I have two files, a main file and a module file. Inside the module file, I export two functions, which return objects. In the main file, I am setting a variable to the return value of each method. However, each variable is set to the return value of the last method called. What am I doing wrong here?
/* main file */
module.exports = function(robot) {
var startingCharacter = require('./data/starting/character.json'),
make = require('./includes/make.js');
return robot.respond(/dungeon me/i, function(msg) {
var character = startingCharacter,
weapon = make.weapon(0),
armor = make.armor(0);
console.log(weapon); // <- returns value from make.armor(0)
console.log(armor); // <- returns value from make.armor(0)
}
};
/* module file */
var random = require('./random.js');
var baseStats = {
'equipped': 'true',
'attack': '0',
'damage': '0',
'defense': '0',
'health': '0',
'luck': '0',
'passivePower': {},
'activePower': {}
};
// Generate a weapon
exports.weapon = function(level) {
var weaponNames = require('../data/nouns/weapon_names.json');
var thisWeapon = {};
if (level === 0) {
var adjNeg = require('../data/adjectives/negative.json');
thisWeapon = baseStats;
thisWeapon.name = adjNeg[random(0, adjNeg.length)] + ' ' + weaponNames[random(0, weaponNames.length)];
thisWeapon.type = 'weapon';
}
console.log(thisWeapon); // <- returns correct value
return thisWeapon;
};
// Generate armor
exports.armor = function(level) {
var armorNames = require('../data/nouns/armor_names.json');
var thisArmor = {};
if (level === 0) {
var adjNeg = require('../data/adjectives/negative.json'),
animals = require('../data/nouns/animals.json');
var armorName = armorNames[random(0, armorNames.length)];
thisArmor = baseStats;
if (armorName === 'Hide') {
thisArmor.name = animals[random(0, animals.length)] + ' ' + armorName + ' armor';
}
else {
thisArmor.name = adjNeg[random(0, adjNeg.length)] + ' ' + armorName;
}
thisArmor.type = 'armor';
}
console.log(thisArmor); // <- returns correct value
return thisArmor;
};
Note: edited with real code, instead of sample code
When you do this:
thisArmor = baseStats;
you're not making a copy of the "baseStats" object. Since both methods in the module modify and return a reference to that same object, you get the effect you observe.
There are several ways to implement a shallow copy operation for Node; see this Stackoverflow question. With one of those approaches, you'd start those methods off with a local copy of "baseStats".