javascript push item into object by variable name [duplicate]

Question

Sorry for the newbie question but I must be overlooking something. How do I set obj.{this.name} = property so obj.sandwich = off. My object would look something like:

obj { sandwich: off, soup: off }

http://jsfiddle.net/naaua4b5/

List of checkboxes:

<input type = "checkbox" name = "sandwich" />
<input type = "checkbox" name = "soup" />

js code:

var obj = {} ; 

$('input[type=checkbox]:not(:checked)').map(function()
{
     var item_name =  this.name;
     var value = 'off';
     obj.item_name = value;
}).get();

console.log (obj);

KJ Price · Accepted Answer · 2015-04-06 20:11:21Z

5

Use bracket notation:

var obj = {} ; 
      $('input[type=checkbox]:not(:checked)').map(function()
                {
                    var item_name =  this.name;
                    var value = 'off';
                    obj[item_name] = value;// <-brackets!
                }).get();
console.log (obj);

dot notation obj.key accesses an object using the literal "key" and, although the norm, can be limiting depending on what you want to do. Bracket notation obj['key'] gives you a little more freedom where you can use a variable as the key (as in your case) or even throw crazy characters in there like obj["I'm-Acrazy_Key"]

edited Apr 6, 2015 at 20:11

answered Apr 6, 2015 at 20:07

KJ Price

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5 Comments

Sterling Archer Over a year ago

Could you explain why bracket notation should be used over dot notation here?

Anthony Forloney Over a year ago

Both conventions would work but one is preferred over the other; by explaining the preferred approach would increase the value of this answer.

Undermine2k Over a year ago

why does the . notation not work in my loop and yet the bracket notation does?

KJ Price Over a year ago

Thanks for the comments. I sometimes get excited and throw answers up. I've edited to explain myself better. @Undermine2k, the end result is that bracket notation allows you to use variables for your key.

Sterling Archer Over a year ago

There's an underscore in the variable name, dot notation doesn't like that. See here for more details on dot vs bracket

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