Javascript turning JSON string into instance of function

Question

I have a bunch of JSON string returned from an ajax call in a specific format and when starting to convert them all into my own Javascript object, I start to wonder if there is any easier way since we're talking Javascript here.

I'll have var manyOfThem = [ { name: 'a' }, { name: 'b' }, { name: 'c' } ]; And I'd like to easily associate each of these objects with my functions so that I can do things like:

myClass.prototype.doSomething = function() {
  // do something to this.name
};

$.each(manyOfThem, function(index, item) {
  item.doSomething();
});

I guess my concern is, I would not want to (because its repetitive) do this:

var myClass = function(item) {
  this.name = item.name;
  // do the same for the rest of item's potentially 20 properties
};

var oneOfThem = new myClass(manyOfThem[0]); // I think this is redundant....
oneOfThem.doSomething();

Anyhow, if there is also (security?) reasons why I'd just have to suck it up and do them all manually please share as well, thanks!

Answer 1

You mean, something like (see jsfiddle) :

var MyClass = function() {};
MyClass.prototype = {
    doSomething: function() {
        alert(this.name);
    }
};

Then

var manyObj = $.map(manyOfThem, function(obj) {
   return $.extend( new MyClass(), obj );
});

So you can call :

manyObj[0].doSomething();  // alert("a")

However, this approach will not preserve a direct copy with the manyOfThem object. (In the example above, changing manyOfThem[0].name = "foo"; will not affect manyObj[0] and a call to manyObj[0].doSomething(); will still alert "a". To preserve a direct reference to your object, do this :

var manyObj = $.map(manyOfThem, function(obj) {
    function F() {};
    F.constructor = MyClass;
    F.prototype = obj;
    $.extend(F.prototype, new MyClass());
    return new F();
});


manyObj[0].doSomething();  // alert("a")

manyOfThem[0].name = "foo";  // modify the referenced object

manyObj[0].doSomething();  // alert("foo") ..also modifies the behaviour of the instance

Answer 2

One solution without using a class is

var manyOfThem = [ { name: 'a' }, { name: 'b' }, { name: 'c' } ];

function doSomething(){
    console.log(this.name)
}

$.each(manyOfThem, function(index, item) {
  doSomething.call(item);
});

Demo: Fiddle

If you want to create an instance of type MyClas then

var manyOfThem = [ { name: 'a' }, { name: 'b' }, { name: 'c' } ];

function MyClass(item){
    $.extend(this, item);
}

MyClass.prototype.doSomething = function(){
    console.log(this.name)
}

$.each(manyOfThem, function(index, item) {
    var obj = new MyClass(item);
    obj.doSomething()
});

Demo: Fiddle