Given native javascript array, how to use it as ArrayList?

1

Maybe I should ask instead: where is the JS implementation of java.util.ArrayList?  I see some code (https://github.com/JetBrains/kotlin/blob/master/js/js.libraries/src/core/javautil.kt) but it's all js.noImpl.  I expected to find some hand-written JS somewhere, but I don't see it.

I’m working on a web app that uses JSON for client-server communication.  Some client-side code:

class Result(val things: ArrayList<Thing>, val time: Double)
…
asyncRequest.success = { result ->
  for (t in result.things) {
  // make dom for a table row
  }
}

I get an error, since things is really a plain JS array, from a JSON response. Error: ‘undefined’ is not a function (evaluating ‘result.things.iterator()’).  

If I can see how ArrayList (in JS) is implemented, maybe I can write some native JS to fix this.

I have a reason not to use Array<Thing>, which I could explain more. Basically, I’m trying to reuse code for the Result class, for server side.

Rob

2

Hi, Robert

No way to use JS Array as ArrayList.
You can find ArrayList implementation at kotlin/js/js.translator/testData/kotlin_lib.js:361

Do not forget implementation details can be changed in the future.

Other possible solutions:

  1. cast things before using, like:
    result.things as Array<Thing>

or write helper function/property which do that if you don’t want write Array type parameter everytime, like:
fun ArrayList<Thing>.asArray(): Thing = this as Array<Thing>
// or
fun Result.thingsAsArray() = thigs as Array<Thing>
// or
val Result.thingsAsArray: Array<Thing>
  get() = thigs as Array<Thing>

  1. make container class as generic parameter of Result, like:
    class Result<C>(val things: C<Thing>, val time: Double)
    Result(listOf(“a”, “b”), 1.1)
    Result(array(“1    ”, “2”), 1.1)

3

bashor wrote:

  1. make container class as generic parameter of Result, like:
    class Result<C>(val things: C<Thing>, val time: Double)
    Result(listOf(“a”, “b”), 1.1)
    Result(array(“1    ”, “2”), 1.1)


That’s interesting. I didn’t know Kotlin had “higher kinded” types. … (if that’s what that is. )  

Thanks for the pointers. I’ll try a few different ways and see how they work out.

Rob

4

That's interesting. I didn't know Kotlin had "higher kinded" types. ... (if that's what that is. )
Oh, sorry! It's my fault -- C<Thing> it's wrong code. It's a bug in compiler.