"include" functionality?

[Jeffrey 'jf' Lim]

Anybody wondered about this? I come from a sinatra background :), and
I very much like the ability to be able to arbitrarily split off
related functionality/code into different files (eg. I want to split
off the "app.get('/user/xxx', ...)" stuff into another file, say
users.js). In sinatra, you could do this with a 'require'.
Unfortunately, this doesnt seem possible with node/expressjs. Or is
there something i'm missing? Does anybody miss/want this
functionality?

-jf

--
"Every nonfree program has a lord, a master --
and if you use the program, he is your master."
    --Richard Stallman

"It's so hard to write a graphics driver that open-sourcing it would not help."
    -- Andrew Fear, Software Product Manager, NVIDIA Corporation
http://kerneltrap.org/node/7228

[Sam Millman]

you mean:

require("sys");

or:

require("./mongod/somecheeseyclassthatIwantincluded")

In turn this allows you to propogate a class. Is this what you mean or do you meant the php include where it acts as a part of the file?

so:

require("sys") would mean the code of that file is placed into the current document allowing the code to be manipulated as if it wasnt in a different file?

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[Sam Millman]

require should work both ways since it just includes the page code into the current document then it is upto you to instantiate the object yourself.

[Aaron Heckmann]

I believe what you're looking for is in the blog example:

http://github.com/visionmedia/express/blob/master/examples/blog/app.js

In app.js, the server instance is assigned to module.exports so that child modules have access to "app" (the server) as well. 

Now take a peek at contact.js

http://github.com/visionmedia/express/blob/master/examples/blog/contact.js

Here you see how to set up routes in child modules by accessing "module.parent.exports" which is the "app" in app.js. 

Aaron
http://clickdummy.net

[Kadir Pekel]

Hi Jeffrey,

It was also discussed yesterday.

http://groups.google.com/group/express-js/browse_thread/thread/80f21aba4cb54e58#

You'd better subscribe to group if you are really interested in :)

Good luck with Express.

Kadir Pekel

[vision media [ Tj Holowaychuk ]]

The parent module reference is a bit weird I know, but it works just fine. I would love

suggestions for a clear way to do this, but you cant just simply require('./app') or similar 

because you will cause a cyclic require and segfault :) this is the best approach I have come

up with

Tj Holowaychuk
Vision Media
President & Creative Lead

[Jeffrey 'jf' Lim]

yeah thanks, guys! this is precisely what I'm looking for (although
yes :), a more elegant way would be great... But hey, it works!!!) - a
way to be able to refer to 'app' in require-d files... And Kadir, I am
subscribed. I just missed out on that thread. Thanks for pointing it
out!!!

-jf

[Aaron Heckmann]

The only other option I see is to export a method from your child module that accepts an app instance which you then use to wire up routes - and that is far less elegant.

[Kadir Pekel]

+1 for Hecmann's

My humble opinion is doing it with less magic for more understandable and acceptable structure.

thnks.

kadir.
-- http://twitter.com/kadirpekel

[vision media [ Tj Holowaychuk ]]

The example is not magic at all if your used to node modules, I would not call

it elegant but the point is nothing is imposed, any way you choose to get your

app from one module to another is fine :)

[vision media [ Tj Holowaychuk ]]

hell you might even want to module.exports = function(app){ app.get(...) }

and then require('./foobar')(app)

explicitly passing your app instance

[Kadir Pekel]

As a module, knowing about its parent is less 'modular' i think. The two of your approachs seems fine, but as a convention i'd rather prefer module to know nothing about any parent candidate and better waiting for milk from any of them :)

However, it rocks anyway, it's some sort of tastes within the freedom of javascript world.

[vision media [ Tj Holowaychuk ]]

Very true lol but I guess that is the point, modules cant couple very well in that sense. open to suggestions :D