Create a JavaScript object from string

Question

I'm trying to create a JavaScript function that creates an object using strings for structure and fills it from DOM data.

For example, the following strings could look like this:

some.example.here = "hello"
some.example.there = "hi"
other.example = "heyo"

Which should create this object:

{
    some: {
        example: {
            here: "hello",
            there: "hi"
        },
    other: {
        example: "heyo
    }
}

The data as said comes from DOM and is being load at the code segment labeled "read data into object". The data loads fine and the object structure is being setup fine as well, but the data is not being put into the data field.

Here's the code for the function:

function getDataFromElement(element) {
  obj = {};
  $(element)
    .find("[data-value]")
    .each(function() {
      // create object node
      valueObj = {};
      currentValueObj = valueObj;
      $.each($(this).attr("data-value").split("."), function(i, objpath) {
        currentValueObj[objpath] = {};
        currentValueObj = currentValueObj[objpath];
      });

      // read data into object
      if($(this).is("[data-putvalue]") && $(this).attr("data-putvalue") != "html") {
        currentValueObj = $(this).attr($(this).attr("data-putvalue"));
      } else {
        currentValueObj = $(this).html();
      }

      console.log(currentValueObj);

      // combine with previous gathered data
      obj = $.extend(true, {}, obj, valueObj);
    });

  return obj;
}

Does anyone know what to do?

Answer 1

I would do it like this:

var createObject = function(model, name, value) {
  var nameParts = name.split("."),
  currentObject = model;
  for (var i in nameParts) {
    var part = nameParts[i];
    if (i == nameParts.length-1) {
      currentObject[part] = value;
      break;
    }
    if (typeof currentObject[part] == "undefined") {
      currentObject[part] = {};
    }
    currentObject = currentObject[part];
  }
};

And then use it like that:

var model = {};
createObject(model, "some.example.here", "hello");
createObject(model, "some.example.there", "hi");
createObject(model, "other.example", "heyo");