How to inherit from a non-prototype object
- by Andres Jaan Tack
The node-binary binary parser builds its object with the following pattern:
exports.parse = function parse (buffer) {
var self = {...}
self.tap = function (cb) {...};
self.into = function (key, cb) {...};
...
return self;
};
How do I inherit my own, enlightened parser from this? Is this pattern designed intentionally to make inheritance awkward?
My only successful attempt thus far at inheriting all the methods of binary.parse(<something>) is to use _.extend as:
var clever_parser = function(buffer) {
if (this instanceof clever_parser) {
this.parser = binary.parse(buffer); // I guess this is super.constructor(...)
_.extend(this.parser, this); // Really?
return this.parser;
} else {
return new clever_parser(buffer);
}
}
This has failed my smell test, and that of others. Is there anything about this that makes in tangerous?
