JavaScript to accommodate string, object and array

Question

I have to parse a json object that can be a string, array, array of strings and array of object. I realised that it's not good from the beginning that one object can be many types, but I can't change the code from upstream so I'll have to deal it in my code instead. I'm building a pixel library for modern browser so I'm not using jQuery or lodash. I'm supporting most modern browser and IE >= 9

Here's the example of the data that can be returned

"author": {
 "@type": "Person",
 "name": "Author"
}

Or

"author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Author"}]

Or

"author": 'Author'

Or

"author": ['Author', 'Author1']

And this is my code.

  let obj = {};
  try {
    const json = document.querySelector('div.json');
    if (json) {
      let disc = JSON.parse(json.innerHTML);
      let authors = disc.author;

      if (typeof authors !== 'undefined' && Array.isArray(authors) && authors.length > 0) {
        authors = authors.map((author) => {
          if (typeof author === 'object' && author.name) {
            return author.name;
          } else {
            return author;
          }
        });
      }

      if (typeof authors !== 'undefined' && !Array.isArray(authors) && typeof authors === 'object') {
        authors = [authors.name];
      }

      if (typeof authors !== 'undefined' && typeof authors === 'string') {
        authors = authors.split(',');
      }

      obj.cAu: authors.join(',');
    }
  } catch (e) { }

  return obj;

My question is, is there a better way to do this in a more efficient way?

Probably better over at codereview.stackexchange.com

tymeJV
– tymeJV

2016-07-22 19:27:08 +00:00
Commented Jul 22, 2016 at 19:27 — tymeJV
– tymeJV, Commented Jul 22, 2016 at 19:27
don't try everything, just the part that can explode...

dandavis
– dandavis

2016-07-22 19:28:16 +00:00
Commented Jul 22, 2016 at 19:28 — dandavis
– dandavis, Commented Jul 22, 2016 at 19:28

Nikolay Ermakov · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-22 19:59:08Z

1

How about:

switch (typeof authors) {
    case 'object':
        if ( Array.isArray(authors) ) {
            authors = authors.map((author) => {
                if (typeof author === 'object' && author.name) {
                    return author.name;
                } else {
                    return author;
                }
            });
        } else {
            authors = [authors.name];
        }
    break;   
    case 'string':
        authors = authors.split(',');
    break;
    case 'undefined':
        //
    break;
}

answered Jul 22, 2016 at 19:59

Nikolay Ermakov

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Comments

Arnauld · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-22 21:59:23Z

1

Just for the record: here is a minimalist¹, yet functional version.

switch((Array.isArray(authors) && 1) | (typeof authors[0] == 'string' && 2)) {
  case 0: return [authors.name];
  case 1: return [authors[0].name];
  case 2: return authors.split(',');
  case 3: return authors;
}

JSFiddle

¹ needless to say, with a minimalist protection against unexpected inputs as well...

answered Jul 22, 2016 at 21:59

Arnauld

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