How can I prevent the constant use of "this" when creating functions and variables within objects in JavaScript?

Question

How can I prevent the constant use of "this" when creating functions and variables within objects in JavaScript?

Currently, I am utilizing simple JavaScript objects that contain functions and members. One recurring issue I encounter is having to append the this keyword every time I access a member or function.
Adding this repeatedly can be tedious, so I am seeking ways to circumvent the need for it before each member variable or function call.
For instance:

var MyClass = cc.LayerColor.extend({
    sprite:null,
    stopGameLoop:false,
    labelScore:null,
    winSize:0,
    visibleOrigin:0,
    blocksList : [] ,
    circle:null,
    gameOverScreen:null,
    circleblockY:0,
    circleblockX:0, 
    blocksNum:0,
    currentState:0,
    zCount:0,
    currentZorder:0,
    iScore:0,


    ctor:function () {
        //////////////////////////////
        // 1. super init first
        this._super();
        this.init( cc.color(255,255,255, 255) ); 
        this.winSize = cc.winSize;
        this.visibleOrigin = cc.director.getVisibleOrigin(); 

        this.setGameOverScreen(this.blocksNum);                 
        this.setLevel(this.circleblockY,this,circleblockX);
        return true;
    },
    setLevel:function (a,b,c) {
    },
    setGameOverScreen:function (foo) {
    },


});

Why am I constantly using this?

javascript

Answer 1

Answer №1

When working with object properties in JavaScript, it's important to specify the object you want to access them from as there is no implicit this like in Java or C#. You need to explicitly use this. in your code to reference the object.

While it is possible to bring all of an object's properties into scope using the with construct, it is strongly discouraged. In fact, when ES5 was released in 2009, a new "strict mode" was introduced by TC-39 (the committee overseeing JavaScript) which completely disallows the use of with.

Explicitly referencing the object is standard practice in JavaScript programming.

There are alternative programming styles in JavaScript that avoid using this by manipulating closures, but based on your current code it may not be compatible with the framework or library being used. Some approaches skip this while still using an explicit object reference (e.g., foo.), which may not provide much benefit in this case.

If you simply want to shorten the syntax, you can assign this to a variable:

var t = this;
t._super();
t.init(/*...*/);

(Assuming the library being used does not specifically search for this by decompiling functions, though most modern libraries should not have this issue...)

However, my recommendation would be to become familiar and comfortable with using this directly.

Answer 2

When working with object properties in JavaScript, it's important to specify the object you want to access them from as there is no implicit this like in Java or C#. You need to explicitly use this. in your code to reference the object.

While it is possible to bring all of an object's properties into scope using the with construct, it is strongly discouraged. In fact, when ES5 was released in 2009, a new "strict mode" was introduced by TC-39 (the committee overseeing JavaScript) which completely disallows the use of with.

Explicitly referencing the object is standard practice in JavaScript programming.

There are alternative programming styles in JavaScript that avoid using this by manipulating closures, but based on your current code it may not be compatible with the framework or library being used. Some approaches skip this while still using an explicit object reference (e.g., foo.), which may not provide much benefit in this case.

If you simply want to shorten the syntax, you can assign this to a variable:

var t = this;
t._super();
t.init(/*...*/);

(Assuming the library being used does not specifically search for this by decompiling functions, though most modern libraries should not have this issue...)

However, my recommendation would be to become familiar and comfortable with using this directly.

Answer 3

Answer №2

In this scenario, you are utilizing a constructor to create an object. The specific object being created is denoted by this. It's important to explicitly state that all operations are being applied to this. This behavior is intentional and not a glitch, so there is no need to modify it. If you require using it within another function or in the context of setTimeout, you can define a new variable and assign it as a reference to this like so: var that = this;

Answer 4

In this scenario, you are utilizing a constructor to create an object. The specific object being created is denoted by this. It's important to explicitly state that all operations are being applied to this. This behavior is intentional and not a glitch, so there is no need to modify it. If you require using it within another function or in the context of setTimeout, you can define a new variable and assign it as a reference to this like so: var that = this;

How can I prevent the constant use of "this" when creating functions and variables within objects in JavaScript?

Answer №1

Answer №2

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