Setting up a variable length two-dimensional array

Question

I have a string as follows : Panther^Pink,Green,Yellow|Dog^Hot,Top

This string means I have 2 main blocks(separated by a '|') : "Panther" and "Dog" Under these two main blocks, I have, lets say "subcategories".

I wanted to create a 2-dimensional array represented (in logic) as follows :

Panther(Array 1) => Pink(Element 1),Green(Element 2), Yellow(Element 3) Dog(Array 2) => Hot(Element 1), Top(Element 2)

Also,I want to be able to add a main block, lets say "Cat" with possible categories "Cute,Proud" to the two dimensional array

I've managed to get an Array containing "Panther^Pink,Green,Yellow" and "Dog^Hot,Top" by using JavaScript's split function.

Note that this string is received via Ajax and can be of any length, though the format shown above is always used.

----------------------------- EDIT ----------------------------

Ok, my script so far is :

    $(document).ready(function(){
        appFunc.setNoOfAppBlock('Panther^Pink,Green,Yellow|Dog^Hot,Top');
        appFunc.alertPing();
    });


    var appFunc = (function(stringWithSeper) {
        var result = {},
           i,
           categories = new Array(),
           subcategories;

        return {
            setNoOfAppBlock: function(stringWithSeper){
                categories = stringWithSeper.split("|");
                for (i = 0; i < categories.length; i++) {
                  subcategories = categories[i].split("^");
                  result[subcategories[0]] = subcategories[1].split(",");
                }
            },
            alertPing: function(){
                alert(result["Panther"][1]);
            }
        };
    })();

However, the function "alertPing" isn't "alerting" anything.What am am I doing wrong ?

if the above can be achieved using an associative array, then, yes..though I prefer a simple two-dimensional array. — dinchakpianist
– dinchakpianist, Commented Dec 27, 2011 at 7:49
You're not describing a "simple two-dimensional array", you're describing an associative array made up of elements that are simple one-dimensional arrays. JavaScript's equivalent of an associative array is the "object", which is what I've used in my answer (and I see techfoobar has used an object too, beating me by a few seconds to post almost the same answer). If you use a simple two-dimensional array then you either lose the "Panther" and "Dog" keys, or you end up with them as the first element of each sub array - is that what you want? — nnnnnn
– nnnnnn, Commented Dec 27, 2011 at 8:06
@nnnnnn, that would do too, however,now,going through your solutions, I think I'd go about it the way you've show above ! — dinchakpianist
– dinchakpianist, Commented Dec 27, 2011 at 10:05

nnnnnn · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-27 07:59:03Z

2

To me the most logical representation of your data:

Panther^Pink,Green,Yellow|Dog^Hot,Top

Is with a JavaScript object with a property for each category, each of which is an array with the subcategories:

var data = {
   Panther : ["Pink", "Green", "Yellow"],
   Dog     : ["Hot", "Top"]
}

You would then access that by saying, e.g., data["Dog"][1] (gives "Top").

If that format is acceptable to you then you could parse it as follows:

function parseData(data) {
   var result = {},
       i,
       categories = data.split("|"),
       subcategories;

   for (i = 0; i < categories.length; i++) {
      subcategories = categories[i].split("^");
      result[subcategories[0]] = subcategories[1].split(",");
   }

   return result;
}

var str = "Panther^Pink,Green,Yellow|Dog^Hot,Top";
var data = parseData(str);

answered Dec 27, 2011 at 7:59

nnnnnn

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Comments

jfriend00 · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-27 08:33:55Z

1

Assuming you're trying to parse your data into something like this:

var result = {
   Panther: ["Pink", "Green", "Yellow"],
   Dog: ["Hot", "Top"]
}

you can use string.split() to break up your string into subarrays:

var str = "Panther^Pink,Green,Yellow|Dog^Hot,Top";
var result = {}, temp;
var blocks = str.split("|");
for (var i = 0; i < blocks.length; i++) {
    temp = blocks[i].split("^");
    result[temp[0]] = temp[1].split(",");
}

Data can then be added to that data structure like this:

result["Cat"] = ["Cute", "Proud"];

Data can be read from that data structure like this:

var dogItems = result["Dog"];    // gives you an array ["Hot", "Top"]

edited Dec 27, 2011 at 8:33

answered Dec 27, 2011 at 7:58

jfriend00

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Comments

techfoobar · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-27 08:50:32Z

1

You can use something like:

function parseInput(_input) {
  var output = [];
  var parts = _input.split('|');
  var part;
  for(var i=0; i<parts.length; i++) {
    part = parts[i].split('^');
    output[part[0]] = part[1].split(',');
  }
  return output; 
}

Calling parseInput('Panther^Pink,Green,Yellow|Dog^Hot,Top'); will return:

output [
 "Panther" => [ "Pink", "Green", "Yellow" ],
 "Dog" => [ "Hot", "Top" ]
]

To add another item to the list, you can use:

output["Cat"] = ["Cute", "Proud"];

edited Dec 27, 2011 at 8:50

answered Dec 27, 2011 at 7:58

techfoobar

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