Rails spinoffs - Dec 2007 - Am I supposed to be using Object.extend() like this?

This is sort of a "I''m just learning and maybe don''t know
what I''m
doing" question, but I''d like to learn some best practices.

When I read about Object.extend, I found myself using it everywhere,
but when I read the documentation, it sounds like it was intended to
be used in a more specific situation (simulating inheritance) than I
keep using it for (just adding properties to an object).

An example of how I''m using it:  I want to add another pseudo-event to
the list of events in Ajax.InPlaceEditor.Listeners, so I''m doing it
like so.

Object.extend(Ajax.InPlaceEditor.Listeners, {''editor:restart'':
''enterEditMode''});

Is there an easier way to do this that I''m plain missing?

Or another example, pseudo-code this time,
var baseOptions = { ...some base options for a function call...};
myFunction(baseOptions);
// now need to call function with an additional option
myFunction(Object.extend({ anotherOption:true }, baseOptions));

Thanks for any pointers or tips.
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I would say that Object.extend represents composition more than
inheritance -
it simply copies methods/properties from one object into another one.
You seem to be using it just the right way.

For inheritance examples see prototype''s official article
http://www.prototypejs.org/learn/class-inheritance

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mcrawford-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org wrote:
> This is sort of a "I''m just learning and maybe don''t
know what I''m
> doing" question, but I''d like to learn some best practices.
>
> When I read about Object.extend, I found myself using it everywhere,
> but when I read the documentation, it sounds like it was intended to
> be used in a more specific situation (simulating inheritance) than I
> keep using it for (just adding properties to an object).
>
> An example of how I''m using it:  I want to add another
pseudo-event to
> the list of events in Ajax.InPlaceEditor.Listeners, so I''m doing
it
> like so.
>
> Object.extend(Ajax.InPlaceEditor.Listeners,
{''editor:restart'':
> ''enterEditMode''});
>
> Is there an easier way to do this that I''m plain missing?
The standard javascirpt would be:

  Ajax.InPlaceEditor.Listeners[''editor:restart''] =
''enterEditMode'';

>
> Or another example, pseudo-code this time,
> var baseOptions = { ...some base options for a function call...};
> myFunction(baseOptions);
> // now need to call function with an additional option
> myFunction(Object.extend({ anotherOption:true }, baseOptions));
  baseOptions.anotherOption = true;
  myFunction(baseOptions);


--
Rob
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RobG, on your last line there, you''re overwriting
baseOptions.anotherOptionno matter what, whereas the original snippet
uses "true" as the default
value _if_ baseOptions.anotherOptions is not already set... quite a
difference.

OP, aside from the fact that your first example, as RobG pointed out, is a
bit unnecesary (but I assume you know that and the example was contrived),
you''re using the method just as it was intended.


On 12/3/07, RobG <rgqld-AFFH1GffN5hPR4JQBCEnsQ@public.gmane.org>
wrote:
>
>
>
>
> mcrawford-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w@public.gmane.org wrote:
> > This is sort of a "I''m just learning and maybe
don''t know what I''m
> > doing" question, but I''d like to learn some best
practices.
> >
> > When I read about Object.extend, I found myself using it everywhere,
> > but when I read the documentation, it sounds like it was intended to
> > be used in a more specific situation (simulating inheritance) than I
> > keep using it for (just adding properties to an object).
> >
> > An example of how I''m using it:  I want to add another
pseudo-event to
> > the list of events in Ajax.InPlaceEditor.Listeners, so I''m
doing it
> > like so.
> >
> > Object.extend(Ajax.InPlaceEditor.Listeners,
{''editor:restart'':
> > ''enterEditMode''});
> >
> > Is there an easier way to do this that I''m plain missing?
>
> The standard javascirpt would be:
>
>   Ajax.InPlaceEditor.Listeners[''editor:restart''] =
''enterEditMode'';
>
>
> >
> > Or another example, pseudo-code this time,
> > var baseOptions = { ...some base options for a function call...};
> > myFunction(baseOptions);
> > // now need to call function with an additional option
> > myFunction(Object.extend({ anotherOption:true }, baseOptions));
>
>   baseOptions.anotherOption = true;
>   myFunction(baseOptions);
>
>
> --
> Rob
> >
>

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Thanks for the answers.  I actually brain-blanked on the first
example, which I embarrassingly did copy from my code, even though I
did know (and realized after posting) that it was a dumb usage.

I understand the difference between the two ways of doing it in the
second example after checking the .extend() code, that the source
object''s properties take precedence.  Thanks again.


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