How to convert string variable from python into a javascript literal array?

Question

I have tried to convert python string data separated by commas into a javascript array variable but the process does not seem to be working.

these are my current codes:

    var tagstring = {{ tag_data }};
    var availableTags = new Array();
    var availableTags = tagstring.split(",");

I need the array to look something like this:

var availableTags = ["Google App Engine","jQuery"];

Any ideas?

EDIT:

These are the working codes, thanks to the stackoverflow community :)

    var tagstring = "{{ tag_data }}";
    var availableTags = new Array();
    var availableTags = tagstring.split(",");

Basically, even though the python variable is a string, it still needs to be specified as a string variable in javascript

May I suggest using a Python JSON library instead to take data from Python and put it into Javascript? — Amber
– Amber, Commented Mar 12, 2011 at 7:40
@Gabe i have tried eval(), does not seem to work for me though. split is the best solution so far :) — pivotal developer
– pivotal developer, Commented Mar 12, 2011 at 7:53
Setting availableTags to a new Array() is useless here by the way, since it gets overwritten with a different array on the next line — Cameron
– Cameron, Commented Mar 12, 2011 at 7:56

Cameron · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-12 07:49:20Z

3

Assuming this is in a Django template, then this should work:

var tagstring = "{{ tag_data|escapejs }}";

I've added quotation marks (") around the tag_data, since otherwise just the literal text in the string will be inserted into the Javascript; you want to construct a Javascript string that contains this value.

I've also used the escapejs tag to avoid problems with embedded backslashes, etc.

edited Mar 12, 2011 at 7:49

answered Mar 12, 2011 at 7:40

Cameron

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3 Comments

Tomalak Over a year ago

+1 for the escapejs filter. escape will not be necessary since there HTML-escaping is not needed (wrong, even) within a <script> tag.

pivotal developer Over a year ago

by inserting |escapejs to {{ tag_data }}, would it affect my python variable that is retrieved over into the script?

Cameron Over a year ago

@pivotal: No, the variable would remain unchanged; only the result would change

Tomalak · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-12 07:38:45Z

1

What does

var tagstring = "{{ tag_data }}";
var availableTags = tagstring.split(",");

produce?

By the way, this can further be collapsed into a one-liner.

var availableTags = "{{ tag_data }}".split(",");

answered Mar 12, 2011 at 7:38

Tomalak

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Comments

ThiefMaster · Accepted Answer · 2011-03-12 08:39:19Z

1

The proper solution is not using any string functions - be it in python or javascript - but a JSON encoder:

var availableTags = {{ json.dumps(elem.strip() for elem in tag_data.split(',')) }}

Of course it would be much nicer if you had a list in python instead of a string...

answered Mar 12, 2011 at 8:39

ThiefMaster

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