node-self-referenced-json

Load self referenced json to object

• use $() to add a value reference
• use &() to add a real object reference
• use {{}} (mustache style) to add a reference as part of a string

Example

myTemplate.json

{
    "resources": {
        "const_int": 500,
        "some_title_string": "My APP",
        "size": {
            "height": 600, "width": 800
        }
    },
    "window": {
        "help_window": {
            "size": "$(resources.size)",
            "title": "$(resources.some_title_string)"
        }
    },
    "texts": {
        "warning": "windows size should be {{ resources['size'].width }}x{{ resources.size.height }}"
    }
}

myApp.js

var SRJson = require('self-referenced-json');

var mySettings = SRJson.render(require('fs').readFileSync('myTemplate.json', 'utf-8'));
console.log(mySettings.texts['warning']);

Option

var SRJSON = require('self-referenced-json');
SRJson.render('some template here', {

    /*  
     * renderTimes {integer} default:1, times to render.
     *
     *     because the render order is from top to bottom,
     *     if there is a referenced reference which is not rendered yet, 
     *     try to put this value to something larger that 1
     */
    renderTimes: 10,

    /*
     * outputType {String} default:'object'
     *
     *    'object': return a JsonObject
     *    'string': return the serialized string of the object
     *              TAKE CARE!!! circular referenced object cannot be serialized.
     */
    outputType: 'object',

    /*
     * outputType {Object} default: the deserialized template itself
     *
     *    if you want to use other object as the view model, put it here
     */
    renderObj: someOtherObject
});

Option can be undefined, all default values will be used.

Syntax

"$()"

{
    "propA": { "propInsideA": 20 },
    "propB": "$(propA.propInsideA)"
}

returns

{
    propA: { propInsideA: 20 },
    propB: 20
}

"&()"

{
    "propA": { "propInsideA": 20 },
    "propB": "&(propA)"
}

returns

{
    propA: { propInsideA: 20 },
    propB: { propInsideA: 20 }  // if you change the propB.propInsideA, propA.propInsideA will also be changed.
}

take care while using &() with a circular reference, the result could be unexpected.

"{{}}"

same as mustache

{
    "propA": 20,
    "propB": "the value is {{propA}}"
}

returns

{
    propA: 20,
    propB: "the value is 20"
}

Details

please check the source file tests.js for more details.