As the title says, is there any way for me to determine what attributes on my model changed when synced?
For me the ideal situation would be a mechanism that functions like the change listener, so I'd have something like:
var MyModel = Backbone.Model.extend({
initialize: function(){
this.on({
'sync:Name' : 'onSyncName'
})
onSyncName: function(){
alert('Name saved!');
}
}
})
From what I can tell this mechanism doesn't exist for individual attributes as a whole, sync will only refer to the entire model itself.
You can use the changedAttribute function from the model which returns a hash of the attributes changed from last set.
var MyModel = Backbone.Model.extend({
initialize: function(){
this.on({
'sync' : 'onSync'
});
},
onSync: function(model){
_.each( model.changedAttributes(), function(value, key, list) { console.log("key" + key + " value " + value);
}
})
The sync event for only an attribute doesn't exist and doesn't make sense as it is the whole model which is syncing
You could add a validate method in your Model and use it to save the changed attributes inside a variable:
var lastChanged = {};
var MyModel = Backbone.Model.extend({
initialize: function(){
this.on({
'sync' : 'onSync'
});
},
onSync: function(){
if(lastChanged.hasOwnProperty("Name")){
alert("Name changed!");
}
},
validate : function(attrs, options){
lastChanged = options.changed;
}
});
Related
I am creating a small application based on a backbone example with the backbone-localstorage plugin.
When saving the data for a new model I always get the error "A "url" property or function must be specified"
After reading through several simular topics I'm still not able to find the cause for this.
Model:
directory.models.EmployeeCollection = Backbone.Collection.extend({
localStorage: new Backbone.LocalStorage("EmployeeCollection"),
model: directory.models.Employee,
store: directory.utils.store,
findByName: function(key) {
this.reset(this.store.findByName(key));
}
});
The view:
directory.views.newEmployeeView = Backbone.View.extend({
tagName: "div",
initialize: function() {
this.template = _.template(directory.utils.templateLoader.get('new-employee'));
},
events: {
"click .save": "saveEmployee"
},
render: function(eventName) {
$(this.el).html(this.template(this.model.toJSON()));
return this;
},
saveEmployee: function(event){
this.model.set({
firstName:$('#newFirstName').val(),
lastName:$('#newLastName').val(),
title:$('#newTitle').val(),
city:$('#newCity').val(),
officePhone:$('#newOfficePhone').val(),
cellPhone:$('#newCellPhone').val(),
email:$('#newEmail').val()
});
this.model.save();
window.history.back();
return false;
}
});
I think you need the new model to be a member of your collection before you attempt to persist it. Try creating a new instance of your collection and passing it to the view (probably in your router) like this:
new newEmployeeView({ collection: new EmployeeCollection() });
In your view you can use Backbone's create convenience method (see docs) to add a new instance of the model to the collection and persist it:
this.collection.create({
firstName:$('#newFirstName').val(),
lastName:$('#newLastName').val(),
title:$('#newTitle').val(),
city:$('#newCity').val(),
officePhone:$('#newOfficePhone').val(),
cellPhone:$('#newCellPhone').val(),
email:$('#newEmail').val()
});
I have a view called layerPanel that is using screenData model. Now on model.set i get update event from model itself, but its not working on view.
MODEL
var screenData = Backbone.Model.extend({
initialize : function() {
_.bindAll(this,"update");
this.bind('change:vdata', this.update);
},
update: function() {
var obj = this.vdata;
alert("update");
},
vdata:[{id : 0, title : "Welcome to Persieve 0"}]
});
VIEW
var layerPanel = Backbone.View.extend({
el: "#allLayers",
model: new screenData(),
initialize: function() {
this.render();
this.model.bind('change:vdata', this.render);
},
render: function() {
this.template = _.template(LayersTpl, {splitData: this.model.vdata});
this.$el.html(this.template);
return this;
}
});
Here is how I set values in Model.
screendata = new screenData;
var obj = screendata.vdata;
obj[obj.length] = {id : $(".bullet").length, title : "Welcome to Persieve"};
var tempData = [];
for ( var index=0; index<obj.length; index++ ) {
if ( obj[index]) {
tempData.push( obj );
}
}
obj = tempData;
screendata.set({vdata:[obj]});
The event should fire. But your render wont work as the 'this' context needs setting.
try:
this.model.bind('change:vdata', this.render, this);
or even better, use listenTo and the context is implicit (+ you can clean up easily this.remove())
Edit. From the edit you made above, I can see that you are creating a new screendata instance. The binding you created is for a different instance model: new screenData() .
You must reference the binded object and set it if you want the event to trigger.
If all the model setting happens in the actual model. Call this.set({vdata:[obj]});
i am new to backbone.js and need a little help sending data to a template. Im using a model with fetch, and a collection. here is the code :
(function($) {
var UserModel = Backbone.Model.extend({
urlRoot : '/users',
defaults : {
name : '',
email : ''
},
initialize : function() {
_.bindAll(this);
this.fetch();
},
parse : function(res) {
return JSON.stringify(res);
},
});
var users_coll = Backbone.Collection.extend({
//model: UserModel
initialize : function() {
var u = new UserModel();
this.model = u;
}
});
var displayView = Backbone.View.extend({
initialize : function() {
this.collection = new users_coll();
//_.each(this.collection.models, alert);
//console.log(this.collection);
//alert(JSON.stringify(this.collection.models));
this.render();
},
render : function() {
var tmpl = _.template($("#data-display-tpl").html());
this.$el.html(tmpl);
}
});
var view = new displayView({
el : $("#data-display")
});
})(jQuery);
it's working fine upto the model part. In the parse function of the model, i have used console.log() and everything seems fine. i get a properly formated json, and the fetch works fine too.
however in my collection i get nothing when i try console.log(user_coll.models).
i think i am probably missing something really small. not sure what, maybe the flow of things is all wrong.
I tried to modify your code just a bit to get poin trough...hope it helps clarify few basics.
I also didn't try provided example, but in theory it should work ;)
Here is how his example should be done...
Let's imagine Twitter app for example. Twitter app has only one model that represents one user in system. That's UserModel
var UserModel = Backbone.Model.extend({
urlRoot : '/user', // this is just for modifying one specific user
defaults : {
name : '',
email : ''
},
initialize : function() {
_.bindAll(this);
//this.fetch(); // WRONG: This call was "wrong" here
// fetch() should be done on Collection not model
},
parse : function(res) {
return JSON.stringify(res);
},
});
Now, you can have many lists of users on Twitter right. So you have two lists. In one list you have Friends users, and in other Family users
var UsersFriendsCollection = Backbone.Collection.extend({
model: UserModel // you tell Collection what type ob models it contains
url: '/users/friends',
initialize : function() {
// jabadaba whatever you need here
}
});
var UsersFamilyCollection = Backbone.Collection.extend({
model: UserModel // you tell Collection what type ob models it contains
url: '/users/family',
initialize : function() {
// jabadaba whatever you need here
}
});
...
var displayView = Backbone.View.extend({
initialize : function() {
this.collection = new UsersFriendsCollection();
this.collection.fetch(); // so you call fetch() on Collection, not Model
console.log(this.collection); // this should be populated now
//_.each(this.collection.models, alert);
//alert(JSON.stringify(this.collection.models));
this.render();
},
render : function() {
// collection data is avail. in templating engine for iteration now
var tmpl = _.template($( "#data-display-tpl" ).html(), this.collection);
this.$el.html(tmpl);
}
});
A collection's model attribute is meant for specifying what type of model the collection will contain and if specified you can pass the collection an array of raw objects and it will add and create them. From the docs
Override this property to specify the model class that the collection
contains. If defined, you can pass raw attributes objects (and arrays)
to add, create, and reset, and the attributes will be converted into a
model of the proper type
So when in your code you have
var u = new UserModel();
this.model = u;
You aren't actually adding the model to the collection. Instead you can use the collections add or fetch methods.
I am having problems including an additional model into my view which is based on a collection. I have a list of comments which is created by a parent view. Its need that I have the current user name when rendering the comments to show delete button and to highlight if its his own comment. The problem is now that I cant access in CommentListView the model session, so this.session in initialize or a call from a method like addAllCommentTo list is undefinied. What I am doing wrong here? I thought its easily possible to add another object to an view appart from the model.
CommentListView:
window.CommentListView = Backbone.View.extend({
el: $("#comments"),
initialize: function () {
this.model.bind('reset', this.addAllCommentToList, this);
this.model.bind('add', this.refresh, this);
this.model.bind('remove', this.refresh, this);
},
refresh: function(){
this.model.fetch();
},
addCommentToList : function(comment) {
console.log("comment added to dom");
//need to check why el reference is not working
$("#comments").append(new CommentView({model:comment, sessionModel: this.session}).render().el);
},
addAllCommentToList: function() {
$("#comments").empty();
this.model.each(this.addCommentToList);
}
});
Call from parent list in initialize method:
window.UserDetailView = Backbone.View.extend({
events: {
"click #newComment" : "newComment"
},
initialize: function () {
this.commentText = $("#commentText", this.el);
new CommentListView({ model: this.model.comments, session: this.model.session });
new LikeView({ model: this.model.like });
this.model.comments.fetch();
},
newComment : function() {
console.log("new comment");
this.model.comments.create(
new Comment({text: this.commentText.val()}), {wait: true}
);
this.commentText.val('');
}
});
Model:
window.UserDetail = Backbone.Model.extend({
urlRoot:'/api/details',
initialize:function () {
this.comments = new Comments();
this.comments.url = "/api/details/" + this.id + "/comments";
this.like = new Like();
this.like.url = "/api/details/" + this.id + "/likes";
this.session = new Session();
},
...
});
I see one problem, but can there be others.
You are initializing the View like this:
new CommentListView({ model: this.model.comments, session: this.model.session });
And you are expecting into your View to have a reference like this this.session.
This is not gonna happen. All the hash you send to the View constructor will be stored into this.options, from Backbone View constructor docs:
When creating a new View, the options you pass are attached to the view as this.options, for future reference.
So you can start changing this line:
$("#comments").append(new CommentView({model:comment, sessionModel: this.session}).render().el);
by this other:
$("#comments").append(new CommentView({model:comment, sessionModel: this.options.session}).render().el);
Try and tell us.
Updated
Also change this line:
this.model.each(this.addCommentToList);
by this:
this.model.each(this.addCommentToList, this);
The second argument is the context, in other words: what you want to be this in the called handler.
I'm doing my first application in backbone and i get a strange thing happening trying to attach an event.
I got this code so far:
//View for #girl, EDIT action
GirlEditView = Backbone.View.extend({
initialize: function(el, attr) {
this.variables = attr;
console.log(attr);
this.render();
},
render: function() {
var template = _.template( $("#girl_edit").html(), this.variables );
$(this.el).html( template );
$("#edit_girl").modal('show');
}
});
//View for #girl
GirlView = Backbone.View.extend({
initialize: function(el, attr) {
this.variables = attr;
this.render();
},
render: function() {
var template = _.template( $("#girl_template").html(), this.variables );
$(this.el).html( $(this.el).html() + template );
},
events: {
"click p.modify": "modify"
},
modify: function() {
//calls to modify view
new GirlEditView({el : $("#edit_girl")}, this.variables);
}
});
//One girl from the list
Girl = Backbone.Model.extend({
initialize: function() {
this.view = new GirlView({el : $("#content")}, this.attributes );
}
});
//all the girls
Girls = Backbone.Collection.extend({
model: Girl,
});
//do magic!
$(document).ready(function() {
//Underscore template modification
_.templateSettings = {
escape : /\{\[([\s\S]+?)\]\}/g,
evaluate : /\{\[([\s\S]+?)\]\}/g,
interpolate : /\{\{([\s\S]+?)\}\}/g
}
//get initial data and fill the index
var list = [];
$.getJSON('girls.json', function(data) {
list = [];
$.each(data, function(key, val) {
list.push( new Girl(val) );
});
var myGirls = new Girls(list);
console.log( myGirls.models);
});
});
As you can see.
I'm using a collection to store all the girls and the data comes from a REST api in ruby.
Each girls create a new model instance and inside i attached a view instance.
I don't know if it's a good practice but i can't think a better way to do it.
Each view makes a content with a unique id. girl-1 girl-2 and go on.
Now, the template have a edit button.
My original idea is to attack the onclick event and trigger the edit view to get rendered.
That is working as expected.
The proble so far is:
When the events triggers, all the collection (girls) fire the edit view, not the one that "owns" the rendered view.
My question is what i'm doing wrong?
Thanks a lot
All the edit-views come up because all the GirlViews are using the same el:
this.view = new GirlView({el : $("#content")}, this.attributes );
and then you render be appending more HTML:
render: function() {
var template = _.template( $("#girl_template").html(), this.variables );
$(this.el).html( $(this.el).html() + template );
}
Backbone events are bound using delegate on the view's el. So, if multiple views share the same el, you'll have multiple delegates attached to the same DOM element and your events will be a mess of infighting.
You have things a little backwards: models do not own views, views watch models and collections and respond to their events. You'll see this right in the documentation:
constructor / initialize new View([options])
[...] There are several special options that, if passed, will be attached directly to the view: model, collection, [...]
Generally, you create a collection, c, and then create the view by handing it that collection:
var v = new View({ collection: c })
or you create a model, m, and then create a view wrapped around that model:
var v = new View({ model: m })
Then the view binds to events on the collection or model so that it can update its display as the underlying data changes. The view also acts as a controller in Backbone and forwards user actions to the model or collection.
Your initialization should look more like this:
$.getJSON('girls.json', function(data) {
$.each(data, function(key, val) {
list.push(new Girl(val));
});
var myGirls = new Girls(list);
var v = new GirlsView({ collection: myGirls });
});
and then GirlsView would spin through the collection and create separate GirlViews for each model:
var _this = this;
this.collection.each(function(girl) {
var v = new GirlView({ model: girl });
_this.$el.append(v.render().el);
});
Then, GirlView would render like this:
// This could go in initialize() if you're not certain that the
// DOM will be ready when the view is created.
template: _.template($('#girl_template').html()),
render: function() {
this.$el.html(this.template(this.model.toJSON());
return this;
}
The result is that each per-model view will have its own distinct el to localize the events. This also makes adding and removing a GirlView quite easy as everything is nicely wrapped up in its own el.