minor fixes

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Ilya Kantor 2022-04-15 23:48:06 +03:00
parent 75f5b8af14
commit c714756f8f

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@ -7,11 +7,11 @@ JavaScript doesn't exactly allow to customize how operators work on objects. Unl
In case of such operations, objects are auto-converted to primitives, and then the operation is carried out over these primitives and results in a primitive value.
That's an important limitation, as the result of `obj1 + obj2` can't be another object!
That's an important limitation: the result of `obj1 + obj2` (or another math operation) can't be another object!
E.g. we can't make objects representing vectors or matrices (or achievements or whatever), add them and expect a "summed" object as the result. Such architectural feats are automatically "off the board".
So, because we can't do much here, there's no maths with objects in real projects. When it happens, it's usually because of a coding mistake.
So, because we can't technically do much here, there's no maths with objects in real projects. When it happens, with rare exceptions, it's because of a coding mistake.
In this chapter we'll cover how an object converts to primitive and how to customize it.
@ -24,15 +24,19 @@ We have two purposes:
In the chapter <info:type-conversions> we've seen the rules for numeric, string and boolean conversions of primitives. But we left a gap for objects. Now, as we know about methods and symbols it becomes possible to fill it.
1. All objects are `true` in a boolean context. There are only numeric and string conversions.
1. There's no conversion to boolean. All objects are `true` in a boolean context, as simple as that. There exist only numeric and string conversions.
2. The numeric conversion happens when we subtract objects or apply mathematical functions. For instance, `Date` objects (to be covered in the chapter <info:date>) can be subtracted, and the result of `date1 - date2` is the time difference between two dates.
3. As for the string conversion -- it usually happens when we output an object like `alert(obj)` and in similar contexts.
3. As for the string conversion -- it usually happens when we output an object with `alert(obj)` and in similar contexts.
We can fine-tune string and numeric conversion, using special object methods.
We can implement string and numeric conversion by ourselves, using special object methods.
There are three variants of type conversion, that happen in various situations.
Now let's get into technical details, because it's the only way to cover the topic in-depth.
They're called "hints", as described in the [specification](https://tc39.github.io/ecma262/#sec-toprimitive):
## Hints
How does JavaScript decide which conversion to apply?
There are three variants of type conversion, that happen in various situations. They're called "hints", as described in the [specification](https://tc39.github.io/ecma262/#sec-toprimitive):
`"string"`
: For an object-to-string conversion, when we're doing an operation on an object that expects a string, like `alert`:
@ -60,10 +64,12 @@ They're called "hints", as described in the [specification](https://tc39.github.
let greater = user1 > user2;
```
Most built-in mathematical functions also include such conversion.
`"default"`
: Occurs in rare cases when the operator is "not sure" what type to expect.
For instance, binary plus `+` can work both with strings (concatenates them) and numbers (adds them), so both strings and numbers would do. So if a binary plus gets an object as an argument, it uses the `"default"` hint to convert it.
For instance, binary plus `+` can work both with strings (concatenates them) and numbers (adds them). So if a binary plus gets an object as an argument, it uses the `"default"` hint to convert it.
Also, if an object is compared using `==` with a string, number or a symbol, it's also unclear which conversion should be done, so the `"default"` hint is used.
@ -77,21 +83,19 @@ They're called "hints", as described in the [specification](https://tc39.github.
The greater and less comparison operators, such as `<` `>`, can work with both strings and numbers too. Still, they use the `"number"` hint, not `"default"`. That's for historical reasons.
In practice though, we don't need to remember these peculiar details, because all built-in objects except for one case (`Date` object, we'll learn it later) implement `"default"` conversion the same way as `"number"`. And we can do the same.
In practice though, things are a bit simpler.
```smart header="No `\"boolean\"` hint"
Please note -- there are only three hints. It's that simple.
All built-in objects except for one case (`Date` object, we'll learn it later) implement `"default"` conversion the same way as `"number"`. And we probably should do the same.
There is no "boolean" hint (all objects are `true` in boolean context) or anything else. And if we treat `"default"` and `"number"` the same, like most built-ins do, then there are only two conversions.
```
Still, it's important to know about all 3 hints, soon we'll see why.
**To do the conversion, JavaScript tries to find and call three object methods:**
1. Call `obj[Symbol.toPrimitive](hint)` - the method with the symbolic key `Symbol.toPrimitive` (system symbol), if such method exists,
2. Otherwise if hint is `"string"`
- try `obj.toString()` and `obj.valueOf()`, whatever exists.
- try calling `obj.toString()` or `obj.valueOf()`, whatever exists.
3. Otherwise if hint is `"number"` or `"default"`
- try `obj.valueOf()` and `obj.toString()`, whatever exists.
- try calling `obj.valueOf()` or `obj.toString()`, whatever exists.
## Symbol.toPrimitive
@ -128,12 +132,11 @@ alert(user + 500); // hint: default -> 1500
As we can see from the code, `user` becomes a self-descriptive string or a money amount, depending on the conversion. The single method `user[Symbol.toPrimitive]` handles all conversion cases.
## toString/valueOf
If there's no `Symbol.toPrimitive` then JavaScript tries to find methods `toString` and `valueOf`:
- For the "string" hint: `toString`, and if it doesn't exist, then `valueOf` (so `toString` has the priority for string conversions).
- For the `"string"` hint: call `toString` method, and if it doesn't exist, then `valueOf` (so `toString` has the priority for string conversions).
- For other hints: `valueOf`, and if it doesn't exist, then `toString` (so `valueOf` has the priority for maths).
Methods `toString` and `valueOf` come from ancient times. They are not symbols (symbols did not exist that long ago), but rather "regular" string-named methods. They provide an alternative "old-style" way to implement the conversion.
@ -207,23 +210,23 @@ In the absence of `Symbol.toPrimitive` and `valueOf`, `toString` will handle all
The important thing to know about all primitive-conversion methods is that they do not necessarily return the "hinted" primitive.
There is no control whether `toString` returns exactly a string, or whether `Symbol.toPrimitive` method returns a number for a hint `"number"`.
There is no control whether `toString` returns exactly a string, or whether `Symbol.toPrimitive` method returns a number for the hint `"number"`.
The only mandatory thing: these methods must return a primitive, not an object.
```smart header="Historical notes"
For historical reasons, if `toString` or `valueOf` returns an object, there's no error, but such value is ignored (like if the method didn't exist). That's because in ancient times there was no good "error" concept in JavaScript.
In contrast, `Symbol.toPrimitive` *must* return a primitive, otherwise there will be an error.
In contrast, `Symbol.toPrimitive` is stricter, it *must* return a primitive, otherwise there will be an error.
```
## Further conversions
As we know already, many operators and functions perform type conversions, e.g. multiplication `*` converts operands to numbers.
If we pass an object as an argument, then there are two stages:
If we pass an object as an argument, then there are two stages of calculations:
1. The object is converted to a primitive (using the rules described above).
2. If the resulting primitive isn't of the right type, it's converted.
2. If the necessary for further calculations, the resulting primitive is also converted.
For instance:
@ -260,18 +263,18 @@ The object-to-primitive conversion is called automatically by many built-in func
There are 3 types (hints) of it:
- `"string"` (for `alert` and other operations that need a string)
- `"number"` (for maths)
- `"default"` (few operators)
- `"default"` (few operators, usually objects implement it the same way as `"number"`)
The specification describes explicitly which operator uses which hint. There are very few operators that "don't know what to expect" and use the `"default"` hint. Usually for built-in objects `"default"` hint is handled the same way as `"number"`, so in practice the last two are often merged together.
The specification describes explicitly which operator uses which hint.
The conversion algorithm is:
1. Call `obj[Symbol.toPrimitive](hint)` if the method exists,
2. Otherwise if hint is `"string"`
- try `obj.toString()` and `obj.valueOf()`, whatever exists.
- try calling `obj.toString()` or `obj.valueOf()`, whatever exists.
3. Otherwise if hint is `"number"` or `"default"`
- try `obj.valueOf()` and `obj.toString()`, whatever exists.
- try calling `obj.valueOf()` or `obj.toString()`, whatever exists.
All these methods must return a primitive to work (if defined).
In practice, it's often enough to implement only `obj.toString()` as a "catch-all" method for string conversions that should return a "human-readable" representation of an object, for logging or debugging purposes.
As for math operations, JavaScript doesn't provide a way to "override" them using methods, so real life projects rarely use them on objects.