jQuery selector question

Question

I have encountered code that leverages jQuery, similar to the following.

NAMESPACE = {
    propertyA : $("#selector-a"),
    propertyB : $("#selector-b")
}

$(NAMESPACE.propertyA).click(function(){
    // ...
});

This seems to work, even though the syntax for attaching the click handler should be.

NAMESPACE.propertyA.click(function(){
    // ...
});

Does jQuery have the built in ability to resolve the following, despite the incorrect syntax?

$($("#my-selector")).click ... etc.

Answer 1

Yes, it will handle this if necessary. You really ought not use this syntax though if it's within your control. I tested against the following and got the same results with both:

$($("li")).click(function(e){
  alert(e.target);
});

//--

$("li").click(function(e){
  alert(e.target);
});

Answer 2

Yes. jQuery allows as arguments to the $:

• A CSS selector
• A DOM element
• An array of DOM elements
• A jQuery object
• A function (which will be called as part of $.ready())

All of these are valid syntax as far as jQuery is concerned, though performance may suffer in some of these cases.

Since your NAMESPACE.properties are jQuery elements, this will work.