How to Reference Internal Values within a JavaScript Object

In JavaScript, accessing values within an object that refer to other values within the same object can sometimes be challenging. Consider the following code snippet:

var obj = {
  key1: "it ",
  key2: key1   " works!"
};

alert(obj.key2);

This code errors with the message "key1 is not defined." To resolve this issue, you can use the special keyword this. However, attempts to access this.key1 or this[key1] within the object will still result in errors.

Using a Function to Reference Internal Values

Instead of using direct property access, you can define a function within the object that returns the desired value. For example:

var obj = {
  key1: "it ",
  key2: function() {
    return this.key1   " works!";
  }
};

alert(obj.key2());

By defining key2 as a function, we gain access to the this keyword within the object, allowing us to reference key1. The alert() function will now display the correct output, "it works!".