JS nested object access to global variables

Question

I have an JavaScript object defined as following...

    var f = {
        test: 'myTestContent',
        app: {
            base: {
                action: function () {
                    alert(test);
                }            
            }
        }
    };

    f.app.base.action();

The problem is that I cannot access the test variable as defined in the f instance. Is it possible to access variables in this context from nested objects?

At the moment I get test is undefined. Any suggestions? Thanks!

Correct. test is actually not a variable–it is a property of the object stored in the variable f. — J. K.
– J. K., Commented Oct 23, 2012 at 21:42
There's no way to automatically get access to a "parent" object from a method of the "child" (because really although the "parent" has a reference to the "child" it doesn't actually own it - other objects could also have references to the same "child"). test isn't global the way your question sort of implies, it is a property of f so you can say f.test. — nnnnnn
– nnnnnn, Commented Oct 23, 2012 at 21:43
Is is somehow possible to define test to be global. Maybe another construction of defining the f instance? — skolic
– skolic, Commented Oct 24, 2012 at 17:43

Justin Niessner · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-23 21:42:11Z

4

test isn't defined globally. You'd have to use the proper reference:

alert(f.test);

Should work.

answered Oct 23, 2012 at 21:42

Justin Niessner

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Comments

Peter C · Accepted Answer · 2012-10-23 21:49:52Z

2

test is not a global variable, rather it is a property of f. So you want:

var f = {
    test: 'myTestContent',
    app: {
        base: {
            action: function () {
                alert(f.test);  // Notice this line.
            }            
        }
    }
};

f.app.base.action();

Access it just like you access f.app on the last line.

edited Oct 23, 2012 at 21:49

answered Oct 23, 2012 at 21:44

Peter C

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2 Comments

nnnnnn Over a year ago

"f, which is global" - unless the code in the question is inside a function. But yes, f.test will work either way.

skolic Over a year ago

I could pass the parent object to the child elements, but I'm trying to find a better solution for that. See example bellow of my usage... The problem is when creating copies of such an instance where the test parameter is not the same...

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