Passing JS variable name to function

Question

So here is what I am trying to do:

My variable named data_1 is set.

var data_1 = {
  "y_legend": {
    "text": "# of Patients",
    "style": "{font-size: 20px; color: #778877}"
  },
  "x_legend": {
    "text": "AUG 09 - OCT 09",
    "style": "{font-size: 20px; color: #778877}"
  }
};

In a drop down a user selects an option with the value of data_1 that calls load('data_1').

function load(data)
{
  tmp = findSWF("my_chart");
  x = tmp.load( JSON.stringify(data) );
}

My Problem: I'm selecting an option with the value data_1 and not the variable itself. So in my function load('data_1'), when I alert(data) I get data = 'data_1'.

So how do I get the contents of my variable data_1 in my load function by passing only the name of the string?

John Millikin · Accepted Answer · 2009-09-02 18:23:20Z

7

var data_1 = { /* data goes here */ };

var data_choices = {1: data_1, 2: data_2, /* and so on */};

var load = function (data) {
    // data is "1", "2", etc. If you want to use the full data_1 name, change
    // the data_choices object keys.

    var tmp = findSWF("my_chart");
    var x = tmp.load( JSON.stringify(data_choices[data]) );
}

answered Sep 2, 2009 at 18:23

John Millikin

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1 Comment

Fostah Over a year ago

Thanks! This worked perfectly! I will have to try window out above also.

jimr · Accepted Answer · 2009-09-02 18:38:58Z

5

If it's a global variable, you can reference it with

window['the_variable_name']

E.g.

function load(data)
{ 
  tmp = findSWF( "my_chart" ); 
  x = tmp.load( JSON.stringify( window[data] ) ); 
}

answered Sep 2, 2009 at 18:38

jimr

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Comments

NakedLuchador · Accepted Answer · 2009-09-02 18:27:57Z

3

or you could simply use

alert(eval(data))

answered Sep 2, 2009 at 18:27

NakedLuchador

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3 Comments

Matt Ball Over a year ago

Whoah! You have to be REALLY CAREFUL when using eval()! stackoverflow.com/questions/86513/…

NakedLuchador Over a year ago

as stated in the second answer in the post u linked : eval isn't always evil. There are times where it's perfectly appropriate.

Cédric Boivin Over a year ago

@Matt Ball Not agree to give -1 to this answer because suggest to use Eval. Eval could be use carrefully, but could be practice to be use for debug.

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