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JavaScript JavaScript Loops, Arrays and Objects Tracking Data Using Objects Using `for in` to Loop Through an Object's Properties

Till de Vries
Till de Vries
3,837 Points

Whats wrong with this simple for...in loop

Hey guys,

why the following for...in loop produces:

Site shows:


0:[object Object]

1:[object Object]

Code is:

var lala = [
    {name: "lala", size: "lala", weight: 88},
    {name: "lala", size: "lala", weight: 88}
];

for (var prop in lala){
    document.write('<p>' + prop + ":" + lala[prop] + '</p>'); 
}

Thank you in advance!!

2 Answers

Sean T. Unwin
Sean T. Unwin
28,690 Points

Since the goal is to get the object's properties and values, where the object is inside an array, we will need to use two (2) loops. One to loop through the array and another to loop through the object.

Below is how I did it:

Note: I used console.log() as I tested in Nodejs. You may substitue for document.write() if you wish.

var lala = [
    {name: "lala", size: "lala", weight: 88},
    {name: "lala", size: "lala", weight: 88}
];

// Loop through the Array
for (var item in lala) {
  // Output Array item
 console.log('item[' + item + ']: ' + lala[item]);
  // Loop through Object
  for (var prop in lala[item]){
    // Output Object property and value
    console.log('  |- ' + prop + ": " + lala[item][prop]);
  }
}

Output is as follows:

item[0]: [object Object]
  |- name: lala
  |- size: lala
  |- weight: 88
item[1]: [object Object]
  |- name: lala
  |- size: lala
  |- weight: 88

If you have any other questions feel free to ask. :)

Till de Vries
Till de Vries
3,837 Points

I got it - thank you Sean !

hey, i know this question is old now but i though i still give it a shot. i understand how the for-in loops works here, thank the explanation on that. but im still not understanding why:

lala[item]

produces '[object Object]' as output . it dont make sense to me, i can only guess somehow this is javascript counter measure or something

YI LI
YI LI
4,094 Points

The lala variable > var lala = [ {name: "lala", size: "lala", weight: 88}, {name: "lala", size: "lala", weight: 88} ]; indicates the two object are wrapped by array, Since for...in... statement loop through an array and return the index, the prop in for (var prop in lala) will be its index and lala[prop] will be each object (however, MDN says "There is no guarantee that for...in will return the indexes in any particular order ........" https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Statements/for...in) That is, lala[0] -> {name: "lala", size: "lala", weight: 88}, lala[1]-> {name: "lala", size: "lala", weight: 88}

if you want to get the properties separately, try

for(var ele =0; ele<lala.length; ele++){
    for(prop in lala[ele]){
          document.write(prop + ":" + lala[ele][prop]);
    }
}

Hope it helps you.

Till de Vries
Till de Vries
3,837 Points

Yes it does YI LI - thx!

Hi YI LI, very good point about for...in and arrays. I've added some code formatting to your answer to make it clearer.