search 2d javascript array

Question

I've look at a few other posts but am still slightly confused about using arrays within arrays.

So I've created my array as below:

var pagesArray = [
    {
        category: 'pages1',
        pages: [
            'firstPage1',
            'secondPage1',
            'thirdPage1',
            'fourthPage1'
        ]
    }, {
        category: 'pages2',
        pages: [
            'firstPage2',
            'secondPage2',
            'thirdPage2',
            'fourthPage2'
        ]
    }
];

Now I want to be able to search the array and find if a string exists in it. If it does, I want it to return the value of what position it is.

E.g.

jQuery.inArray('secondPage1', pagesArray)

to give the result:

pagesArray[0][1];

I'm not sure if I've written the array wrong and if I'm using inArray correctly. If I try to alert(pagesArray[0][1]); it gives a value of undefined. What am I doing wrong here?

you can check the validity of your array by doing console.log(pagesArray), then you know if the array is indeed correct. — jdepypere
– jdepypere, Commented Aug 12, 2013 at 11:16

Tushar Gupta - curioustushar · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-12 11:35:38Z

1

Updated Demo

$.each(pagesArray, function (i, v) {
    if((pos=$.inArray('secondPage1', pagesArray[i]['pages'])) !== -1){
        console.log('pagesArray['+i+"]['pages']"+'['+pos+']');
    };
});

output pagesArray[0]['pages'][1]

pagesArray[0] means found in first array [0] 0 means first

pagesArray[0]['pages'][1] found in first array [0] inside sub array ['pages'] at index [1] Second position as index starts from 0

Demo

$.each(pagesArray, function (i, v) {
    if($.inArray('secondPage1', pagesArray[i]['pages']) !== -1){
        alert('inarray');
    };
});

to access category

console.log(pagesArray[1]['category']);

to access pages

console.log(pagesArray[1]['pages']);

to find values in array you can use

console.log($.inArray('secondPage1', pagesArray[0]['pages']));

edited Aug 12, 2013 at 11:35

answered Aug 12, 2013 at 11:17

Tushar Gupta - curioustushar

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2 Comments

CaribouCode Over a year ago

This is great thanks. But Is there a way for it to tell me where it is in the array. For example if I search for secondPage1, I need it to tell me it's in the category pages1 and is the first item in that part of the array.

CaribouCode Over a year ago

Aaah I've worked out how to do that last bit now. I can just return the 'i' value. Thanks for your help, this was a useful answer.

Abhishek Jain · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-12 11:20:24Z

0

Try this:

var pagesArray = [
    {
      category: 'pages1',
      pages: [
        'firstPage1',
        'secondPage1',
        'thirdPage1',
        'fourthPage1' ]
    }, {
      category: 'pages2',
      pages: [
        'firstPage2',
        'secondPage2',
        'thirdPage2',
        'fourthPage2' ]
    }
  ];

for(var i = 0; i < pagesArray.length; i++)
{
    var exist = jQuery.inArray("firstPage2", pagesArray[i]);
    if(exist)
    {
        alert('Got the Value!!!!');
        break;
    }
}

Fiddle

answered Aug 12, 2013 at 11:20

Abhishek Jain

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Comments

oleq · Accepted Answer · 2013-08-12 11:30:29Z

0

function findInArray( arr, value ) {
   var j; 
   for ( var i in arr ) {
      if ( ~( j = arr[ i ].pages.indexOf( value ) ) )
         return { i: +i, j: +j };
   }
}

findInArray( pagesArray, 'thirdPage2' );
>> Object {i: 1, j: 2}

So it is pagesArray[ 1 ].pages[ 2 ]. Then:

var p = findInArray( pagesArray, 'thirdPage2' );
pagesArray[ p.i ].pages[ p.j ];
>> 'thirdPage2'

Accordingly you can write a method that returns the value or nothing to check whether an item exists:

function findInArray( arr, value ) {
   var j; 
   for ( var i in arr ) {
      if ( ~( j = arr[ i ].pages.indexOf( value ) ) )
         return arr[ i ].pages[ j ];
   }

   return false;
}

findInArray( pagesArray, 'foo ' );
>> false
findInArray( pagesArray, 'fourthPage2' );
>> 'fourthPage2'

edited Aug 12, 2013 at 11:30

answered Aug 12, 2013 at 11:23

oleq

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