How to make jQuery objects from an array?

Question

anArray = ['thing1','thing2','thing3'];
$.each(anArray, function (i,el) {
   var object = 'name.space.' + el;
   var selector = 'node-' + el;
   var object = $('#' + selector);//need object here to be interpreted as it's value
       //as if: var name.space.thing1 = $('#' + selector);
});

such that these are usable jQuery objects:

console.log(name.space.thing1);
console.log(name.space.thing2);
console.log(name.space.thing3);

I feel like eval() is involved. I'm hydrating navigation selectors so as pages are added/removed, we just update the array. We could build the array from the nav nodes, but either way, we still need to be able to make these namespaced selectors...

Answer 1

You will have to use bracket notation:

var array = ['thing1', 'thing2'];
var object = {};
object.space = {};
$.each(array, function () {
    object.space[this] = $('#node-' + this);
});

console.log(object.space.thing1); // [<div id="node-1">]; 

Answer 2

I am not sure what are you trying to accomplish, but

name.space[el] = $('#' + selector);

might work.

Object properties are always accessible with the bracket notation as well. This means that obj.xy is just the same as obj['xy'] , but the latter is more flexible and can be used in situations like yours.

Answer 3

var anArray = ['thing1','thing2','thing3'];
var name    = {space:new Array()};

$.each(anArray, function (i,el) {
   var selector = 'node-' + el;
   name.space[el] = $('#' + selector);
});