What's the difference between this two javascript objects

Question

I am trying to get values from the following object. The for loop works in one of the objects but won't in the other javascript object. I was wondering what the difference and how can I get it to work in the other object?

Object 1:

var objects = [
  {
    "foo" : "bar",
    "bar" : "sit"
  },
  {
    "foo" : "lorem",
    "bar" : "ipsum"
  }
];

Object 2:

{
"4dd5a49e366": {
"name" : "bar",
"bar" : "sit",
"date": "2016-08-03T04:48:04.283Z"
},
"519c5056af2": {
"name" : "lorem",
"bar" : "ipsum",
"date": "2016-09-03T04:48:04.283Z"
}
}

I want to do a search for items where name attribute is matching some search_term. And return the items.

Here is the search for loops am using.

function searchFor(toSearch) {
      var results = [];
      toSearch = trimString(toSearch); // trim it
      for(var i=0; i<objects.length; i++) {
        for(var i in objects[i]) {
          if(objects[i][key].indexOf(toSearch)!=-1) {
            if(!itemExists(results, objects[i])) results.push(objects[i]);
          }
        }
      }
      return results;
    }
   console.log(searchFor('o'));

This works for the first object and not for the second. How can I get it to work for the second?

That is because 1 is an array and 2 is an object. Note the difference between the square brackets and curly brackets. — StardustGogeta, Sep 04 '16 at 04:02
This might help you http://stackoverflow.com/a/11183002/643500 — Sully, Sep 04 '16 at 04:07

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Sep 04 '16 at 04:05

1

I suggest you do some reading on JavaScript Object literals and Arrays. The first example is an array of objects. The second is just an object. Two completely different data structures.

answered Sep 04 '16 at 04:05

Ju66ernaut

2,592
3
23
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brk · Accepted Answer · 2016-09-04T05:40:10.537

1

The first variable is an array of objects. Since it is an array you can use all array methods on it.

Second one is an object with keys 4dd5a49e366 & 519c5056af2 which in turn are again object and have few properties.

You cannot use array methods on this second object

how can I get it to work in the other object?

Hope this snippet will be useful

var myObject = {
  "4dd5a49e366": {
    "name": "bar",
    "bar": "sit",
    "date": "2016-08-03T04:48:04.283Z"
  },
  "519c5056af2": {
    "name": "lorem",
    "bar": "ipsum",
    "date": "2016-09-03T04:48:04.283Z"
  }
}
// a function to accept the name value
function findByName(name) {
  var thisObject = "";
  for (var keys in myObject) { // looping over objects
    var getThisObject = myObject[keys];
    if (getThisObject.name === name) { // Checking if name matches
      thisObject = myObject[keys]; // assigning the object to a variable
    }
  }
  return thisObject // return that variable
}
var getMyObject = findByName('bar');
console.log(getMyObject)

JSFIDDLE

EDIT

if I enter just findByName('b'); it should return results that the full name

You need to use indexOf to find if this name value contains the specific character.

Use an array to store all the relevant object where the name value contains this specific character.Return that array from the function.

function findByName(name) {
  var thisObject = [];
  for (var keys in myObject) {
    var getThisObject = myObject[keys];
    if (getThisObject.name.indexOf(name)!==-1) {
      thisObject.push(myObject[keys]);
    }
  }
  return thisObject
}
var getMyObject = findByName('b');

JSFIDDLE 2

edited Sep 04 '16 at 05:40

answered Sep 04 '16 at 04:27

brk

48,835
10
56
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And by the way am doing a search for some letters in name that match the search term. So for example... if I enter just findByName('b'); it should return results that the full name findByName('bar') will. – Ericel Sep 04 '16 at 05:16
you didn't mentioned it in your question – brk Sep 04 '16 at 05:17
Sorry. My bad. I will really be grateful if I can get that to work. – Ericel Sep 04 '16 at 05:19
ok so what will happen when there are multiple name which has `b` in them. – brk Sep 04 '16 at 05:22
It should return all the items having b. – Ericel Sep 04 '16 at 05:24
you mean to say it will only return the name or the object which contain the name? & if it is only name then how it will be returned in an array or as a concatenated string? – brk Sep 04 '16 at 05:26
The object so that I can get the other elements like "Bar" and "date" – Ericel Sep 04 '16 at 05:32
This is case sensitive as indexOf is . Is there any work around beside using .toLowerCase() – Ericel Sep 04 '16 at 06:09

What's the difference between this two javascript objects

2 Answers2