The extended javascript Array class is a small class that allows you to access more - custom - javascript methods, for example array.contains(object), array.dump(), array.shuffle() and others. It can be used for faster programming and fixing crossbrowser issues. Nothing fancy really, I just scripted this because I thought the normal Array class could use a few extra’s.

Updated to version 1.1 on october 29th, 2008

So what’s in this “extended class”?

Well, the extended javascript Array class contains some pretty usefull functions that are not included in the standard javascript Array class. Here’s a full list of what is standard included and which functions and methods are added by this class.

Standard Array functions:

• array.concat(another_array, …);
• array.join(”separator”);
• array.pop();
• array.push(obj, …);
• array.reverse();
• array.shift();
• array.slice(start[, end]);
• array.sort();
• array.splice(index, howmany[, elementstoadd]);
• array.toSource();
• array.toString();
• array.unshift(elements);
• array.valueOf();

Functions and methods added in com.bydust.array 1.1:

• array.contains(obj);
  • Returns true if the array contains the given value, false if it doesn’t.
• array.count();
  • Counts the number of keys in the array.
• array.countValues();
  • Returns an array using the values of the array as keys and their frequency in input as values.
• array.dump();
  • Returns a string containing a table with each key and its respective value in HTML-code.
• array.fillKeys(keys, value);
  • Fills an array with the value of the value parameter, using the values of the keys array as keys.
• array.get(key);
  • Returns the value attached to the specified key.
• array.getKeys();
  • Returns an array containing all the keys.
• array.indexOfKey(key);
  • Returns the index of the specified key in the array, returns -1 if the key doesn’t exist.
• array.indexOf(obj);
  • Returns the index of the specified value in the array, returns -1 if the value doesn’t exist.
• array.keyOnIndex(index);
  • Returns the key on the specified index.
• array.makeUnique();
  • Removes duplicate values from an array.
• array.product();
  • Calculate the product of values in an array.
• array.shuffle([preserve_keys]);
  • Shuffle the array. Optional parameter “preserve_keys”, default false.
• array.set(key, value);
  • Add a key with a value.
• array.sum();
  • Calculate the sum of values in an array.
• array.swap(key1,key2);
  • Swaps two elements in an array. Keys are not preserved.
• array.rand();
  • Picks a random entry out of an array.
• array.remove(key);
  • Removes the specified key and its value from the array.

There’s also a fix for the array.indexOf(object) method. If the given object is found in the array, it will return its index as a number. If not, -1 is returned. This method is already implemented in the normal Array class, but doesn’t work for IE browsers. Well, now it does :)

Well, I hope someone can use this extended class. I wasn’t going to put it online at first, but changed my mind when I saw I’m not the only one who could use this :)

You can download the class here.