JavaScript: Convert String as Parameter to Array Name?

Question

is it possible to convert Function Parameter string to Array name?

function SwitchElement(type){
 var cur = type.indexOf(document.getElementById(type).src);
 console.log(cur);
 if(cur < eyes.length-1){
 }
}

So that "type" is Addressed as array name.

If so, how? I am trying to do it just like that function but it returns me index -1

Note: Div of element and Arrayname share same name.

• Daniel A. White: what do you mean by 'array name'?
• arleitiss: I have few arrays. For example: eyes, clothes, hair. I want to specify "type" variable as one of those 3.
• Daniel A. White: you should just pass it in.
• C3roe: Passing an array to getElementById would not make sense.

Answer 1

Assuming you are passing in a string, the best way to handle this would be to arrange your arrays into an object. So instead of:

var skins = [];
var eyes = [];
// etc...

You'll have something like:

parts = {
 skins: [],
 eyes: [],
 // etc
};

Now in your function you can do something like:

function SwitchElement(type){
 var cur = parts[type].indexOf(document.getElementById(type).src);
 console.log(cur);
 if(cur < parts[type].length-1){
 }
}

• Felix Kling: I guess that should be parts[type].indexOf(...).
• Matt Burland: @FelixKling: Yep. Completely missed they had that there.
• arleitiss: So without arranging arrays into object it's not possible to easily convert string to array name which exists already? I have 7 arrays which share same function but accessing different array, I would love if I can re-use that function by just specifying which array to use in parameters.
• Matt Burland: @arleitiss: You can, by putting them in an object. And as a bonus you don't have 7 arrays polluting the global namespace, instead you have just one object. Technically, you could use eval, but don't. It's terrible practice.
• arleitiss: @MattBurland I found another answer on stackoverflow last night, it suggested just writing: this[arrayname/paramter] and that works as reference to array I want (basically what I want to get done), not using eval