In Node.js, how do I “include” functions from my o

Question

Let's say I have a file called app.js. Pretty simple:

var express = require('express');
var app = express.createServer();
app.set('views', __dirname + '/views');
app.set('view engine', 'ejs');
app.get('/', function(req, res){
  res.render('index', {locals: {
    title: 'NowJS + Express Example'
  }});
});

app.listen(8080);

What if I have a functions inside "tools.js". How would I import them to use in apps.js?

Or...am I supposed to turn "tools" into a module, and then require it? << seems hard, I rather do the basic import of the tools.js file.

Answer 1

Create two js files

// File cal.js
module.exports = {
    sum: function(a,b) {
        return a+b
    },
    multiply: function(a,b) {
        return a*b
    }
};

Main js file

// File app.js
var tools = require("./cal.js");
var value = tools.sum(10,20);
console.log("Value: "+value);

Output

value: 30

Answer 2

It worked with me like the following....

Lib1.js

//Any other private code here 

// Code you want to export
exports.function1 = function1 (params) {.......};
exports.function2 = function2 (params) {.......};

// Again any private code

now in the Main.js file you need to include Lib1.js

var mylib = requires('lib1.js');
mylib.function1(params);
mylib.function2(params);

Please remember to put the Lib1.js in node_modules folder.

Answer 3

You need no new functions nor new modules. You simply need to execute the module you're calling if you don't want to use namespace.

in tools.js

module.exports = function() { 
    this.sum = function(a,b) { return a+b };
    this.multiply = function(a,b) { return a*b };
    //etc
}

in app.js

or in any other .js like myController.js :

instead of

var tools = require('tools.js') which force us to use a namespace and call tools like tools.sum(1,2);

we can simply call

require('tools.js')();

and then

sum(1,2);

in my case I have a file with controllers ctrls.js

module.exports = function() {
    this.Categories = require('categories.js');
}

and I can use Categories in every context as public class after require('ctrls.js')()

Answer 4

You can require any js file, you just need to declare what you want to expose.

// tools.js
// ========
module.exports = {
  foo: function () {
    // whatever
  },
  bar: function () {
    // whatever
  }
};

var zemba = function () {
}

And in your app file:

// app.js
// ======
var tools = require('./tools');
console.log(typeof tools.foo); // => 'function'
console.log(typeof tools.bar); // => 'function'
console.log(typeof tools.zemba); // => undefined

Answer 5

Include file and run it in given (non-global) context

fileToInclude.js

define({
    "data": "XYZ"
});

main.js

var fs = require("fs");
var vm = require("vm");

function include(path, context) {
    var code = fs.readFileSync(path, 'utf-8');
    vm.runInContext(code, vm.createContext(context));
}


// Include file

var customContext = {
    "define": function (data) {
        console.log(data);
    }
};
include('./fileToInclude.js', customContext);

Answer 6

Like you are having a file abc.txt and many more?

Create 2 files: fileread.js and fetchingfile.js, then in fileread.js write this code:

function fileread(filename) {
    var contents= fs.readFileSync(filename);
        return contents;
    }

    var fs = require("fs");  // file system

    //var data = fileread("abc.txt");
    module.exports.fileread = fileread;
    //data.say();
    //console.log(data.toString());
}

In fetchingfile.js write this code:

function myerror(){
    console.log("Hey need some help");
    console.log("type file=abc.txt");
}

var ags = require("minimist")(process.argv.slice(2), { string: "file" });
if(ags.help || !ags.file) {
    myerror();
    process.exit(1);
}
var hello = require("./fileread.js");
var data = hello.fileread(ags.file);  // importing module here 
console.log(data.toString());

Now, in a terminal: $ node fetchingfile.js --file=abc.txt

You are passing the file name as an argument, moreover include all files in readfile.js instead of passing it.

Thanks