Editing a jagged array in Javascript

Question

I wish to simulate a taskbar (of running tasks/apps). I plan to store tasks something like this:

(function ()
{
    var tasks = [];

    addTask = function (taskName, taskWindow)
    {
        if (!tasks[taskName]) { tasks[taskName] = []; }
        tasks[taskName].push({ taskWindow: taskWindow, taskName: taskName});
    };
    removeTask = function (taskName, taskWindow)
    {
        if (tasks[taskName])
        {
            //Somehow remove the object from the array
        }        
    };
}());

How should I write removeTask() to remove the correct element from this jagged array?

just do a for loop over tasks[taskName], find the one by taskID, use array.splice, and close this question — Andy Ray
– Andy Ray, Commented Feb 16, 2013 at 5:41
You might want to consider backbone.js or some other framework for MVC. You'll find such a thing very helpful. — VNO
– VNO, Commented Feb 16, 2013 at 5:42

Exception · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-16 06:02:38Z

1

I suggest using object to store your tasks, because it will make your ( specific to your requirement, I am not talking about Array vs Object) code cleaner and easier to maintain

var taskManager = (function(){
    function taskManager(tasks){
      // Do your tasks validation before passing to this.
      var this.tasks = tasks || {}; // tasks value is not private here         
    }
    // Assuming taskID would be unique value
    taskManager.prototype.addTask = function (taskName, taskID){
       if ( !this.tasks[taskID] ) {
          this.tasks[taskID] = { taskID: taskID, taskName: taskName }; 
       }
    };
    taskManager.prototype.removeTask = function (taskName, taskID){
      if (this.tasks[taskID]){
        delete this.tasks[taskID];
      }        
    };
    return taskManager;
})();

Usage:

var taskManager1 = new taskManager();
taskManager1.addTask(a,b);
taskManager1.removeTask(a);

answered Feb 16, 2013 at 6:02

Exception

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3 Comments

CHS Over a year ago

The problem is I'd no longer have tasks grouped by name. Also I made a mistake in my original code showing taskID as the other piece of info I would be storing. In reality it would be a reference to the tasks dialog window, not an integer.

CHS Over a year ago

But I think you are right. tasks should be an object with properties that are arrays.

jfriend00 Over a year ago

What is the point of the self-executing function you have it wrapped in? I don't see any particular benefit it is offering.

jfriend00 · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-16 05:42:23Z

1

Arrays are meant to have numeric indexes and you can use .splice() to remove a numeric indexed item from an array. Non-numeric indexes aren't really in the array, they end up just being properties on the array object and they can be removed with the delete operator.

If you don't have numeric indexes, then you should be using an object and use a property to index each item. When doing it that way, you can use delete tasks[taskName] to remove a property from the object.

answered Feb 16, 2013 at 5:42

jfriend00

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