qtools-object-flattener

Collapses JS complex, multi-level JS object to single level object with dotted path property names. Additional utility functions, resurrect() (reverses the process) and convertArray() (operates on an array of objects).

Is useful for puttting Javascript objects into relational databases when you don't want to use a JSON field type. Column names become dotted.paths. Also for analysis of complicated objects.

Also consider qtools-functional-library with its objectInstance.getSurePath('some.dotted.path') and objectInstance.putDottedPath('another.path', value)

Usage:

Flatten an object

const jsonFlattener = require('qtools-object-flattener');

const flatObject=jsonFlattener.convert(someObject, [options], [callback]);

Works when executed on an Array but it doesn't make too much sense.

Without a callback, the result is returned.

Flatten an array of objects

const flatArray=jsonFlattener.convertArray(someArrayOfObjects, [options], [callback]); 

Optional parameters in the options parameter object.

nameTransformer - a function that operates on the generated, dotted path in any way that is useful and produces a new string maxDepth - recursion limit, default is 20

EG,

const flatArray=jsonFlattener.convertArray(someArrayOfObjects, {nameTransformer:dottedPath>dottedPath.replace(/\./g, '\_')}); 

const flatObject=jsonFlattener.convert(someObject, {nameTransformer:dottedPath=>dottedPath.replace(/\./g, '\_')});

The closest there is to a test is:

npm run demo

Which has examples of the main function as illustrated below.

Examples:

Flattening an object:

const flatObject=jsonFlattener.convert(someObject);

someObject={ name: 'TQ White II', tv1:{ brand: 'Sony', inches: 60, internet: true }, websites:[ 'https://tqwhite.com', 'https://tech.genericWhite.com', 'https://jsLightning.com' ] }

**Flattens to:**

const flatObject={
name: 'TQ White II',
'tv1.brand': 'Sony',
'tv1.inches': 60,
'tv1.internet': true,
'websites[0]': 'https://tqwhite.com',
'websites[1]': 'https://tech.genericWhite.com',
'websites[2]': 'https://jsLightning.com'
}

Flattening an array of objects into an array of flattened objects

const flatObject=jsonFlattener.convert(someObject);

const someArray = [
{
name: 'TQ White II',
tv1: {
brand: 'Sony',
inches: 60,
internet: true
},
websites: [
'https://tqwhite.com',
'https://tech.genericWhite.com',
'https://jsLightning.com'
]
},
{
name: 'Debbie White',
tv1: {
brand: 'Sony',
inches: 60,
internet: true
},
websites: [
'https://tqwhite.com',
'https://tech.genericWhite.com',
'https://jsLightning.com'
]
}
];

Flattens to:

const flattenedArray=[
{
name: 'TQ White II',
'tv1.brand': 'Sony',
'tv1.inches': 60,
'tv1.internet': true,
'websites[0]': 'https://tqwhite.com',
'websites[1]': 'https://tech.genericWhite.com',
'websites[2]': 'https://jsLightning.com'
},
{
name: 'Debbie White',
'tv1.brand': 'Sony',
'tv1.inches': 60,
'tv1.internet': true,
'websites[0]': 'https://tqwhite.com',
'websites[1]': 'https://tech.genericWhite.com',
'websites[2]': 'https://jsLightning.com'
}
]

Change Log

v1.0.5 Updated README only. No code changes. v1.0.4 Updated README only. No code changes.