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Suppose I have an array of objects called MyArray and that a certain function returns a reference for a particular element within that array; something like this:

MyArray = [Object1, Object2, ..., Objectn];

function DoWork() {

   var TheObject = GetTheObject(SomeParamter);
}

At this point, TheObject points to a certain element in the Array. Suppose I want to remove this element from MyArray, is this possible without having to reloop through the array to get the index of the element? I'm looking for something like splice that would work with the reference to the element rather than the index of the element.

Thanks.

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possible duplicate: stackoverflow.com/questions/3396088/… –  acudars Jul 15 '13 at 15:19
1  
Writing TheObject = null will not clear the object from the array. You have it wrong. –  Jon Jul 15 '13 at 15:19
    
@Jon: yes, I just realized that too. –  frenchie Jul 15 '13 at 15:20
2  
arr.splice(arr.indexOf(obj), 1); –  dandavis Jul 15 '13 at 15:20
    
If an object should be removed form an array, there is no way around that you or the engine loops over the array. What you can think about is to add an optional parameter to GetTheObject that will remove if true or keep if false. –  t.niese Jul 15 '13 at 15:21
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2 Answers

up vote 1 down vote accepted

Simply use Array.prototype.indexOf:

MyArray.splice(MyArray.indexOf(TheObject), 1);

Keep in mind that if targeting IE < 9 you will need to introduce a polyfill for indexOf; you can find one in the MDN page.

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1  
where did remove come from? –  dandavis Jul 15 '13 at 15:21
    
@dandavis: My troubled mind it seems. Replaced. –  Jon Jul 15 '13 at 15:22
    
does indexOf work in IE8? –  frenchie Jul 15 '13 at 15:22
    
"MyArray.spice" can cause heartburn... –  dandavis Jul 15 '13 at 15:22
2  
@frenchie: indexOf reloops in all browsers anyway. I didn't mean to suggest it somehow determined what the index is out of thin air. –  Jon Jul 15 '13 at 15:25
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up vote -1 down vote

You can find an element using indexOf, read more here. You can delete an element too, please refer this.

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Link-based answer, poor information scent, etc etc. –  Mathletics Jul 15 '13 at 15:25
    
What do you expect? If all what you need can be retrieved by simple searches, then the op did not even try to solve the problem. Then why should the answer contain more effort? –  Lajos Arpad Jul 15 '13 at 15:27
    
That's a terrible attitude. –  Mathletics Jul 15 '13 at 15:40
    
My attitude inherits the attitude of the op ;) –  Lajos Arpad Jul 15 '13 at 16:40
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