Javascript HashTable use Object key

Question

I want to create a hash table with Object keys that are not converted into String.

Some thing like this:

var object1 = new Object();
var o         


        

Answer 1

Based on Peters answer, but with proper class design (not abusing closures), so the values are debuggable. Renamed from Map to ObjectMap, because Map is a builtin function. Also added the exists method:

ObjectMap = function() {
    this.keys = [];
    this.values = [];
}

ObjectMap.prototype.set = function(key, value) {
    var index = this.keys.indexOf(key);
    if (index == -1) {
        this.keys.push(key);
        this.values.push(value);
    } else {
        this.values[index] = value;
    }
}

ObjectMap.prototype.get = function(key) {
    return this.values[ this.keys.indexOf(key) ];
}

ObjectMap.prototype.exists = function(key) {
    return this.keys.indexOf(key) != -1;
}

/*
    TestObject = function() {}

    testA = new TestObject()
    testB = new TestObject()

    om = new ObjectMap()
    om.set(testA, true)
    om.get(testB)
    om.exists(testB)
    om.exists(testA)
    om.exists(testB)
*/

Answer 2

I know that I am a year late, but for all others who stumble upon this thread, I've written the ordered object stringify to JSON, that solves the above noted dilemma: http://stamat.wordpress.com/javascript-object-ordered-property-stringify/

Also I was playing with custom hash table implementations which is also related to the topic: http://stamat.wordpress.com/javascript-quickly-find-very-large-objects-in-a-large-array/

//SORT WITH STRINGIFICATION

var orderedStringify = function(o, fn) {
    var props = [];
    var res = '{';
    for(var i in o) {
        props.push(i);
    }
    props = props.sort(fn);

    for(var i = 0; i < props.length; i++) {
        var val = o[props[i]];
        var type = types[whatis(val)];
        if(type === 3) {
            val = orderedStringify(val, fn);
        } else if(type === 2) {
            val = arrayStringify(val, fn);
        } else if(type === 1) {
            val = '"'+val+'"';
        }

        if(type !== 4)
            res += '"'+props[i]+'":'+ val+',';
    }

    return res.substring(res, res.lastIndexOf(','))+'}';
};

//orderedStringify for array containing objects
var arrayStringify = function(a, fn) {
    var res = '[';
    for(var i = 0; i < a.length; i++) {
        var val = a[i];
        var type = types[whatis(val)];
        if(type === 3) {
            val = orderedStringify(val, fn);
        } else if(type === 2) {
            val = arrayStringify(val);
        } else if(type === 1) {
            val = '"'+val+'"';
        }

        if(type !== 4)
            res += ''+ val+',';
    }

    return res.substring(res, res.lastIndexOf(','))+']';
}

Answer 3

I took @Florian Margaine's suggestion to higher level and came up with this:

function HashTable(){
    var hash = new Object();
    this.put = function(key, value){
        if(typeof key === "string"){
            hash[key] = value;
        }
        else{
            if(key._hashtableUniqueId == undefined){
                key._hashtableUniqueId = UniqueId.prototype.generateId();
            }
            hash[key._hashtableUniqueId] = value;
        }

    };

    this.get = function(key){
        if(typeof key === "string"){
            return hash[key];
        }
        if(key._hashtableUniqueId == undefined){
            return undefined;
        }
        return hash[key._hashtableUniqueId];
    };
}

function UniqueId(){

}

UniqueId.prototype._id = 0;
UniqueId.prototype.generateId = function(){
    return (++UniqueId.prototype._id).toString();
};

Usage

var map = new HashTable();
var object1 = new Object();
map.put(object1, "Cocakola");
alert(map.get(object1)); // Cocakola

//Overriding
map.put(object1, "Cocakola 2");
alert(map.get(object1)); // Cocakola 2

// String key is used as String     
map.put("myKey", "MyValue");
alert(map.get("myKey")); // MyValue
alert(map.get("my".concat("Key"))); // MyValue

// Invalid keys 
alert(map.get("unknownKey")); // undefined
alert(map.get(new Object())); // undefined

Answer 4

I took @Ilya_Gazman solution and improved it by setting '_hashtableUniqueId' as a not enumerable property (it won't appear in JSON requests neither will be listed in for loops). Also removed UniqueId object, since it is enough using only HastTable function closure. For usage details please see Ilya_Gazman post

function HashTable() {
   var hash = new Object();

   return {
       put: function (key, value) {
           if(!HashTable.uid){
               HashTable.uid = 0;
           }
           if (typeof key === "string") {
               hash[key] = value;
           } else {
               if (key._hashtableUniqueId === undefined) {
                   Object.defineProperty(key, '_hashtableUniqueId', {
                       enumerable: false,
                       value: HashTable.uid++
                   });
               }
               hash[key._hashtableUniqueId] = value;
           }
       },
       get: function (key) {
           if (typeof key === "string") {
               return hash[key];
           }
           if (key._hashtableUniqueId === undefined) {
               return undefined;
           }
           return hash[key._hashtableUniqueId];
       }
   };
}

Answer 5

The best solution is to use WeakMap when you can (i.e. when you target browsers supporting it)

Otherwise you can use the following workaround (Typescript written and collision safe):

// Run this in the beginning of your app (or put it into a file you just import)
(enableObjectID)();

const uniqueId: symbol = Symbol('The unique id of an object');

function enableObjectID(): void {
    if (typeof Object['id'] !== 'undefined') {
        return;
    }

    let id: number = 0;

    Object['id'] = (object: any) => {
        const hasUniqueId: boolean = !!object[uniqueId];
        if (!hasUniqueId) {
            object[uniqueId] = ++id;
        }

        return object[uniqueId];
    };
}

Then you can simply get a unique number for any object in your code (like if would have been for pointer address)

let objectA = {};
let objectB = {};
let dico = {};

dico[(<any>Object).id(objectA)] = "value1";

// or 

dico[Object['id'](objectA);] = "value1";

// If you are not using typescript you don't need the casting

dico[Object.id(objectA)] = "value1"

Answer 6

Using JSON.stringify() is completely awkward to me, and gives the client no real control over how their keys are uniquely identified. The objects that are used as keys should have a hashing function, but my guess is that in most cases overriding the toString() method, so that they will return unique strings, will work fine:

var myMap = {};

var myKey = { toString: function(){ return '12345' }};
var myValue = 6;

// same as myMap['12345']
myMap[myKey] = myValue;

Obviously, toString() should do something meaningful with the object's properties to create a unique string. If you want to enforce that your keys are valid, you can create a wrapper and in the get() and put() methods, add a check like:

if(!key.hasOwnProperty('toString')){
   throw(new Error('keys must override toString()'));
}

But if you are going to go thru that much work, you may as well use something other than toString(); something that makes your intent more clear. So a very simple proposal would be:

function HashTable() {
    this.hashes = {};
}

HashTable.prototype = {
    constructor: HashTable,

    put: function( key, value ) {
        // check that the key is meaningful, 
        // also will cause an error if primitive type
        if( !key.hasOwnProperty( 'hashString' ) ){
           throw( new Error( 'keys must implement hashString()' ) );
        }
        // use .hashString() because it makes the intent of the code clear
        this.hashes[ key.hashString() ] = value;
    },

    get: function( key ) {
        // check that the key is meaningful, 
        // also will cause an error if primitive type
        if( !key.hasOwnProperty( 'hashString' ) ){
           throw( new Error( 'keys must implement hashString()' ) );
        }
        // use .hashString() because it make the intent of the code clear
        return this.hashes[ key.hashString()  ];
    }
};