Allow to assign object as attribute type (in can.Observe)

[wclr]

Currently one can assign model/list name (string) as attribute type for automatic conversion. But if there is no such object in window context (for an example AMD case) it is impossible to do so.

I would propose to use model/list objects it self for declaring attribute type.

steal('can/observe/attributes', 'items.js', function(Observe, Items){
    return Observe({
    attributes: {           
        items: Items // Items is object not 'Items' string
    }
})

then observe knows what type to convert to.

[justinbmeyer]

How does it know to call new Items or simply Items? I don't know if this will work.

[justinbmeyer]

You can pass attributes functions. That will work.

[wclr]

why call just Items, in what case does it make sense?

at list if Items is Construct/Observer or Observe.List/Model.List it does make sense to all new Items, no?

[justinbmeyer]

attributes:{
items: function(raw){ return new Items(raw) }
}

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 17, 2012, at 10:29 AM, Alex Osh notifications@github.com wrote:

Currently one can assign model/list name (string) as attribute type for automatic conversion. But if there is no such object in window context (for an example AMD case) it is impossible to do so.

I would propose to use model/list objects it self for declaring attribute type.

steal('can/observe/attributes', 'items.js', function(Observe, Items){

return Observer({
attributes: {

    items: Items // Items is object not 'Items' string

}
})

then observe knows what type to convert to.

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub.

[wclr]

Yes, using function is good, but why not make it automatically.

[justinbmeyer]

There's no great way to tell a function that is intended to be called with new vs a normal function.

In js a constructor function is just a function. It's how you call it that matters.

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 17, 2012, at 11:13 AM, Alex Osh notifications@github.com wrote:

why call just Items, in what case does it make sense?

at list if Items is Construct/Observer or Observe.List/Model.List it does make sense to all new Items, no?

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub.

[justinbmeyer]

Because it's very common to not pass a constructor and a function that might pick between various constructors. Or pass something like Date.parse.

Sent from my iPhone

On Sep 17, 2012, at 11:19 AM, Alex Osh notifications@github.com wrote:

Yes, using function is good, but why not make it automatically.

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHub.

[wclr]

Ok, it's just proposal. You know better. But for standard objects like Costruct/Observer/Model/List probably it could be done.

[daffl]

I was more thinking along the line of the object providing its own conversion and serialization methods so that you don't have to implement an additional wrapper:

return can.Construct({
    convert : function() {

    },
    serialize : function() {

    }
}, {});

steal('can/observe/attributes', 'items.js', function(Observe, Items){
    return Observe({
    attributes: {           
        items: Items // Items is object not 'Items' string
    }
});

I think #106 is related to that as well (automatic conversion in Observe.List subclasses).

[wclr]

Yes they (107 and 106) relates. What I propose that if you wnat to get Observe.List named for example Blocks = Block.List (which assumed to be collection of elements of type Block), instead of code:

attributes: {
            items: function(items){
                return new Blocks(items.map(function(item){
                    return new Block(item)
                }))
            }
        }

It would be much more elegant to write just like that:

attributes: {
            items: Blocks
        }

[daffl]

Hm, GitHub wasn't supposed to close the issue from a branch.

Anyway, @whitecolor check out this branch. The attributes plugin lets you do things like this now:

var Sword = can.Observe({
    getPower : function() {
        return this.attr('power') * 100;
    }
});

var Level = can.Observe({
    getName : function() {
        return 'Level: ' + this.attr('name');
    }
});

var Zelda = can.Observe({
    attributes : {
        sword : Sword,
        levelsCompleted : Level.List
    }
},{});

var link = new Zelda({
    sword : {
        name : 'Wooden Sword',
        power : 0.2
    },
    levelsCompleted : [
        {id: 1, name: 'Aquamentus'},
        {id: 2, name: 'Dodongo'}
    ]
});