Assign variable values using loop

[gollyg]

Hi,
I'm sure this is a JavaScript 101 question, but I have a bit of a problem. I am using a for loop to iterate through an array, and I would like to assign the value of each element to a variable that already exists. I will be addressing the variable using a name appended with a number that will correspond to the counter value in the loop.
So the loop starts, the first element of the array needs to be assigned to a variable eg variable_0. Then on subsequent loops variable_1 is assigned the value of the second element in the array. My problem is I have no idea how to create this variable. If I use i as my counter my idea would be:

variable_i = myArray[i];

But obviously this will not work - it will create a new variable named variable_i.

I can not use concatenation on the lefthand side of the statement, as it is illegal. eg

variable_ + "i" = myArray[i];

I can not assign the name to another variable, as the assignment will be to the holder variable:

tempVar = "variable_" + i;
tempVar = myArray[i];

I am sure there is a way to do this, but my brain is fried and I don't have a programming knowledge. Please help!

 

[tviman]

You really don't need to assign variables to array values. An array is, in fact, a variable by itself. (The whole point of an array is so that you don't have to create a passle of variables.) You can access the different values simply by using an array subscript. Example:

myArray = new Array();
myArray = "Tom, Dick, Harry";

To use these values, you would do this:

myArray[0] (this equals "Tom")
myArray[1] (this equals "Dick")
myArray[2] (this equals "Harry")

Now, to loop through the array with a for loop:

for (i = 0; i <= myArray.length; i++){
what ever needs to be done;}



There's always a better way. The fun is trying to find it!

 

[gollyg]

Thanks for the response.

Actually I already have an array of variables, but I need to extract the variables from the array and assign them to an pre-existing objects property.
The objects are named with an _0, _1 etc suffix, so when I loop through the array I want to assign the value of the current array index to the property of the object. To do this I need to identify the object based upon the counter value.

I may be missing something here (a brain perhaps!) but I don't know how to do it.

Thanks again for your help

 

[tviman]

For(i = 0; i <= arrayname.length; i++){
"_"+i = arrayname;}

This may not be the exact syntax but it should be very close. I don't if you are using actual variables or input field names but this should get you on the right track.

There's always a better way. The fun is trying to find it!

 

[gollyg]

Thanks tviman,

I'll give it a go

Cheers

 

[gollyg]

I think there is a problem with this approach - it is that you can't concatenate strings on the left hand side of an assignment operator - it gives an error. I am sure there must be some standard way of doing this?

Thanks again

 

[adam0101]

If you create your objects as window variables like this...
window.object_1 = new myCustomObject();

Then you could loop like this:

for(var i = 0; i <= arrayname.length; i++){
  window["object_"+i].propertyName = arrayname[i];
}

If you want to leave the objects as they are, you can use eval();

for(var i = 0; i <= arrayname.length; i++){
  eval("object_"+i+".propertyName=arrayname["+i+"]");
}

Adam
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