create names for automatically created vars

Question

In JavaScript I have a for snippet to create new input elements

for(var g = 0; g < psi.length; g++) {
var newtextLink+(g+1)= document.createElement('input');
//continue with setting attributes
}

I want to put together the word newtextLink and the var g to have something like newtextLink2 everytime for is executed...How can I achieve that?

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 14 '13 at 17:48

This is where you usually want an array instead:

var newtextLinks = [];
for(var g = 0; g < psi.length; g++)
{
    newtextLinks[g] = document.createElement('input');
}

Then use them via index variables like that (newtextLink[g], newtextLink[0], etc.).

Alternately, there can be places (probably not here) where you really do want names. You can do that with an object:

var newtextLinks = {};
for(var g = 0; g < psi.length; g++)
{
    newtextLinks["name" + (g+1)] = document.createElement('input');
}

Now you have newtextLinks.name1, newtextLinks.name2, and so on.

But for this purpose, an array seems best.

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 14 '13 at 17:48

0

If you insist on using the variables, you can do it using the window object:

window['newtextLink' + (g+1)] = document.createElement('input');

Otherwise use an array:

var newTextLinks = [];

...

newTextLinks[g] = document.createElement('input');

answered Oct 14 '13 at 17:48

Overv

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You can't use this for a local variable – Eran H. Oct 14 '13 at 17:50
And creating more global variables is usually not a good idea. (Oh, I see you've added the array option now...) – T.J. Crowder Oct 14 '13 at 17:51
@T.J.Crowder I realise now that people new to arrays usually look for a solution like that, I guess I took the question a bit too literally. – Overv Oct 14 '13 at 17:51

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 14 '13 at 17:49

0

Try

this['newtextLink' + (g + 1)] = ...;

answered Oct 14 '13 at 17:49

beautifulcoder

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That will either pollute the global namespace, or pollute some other object. Neither is a good idea. – T.J. Crowder Oct 14 '13 at 17:53

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited May 23 '17 at 10:31

0

function createVariables(){
  var newtextLink= [];

  for (var i = 0; i <= psi.length; ++i) {
      newtextLink[i] = document.createElement('input');
  }

  return newtextLink;
}

you have newtextLink[0] ... newtextLink[n]

you have similar question here: JavaScript: Dynamically Creating Variables for Loops

edited May 23 '17 at 10:31

Community

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answered Oct 14 '13 at 17:50

X-Pippes

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create names for automatically created vars

4 Answers4