Set value to a referenced JavaScript object

Question

For example, I have the following JS object:

var obj = {
 n: 0,
 o: {}
};
var nGlobal = obj.n;
var oGlobal = obj.o;

And want to use global variables in order to make it look like this:

var obj = {
 n: 5,
 o: {
 x: 7
 }
};

Obviously, I am able to assign a value to a property of oGlobal:

oGlobal.x = 7;

However, is there any way to change the value of obj.n through nGlobal, without mentioning obj?
Just something like this:

console.log(obj); // {n: 1, o: {}}
nGlobal.set(5);
// or
nGlobal.value = 5;
console.log(obj); // {n: 5, o: {}}

• Felix Kling: JavaScript is pass-by-value, not pass-by-reference. Assigning a value to a variable never changes the value of another variable or property (exception: global scope and with).
• Tushar: @FelixKling Or rather, for primitives: pass-by-value and non-primitives: pass-by-reference
• Felix Kling: @Tushar: No, objects are represented as references, but that has nothing to do with pass-by-reference. Pass-by-reference and pass-by-value refers to how variables and parameters related to each other. It has nothing to do with the values they hold.

Answer 1

Short answer:

No, there is not.

Long answer:

1. In JS primitive types are immutable and passed by values.
2. JS implements pass-by-value strategy, which means that ALL data is always passed by value (in case if you pass a reference to object - the reference is passed by value)

One important consequence from the items above: in JS there is no way to change the original object using the = operation. That is: you can modify an object when you have a reference to it, but you cannot swap one object with something else so that all other references also "were modified".

Related:

• Evaluation strategy - Call by sharing

Credits:

• _{Felix Kling}

• Felix Kling: I know what you mean, but I think still think this should not be conflated. For example your answer could be interpreted that if obj.n was an object, nGlobal = someNewObject would magically work (but of course it does not). I guess what's more important here is that primitive values are immutable.
• zerkms: @FelixKling second attempt