• ¶

    Semantic Modules

    This particular pattern is useful for describing a group of elements which share behavior, for example a modal or a popup. The module is made up of three parts: a group definition, a singular definition, and a settings object.

    Semantic is unique in that all arbitrary data is a setting. Semantic modules also are self documenting, with module.debug calls serving to explain state, and log performance data. Read more about coding conventions

    /*
     * # Semantic Module 1.0
     * http://github.com/quirkyinc/semantic
     *
     *
     * Copyright 2013 Contributors
     * Released under the MIT license
     * http://jquery.org/license
     *
     * Released: April 17 2013
     */
    
    ;(function ( $, window, document, undefined ) {
    
    $.fn.example = function(parameters) {
  • ¶

    Group

    Some properties remain constant across all instances of a module.

      var
  • ¶

    Store a reference to the module group, this can be useful to refer to other modules inside each module

        $allModules     = $(this),
  • ¶

    Extend settings to merge run-time settings with defaults

        settings        = $.extend(true, {}, $.fn.example.settings, parameters),
  • ¶

    Define namespaces for storing module instance and binding events

        eventNamespace  = '.' + settings.namespace,
        moduleNamespace = 'module-' + settings.namespace,
  • ¶

    Preserve selector from outside each scope and mark current time for performance tracking

        selector        = $allModules.selector || '',
        time            = new Date().getTime(),
        performance     = [],
  • ¶

    Preserve original arguments to determine if a method is being invoked

        query           = arguments[0],
        methodInvoked   = (typeof query == 'string'),
        queryArguments  = [].slice.call(arguments, 1),
        invokedResponse
      ;
  • ¶

    Singular

    Iterate over all elements to initialize module

      $allModules
        .each(function() {
          var
  • ¶

    Cache selectors using selector definitions for access inside instance of module

            $module        = $(this),
            $text          = $module.find(settings.selector.text),
  • ¶

    Define private variables which can be used to maintain internal state, these cannot be changed from outside the module closure so use conservatively

            foo            = false,
  • ¶

    Define variables used to track module state. Default values are set using a || b syntax

            instance        = $module.data(moduleNamespace),
            element         = this,
  • ¶

    Alias settings object for convenience and performance

            namespace      = settings.namespace,
            error          = settings.error,
            className      = settings.className,
  • ¶

    You may also find it useful to alias your own settings

            text           = settings.text,
    
            module
          ;
  • ¶

    Module Behavior

          module = {
  • ¶

    Required

    Initialize

    Initialize attaches events and preserves each instance in html metadata

            initialize: function() {
              module.verbose('Initializing module for', element);
              $module
                .on('click' + eventNamespace, module.exampleBehavior)
              ;
  • ¶

    The instance is just a copy of the module definition, we store it in metadata so we can use it outside of scope, but also define it for immediate use

              instance = module;
              $module
                .data(moduleNamespace, instance)
              ;
            },
  • ¶

    Destroy

    Removes all events and the instance copy from metadata

            destroy: function() {
              module.verbose('Destroying previous module for', element);
              $module
                .removeData(moduleNamespace)
                .off(eventNamespace)
              ;
            },
  • ¶

    Refresh

    Selectors are cached so we sometimes need to manually refresh the cache

            refresh: function() {
              module.verbose('Refreshing selector cache for', element);
              $module = $(element);
              $text   = $(this).find(settings.selector.text);
            },
  • ¶

    Custom

    By Event

    Sometimes it makes sense to call an event handler by its type if it is dependent on the event to behave properly

            event: {
              click: function(event) {
                module.verbose('Preventing default action');
                if( !$module.hasClass(className.disabled) ) {
                  module.behavior();
                }
                event.preventDefault();
              }
            },
  • ¶

    By Function

    Other times events make more sense for methods to be called by their function if it is ambivalent to how it is invoked

            behavior: function() {
              module.debug('Changing the text to a new value', text);
              if( !module.has.text() ) {
                module.set.text( text);
              }
            },
  • ¶

    Vocabulary

    Custom methods should be defined with consistent vocabulary some useful terms: "has", "set", "get", "change", "add", "remove"

    This makes it easier for new developers to get to know your module without learning your schema

            has: {
              text: function(state) {
                module.verbose('Checking whether text state exists', state);
                if( text[state] === undefined ) {
                  module.error(error.noText);
                  return false;
                }
                return true;
              }
            },
    
            set: {
              text: function(state) {
                module.verbose('Setting text to new state', state);
                if( module.has.text(state) ) {
                  $text
                    .text( text[state] )
                  ;
                  settings.onChange();
                }
              }
            },
  • ¶

    Standard

    Setting

    Module settings can be read or set using this method

    Settings can either be specified by modifying the module defaults, by initializing the module with a settings object, or by changing a setting by invoking this method $(.foo').example('setting', 'moduleName');

            setting: function(name, value) {
              if(value !== undefined) {
                if( $.isPlainObject(name) ) {
                  $.extend(true, settings, name);
                }
                else {
                  settings[name] = value;
                }
              }
              else {
                return settings[name];
              }
            },
  • ¶

    Internal

    Module internals can be set or retrieved as well $(.foo').example('internal', 'behavior', function() { // do something });

            internal: function(name, value) {
              if(value !== undefined) {
                if( $.isPlainObject(name) ) {
                  $.extend(true, module, name);
                }
                else {
                  module[name] = value;
                }
              }
              else {
                return module[name];
              }
            },
  • ¶

    Debug

    Debug pushes arguments to the console formatted as a debug statement

            debug: function() {
              if(settings.debug) {
                module.performance.log(arguments[0]);
                module.verbose = Function.prototype.bind.call(console.info, console, settings.moduleName + ':');
              }
            },
  • ¶

    Verbose

    Calling verbose internally allows for additional data to be logged which can assist in debugging

            verbose: function() {
              if(settings.verbose && settings.debug) {
                module.performance.log(arguments[0]);
                module.verbose = Function.prototype.bind.call(console.info, console, settings.moduleName + ':');
              }
            },
  • ¶

    Error

    Error allows for the module to report named error messages, it may be useful to modify this to push error messages to the user. Error messages are defined in the modules settings object.

            error: function() {
              if(console.log !== undefined) {
                module.error = Function.prototype.bind.call(console.log, console, settings.moduleName + ':');
              }
            },
  • ¶

    Performance

    This is called on each debug statement and logs the time since the last debug statement.

            performance: {
              log: function(message) {
                var
                  currentTime,
                  executionTime
                ;
                if(settings.performance) {
                  currentTime   = new Date().getTime();
                  executionTime = currentTime - time;
                  time          = currentTime;
                  performance.push({
                    'Name'           : message,
                    'Execution Time' : executionTime
                  });
                  clearTimeout(module.performance.timer);
                  module.performance.timer = setTimeout(module.performance.display, 500);
                }
              },
  • ¶

    Performance data is assumed to be complete 500ms after the last log message receieved

              display: function() {
                var
                  title   = settings.moduleName + ' Performance (' + selector + ')',
                  caption = settings.moduleName + ': ' + selector + '(' + $allModules.size() + ' elements)'
                ;
                if(console.group !== undefined && performance.length > 0) {
                  console.groupCollapsed(title);
                  if(console.table) {
                    console.table(performance);
                  }
                  else {
                    $.each(performance, function(index, data) {
                      console.log(data['Name'] + ':' + data['Execution Time']);
                    });
                  }
                  console.groupEnd();
                  performance = [];
                }
              }
            },
  • ¶

    Invoke

    Invoke is used to lookup and invoke a method or property by a dot notation string definition, for example $('.foo').example('invoke', 'set.text', 'Foo')

            invoke: function(query, passedArguments, context) {
              var
                maxDepth,
                found
              ;
              passedArguments = passedArguments || queryArguments;
              context         = element         || context;
              if(typeof query == 'string' && instance !== undefined) {
                query    = query.split('.');
                maxDepth = query.length - 1;
                $.each(query, function(depth, value) {
                  if( $.isPlainObject( instance[value] ) && (depth != maxDepth) ) {
                    instance = instance[value];
                    return true;
                  }
                  else if( instance[value] !== undefined ) {
                    found = instance[value];
                    return true;
                  }
                  module.error(error.method);
                  return false;
                });
              }
              if ( $.isFunction( found ) ) {
                module.verbose('Executing invoked function', found);
                return found.apply(context, passedArguments);
              }
              return found || false;
            }
          };
  • ¶

    Determining Intent

    Invoking a method directly $('.foo').module('set.text', 'Ho hum'); The module checks to see if you passed in a method name to call

          if(methodInvoked) {
            if(instance === undefined) {
              module.initialize();
            }
            invokedResponse = module.invoke(query);
          }
  • ¶

    If you didn't pass in anything it can assume you are initializing the module

          else {
            if(instance !== undefined) {
              module.destroy();
            }
            module.initialize();
          }
        })
      ;
  • ¶

    If you called invoke, you may have a returned value which shoudl be returned, otherwise allow the call to chain

      return (invokedResponse)
        ? invokedResponse
        : this
      ;
    };
  • ¶

    Settings

    It is necessary to include a settings object which specifies the defaults for your module

    $.fn.example.settings = {
  • ¶

    Required

    Used in debug statements to refer to the module itself

      moduleName  : 'Todo Module',
  • ¶

    Whether debug content should be outputted to console

      debug       : true,
  • ¶

    Whether extra debug content should be outputted

      verbose     : true,
  • ¶

    Whether to track performance data

      performance : true,
  • ¶

    A unique identifier used to namespace events,and preserve the module instance

      namespace   : 'example',
  • ¶

    Optional

    Selectors used by your module

      selector    : {
        example : '.example'
      },
  • ¶

    Error messages returned by the module

      error: {
        noText : 'The text you tried to display has not been defined.',    method : 'The method you called is not defined.'
      },
  • ¶

    Class names which your module refers to

      className   : {
        disabled : 'disabled'
      },
  • ¶

    Metadata stored or retrieved by your module. $('.foo').data('value');

      metadata: {
        notUsed: 'notUsed'
      },
  • ¶

    Callbacks

    Callbacks are often useful to include in your settings object

      onChange     : function() {},
  • ¶

    Definition Specific

    You may also want to include settings specific to your module's function

      text: {
        hover : 'You are hovering me now',
        click : 'You clicked on me'
      }
    
    };
    
    
    })( jQuery, window , document );