Convert javascript dot notation object to nested object

Question

I'm trying to build a function that would expand an object like :

{     'ab.cd.e' : 'foo',     'ab.cd.f' : 'bar',     'ab.g' : 'foo2' } 

Into a nested object :

{ab: {cd: {e:'foo', f:'bar'}, g:'foo2'}} 

Like this php function : Set::expand()

Without using eval of course.

Answer 1

I believe this is what you're after:

function deepen(obj) {   const result = {};    // For each object path (property key) in the object   for (const objectPath in obj) {     // Split path into component parts     const parts = objectPath.split('.');      // Create sub-objects along path as needed     let target = result;     while (parts.length > 1) {       const part = parts.shift();       target = target[part] = target[part] || {};     }      // Set value at end of path     target[parts[0]] = obj[objectPath]   }    return result; }  // For example ... console.log(deepen({   'ab.cd.e': 'foo',   'ab.cd.f': 'bar',   'ab.g': 'foo2' }));

Answer 2

If you're using Node.js (e.g. - if not cut and paste out of our module), try this package: https://www.npmjs.org/package/dataobject-parser

Built a module that does the forward/reverse operations:

https://github.com/Gigzolo/dataobject-parser

It's designed as a self managed object right now. Used by instantiating an instance of DataObjectParser.

var structured = DataObjectParser.transpose({     'ab.cd.e' : 'foo',     'ab.cd.f' : 'bar',     'ab.g' : 'foo2' });                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

structured.data() returns your nested object:

{ab: {cd: {e:'foo', f:'bar'}, g:'foo2'}}

So here's a working example in JSFiddle:

http://jsfiddle.net/H8Cqx/