What is the significance of this keyword

[Arun60]

Will anyone please help me to understand what is the significance of this keyword. Most of the time i see this keyword whenever we call server side call from client side[Glide Ajax]. please give some simple example for better understanding.

Thanks In Advance...

[venkatiyer1 · Accepted solution]

Hi Arun,

This refers to the current context object. For example within DateTimeUtils

var DateTimeUtils = Class.create();

DateTimeUtils.prototype = Object.extendsObject(AbstractAjaxProcessor, {

initialize: function() {

this.nowTime =   new GlideDateTime("02/21/2016");

},

msToGlideDateTime : function() {

          var ms = this.nowTime;

          var gDate = new GlideDateTime();

          gDate.setValue(parseInt(ms, 10));

          return gDate;

    }

);

If you notice in msToGlideDateTime, I am using this.nowTime defined above in initialize function. Here this refers to DateTimeUtils Object.

[Arun60]

Hi Venkat

Thanks for your response. I have also find one example that might help others to understand the this variable concept .

      Point: -   You can add functions and properties to existing objects in this manner  

                                  The "this" variable is actually the GlideRecord object!

    Navigate to System Definition -> Script Include.

    Name: GlideRecordExtensions

    Script:

    GlideRecord.prototype.toObjectList = function() {  

    var objectList = [];  

      // loop through all the records and create the object array  

      while(this.next()) {  

              objectList.push(this.toObject(this));  

      }  

      this.restoreLocation(); // set it back to the beginning so that we can use if for other things  

      return objectList;    

      };

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      gs.include('GlideRecordExtensions');  

      var incidents = new GlideRecord('incident');  

      incidents.addActiveQuery();  

      incidents.setLimit(10);  

      incidents.query();  

      gs.print(incidents.getRowCount());  

      Now invoke our new GlideRecord extension!  

      var stuffList = incidents.toObjectList();

Here this refers to incidents which is   a glide record object.

I hope this will help others to understand this concept