javascript: how adding event handler inside a class with a class-method as the callback?
The this
inside the event listener callback will be the element that fired the event. If you want the this
to be the instance of your class, then either:
Bind the function to the class instance:
Using Function.prototype.bind
, will create a new function that its this
value will always be what you specify it to be (the class instance):
r.addEventListener('mouseover', this.OnEvent.bind(this));
// ^^^^^^^^^^^
Wrap the function inside an anounimous function:
var that = this;
r.addEventListener('mouseover', function(ev) { that.OnEvent(ev); });
// ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
or use an arrow function (so no need for that
):
r.addEventListener('mouseover', ev => this.OnEvent(ev));
// ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Note: As mentioned in a comment bellow, both of the above methods pass a different function to addEventListener
(the one with bind
create a new function, and the anounimous function is obviously !== this.OnEvent
). If you are going to remove the event listener later, you'll have to store a reference to the function:
var reference;
r.addEventListener('mouseover', reference = this.OnEvent.bind(this));
// ^^^^^^^^^^^^
or:
var reference;
var that = this;
r.addEventListener('mouseover', reference = function(ev) { that.OnEvent(ev); });
// ^^^^^^^^^^^^
then you can remove the event listener like:
r.removeEventListener('mouseover', reference);
You can actually return the object as an EventListener callback, this way JS will search for an handleEvent
method in the class and execute accordingly :
var myInstance = new myClass;
myInstance.addEventListener("mousedown",myInstance);
//To remove the event you can follow the same pattern
myInstance.removeEventListener("mousedown",myInstance);
You have to construct your class this way :
Class myClass
constructor(){
//Whatever this is supposed to do.
//You can also add events listener within the class this way :
this.addEventListener("mousedown",this);
}
mouseDownEvent(e)(){
//Some action related to the mouse down event (e)
console.log(e.target);
}
mouseMoveEvent(e)(){
//Some action related to the mouse move event (e)
}
mouseUpEvent(e)(){
//Some action related to the mouse up event (e)
}
handleEvent(e) {
switch(e.type) {
case "mousedown":
this.mouseDownEvent(e);
break;
case "mousemove":
this.mouseMoveEvent(e);
break;
case "mouseup":
this.mouseUpEvent(e);
break;
}
}
Sources :
https://medium.com/@WebReflection/dom-handleevent-a-cross-platform-standard-since-year-2000-5bf17287fd38
https://www.thecssninja.com/javascript/handleevent
https://metafizzy.co/blog/this-in-event-listeners/
I find this method clearer, also while declaring events inside the class this
is pretty explicit.
Hope I helped someone.