Question

I’m using a datePicker that can be found here:

http://www.frequency-decoder.com/2011/10/11/unobtrusive-accessible-datepicker-widgit-v6

I have it working fine, as long as I hard code the id of the object. i.e.

var newid = "date" + maxidOnce.toString();
        datePickerController.createDatePicker({                           
            formElements:{"date1":"%Y-%m-%d"},
            statusFormat:"%l, %d %F %Y", 
            noFadeEffect:true
        }); 

However if I replace the id with the variable, it no longer works. I don’t see how there is any difference.

var newid = "oncedate" + maxidOnce.toString();
        datePickerController.createDatePicker({                           
            formElements:{newid:"%Y-%m-%d"},
            statusFormat:"%l, %d %F %Y", 
            noFadeEffect:true
        }); 

Answer 1

I don’t see how there is any difference.

The difference is that JavaScript object keys are not interpreted as variables when using object literals. Use bracket notation instead.

var newid = "oncedate" + maxidOnce;
var formElts = {};
formElts[newid] = "%Y-%m-%d";
datePickerController.createDatePicker({                           
    formElements: formElts,
    statusFormat: "%l, %d %F %Y", 
    noFadeEffect: true
});

// or, to write it another way,
var newid = "oncedate" + maxidOnce;
var options = {                           
    formElements: {},
    statusFormat: "%l, %d %F %Y", 
    noFadeEffect: true
};
options.formElements[newid] = "%Y-%m-%d";
datePickerController.createDatePicker(options);