Requirements

• Consistent access to base object (SLB global variable)
• Support for methods/properties
• Consistent access to utility/helper methods/properties (prefix, context, etc.)
• Organized structure
• Extendible – Attach members/data to objects
• e.g. SLB (base object), SLB.util (utility object), SLB.View (view controller), etc.

Implementation (Options)

1. Current: Object literals with extend method
• Define methods in object declaration
• - Object properties cannot reference self via this (references window object)
• Less modular code
• + Simple declarations
2. Constructor function
• Objects are instances of base class definition
• Base constructor defines standard properties/methods (utilities, etc.)

  SLB = new Base();

• All objects have direct access to standard methods/properties (SLB.View.util.get_prefix();)
• ? Better than single base object with properties/methods (SLB.View.base.util references SLB.util)
• A: Yes
• Will need to wrap initialization and attachment of new members into single method
• e.g. SLB.attach('View', {data});
• ? Method name? – currently extend, but may conflict with Class.extend() (Inheritance)
1. Single method – 2 modes (based on parameters)
• SLB.extend('View', data) (2 parameters)
• Add View member to SLB object
• Create new instance of base class inherited by View object
• data (object) – Properties/methods for new member
• SLB.extend(obj) (1 parameter)
• Extends SLB object and returns new instance
• + Simple
• + Single method for both related functionalities
• One version simply adds it to global object
• - Confusion: Better to have separate methods for sake of clarity?
• extend: Create new class inheriting base class
• attach: Add member to object (creating new class that inherits base class)
• Structure
• Class Definitions
• Base
• Utility/Helper methods
• References base object for instance properties (prefix, etc.)
• Member attachment functionality
• Standard properties/methods
• Core
• Extends Base class
• Functionality specific to core object
• Instance Objects
• Core (SLB)
• Base instance for all other members to be attached to
• Members
• View Controller (SLB.View)
• Lightbox functionality controller
• SLB.attach('View', obj class_definition)
• New View class created (extends Base class)
• + Access to standard properties/methods without having to “travel” to Core (SLB) object
• Components (viewers, groups, etc.)
• Attached via

  SLB.View.Viewer = SLB.View.extend(obj class_definition)