Javascript - Iterate over deep nested object and change certain unknown values

Question

I have an object with an unknown number of levels and types (array, object, string), here is an example:

var data = {
    ffs: false,
    customer: {
        customer_id: 1544248,
        z_cx_id: '123456',
    },
    selected_items: {
        '3600196': [{
            id: 4122652,
            name: 'Essential Large (up to 8\'x10\')',
            selected: true
        }]
    },
    service_partner: {
        id: 3486,
        name: 'Some String',
        street: '1234 King St.',
    },
    subject: 'Project-2810191 - Orange Juice Stain (Rug)',
    description: 'Product Type: \n\nIssue: (copy/paste service request details here)\n\nAction Required:',
}

I have to loop through every property using plain javascript and sanitize each string that has a ' to have '' (for use in a PostGres Query), I change it with the following code:

val = val.replace(/'/g, "''");

And I can loop through the object and display them with this, although this may not be the best solution:

function iterObj(obj) {
  for (var key in obj) {
    console.log(key + ': ' + obj[key]);
    if (obj[key] !== null && typeof obj[key] === "object") {
      // Recurse into children
      iterObj(obj[key]);
    }
  }
}

iterObj(data);

The problem is that I don't know how to actually do the sanitization part and update the original data array since this is going in circles.

I found plenty of people asking similar questions but couldn't quite get their answers to work in my case.

Any help is appreciated.

are you sure you need this? probably the library you are using has some sanitation logic built in — eltonkamami
– eltonkamami, Commented Jul 26, 2016 at 18:05

Nina Scholz · Accepted Answer · 2017-04-26 16:37:24Z

29

You could check for an object and call the recursion again.

function iter(o) {
    Object.keys(o).forEach(function (k) {
        if (o[k] !== null && typeof o[k] === 'object') {
            iter(o[k]);
            return;
        }
        if (typeof o[k] === 'string') {
            o[k] = o[k].replace(/'/g, "''");
        }
    });
}

var data = { ffs: false, customer: { customer_id: 1544248, z_cx_id: '123456' }, selected_items: { '3600196': [{ id: 4122652, name: 'Essential Large (up to 8\'x10\')', selected: true }] }, service_partner: { id: 3486, name: 'Some String', street: '1234 King St.' }, subject: 'Project-2810191 - Orange Juice Stain (Rug)', description: 'Product Type: \n\nIssue: (copy/paste service request details here)\n\nAction Required:' };

iter(data);
console.log(data);

edited Apr 26, 2017 at 16:37

answered Jul 26, 2016 at 18:12

Nina Scholz

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Comments

KevBot · Accepted Answer · 2016-07-26 18:16:51Z

6

Why not convert the entire object to JSON, and then replace all ''s with a "? Then, you simplify the entire operation, without doing recursion.

var data = {ffs: false, customer: {customer_id: 1544248, z_cx_id: '123456',}, selected_items: {'3600196': [{id: 4122652, name: 'Essential Large (up to 8\'x10\')', selected: true}]}, service_partner: {id: 3486, name: 'Some String', street: '1234 King St.',}, subject: 'Project-2810191 - Orange Juice Stain (Rug)', description: 'Product Type: \n\nIssue: (copy/paste service request details here)\n\nAction Required:',};

data = JSON.stringify(data);
// or replace with two ' or whatever else
data = data.replace(/'/g, '\\"');
data = JSON.parse(data);

console.log(data);

answered Jul 26, 2016 at 18:16

KevBot

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1 Comment

For the Name Over a year ago

This is an interesting pattern! As long as you ensure it doesn't break the JSON with the replace, its very simple.

Karl Adler · Accepted Answer · 2020-01-01 14:48:26Z

5

try using the reviver method to avoid accidentally breaking your JSON structure.

var data = {ffs: false, customer: {customer_id: 1544248, z_cx_id: '123456',}, selected_items: {'3600196': [{id: 4122652, name: 'Essential Large (up to 8\'x10\')', selected: true}]}, service_partner: {id: 3486, name: 'Some String', street: '1234 King St.',}, subject: 'Project-2810191 - Orange Juice Stain (Rug)', description: 'Product Type: \n\nIssue: (copy/paste service request details here)\n\nAction Required:',};

data = JSON.stringify(data);
data = JSON.parse(data, (key, value) => {
    return typeof value === 'string' ? value.replace(/'/g, '\\"') : value;
});

console.log(data);

answered Jan 1, 2020 at 14:48

Karl Adler

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