Requiring a Javascript file in another JavaScript file

Question

var FS = require('fs');
var Path = require('path');
var Jsonfile = require('jsonfile');

var search = function () {};

search.prototype.projectContainerDirPath = null;

/*
 * interface
 */
search.prototype.setPaths = function () {
  this.projectContainerDirPath =  Path.join(__dirname, '../projects');
};

module.exports.search = search;

This is my a.js file. In this file, I have created an object called search and added a variable and a function to its prototype. Finally i have exported the search object.

I have b.js file which require, a.js file. b.js file is shown below

var search = require("./search");
search.setPaths();

What i'm trying to here is to use all the functions and variables of a.js inside b.js. But when b.js is run, Node JS returns below error

TypeError: search.setPaths is not a function

I tried exporting a new object of search.

var obj = new search();
module.exports.search = obj;

And again creating a new object of search in file b.js

var search = require("./a");
var obj = new search();
search.setPaths();

But those two attempts was failed. The reason why I'm using prototype is, there are some more objects that inherits the prototype of search object. So is there any way i can export this search object and use it in another JavaScript file?

modernator · Accepted Answer · 2016-06-19 20:26:03Z

1

Try this:

module.exports = search;

And looks like 'search function' is constructor, so you should better use first character as capital to distinguish that this is a Function or Constructor like this:

var Search = function() { ... }
var obj = new Search();

** UPDATED **

Ok, I read your question again, I found wrong point. In search.js file:

var search = function() {};
module.exports = search;   // module.exports.search and this syntax is same

search is a constructor, not an object. In b.js file, you are using search's prototype function setPaths, but search is a just function object that means it connected Function.prototype not search.prototype. If you want to using the prototype function directly from different file, you should export instantiated Object, not a constructor:

var search = function() {};
module.exports = new search();

this is what I did and it works 100%:

// server.js
var search = function() {};
search.prototype.setPaths = function() { ... };
module.exports = new search;  // you can skip () if argument is empty

and this is b.js:

// b.js
var search = require("./search");
search.setPaths();

edited Jun 19, 2016 at 20:26

answered Jun 18, 2016 at 8:27

modernator

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3 Comments

modernator Over a year ago

first code in your question called a.js but what actually you are importing is ./search, which means ./search.js, not a.js. I think that's the problem.

s1n7ax Over a year ago

that's because the actual file name is search.js. i just used a and b as an example. i copied the actual code and past the code here. i edited the question.

modernator Over a year ago

I just updated answer, and it worked(tested). Hope will help you.

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