Accessing JavaScript array strings using jquery each method

Question

I would like to access Java Script string elements (within an array) via jquery. I have written simple method that simulates what I am trying to do. This method causes RangeError exception.

function test() {
    var arr = ["janusz", "renia"];
    $(arr).each(function () {
        var  el = $(this).text();
        console.log(el);
    });
}

The error in the console looks like this:

jquery.js:1602 Uncaught RangeError: Maximum call stack size exceeded
    at Sizzle.getText (jquery.js:1602)
    at Sizzle.getText (jquery.js:1610)
    at Sizzle.getText (jquery.js:1610)
    at Sizzle.getText (jquery.js:1610)
    at Sizzle.getText (jquery.js:1610)
    at Sizzle.getText (jquery.js:1610)
    at Sizzle.getText (jquery.js:1610)
    at Sizzle.getText (jquery.js:1610)
    at Sizzle.getText (jquery.js:1610)
    at Sizzle.getText (jquery.js:1610)
…

Why can't I access the string via 'this' object inside each method?

Answer 1

.text() is meant for retrieving text from an element . You don't have any DOM elements here, only a plain array composed of strings.

The error is thrown because getText (which jQuery calls when trying to get the text of an element) does

getText = Sizzle.getText = function( elem ) {
    var node,
        ret = "",
        i = 0,
        nodeType = elem.nodeType;

    if ( !nodeType ) {
        // If no nodeType, this is expected to be an array
        while ( (node = elem[i++]) ) {
            // Do not traverse comment nodes
            ret += getText( node );
        }
    }

resulting in infinite recursion.

While you can just refer to this in strict mode to have it refer to the string being iterated over...

 'use strict'; var arr = ["janusz", "renia"]; $(arr).each(function() { console.log(this); });

 <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.min.js"></script>

It'd be far easier to ditch jQuery entirely and use plain JavaScript.

 var arr = ["janusz", "renia"]; for (const item of arr) { console.log(item); }

 <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.js"></script>

or

 var arr = ["janusz", "renia"]; arr.forEach((item) => { console.log(item); });

 <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.js"></script>

or

 var arr = ["janusz", "renia"]; for (let i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) { console.log(arr[i]); }

 <script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/jquery/3.3.1/jquery.js"></script>

If you're new to programming, I'd personally recommend only using jQuery when you need to, and not trying to use it for absolutely everything (which is an unfortunately common paradigm).