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I am reading this article about how you can organize JavaScript code for large projects.

I am attempting to write a simple events calendar as a way to play with some of these design patterns.

Using the module pattern I started to create a calendar module, but I have some questions:

var calendarModule = (function() {
    var daysLabels = ['Sun','Mon','Tue','Wed','Thu','Fri','Sat'];
    var monthsLabels = ['January','February','March','April','May',
        'June','July','August','September','October','November','December'];
    var daysInMonths = [31, 28, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31];

    var dateObj = new Date();
    var dayRangeArr = [];

    return {
        setDate: function(year,month,day) {dateObj = new Date(year,month,day);},

        getDaysLabels: function() {return daysLabels;},
        getMonthsLabels: function() {return monthsLabels;},
        getDaysInMonths : function() {return daysInMonths ;},
        getDateObj: function() {return dateObj;},
        getDay: function() {return dateObj.getDate();},
        getYear: function() {return dateObj.getFullYear();},
        getDayOfWeek: function() {return dateObj.getDay();},
        getMonth: function() {return dateObj.getMonth();},
        getPreviousMonth: function() {return dateObj.getMonth() - 1;},
        getNextMonth: function() {return dateObj.getMonth() + 1;},

        getStartingDayOfWeek: function() {
            return new Date(this.getYear(), this.getMonth(), 1).getDay();
        },

        getIsLeapYear: function(month, year) {
            if (month === 1) { //Feb only month effected by leap years
                if ( !((year % 4) || (!(year % 100) && (year % 400))) ) {
                    return 29;
                } else {
                    return 28;
                }
            } else {
                return daysInMonths[month];
            }
        },

        getDaysInCurrentMonth: function() {
            return this.getIsLeapYear(this.getMonth(),this.getYear());
        },

        getDaysInPreviousMonth: function() {
            return this.getIsLeapYear(this.getPreviousMonth(),this.getYear());
        }, ...

My question is about my getter "methods". For example, I have this method:

getPreviousMonth: function() {return dateObj.getMonth() - 1;},

I have created no setter or even previousMonth var\private property. Is this a no-no?

I was thinking I could create vars corresponding to each getter method and have setDate() be like a constructor which would set their initial values. Am I heading in the right direction? I want to be sure I not falling into an anti-pattern.

EDIT:

I realized I should be making most of the methods private because as of right now, I can't think of a reason why they would be used outside of the module itself- except for the getIsLeapYear().

Here is what my code looks like now:

var calendarModule = (function() {
    var daysLabels = ['Sun','Mon','Tue','Wed','Thu','Fri','Sat'];
    var monthsLabels = ['January','February','March','April','May',
        'June','July','August','September','October','November','December'];
    var daysInMonths = [31, 28, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31];

    var dateObj = new Date();
    var dayRangeArr = [];

    function getDaysLabels() {return daysLabels;}
    function getMonthsLabels() {return monthsLabels;}
    function getDaysInMonthsn() {return daysInMonths ;}
    function getDateObj() {return dateObj;}
    function getDay() {return dateObj.getDate();}
    function getYear() {return dateObj.getFullYear();}
    function getDayOfWeek() {return dateObj.getDay();}
    function getMonth() {return dateObj.getMonth();}
    function getPreviousMonth() {return dateObj.getMonth() - 1;}
    function getNextMonth() {return dateObj.getMonth() + 1;}
    function getStartingDayOfWeek() {
        return new Date(getYear(), getMonth(), 1).getDay();
    }
    function getDaysInCurrentMonth() {
        return getIsLeapYear(getMonth(),getYear());
    }
    function getDaysInPreviousMonth() {
            return getIsLeapYear(getPreviousMonth(),getYear());
    }
    //The days of the previous month that will appear on current month's page
    function getVisibleDaysInPreviousMonth() {
        //todo must add condition for when startingDayOfWeek is 0
        return getDaysInPreviousMonth() - (getStartingDayOfWeek() - 1);
    }

    function getIsLeapYear(month, year) {
        if (month === 1) { //Feb only month effected by leap years
            if ( !((year % 4) || (!(year % 100) && (year % 400))) ) {
                return 29;
            } else {
                return 28;
            }
        } else {
            return daysInMonths[month];
        }
    }
    return {
        setDate: function(year,month,day) {dateObj = new Date(year,month,day);},

        getIsLeapYear: getIsLeapYear, ...

I return getIsLeapYear so I can use it to check against arbitrary dates.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ how are you planning on using this module? do you plan to use many instances of it in one application? \$\endgroup\$
    – nrw
    Commented Jun 2, 2014 at 19:03
  • \$\begingroup\$ I think so. I may ultimately find I do not need many instances of it, but for the time being I think I will. I'm mostly concerned about whether I'm using this pattern correctly. I'm writing this application for the sole purpose of learning various js techniques for organizing code. \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jun 2, 2014 at 19:09

1 Answer 1

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In terms of the module pattern as used in JavaScript-

There are plenty of times that a getter is used to access a variable that is otherwise managed internally. This would mean that you would have no need for a setter; in fact a setter in that case would be a no-no.

Using a getter for a concept that is not clearly defined within the calendarModule itself could be a little confusing to someone that needs to help you later, or modify your code. But I can't speak to whether it breaks the pattern.

Have you considered using the revealing module pattern? I only ask because I think it would be less likely for you to question "am I doing it wrong" because the getter is itself a defined part of the module. I could be grossly misinterpreting that however, but it is how I have interpreted it and practiced it for some time.

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  • \$\begingroup\$ Updated the code to make those methods "private" \$\endgroup\$ Commented Jun 2, 2014 at 21:32

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