Javascript | Set all values of an array

Question

Code

var cool = new Array(3);
cool[setAll] = 42; //cool[setAll] is just a pseudo selector..
alert(cool);

Result

Answer 1

Use a for loop and set each one in turn.

Answer 2

The ES6 approach is very clean. So first you initialize an array of x length, and then call the fill method on it.

let arr = new Array(3).fill(9)

this will create an array with 3 elements like:

[9, 9, 9]

Answer 3

map is the most logical solution for this problem.

let xs = [1, 2, 3];
xs = xs.map(x => 42);
xs // -> [42, 42, 42]

However, if there is a chance that the array is sparse, you'll need to use for or, even better, for .. of.

See:

• https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array/map
• https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/for...of

Answer 4

Found this while working with Epicycles - clearly works - where 'p' is invisible to my eyes.

/** Convert a set of picture points to a set of Cartesian coordinates */
function toCartesian(points, scale) {
  const x_max = Math.max(...points.map(p=>p[0])),
  y_max = Math.max(...points.map(p=>p[1])),
  x_min = Math.min(...points.map(p=>p[0])),
  y_min = Math.min(...points.map(p=>p[1])),
  signed_x_max = Math.floor((x_max - x_min + 1) / 2),
  signed_y_max = Math.floor((y_max - y_min + 1) / 2);

  return points.map(p=>
  [ -scale * (signed_x_max - p[0] + x_min),
  scale * (signed_y_max - p[1] + y_min) ] );
}

Answer 5

There's no built-in way, you'll have to loop over all of them:

function setAll(a, v) {
    var i, n = a.length;
    for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
        a[i] = v;
    }
}

http://jsfiddle.net/alnitak/xG88A/

If you really want, do this:

Array.prototype.setAll = function(v) {
    var i, n = this.length;
    for (i = 0; i < n; ++i) {
        this[i] = v;
    }
};

and then you could actually do cool.setAll(42) (see http://jsfiddle.net/alnitak/ee3hb/).

Some people frown upon extending the prototype of built-in types, though.

EDIT ES5 introduced a way to safely extend both Object.prototype and Array.prototype without breaking for ... in ... enumeration:

Object.defineProperty(Array.prototype, 'setAll', {
    value: function(v) {
        ...
    }
});

EDIT 2 In ES6 draft there's also now Array.prototype.fill, usage cool.fill(42)

Answer 6

It's 2019 and you should be using this:

let arr = [...Array(20)].fill(10)

So basically 20 is the length or a new instantiated Array.