What is the 'correct' way to bind from one model to another when the models are stored within an array? Typically I'd imagine that this would be a Controller's content array, but to keep the example simple:

MyApp.websites = [];
MyApp.websites.push(Ember.Object.create({
  name: "Stackoverflow"
}));

MyApp.websites.push(Ember.Object.create({
  name: "Serverfault"
}));

MyApp.favorite = Ember.Object.create({
  // how should this be bound to a specific element of MyApp.websites?
  nameBinding: ?????????
});

What is the 'correct' way to bind from one model to another when the models are stored within an array? Typically I'd imagine that this would be a Controller's content array, but to keep the example simple:

MyApp.websites = [];
MyApp.websites.push(Ember.Object.create({
  name: "Stackoverflow"
}));

MyApp.websites.push(Ember.Object.create({
  name: "Serverfault"
}));

MyApp.favorite = Ember.Object.create({
  // how should this be bound to a specific element of MyApp.websites?
  nameBinding: ?????????
});

• javascript
• ember.js

• What do you mean by 'specific'? Specific meaning the first item in the array? – pangratz Commented Dec 14, 2011 at 23:24
• @pangratz - sure any item in the array would do. I'm primarily interested in whether this is supported by Ember and if so the best approach. – Josh Rickard Commented Dec 15, 2011 at 3:01

2 Answers 2

You can use a property to bind that.

This way:

MyApp.websites = [];
MyApp.websites.push(Ember.Object.create({
  name: "Stackoverflow"
}));

MyApp.websites.push(Ember.Object.create({
  name: "Serverfault"
}));

MyApp.mainController = Ember.Object.create({
  currentWebsiteIndex: 0,
  currentWebsite: function() {
    return MyApp.websites[this.get("currentWebsiteIndex")];
  }.property("currentWebsiteIndex")
});

MyApp.favorite = Ember.Object.create({
  // how should this be bound to a specific element of MyApp.websites?
  nameBinding: "MyApp.mainController.currentWebsite.name"
});

This is just to demonstrate the idea, a better implementation would be:

MyApp.websites = Ember.ArrayProxy.create({
  content: [],
  currentWebsiteIndex: 0,
  currentWebsite: function() {
    return this.objectAt(this.get("currentWebsiteIndex"));
  }.property("currentWebsiteIndex")
});

MyApp.websites.pushObject(Ember.Object.create({
  name: "Stackoverflow"
}));

MyApp.websites.pushObject(Ember.Object.create({
  name: "Serverfault"
}));

MyApp.favorite = Ember.Object.create({
  // how should this be bound to a specific element of MyApp.websites?
  nameBinding: "MyApp.websites.currentWebsite.name"
});

You probably wouldn't want to use an array to store model objects you're binding to unless you're using {{#each}} in your template.

If you wanted to expand your example a bit further, I could provide more design suggestions.

Also, you'll want to use the observer-aware pushObject() method on Arrays that you're observing/binding to.