find and execute a JavaScript function that matches a string

Question

How can I find and execute a function inside of an object based on a string parameter?

see the following example:

               var parameters = 'people';

                switch (parameters) {
                     case 'people':
                          people.initialize();
                          break;
                }

How can I remove the switch case statement in this scenario? Is it possible to call an object just by knowing the string name of the object?

Answer 1

function people() { alert('You called people().'); }
var parameters = 'people';
eval(parameters+'()');

That should give you an alert saying "You called people()."

Answer 2

You can always use eval...

Answer 3

Organize your objects…

var myObjects = {
    people: someObject,
    notPeople: someOtherObject
};
var parameters = 'people';
myObjects[parameters].initialize();

If you are playing with globals (don't play with globals) then you can get away with:

window[parameters].initialize();

… but organizing them in logical objects is a better bet.

Answer 4

You can use eval.

Or you might want to use the "pattern factory" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Factory_method_pattern

The object declares itself to the factory with a string. Once you have a string ask the factory to give you the object.