CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptvariables
switz
switz

Reputation: 25228

Convert string to variable name in JavaScript

I’ve looked for solutions, but couldn’t find any that work.

I have a variable called onlyVideo.

"onlyVideo" the string gets passed into a function. I want to set the variable onlyVideo inside the function as something. How can I do that?

(There are a number of variables that could be called into the function, so I need it to work dynamically, not hard coded if statements.)

Edit: There’s probably a better way of doing what you’re attempting to do. I asked this early on in my JavaScript adventure. Check out how JavaScript objects work.

A simple intro:

// create JavaScript object
var obj = { "key1": 1 };

// assign - set "key2" to 2
obj.key2 = 2;

// read values
obj.key1 === 1;
obj.key2 === 2;

// read values with a string, same result as above
// but works with special characters and spaces
// and of course variables
obj["key1"] === 1;
obj["key2"] === 2;

// read with a variable
var key1Str = "key1";
obj[key1Str] === 1;

Upvotes: 331

Views: 455350

Answers (12)

Milan Parmar
Milan Parmar

Reputation: 61

Here, Short and Sweet If You Want to convert your answer into variable

 const container = "foo"

// if you want foo as varible

   eval(container)

according 2023 Javascript

Upvotes: 0

Kalidan
Kalidan

Reputation: 1

let me make it more clear

function changeStringToVariable(variable, value){
window[variable]=value
}
changeStringToVariable("name", "john doe");
console.log(name);
//this outputs: john doe
let file="newFile";
changeStringToVariable(file, "text file");
console.log(newFile);
//this outputs: text file

Upvotes: -1

Shaz
Shaz

Reputation: 15887

var myString = "echoHello";

window[myString] = function() {
    alert("Hello!");
}

echoHello();

Say no to the evil eval. Example here: https://jsfiddle.net/Shaz/WmA8t/

Upvotes: 22

David Spector
David Spector

Reputation: 1678

The following code makes it easy to refer to each of your DIVs and other HTML elements in JavaScript. This code should be included just before the tag, so that all of the HTML elements have been seen. It should be followed by your JavaScript code.

// For each element with an id (example: 'MyDIV') in the body, create a variable
// for easy reference. An example is below.
var D=document;
var id={}; // All ID elements
var els=document.body.getElementsByTagName('*');
for (var i = 0; i < els.length; i++)
    {
    thisid = els[i].id;
    if (!thisid)
        continue;
    val=D.getElementById(thisid);
    id[thisid]=val;
    }

// Usage:
id.MyDIV.innerHTML="hello";

Upvotes: 0

Eliyah Sundstr&#246;m
Eliyah Sundstr&#246;m

Reputation: 149

You can do like this

var name = "foo";
var value = "Hello foos";
eval("var "+name+" = '"+value+"';");
alert(foo);

Upvotes: 10

user1846065
user1846065

Reputation:

If you're trying to access the property of an object, you have to start with the scope of window and go through each property of the object until you get to the one you want. Assuming that a.b.c has been defined somewhere else in the script, you can use the following:

var values = window;
var str = 'a.b.c'.values.split('.');

for(var i=0; i < str.length; i++)
    values = values[str[i]];

This will work for getting the property of any object, no matter how deep it is.

Upvotes: 7

yunzen
yunzen

Reputation: 33449

It can be done like this

(function(X, Y) {
  
  // X is the local name of the 'class'
  // Doo is default value if param X is empty
  var X = (typeof X == 'string') ? X: 'Doo';
  var Y = (typeof Y == 'string') ? Y: 'doo';
  
  // this refers to the local X defined above
  this[X] = function(doo) {
    // object variable
    this.doo = doo || 'doo it';
  }
  // prototypal inheritance for methods
  // defined by another
  this[X].prototype[Y] = function() {
    return this.doo || 'doo';
  };
  
  // make X global
  window[X] = this[X];
}('Dooa', 'dooa')); // give the names here

// test
doo = new Dooa('abc');
doo2 = new Dooa('def');
console.log(doo.dooa());
console.log(doo2.dooa());

Upvotes: 0

goggin13
goggin13

Reputation: 7986

Javascript has an eval() function for such occasions:

function (varString) {
  var myVar = eval(varString);
  // .....
}

Edit: Sorry, I think I skimmed the question too quickly. This will only get you the variable, to set it you need

function SetTo5(varString) {
  var newValue = 5;
  eval(varString + " = " + newValue);
}

or if using a string:

function SetToString(varString) {
  var newValue = "string";
  eval(varString + " = " + "'" + newValue + "'");
}

But I imagine there is a more appropriate way to accomplish what you're looking for? I don't think eval() is something you really want to use unless there's a great reason for it. eval()

Upvotes: 223

Lance Caraccioli
Lance Caraccioli

Reputation: 1429

The window['variableName'] method ONLY works if the variable is defined in the global scope. The correct answer is "Refactor". If you can provide an "Object" context then a possible general solution exists, but there are some variables which no global function could resolve based on the scope of the variable.

(function(){
    var findMe = 'no way';
})();

Upvotes: 7

ingo
ingo

Reputation: 5579

If it's a global variable then window[variableName] or in your case window["onlyVideo"] should do the trick.

Upvotes: 350

jm0
jm0

Reputation: 3454

As far as eval vs. global variable solutions...

I think there are advantages to each but this is really a false dichotomy. If you are paranoid of the global namespace just create a temporary namespace & use the same technique.

var tempNamespace = {};
var myString = "myVarProperty";

tempNamespace[myString] = 5;

Pretty sure you could then access as tempNamespace.myVarProperty (now 5), avoiding using window for storage. (The string could also be put directly into the brackets)

Upvotes: 54

Eric Conner
Eric Conner

Reputation: 10772

You can access the window object as an associative array and set it that way

window["onlyVideo"] = "TEST";
document.write(onlyVideo);

Upvotes: 9

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