Generate a sparse array using only a single line of code

Is it possible for JavaScript to create a sparse array similar to what Bash can do in one line?

names=([0]="Bob" [1]="Peter" [20]="$USER" [21]="Big Bad John")

§ Creating Arrays

Can JavaScript achieve the same with sparse arrays?

Answer №1

While JavaScript does have a sparse array literal, it can be quite cumbersome to work with.

var x = [8,,,,4,,,,6]

Using objects instead of arrays may feel more natural for JavaScript in this scenario, especially considering the challenge of counting commas between elements.

var names = {0: "Bob", 1: "Peter", 20: "$USER", 21: "Big Bad John"};

Whether integers are quoted or not, they are converted to strings for use as keys in the object, essentially functioning as a hash. Accessing values using [] is the same whether the key is looked up as an integer or a string, such as names[0] and names['0'].

For creating an actual array, a possible function for sparse array creation is provided:

function sparseArray() {
    var array = [];
    for (var i = 0; i < arguments.length; i += 2) {
        var index = arguments[i];
        var value = arguments[i + 1];
        array[index] = value;
    }
    return array;
}
var names = sparseArray(0, "Bob", 1, "Peter", 20, "$USER", 21, "Big Bad John");

Keep in mind that this function lacks error checking, so omitting the final argument could result in setting 21 to undefined, and using a non-integer key would add it as an object property instead...

Similar questions

If you have not found the answer to your question or you are interested in this topic, then look at other similar questions below or use the search

Converting Node JS request to an API into React Fetch syntax

I have encountered a problem while developing an app in React-Native that connects with the Hubspot API. Initially, I tried to make the request using the Node JS request module, but it didn't work well with React Native when Expo was involved. Now, I ...

Refresh gif without having to reload it in Internet Explorer 11

I'm attempting to create a feature where a gif restarts when clicked by the user, without needing to reload it (due to the heavy size of the gif which is preloaded for my application). The current code functions flawlessly on Chrome and other "modern ...

Determine the maximum array size in Javascript

Having trouble setting a limit in my custom lightbox for a gallery <script> var imagenumber = 0; function btnleft(){ load = imagenumber-=1; document.getElementById('lightboxcontent').innerHTML=imagelist[load]; ...

Activating the loader dismiss command will transition the swiper to the current page

Having a swiper and loader makes the scenario very straightforward. The loader is initialized whenever calculations are performed, and after successfully obtaining the result, the loader turns off and swipes to the second slide. <swiper-container #sl ...

Should I keep my Mobx stores in a dedicated file or include them directly in the React component?

There are a couple of ways to define observable properties and actions in MobX. One way is to include them directly in the component like this: // App.js class App extends Component { @observable a = 'something' @action change() { this. ...

What measures can be taken to safeguard this hyperlink?

Is there a way to conceal HTML code from the source code? For instance: jwplayer("mediaplayer").setup({ file: "http://example.com/Media.m3u8", autostart: 'true', controlbar: 'bottom', file: "http://exa ...

When swiping right with Swiper.js, the slides are jumping by all, skipping the following slide, but the left swipe functions correctly

Here is the code I used for my swiper element: new Swiper("#swiper-pricing", { slidesPerView: 1.3, spaceBetween: 30, centeredSlides: true, loop: true, keyboard: { enabled: true, }, autoplay: { delay: 50 ...

Is there a way to utilize ajax to submit a form and upload a file to a spring controller?

I have a form with four fields: file, name, type (as a string), and taskInstanceId. <form> <table id="documentDetailsTable"> <tr> <td>Document Type: </td> <td><select id="documentType" ...

Unable to activate Knockout data-bind using jQuery

I'm developing a plugin using jQuery and knockout.js. Currently, I have a scenario where I need to manipulate radio buttons with knockout data-bindings. However, I've encountered an issue when trying to uncheck a radio button by clicking another ...

waiting to display information until it is necessary

I am currently working on optimizing my website for improved loading speed and responsiveness. Users can scroll through up to 4k images, apply filters, and sort them based on their preferences. Below is the code snippet for my filtering function: function ...

Transferring data using AJAX between an AngularJS frontend and a Node.js backend

Just a heads up: The main question is at the bottom in case you find this post too lengthy ;) I'm currently working on developing my first angularjs app and I've hit a roadblock when it comes to fetching data via ajax from my nodejs (express) se ...

Revolutionizing the Industry: Discover the Power of Dynamic Models, Stores, and Views for

As a newcomer to EXT JS, I am exploring the use of MVC in my projects. Consider a scenario where I have a web service with a flexible data model. I would like to dynamically create models, stores, and components based on the data from these stores. Let&a ...

What is the process for enabling multiple consumers to subscribe to a shared topic in RabbitMQ and receive identical messages?

Although there is a similar question with an answer here, I remain uncertain whether the limitation lies in RabbitMQ's capabilities or if I simply need to conduct further research. Coming from a JS/Node background where the event pub/sub pattern func ...

The process of uploading a file to the server directory via ajax is not functioning correctly. Despite attempts to upload the image, it does not successfully transfer to the designated upload

I am encountering an issue with uploading files to the server upload directory using AJAX. The image is not being successfully uploaded and I keep receiving a "connection reset" error. Can you please review my code below to see if there are any mistakes? T ...

Matching with Regex beyond the limits

Trying to extract a body tag using regex and then replace it with an appended string. However, encountering an issue where the regex is selecting more content than intended. regex: /<body.*[^>]>/i test string: <bla bla ><body class=&apo ...

How can I replace specific text with HTML code in a webpage?

In my application, users have the ability to write comments that may contain HTML code. However, this code is escaped before being displayed: <div class="card-body"> <p class="card-text"> &lt;h1&gt;HOLA&lt;/h1&gt; Cita:#2&am ...

Combining photos seamlessly and bringing them to life through animation upon window loading

My main goal is to seamlessly fit the images together, but I'm struggling to achieve this. I tried using masonry, but unfortunately it didn't work for me. All I want is to tightly pack the divs together. For instance, in my fiddle example, I woul ...

Passing Node.js MySQL query results to the next function within an async.waterfall workflow

In my node.js code using express, I have set up a route to request data from a mysql database. My goal is to pass the returned JSON in tabular form to another function to restructure it into a hierarchy type JSON. I have individually tested the script to ...

Ways to showcase a standalone identifier from iTunes RSS

I have a script below that fetches iTunes charts directly from the RSS and displays it. However, I am looking to only display the information for a specific ID from the RSS entry. Any suggestions on how this can be achieved? <script> jQuery(functi ...

Vuetify: How to restore the input value in v-text-field

This app is designed with a simple v-text-field for user input. The issue I am facing is that when I enter a combination of numbers and letters like 11a, then quickly tab out or click out of the input field before losing focus, it only shows 11. However, ...