Nodejs List of Functions from different files

Question

I am trying to create an app and the folder structure is as so:

./
   index.js
   options/
      basic.js
      help.js

js files in the options folder will have objects like so:

ping = {
    info: 'text',
    fn: function() {}
}

I want index.js to be able to do something like

var options = require('./options');
options['ping'].fn();

How do I export/require to make it work like this? My attempts have been futile.

I want to be able to do this without a JS compiler like ES

`module.exports = ping`. [Read more here](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5311334/what-is-the-purpose-of-node-js-module-exports-and-how-do-you-use-it). — Marty, Jan 04 '17 at 00:40
You need to `require('./options/file_with_your_code.js')` (either `basic` or `help`, you've not mentioned which file your code is in). — Marty, Jan 04 '17 at 00:43
It's not clear that you're asking specifically about requiring an entire directory of JavaScript files and somehow merging their implementations into one large object. — Marty, Jan 04 '17 at 00:45
Possible duplicate of [node.js require all files in a folder?](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5364928/node-js-require-all-files-in-a-folder) — Marty, Jan 04 '17 at 00:47

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Jan 04 '17 at 00:50

1

You can create an index.js file inside your options folder which exports all of the sibling modules.

module.exports = {
    ping: require('./help.js'), // Assuming your "ping" object is here.
    other: require('./basic.js')
};

answered Jan 04 '17 at 00:50

Marty

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Jonathan.Brink · Answer 2 · 2017-01-04T00:49:32.143

0

In the JS files (say filename.js) in your options folder use module.exports:

module.exports = {
    info: 'text',
    fn: function() {}
};

Then, to consume your module:

var options = require('./options/filename.js');
options.fn();

This is the CommonJS approach that NodeJS supports natively for modules.

You won't be able to require a folder without resorting to some other tooling, since require works at the file level.

From NodeJS's doc:

Node.js has a simple module loading system. In Node.js, files and modules are in one-to-one correspondence (each file is treated as a separate module).

Here is a good article to learn more: https://www.sitepoint.com/understanding-module-exports-exports-node-js/

edited Jan 04 '17 at 00:49

answered Jan 04 '17 at 00:42

Jonathan.Brink

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then I get cannot find module './options' in index.js – user3916570 Jan 04 '17 at 00:43
try to require: `./options.js` – Jonathan.Brink Jan 04 '17 at 00:44
options is a folder – user3916570 Jan 04 '17 at 00:44
gotcha. I updated my answer. You need to give a direct path to the JS file – Jonathan.Brink Jan 04 '17 at 00:45
I'm not sure that you can actually require at the folder level...you may need to restructure your code a bit to read from a file... – Jonathan.Brink Jan 04 '17 at 00:46
Perhaps something like this approach could help: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/5364928/node-js-require-all-files-in-a-folder – Jonathan.Brink Jan 04 '17 at 00:47
this does not accomplish what I want – user3916570 Jan 04 '17 at 00:49

Nodejs List of Functions from different files

2 Answers2