3 "Dimensional" array in JSON with JQuery

Question

I miss VB. Maybe that's sad...

I need to make a "3 Dimensional" array to represent the following data. The data begins as XML and gets parsed into a 2D "Array of arrays" as follows (descriptors added for clarity):

[NodeArray]
    [Node: 0][Year: 2012][Quantity1: 3][Quantity2: 5] [Title: Orange]
    [Node: 1][Year: 2012][Quantity1: 5][Quantity2: 9] [Title: Apple]
    [Node: 2][Year: 2011][Quantity1: 4][Quantity2: 9] [Title: Orange]
    [Node: 3][Year: 2011][Quantity1: 8][Quantity2: 12] [Title: Apple]
    [Node: 4][Year: 2010][Quantity1: 2][Quantity2: 6] [Title: Orange]
    [Node: 5][Year: 2010][Quantity1: 10][Quantity2: 2] [Title: Apple]

I want to parse this 2-D Array into a 3-D Object Array as follows:

[Year Array]
    [2012]
        [Quantity1]: [3],[7]
        [Quantity2]: [5],[9]
        [Title]: [Orange],[Apple]
    [2011]
        [Quantity1]: [4],[8]
        [Quantity2]: [9],[12]
        [Title]: [Orange],[Apple]
    [2010]
        [Quantity1]: [2],[10]
        [Quantity2]: [6],[2]
        [Title]: [Orange],[Apple]

In VB this would have been pretty simple. I would have looked at my original data and redimensioned my array to accomodate the maximum number of entries in each dimension. I would then iterate through the data and load it in...

If the 2012 index = 0 then "Array(0,1,1)" would have returned "9"

I believe this can be done in JSON, but I don't have enough experience to know how. I hope this question is specific enough to provide some insight on what I am trying to accomplish.

------------------EDIT & NEW CODE-----------------

I appreciate the answers.

I realize that my fatal flaw at the moment is that I am not building my 2-D array using JSON (despite the fact that my example seems that way). Here is the method I am using to build my 2-D Array:

for(i=0; i<titleArray.length; i++)
{
rowArray[i] = [yearArray[i], titleArray[i],quantityOneArray[i],quantityTwoArray[i]];
}

Because there are always the same number of entries in each array I can reliably use the length of one array to iterate through all associated arrays. I also realize that using "i++" is the middle school way of doing things, so I am open to suggestions on more elegant indexing methods.

But let's say I want to build this in JSON? I am confident that this is not yet in a JSON format... If it were then I should be able to say "rowArray[i].year" yes?

Thanks again - I am very fortunate to have such an active community.

--------------------EDIT2 & NEW CODE--------------------

Ok, I think I cracked the JSON nut. I likey! I only had to format the array object a little differently and now I can invoke members of the array by using the .whatever property!

for(i=0; i<titleArray.length; i++) 
{
rowArray[i] = {"year":yearArray[i], "title":titleArray[i],"quantity1":quantityOneArray[i],"quantity2":quantityTwoArray[i]};
console.log("rowArray["+i+"]: " + rowArray[i].year + ", " + rowArray[i].title +", "+rowArray[i].quantity1+", "+rowArray[i].quantity2);
}

Now for the 3-D Array...

Greg B · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-15 14:46:16Z

The data as a JSON object would look like

var data = 
{
    "2011": {
        "Quantity1": [ 3, 7],
        "Quantity2": [ 5, 9],
        "Title": [
            "Orange",
            "Apple"
        ]
    },
    "2012": {
        "Quantity1": [ 4, 8],
        "Quantity2": [ 9, 12],
        "Title": [
            "Orange",
            "Apple"
        ]
    }, 
    ...
}

Notice I'm using an object for the first 2 levels of the structure, this is so you can index them with string. e.g, your Array(0,1,1) would become data["2011"]["Quantity2"][1].

Alternatively you could use array and have

var data = 
[
    [
        [ 3, 7],
        [ 5, 9],
        [ "Orange",
          "Apple" ]
    ],
    [
        [ 4, 8],
        [ 9, 12],
        [ "Orange",
            "Apple" ]
    ], 
    ...
]

You could then do data[0][1][1] which is a lot like your VB example.

KRyan · Accepted Answer · 2012-08-15 20:13:47Z

1

Something like this should do it:

var year_array = new Array(); // empty array
for ( node in node_array )
{
    if ( !year_array.hasOwnProperty(node.year) ) // if year is not in array yet
    {
        year_array[node.year] = new Array(); // create an empty array for it
    }
    year_array[node.year].push({
        "quantity1": node.quantity1,
        "quantity2": node.quantity2,
        "title": node.title,
    });
}

All this does is go through the 2D array, and puts the values in the 3D array in the format presented. The only bit that's tricky is the if ( !year_array.hasOwnProperty(node.year) ) block, which initializes each year's entry the first time it comes up.

edited Aug 15, 2012 at 20:13

answered Aug 15, 2012 at 14:44

KRyan

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12 Comments

Shrout1 Over a year ago

This looks like the ticket... I also realize that I am building my array incorrectly to utilize your code. I will add my routine in an edit above.

Shrout1 Over a year ago

Ok - getting an unexpected syntax error; hopefully I can get the sample code in here ok:

yearArray = {}; for(i=0; i<rowArray.length; i++){ if(!yearArray.hasownProperty(rowArray[i].year){ yearArray[rowArray[i].year]={}; Uncaught SyntaxError: Unexpected token [ } yearArray[rowArray[i].year].quantity1+=rowArray[i].quantity1; yearArray[rowArray[i].year].quantity2+=rowArray[i].quantity2; yearArray[rowArray[i].year].title+=rowArray[i].title; }

Note the unexpected token error. I don't believe I am allowed to index this way...

KRyan Over a year ago

@Chris: Try changing yearArray = {}; to var yearArray = new Array();.

Shrout1 Over a year ago

Hmmm no change. I tried yearArray = new Array() and yearArray = []. My gut instinct is that I can't use rowArray[i].year as an index value for the yearArray object. Let's see if I try it a different way...

Shrout1 Over a year ago

Meh, I made a typo; note the lack of a closing paren on the if(!yearArray.hasownProperty(rowArray[i].year){ statment. One more bug further down and then I'll see what I get!

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