Need Help Understanding associative Array

[Sergio45]

I am trying to get a better understanding on how Associative arrays work before I tackle my assignment. I made a function that created the reindeer name array and name array. I have the prompt asking for a name, in this case it's going to be blitzen to test it out. I just need to know what I am doing wrong. 

Thanks again in advanced for the help.

var $ = function(id) {return document.getElementById(id); }//end $

window.onload = function () 
{

	//Provide answer for Question 1 here
	
	//////////////////////
	associatve();

	
}


function associatve ()
{
	var reindeer =[];
	
	reindeer["name"]="blitzen","comet","cupid","dancer","dasher","donner","prancer",
	"rudolph","vixen","bumble";
	
	var blitzen = reindeer["name"]=[0];//should equal blitzen
	
	var comet = reindeer["name"]=[1]; //should equal comet
	
	var cupid = reindeer["name"]=[2]; //should equal cupid
	
	var dancer = reindeer["name"]=[3]; //should equal dancer
	
	var dasher = reindeer["name"]=[4]; //should equal dasher
	
	var donner = reindeer["name"]=[5]; //should equal donner
	
	var prancer = reindeer["name"]=[6]; //should equal prancer
	
	var rudolph = reindeer["name"]=[7]; //should equal rudolph
	
	var vixen = reindeer["name"]=[8]; //should equal vixen
	
	var bumble = reindeer["name"]=[9]; //should equal bumble
	
	var user=prompt("enter a name");
	var inputFromUser = user;
	
	if(inputFromUser==reindeer["name"][0]) 
	//or should it be this
	//if(inputFromUser==blitzen)
	{
	  alert("you got it");
	}
	else
	{
	    alert("Try again");
	}
	
	
}

 

[dannytech357]

The thing to understand is that an associative array is just a normal array. Or, more accurately, the reverse, every array is associative. Think about how you access something in a normal array:

var array = [ "blitzen", "comet" ]; // Creates an array

// These statements do the same, they add to the array
array[] = "cupid";
array.push("dasher");

console.log(array[0]); // Prints out "blitzen"

The thing that you have to understand, is that when you create that array, you are really doing this:

var array = [ "blitzen", "comet" ]; // Creates an array

// Does the same
array[] = "cupid";
array.push("dasher");

console.log(array); // Prints out the following:
// [
//	0: "blitzen", // You're printing this out below
//	1: "comet",
//	2: "cupid",
//	3: "dasher"
//]
console.log(array[0]); // Prints out "blitzen"

The "associative array" you are talking about is also known as a hash map, and is known in JavaScript as a key-value object. The above could be represented like this with different keys:

var object = {
	"foo": "blitzen",
	"bar": "comet"
}; // Creates an array

// Does the same
object["baz"] = "cupid";

console.log(object); // Prints out the following:
// {
//	foo: "blitzen", // You're printing this out below
//	bar: "comet",
//	baz: "cupid"
// }
console.log(object["foo"]); // Prints out "blitzen"

In you code, I'm not quite sure what you're trying to do. Are you trying to just have an array of reindeer, like this:

[
	"blitzen",
	"comet",
	"cupid",
	"dasher"
]

Or is it something else?

[vorticalbox]

reindeer = {
"name":['blitzen', 'comet']
};
console.log(reindeer["name"][0])
console.log(reindeer["name"][1])

output

Quote

blitzen

comet

 

 

[Sergio45]

2 minutes ago, dannytech357 said:

 

[
	"blitzen",
	"comet",
	"cupid",
	"dasher"
]

Or is it something else?

What I am trying to do is put the names of the reindeer in the reindeer["name"] array and compare it to what the user types in. So if the user types blitzen i want to compare it the reindeer["name"][0] array. If that is possible?

[dannytech357]

So you want to see if blitzen is in the array? Or do you want to check whether it's equal to a specific element?

[vorticalbox]

10 minutes ago, Sergio45 said:

What I am trying to do is put the names of the reindeer in the reindeer["name"] array and compare it to what the user types in. So if the user types blitzen i want to compare it the reindeer["name"][0] array. If that is possible?

 

The code I posted will let you do that my question is why have an array at all if all you are looking for is one answer?

[Sergio45]

1 hour ago, dannytech357 said:

So you want to see if blitzen is in the array? Or do you want to check whether it's equal to a specific element?

Yes, I want to see if blitzen was in the array,but after reading the explanation I think I don't want to go down that path.

1 hour ago, vorticalbox said:

The code I posted will let you do that my question is why have an array at all if all you are looking for is one answer?

Well- The assignment is going to be asking me to put the names of the reindeer in an array and store a count in a array and the image file in an array. So when the user types a name of the reindeer and types exit to stop the count. It shows the results of what was enter with the image associated with the character (x) many times. I was aiming to use an array like

 

var reindeer["rudolph"]= name,image,count(?)

and so on for each of the reindeer. 

 

But What I think was confusing me was the structure of each array.Plus which one would work best in the case of an  Associative or Multi-dimensional array.

[vorticalbox]

5 minutes ago, Sergio45 said:

Yes, I want to see if blitzen was in the array,but after reading the explanation I think I don't want to go down that path.

Well- The assignment is going to be asking me to put the names of the reindeer in an array and store a count in a array and the image file in an array. So when the user types a name of the reindeer and types exit to stop the count. It shows the results of what was enter with the image associated with the character (x) many times. I was aiming to use an array like

 

var reindeer["rudolph"]= name,image,count(?)

and so on for each of the reindeer. 

 

But What I think was confusing me was the structure of each array.Plus which one would work best in the case of an  Associative or Multi-dimensional array.

 

if you change the  name in my code to a reindeer then you could have all the info where I put names.

 

reindeer = {
"blitzen":['image.jpg', 1],
"comet":['com.jpg', 6]
};

that could work

[Sergio45]

vorticalbox

dannytech357

Thank you both for helping me out. 

[dannytech357]

 

1 minute ago, Sergio45 said:

vorticalbox

dannytech357

Thank you both for helping me out. 

No problem!