JavaScript variable assignments from tuples

Question

In other languages like Python 2 and Python 3, you can define and assign values to a tuple variable, and retrieve their values like this:

tuple = (\"Bob\", 2         


        

Answer 1

This "tuple" feature it is called destructuring in EcmaScript2015 and is soon to be supported by up to date browsers. For the time being, only Firefox and Chrome support it.

But hey, you can use a transpiler.

The code would look as nice as python:

let tuple = ["Bob", 24]
let [name, age] = tuple

console.log(name)
console.log(age)

Answer 2

This is not intended to be actually used in real life, just an interesting exercise. See Why is using the JavaScript eval function a bad idea? for details.

This is the closest you can get without resorting to vendor-specific extensions:

myArray = [1,2,3];
eval(set('a,b,c = myArray'));

Helper function:

function set(code) {
    var vars=code.split('=')[0].trim().split(',');
    var array=code.split('=')[1].trim();
    return 'var '+vars.map(function(x,i){return x+'='+array+'['+i+']'}).join(',');
}

Proof that it works in arbitrary scope:

(function(){
    myArray = [4,5,6];
    eval(set('x,y,z = myArray'));
    console.log(y);  // prints 5
})()

eval is not supported in Safari.

Answer 3

Here is a version of Matthew James Davis's answer with the Python tuple methods added in:

class Tuple extends Array { 
  constructor(...items) { 
    super(...items); 
    Object.freeze(this);
  }
  toArray() {
    return [...this];
  }
  toString() {
    return '('+super.toString()+')';
  }
  count(item) {
    var arr = this.toArray();
    var result = 0;
    for(var i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) {
       if(arr[i] === item) {
         result++;
       }
    }
    return result;
  }

  

  
}

   let tuple = new Tuple("Jim", 35);
   let [name,age] = tuple;

console.log("tuple:"+tuple)
console.log("name:"+name)
console.log("age:"+age)

Answer 4

Javascript 1.7 added destructured assignment which allows you to do essentially what you are after.

function getTuple(){
   return ["Bob", 24];
}
var [a, b] = getTuple();
// a === "bob" , b === 24 are both true

Answer 5

I made a tuple implementation that works quite well. This solution allows for array destructuring, as well as basic type-cheking.

const Tuple = (function() {
    function Tuple() {
        // Tuple needs at least one element
        if (arguments.length < 1) {
            throw new Error('Tuple needs at least one element');
        }

        const args = { ...arguments };

        // Define a length property (equal to the number of arguments provided)
        Object.defineProperty(this, 'length', {
            value: arguments.length,
            writable: false
        });

        // Assign values to enumerable properties
        for (let i in args) {
            Object.defineProperty(this, i, {
                enumerable: true,
                get() {
                    return args[+i];
                },
                // Checking if the type of the provided value matches that of the existing value
                set(value) {
                    if (typeof value !== typeof args[+i]) {
                        throw new Error('Cannot assign ' + typeof value + ' on ' + typeof args[+i]);
                    }

                    args[+i] = value;
                }
            });
        }

        // Implementing iteration with Symbol.iterator (allows for array destructuring as well for...of loops)
        this[Symbol.iterator] = function() {
            const tuple = this;

            return {
                current: 0,
                last: tuple.length - 1,
                next() {
                    if (this.current <= this.last) {
                        let val = { done: false, value: tuple[this.current] };
                        this.current++;
                        return val;
                    } else {
                        return { done: true };
                    }
                }
            };
        };

        // Sealing the object to make sure no more values can be added to tuple
        Object.seal(this);
    }

    // check if provided object is a tuple
    Tuple.isTuple = function(obj) {
        return obj instanceof Tuple;
    };

    // Misc. for making the tuple more readable when printing to the console
    Tuple.prototype.toString = function() {
        const copyThis = { ...this };
        const values = Object.values(copyThis);
        return `(${values.join(', ')})`;
    };

    // conctat two instances of Tuple
    Tuple.concat = function(obj1, obj2) {
        if (!Tuple.isTuple(obj1) || !Tuple.isTuple(obj2)) {
            throw new Error('Cannot concat Tuple with ' + typeof (obj1 || obj2));
        }

        const obj1Copy = { ...obj1 };
        const obj2Copy = { ...obj2 };

        const obj1Items = Object.values(obj1Copy);
        const obj2Items = Object.values(obj2Copy);

        return new Tuple(...obj1Items, ...obj2Items);
    };

    return Tuple;
})();

const SNAKE_COLOR = new Tuple(0, 220, 10);

const [red, green, blue] = SNAKE_COLOR;
console.log(green); // => 220

Answer 6

You can do something similar:

var tuple = Object.freeze({ name:'Bob', age:14 })

and then refer to name and age as attributes

tuple.name 
tuple.age