CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptarraysmethods
VisualXZ
VisualXZ

Reputation: 213

Return an array with element in specific position

I've been trying to figure this out for a good while now, and I can't solve it. This function receives an array of names and should return an array containing the middle names. If someone does not have a middle name the array should contain the value null at this index.

I know my code isn't complete, but cannot make work even half of it. The splice method doesn't work whatever I do, and now I'm very lost.

This is my code so far:

function getMiddleNames (names) {
let solution =[];
let separated = [];
for(let i=0; i<names.length; i++){
  separated.push(names[i].split(' '));
} 
 return separated.splice(1);
}

And the tests:

describe('getMiddleNames', function () {
  it('returns [] when passed []', function () {
    expect(getMiddleNames([])).to.eql([]);
  });
  it('returns ["Hannah"] when passed ["Caroline Hannah Jamieson"]', function () {
    expect(getMiddleNames(['Caroline Hannah Jamieson'])).to.eql(['Hannah']);
  });
  it('returns ["Reuben", "Keith", "Clara"] when passed ["Steven Reuben Williams", "Carl Keith Morelli", "Sissel Clara Blomqvist"]', function () {
    expect(getMiddleNames(['Steven Reuben Williams', 'Carl Keith Morelli', 'Sissel Clara Blomqvist'])).to.eql(['Reuben', 'Keith', 'Clara']);
  });
  it('returns ["Reuben", null, "Clara"] when passed ["Steven Reuben Williams", "Carl Morelli", "Sissel Clara Blomqvist"]', function () {
    expect(getMiddleNames(['Steven Reuben Williams', 'Carl Morelli', 'Sissel Clara Blomqvist'])).to.eql(['Reuben', null, 'Clara']);
  });
  it('returns ["Reuben", null, null] when passed ["Steven Reuben Williams", "Carl Morelli", "Sissel"]', function () {
    expect(getMiddleNames(['Steven Reuben Williams', 'Carl Morelli', 'Sissel'])).to.eql(['Reuben', null, null]);
  });
});

Could anyone give me a hand? Thank you

Upvotes: 1

Views: 871

Answers (2)

RecyclingBen
RecyclingBen

Reputation: 320

try this:

function getMiddleNames(names) {
  return names.map(x => getMiddleNameOf(x));
}
function getMiddleNameOf(name) {
  let split = name.split(' ');
  return split.length == 3 ? split[1] : null;
}

Upvotes: -1

Mark
Mark

Reputation: 92460

Your pushing the whole name into your separated array and then splicing that. Which doesn't really work. You need to separate the names and split each one individually:

function getMiddleNames (names) {
    let solution =[];
    for(let i=0; i<names.length; i++){
    let separated = names[i].split(' ')
      solution.push(separated.length == 3 ? separated[1] : null);
    } 
     return solution
    }

let names = ['Steven Reuben Williams', 'Carl Morelli', 'Sissel Clara Blomqvist']

console.log(getMiddleNames(names))

This of course assumes there will always be a middle name. It will fail and deliver the last name without it.

You can be a bit more succinct with map and test for name length at the same time. Still there will be edge cases (people with four names, etc):

let names = ['Steven Reuben Williams', 'Carl Keith Morelli', 'Sissel Clara Blomqvist']

let middles= names.map(n => {
    s = n.split(' ')
    // s should be an array [first, middle, last]
    // if no middle name it will be [first, last]  and length 2
    return s.length == 3 ? s[1] : null
})
console.log(middles)

Upvotes: 4

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