16

I have several Javascript prototypes. Initially, instances will have only ID's filled in, with some generic place holder information for other data. I then send a message to the server with the ID and the object type (using jQuery's AJAX function) and the server returns a JSON object with all the missing information (but no ID). The variables in the returned object have the exact same name as those in the existing object.

What's the easiest way to transfer this into the existing empty object? I've come up with a few alternatives

  • set the object equal to the returned object, then copy in the id (loses prototype functions?)
  • create a function for each object that takes an object with identical structure and copies the data
  • loop through the key-value pairs of the JSON object to and copy them to existing object

If I use the third option, is this the correct way to do that? :

for (var key in json) {
    if (object.hasOwnProperty(key)) {
        object[key] = json[key];
    }
}

assuming json is the returned object and object is the existing object.

3
  • 2
    If json is plain JSON then I don't think you even need the hasOwnProperty check. Unless someone has been funking with Object.prototype.
    – Paul Grime
    Commented May 4, 2013 at 10:48
  • The question is, what do you want to do with your JSON-Object. If you want to evaluate to an object, JSON.parse() does the trick for you. If you want to merge it to an existing object, jQuery.extend() would be a better suggestion. Commented May 4, 2013 at 11:15
  • 1
    @PaulGrime I'm doing that as a precaution in case there's an extra key in the json object that I don't want in the existing object. If you'll notice, I'm looping through keys in json but checking against object.
    – Jaws212
    Commented May 4, 2013 at 17:53

3 Answers 3

18

Alternative without jQuery is to use the javascript Object.assign method.

Object.assign(targetObject, json);

13

Try this using extend():

var newObject = jQuery.extend({}, oldObject);
1
  • Sounds perfect! I wasn't aware of this functionality at all. And because it merges all properties, any inheritance I have done will still stick, correct?
    – Jaws212
    Commented May 4, 2013 at 17:51
1

You can use jQuery.extend: http://api.jquery.com/jQuery.extend/

$.extend(object1,object2);

If your JSON is a string then create an object from that first:

var object1=$.parseJSON(myJsonString);
3
  • There is no need for a Methodcall parseJSON(), hence nowadays everybody could use JSON.parse(). jQuery does nothing else: if (window.JSON && window.JSON.parse) { return window.JSON.parse(data); } Commented May 4, 2013 at 11:12
  • but if window.JSON.parse is false it'll do a bit more.
    – HMR
    Commented May 4, 2013 at 12:03
  • but window.JSON.parse will not fail today
    – vvondra
    Commented Jan 11, 2016 at 19:03

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.