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javascriptbackbone.js

JS non-enumerable function


I'm trying to define a non-enumerable toJSON function on a prototype object without much luck. I'm hoping for something similar to ECMAScript 5 toJSON:

Object.defineProperty(obj, prop, { enumerable: false });

However this defines it as a property which cannot be accessed as a method.
[EDIT: Nick is wrong; it can be accessed as a method. His mistake was in code that is not shown in this question - see his comments on answers below, for details.]

I was hoping to be able to define the function in a non-enumerable fashion, as I was planning to define in the prototypes of all primitive types (String, Number, Boolean, Array, and Object), so that I can recursively apply the function through complex objects.

The end goal here is to be able JSONify a Backbone model/collection with nested collections recursively.

I guess in total I have two main questions:

  1. Is it possible to define a non-enumerable function on a prototype? If so how?
  2. Is there a better way to JSONify nested Backbone models?

Solution

  • I don't get it, why can't you access it as a method?

    var foo = {};
    
    Object.defineProperty(foo, 'bar', {
        enumerable: false,
        value: function () {console.log('foo.bar\'d!');}
    });
    
    foo.bar(); // foo.bar'd!
    

    If you wanted it on the prototype, it's as easy as

    Object.defineProperty(foo.prototype, /* etc */);
    

    or even directly in Object.create

    foo.prototype = Object.create(null, {
        'bar': {value: function () {/* ... */}}
    });
    

    However, unless you're creating instances of foo, it won't show up if you try to foo.bar, and only be visible as foo.prototype.bar.

    If foo has it's own prototype (e.g. foo = Object.create({})), you can get it with Object.getPrototypeOf, add the property to that and then foo.bar would work even if it is not an instance.

    var proto = Object.getPrototypeOf(foo); // get prototype
    Object.defineProperty(proto, /* etc */);
    

    You can see visibility of enumerable vs non-enumerable properties here.