Table To Object

Turn a JS template literal table into a JS object

Use Cases

This library can be useful—for instance—in tests.

import {transform} from "table-to-object";

const multiply = (a, b) => a * b;

describe('multiply', function () {
   transform`
       | a    | b   | expected |
       |-----------------------|
       | ${2} |${3} | ${6}     |
       | ${3} |${3} | ${9}     |
       | ${4} |${3} | ${12}    |
       | ${5} |${3} | ${15}    |
       `.rows.forEach(({a, b, expected}) => {
       it(`${a} * ${b} should equal ${expected}`, function () {
           expect(multiply(a, b)).toEqual(expected);
       });
   })
});

Other useful case might include populating a database.

Install

npm install table-to-object

How to Use

const transform = require('table-to-object').transform;

function randomFunction() {
  return 'hello'
}
const table = transform`
    | columnA  | ${'columnB'} | columnC       | columnD           |
    |-------------------------------------------------------------|
    | hello    | ${4}         |               | there             |
    | world    |              | ${{42: true}} | some              |
    | f        |              |               | ${randomFunction} |
    `;

console.log(table.rows);

The logged out value would be:

[
  {
    columnA: 'hello',
    columnB: 4,
    columnC: undefined,
    columnD: 'there'
  },
  {
    columnA: 'world',
    columnB: undefined,
    columnC: { '42': true },
    columnD: 'some'
  },
  {
    columnA: 'f',
    columnB: undefined,
    columnC: undefined,
    columnD: [Function: randomFunction]
  }
]

Properties in the Returned Object

columns

The columns of the table:

const table = transform`
    | columnA  | ${'columnB'} | columnC       | columnD           |
    |-------------------------------------------------------------|
    | hello    | ${4}         |               | there             |
    `;

console.log(table.columns);

Would log out:

[ 'columnA', 'columnB', 'columnC', 'columnD' ]

rows

An array of the table's rows. Each row is mapped to the column.

const table = transform`
    | columnA  | ${'columnB'} | columnC       | columnD           |
    |-------------------------------------------------------------|
    | hello    | ${4}         |               | there             |
    `;

console.log(table.rows);

Would log out:

[
  {
    columnA: 'hello',
    columnB: 4,
    columnC: undefined,
    columnD: 'there'
  }
]