Delete object from json tree by reference in JavaScript

Question

I need to remove an object from an JSON tree. I know a reference to that object. Is there a nice way to do it via JavaScript or jQuery besides traversing the whole tree?

Example:

    party = {
    "uuid": "4D326531-3C67-4CD2-95F4-D1708CE6C7A8",
    "link": {
        "rel": "self",
        "href": "http://localhost:8080/cim/party/4D326531-3C67-4CD2-95F4-D1708CE6C7A8"
    },
    "type": "PERSON",
    "name": "John Doe",

    "properties": {
        "CONTACT": [            
            {
                "category": "CONTACT",
                "type": "EMAIL",
                "key": "email",
                "value": "[email protected]",
                "id": "27DDFF6E-5235-46BF-A349-67BEC92D6DAD"
            },
            {
                "category": "CONTACT",
                "type": "PHONE",
                "key": "mobile",
                "value": "+43 999 999990 3999",
                "id": "6FDAA4C6-9340-4F11-9118-F0BC514B0D77"
            }
        ],
        "CLIENT_DATA": [
            {
                "category": "CLIENT_DATA",
                "type": "TYPE",
                "key": "client_type",
                "value": "private",
                "id": "65697515-43A0-4D80-AE90-F13F347A6E68"
            }
        ]
    },
    "links": []
    }

And i have a reference: contact = party.properties.contact[1]. And I want to do something like delete contact.

hex494D49 · Accepted Answer · 2014-06-25 15:23:40Z

1

You may delete it this way. I just tested it.

var party = {
    // ...
}

alert(party.properties.CONTACT[0]) // object Object
delete party.properties.CONTACT[0] // true
alert(party.properties.CONTACT[0]) // undefined

Fiddle

UPDATE

In the case above party is a direct property of window object

window.hasOwnProperty('party'); // true

and that's why you can't delete a property by reference. Anyhow, behavior of delete operator with host objects is unpredictable. Though, you may create a scope around the party object and then you'll be allowed to delete it.

var _scope = {};
var _scope.party = {
    // ...
};

var r = _scope.party.properties.CONTACT[0];
window.hasOwnProperty('party'); // false
alert(r) // object Object
delete r // true
alert(r) // undefined

edited Jun 25, 2014 at 15:23

answered Jun 25, 2014 at 12:15

hex494D49

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2 Comments

Marius Over a year ago

Yes, this works, but I cannot use the reference. Anyhow I can do something like this:

var properties = $scope.party.properties[category]; var propIdx = $.inArray(property, properties); properties.splice(propIdx, 1);

hex494D49 Over a year ago

@Marius Check the updated answer. I believe things are clear now :)

zerkms · Accepted Answer · 2014-06-25 11:51:26Z

1

It only works one way: a variable holds a reference, but there is no way given a particular reference to infer what variables hold it (without iterating over them and comparing).

answered Jun 25, 2014 at 11:51

zerkms

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2 Comments

Marius Over a year ago

Ok, is then any why to find an item index from and Array by reference. For exemple find(party.properties.contact, ctc) = 1 where ctc = party.properties.contact[1]

zerkms Over a year ago

@Marius: yep, just iterate over array and compare.

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