Declaring javascript arrays with/without jquery

Question

I'm declaring this array in a javascript script:

    var status=[
    {
        "name":"name1",
        "level":0
    },
    {
        "name":"name2",
        "level":0
    },
    {
        "name":"name3",
        "level":0
    },
    {
        "name":"name4",
        "level":0
    },
    {
        "name":"name5",
        "level":0
    }];
console.log(status);

If i declare it inside the

$('document').ready(function(){
});

function, then the console.log(status) return me an array of objects (like I want it to be).

But if I declare it outside the document ready function, it will return this string:

[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object],[object Object]

And, i repeat, it's a string...

Maybe it is something stupid but I can't figure out where the problem is.

Duplicate of stackoverflow.com/questions/26562719/…?

T.J. Crowder
– T.J. Crowder

2018-04-13 11:59:29 +00:00
Commented Apr 13, 2018 at 11:59 — T.J. Crowder
– T.J. Crowder, Commented Apr 13, 2018 at 11:59

T.J. Crowder · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-13 11:57:43Z

12

It's because status is a pre-existing global whose value you can't set to an array (it can only be a string, in theory it's the status text shown in the browser's footer, if it has one; and browsers ignore it these days):

console.log("before:", typeof status);
var status = [];
console.log("after:", typeof status);

If you set it to a non-string, either the browser will ignore it, or (as in your case) it will coerce to string — what you're seeing is what you get for an array with plain objects in it when you coerce to string:

console.log(String([{}, {}, {}]));

This is one of the reasons not to use globals, on browsers the global namespace is really crowded. Instead, wrap your code in a scoping function (whether you use ready or just an IIFE). Or if you have to have a global, have just one (like jQuery [almost] does), and make it an object with properties on for the various things you want to be "global".

edited Apr 13, 2018 at 11:57

answered Apr 13, 2018 at 11:54

T.J. Crowder

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3 Comments

caesay Over a year ago

For this reason, I frequently add an underscore for any global I need to create, and also usually add my application name. Ex: __appnameStatus

Ankit Agarwal Over a year ago

Does OP say status is pre-existing global?

T.J. Crowder Over a year ago

@AnkitAgarwal: OP says their code doesn't work at global scope. The above is why.

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