Categories

jQuery.merge()

Categories: Utilities

jQuery.merge( first, second )Returns: Array

Description: Merge the contents of two arrays together into the first array.

  • jQuery.merge( first, second )

    version added: 1.0

    first   The first array to merge, the elements of second added.

    second   The second array to merge into the first, unaltered.

The $.merge() operation forms an array that contains all elements from the two arrays. The orders of items in the arrays are preserved, with items from the second array appended. The $.merge() function is destructive. It alters the first parameter to add the items from the second.

If you need the original first array, make a copy of it before calling $.merge(). Fortunately, $.merge() itself can be used for this duplication:

var newArray = $.merge([], oldArray);

This shortcut creates a new, empty array and merges the contents of oldArray into it, effectively cloning the array.

Prior to jQuery 1.4, the arguments should be true Javascript Array objects; use $.makeArray if they are not.

  • Merges two arrays, altering the first argument.

    Code:
    $.merge( [0,1,2], [2,3,4] )
    Results:
    [0,1,2,2,3,4] 
  • Merges two arrays, altering the first argument.

    Code:
    $.merge( [3,2,1], [4,3,2] )  
    Results:
    [3,2,1,4,3,2] 
  • Merges two arrays, but uses a copy, so the original isn't altered.

    Code:
    var first = ['a','b','c'];
    var second = ['d','e','f'];
    $.merge( $.merge([],first), second);
          
    Results:
    ["a","b","c","d","e","f"]