. – Robby Cornelissen Jul 22 '16 at 03:41

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Jul 22 '16 at 03:17

Both the functions should be a part of a common parent object. So that can be accessed by their property name. Here both are part of the window Object.

var arr = ['abc', 'xyz'];

$.each(arr, function(i, val) {
  if (true) { // some condition.
    window[val]();
  }

});

function abc() {
  console.log('Inside the FN abc');
}

function xyz() {
  console.log('Inside the FN xyz');
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>

score 0 · Answer 4 · answered Jul 22 '16 at 03:36

0

eval(str) will run code that is in the string str. You really need to trust str and make sure that users can get access to it.

answered Jul 22 '16 at 03:36

Adrian Brand

20,384
4
39
60

turn string into executable function javascript

4 Answers4