object-pointer (NodeJS)

A class which points to a certain position inside an object and allows you to modify everything relative to that position.

Installation

First get the package from the npm registry

npm install object-pointer

Then get the class in your application

var Pointer = require('object-pointer');

Example

Create an object and create a Pointer instance first:

var obj = {};
var p = new Pointer(obj, ['nested', 'object']);

You'll see your object is still unmodified

obj.should.eql({});

Now lets set a new key-value:

p.set('key', 'value');

Now your object has been modified

obj.should.eql({
  nested: {
    object: {
      key: 'value'
    }
  }
});

// In other words:

obj.nested.object.key === 'value';

location-argument

A lot of times there's a location argument. A location can be nothing, a string or an array and they point to a certain location inside an object.

Lets go over all the valid location arguments inside our "rootObject":

// resolves to rootObject
location = undefined;
location = null;
location = [];

// resolves to rootObject.nested
location = 'nested';

// resolves to rootObject.nested.object
location = ['nested', 'object'];

Api

new Pointer(root, rootLocation)

/**
 * This points to a certain position inside an object and allows you to read and
 * modify everything nested inside that position.
 *
 * @param {Object|Pointer} root - The root object of the Pointer
 * @param {null|string|array} location - The location inside the root object
 */
var Pointer = function Pointer(root, location)

Please refer to Pointer.setRoot as the constructor merely bridges that function.

var p = new Pointer(rootObject, location);

Pointer.setRoot(root, location)

/**
 * This sets the root location of the Pointer
 *
 * @param {Object|Pointer} root - The root object of the Pointer
 * @param {null|string|array} location - The location inside the root object
 */
Pointer.prototype.setRoot = function(root, rootLocation)

Pointer.getRoot()

/**
 * Returns the root object recursively
 */
Pointer.prototype.getRoot = function()

Pointer.setLocation(location)

/**
 * Sets the location inside the master object to which this pointer points.
 * @param {null|string|array} location - The location inside the root object
 */
Pointer.prototype.setLocation = function(location)

Pointer.getLocationObject(force)

/**
 * This returns the root of the Pointer instance.
 * @param {boolean} force -  If root object doesn't exist, create it.
 */
Pointer.prototype.getLocationObject = function(force)

Pointer.create(location)

IMPORTANT: The location is relative to the Pointer's root location, not the root object!

/**
 * This creates the nested objects up until the given location, and returns the
 * deepest object.
 *
 * @param  {null|string|array} location
 * @return {Object}
 */
Pointer.prototype.create = function(location)

Pointer.set(location, value)

IMPORTANT: The location is relative to the Pointer's root location, not the root object!

/**
 * Will set a value to the pointed object.
 *
 * @param {null|string|array} location - The location of the key, the final
 * element is the actual key.
 * @param {[type]} value
 */
Pointer.prototype.set = function(location, value)

Pointer.get(location, defaultValue)

IMPORTANT: The location is relative to the Pointer's root location, not the root object!

/**
 * Will return a value from the pointed object
 *
 * @param  {null|string|array} location
 * @param  {mixed} defaultValue - The default value to return if value not
 * found.
 * @return {mixed}
 */
Pointer.prototype.get = function(location, defaultValue)

Pointer.clear(location)

IMPORTANT: The location is relative to the Pointer's root location, not the root object!

/**
* Deletes the value at the given location.
*
* @param  {string|array} location
*/
Pointer.prototype.clear= function(location)

Test

grunt test

License

MIT.