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  • Defining a Symbol object to be use as a property object

Defining a Symbol object to be use as a property object

# L2L 2L (11 years ago)

I've played around with Symbol. And from my understanding, they are use to define unique properties and variable --I'm still not fully knowledgeable on them, only what I read. So if you would like to give your summary of them, please feel free.--.

My proposal is to be able to define an symbol object:

var obj = new Symbol("symbol obj");

Why?

To be able defined properties for objects with keys of symbol, as so:

var obj = {};

obj.propObj = new Symbol("propObj");

obj.propObj.prop = Symbol("prop");

This is doable via all constructor wrapper objects for all primitive data types.

It'll be a nice addition to this primitive type to have the same capability.

This is my proposal.

E-S4L N-S4L J

# Salvador de la Puente González (11 years ago)

Ups. ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: "Salvador de la Puente González" <salva at unoyunodiez.com>

Date: 10 Oct 2014 08:04 Subject: Re: Defining a Symbol object to be use as a property object To: "L2L 2L" <emanuelallen at hotmail.com>

Cc:

I don't know why do you want to do so but if it is because you want to

hide a complete structure from the outside world then remember symbols can be used to index another object so this is valid:

var myPrivate = Symbol(); var obj = {}; obj[myPrivate] = {};

Hope it solves your use case.

On 10 Oct 2014 07:06, "L2L 2L" <emanuelallen at hotmail.com> wrote:

I've played around with Symbol. And from my understanding, they are use

to define unique properties and variable --I'm still not fully knowledgeable on them, only what I read. So if you would like to give your summary of them, please feel free.--.

My proposal is to be able to define an symbol object:

var obj = new Symbol("symbol obj");

Why?

To be able defined properties for objects with keys of symbol, as so:

var obj = {};

obj.propObj = new Symbol("propObj");

obj.propObj.prop = Symbol("prop");

This is doable via all constructor wrapper objects for all primitive

data types.

It'll be a nice addition to this primitive type to have the same

capability.

# L2L 2L (11 years ago)

I declined from my proposal as it seem to be a way...--I haven't figure it out yet, or still don't fully understand the nature of Symbol-- my apology.

E-S4L N-S4L J

# Andrea Giammarchi (11 years ago)

Symbols are basically a way to create "private" keys otherwise unaccessible ( except for Objeect.getOwnPropertySymbols that AFAIK will exposes them anyway ).

Symbols are also sometimes used to define special "magic" behaviors

A sort of polyfill to play with Symbols in ES5 capable engines is here: gist.github.com/WebReflection/5238782

Bear in mind that might be outdated or not fully spec compliant.