active-document v2.0.0

Active Document

I encourage to read the source code as it is shorter and more precise than the documentation.

Adds getter and setter methods to an object based on existing properties or methods in their prototype.

Define attributes by adding properties (not prefixed with _) or methods (prefixed with get or set) to the prototype before calling decorate.

Install

npm install active-document

Use

var aDoc = require('active-document');

function Car(){
	aDoc.init(this);
}

aDoc.decorate(Car);

The decorate function is simply a mixin. It copies functions to the constructor and the prototype of the given object. This is known as concatenative inheritance.

Statics

In the car example these would be accessed as Car.<name> (e.g. Car.attributeNames).

• attributeNames

  	A list (`Array`) of defined attributes

• addAttribute(name)

  	Add an attribute manually

• toJSON(document)

  	Delegates to `document.toJSON()` (convenient for `.map` etc.)

• fromJSON(json)

  	Creates an object having `json` as its `attributes`.
  
  	**Does not invoke constructor**.
  
  	Use this for bootstrapping from a trusted external source such as a
  	database or a web service.

Methods (added to the prototype)

• toJSON

  	Returns a copy of `obj.attributes`.
  
  	Overwrite (define on the prototype) to customize format.
  
  	Use this for shipping of to an external source such as a database or a web
  	service.

Elaborate example

function Person(){
	// creates empty attributes container
	aDoc.init(this);

	// set some defaults
	this.born = (new Date()).getFullYear();
}

Object.assign(Person.prototype, {
	firstName: null,
	lastName: null,
	born: null,
	_priv: null,

	setLastName: function( name ){
		this.attributes.lastName = name.substr(0, 1).toUpperCase() + name.substr(1);
	},

	getName: function(){
		return this.firstName + ' ' + this.lastName;
	},
});

aDoc.decorate(Person);

Person.attributeNames; // [ 'firstName', 'lastName', 'born', 'name' ]

var child = new Person();

child.born; // 2014
child.firstName = 'Lucas';
child.lastName = 'williams';
child.name; // 'Lucas Williams'

child.toJSON(); // { firstName: 'Lucas', lastName: 'Williams', born: 2014 }

var father = Person.fromJSON({ lastName: 'Smith' });