I have a problem with node.js to object to json string

var chat = {};
chat.messages = [];
chat.messages['en'] = [];
chat.messages['fr'] = [];
console.log(chat.messages)
console.log(JSON.stringify(chat.messages));

I got

[ en: [], fr: [] ]
[]

I don't know why this is not correctly convert

I have a problem with node.js to object to json string

var chat = {};
chat.messages = [];
chat.messages['en'] = [];
chat.messages['fr'] = [];
console.log(chat.messages)
console.log(JSON.stringify(chat.messages));

I got

[ en: [], fr: [] ]
[]

I don't know why this is not correctly convert

• javascript
• json
• node.js

Share Improve this question Follow edited Dec 8, 2012 at 23:13 Musa 97.8k1717 gold badges122122 silver badges143143 bronze badges asked Dec 8, 2012 at 23:07 AjouveAjouve 10.1k2727 gold badges9494 silver badges154154 bronze badges 1

• I just took a look in my crystal ball, and it says it's not correctly converted because you did'nt feed it the right data ? – adeneo Commented Dec 8, 2012 at 23:09

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1 Answer 1

Sorted by: Reset to default 9

On this line, you initialize chat.messages as an empty array:

chat.messages = [];

Here, you use it as an object:

chat.messages['en'] = [];
chat.messages['fr'] = [];

These lines actually set properties on the array instance. It's curious that Node would include these properties in the normal .toString() result (i.e., that you'd see the set properties as elements of the array on console.log(chat.messages).

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In any case, to fix, declare chat.messages as an object:

chat.messages = {};
chat.messages['en'] = [];
chat.messages['fr'] = [];