Javascript keeping namespaces in scope of object's functions

Question

I was wondering if there was a way to keep namespaces in scope within the functions in a Javascript object.

First off, let's set up some stuff. Assume that we have a class (well, as close to a class as Javascript gets) Foo in the namespace FooBar. Then in the global namespace (window), we have the class Bar, which instantiates of Foo, so...

FooBar.Foo = function() {

}

function Bar() {
  this.init();
}

Bar.prototype = {
  init: function() {
    this.foo = new FooBar.Foo();
  }
}

Currently I have two systems for bringing things into scope: 1. using("FooBar") and unusing("FooBar") these functions move references to the contents of a given namespace in and out of the global namespace 2. with(namespace("FooBar")) {} this uses normal with behavior, giving it an object containing references to everything contained in the namespace. So right now, I have to use one of these methods inside of every function to bring the namespace into scope. I'm trying to see if there's a method of defining these when the class is declared and having them still be in scope for just this class due to closure of some sort...

FooBar.Foo = function() {

}

using("FooBar");

function Bar() {
  this.init();
}

Bar.prototype = {
  init: function() {
    this.foo = new Foo();
  } 
}

unusing("FooBar");

So, yeah, is something like this even possible, or am I stuck bringing these into scope really often?

Domenic · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-28 02:17:33Z

1

This is kind of terrible. I would suggest using a modern module system, like RequireJS. My friend put together a nice presentation on the evolution and use of module systems in JavaScript. They are JS's answer to namespaces.

Your code would look something like this:

// FooBar.js
define(function (require, exports, module) {
    exports.Foo = function () { };
});

// Bar.js
define(function (require, exports, module) {
    // This is kind of like "using FooBar" in other languages.
    var Foo = require("FooBar").Foo;

    exports.Bar = function () {
        this.init();
    };
    exports.Bar.prototype = {
        init: function () {
            this.foo = new Foo();
        }
    };
});

// elsewhere.js
define(function (require, exports, module) {
    var Foo = require("FooBar").Foo;
    var Bar = require("Bar").Bar;

    console.log(new Foo());
    console.log(new Bar());
});

answered Dec 28, 2011 at 2:17

Domenic

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3 Comments

Ixonal Over a year ago

that's a lot of overhead for what I'm doing, and isn't accomplishing what I need. given the current system, that could be implemented exactly the same.

Domenic Over a year ago

It's partially a matter of whether you want any other JS programmer to ever be able to understand your code. The module system is standard, whereas you are proposing something that would make most stare, wonder what was going through your head (messing with the global scope like that is craziness!), and immediately get a great urge to refactor away the crazy.

Ixonal Over a year ago

most of what I see pertaining to namespaces is to create objects to hold the references. that aside, I don't like bringing things into a global scope and back out all the time either, that's why I'm looking for a better alternative. I thought the "with" thing may be alright, but that has a downside too... Either way, this is all me trying to find a way around my laziness in not wanting to type out the full namespace all the time...

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