getting object instead of array in javascript

Question

I have string data[2] which in test is "6766 44 9 19904 7772 13323 245 14 221" and trying to convert it to array using code below

console.log(typeof(data[2]),data[2].length,data[2]);
con = data[2].trim().split("\\s+"); // i.e. 66 44 9 19904 7772 13323 245 14 221
console.log(typeof(con),con.length,con);

But getting below object instead, please advice

string 38  6766 44 9 19904 7772 13323 245 14 221
object 1 ["6766 44 9 19904 7772 13323 245 14 221"]

Arrays are objects in JS, and typeof returns "object" when testing an array. As you can see, you have an array. — Teemu
– Teemu, Commented Dec 3, 2015 at 16:42
And use Array.isArray(con) to test for an array. Arrays are objects in JS. — AtheistP3ace
– AtheistP3ace, Commented Dec 3, 2015 at 16:45

zzzzBov · Accepted Answer · 2015-12-03 16:43:03Z

9

You're trying to use a string to split instead of a regex:

change .split("\\s+") to .split(/\s+/g).

The typeof operation will return "object" for arrays, so you're actually seeing an array with a single item, which is why your count is wrong.

If you want to check if an object is an array, use Array.isArray, or for compatibility:

function isArray(arr) {
  return Object.prototype.toString.call(arr) === '[object Array]';
}

answered Dec 3, 2015 at 16:43

zzzzBov

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3 Comments

a-d Over a year ago

Is the g flag necessary here?

zzzzBov Over a year ago

@axelduch, probably not, but I recall some methods only match the first instance, and this appears to be a case where splitting should happen on all spaces, so the g flag makes sense to me. I honestly hadn't tested it.

a-d Over a year ago

Split is implicitly global already, but it is true for methods like String.prototype.replace

a-d · Accepted Answer · 2020-11-30 16:03:13Z

5

This is incorrect because you split by a string but could be a regexp:

con = data[2].trim().split("\\s+");

Could be

con = data[2].trim().split(/\s+/);

edited Nov 30, 2020 at 16:03

answered Dec 3, 2015 at 16:43

a-d

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1 Comment

epascarello Over a year ago

"could be" no "should be"

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