Class Helper

public
import Helper from '@ember/component/helper';

Ember Helpers are functions that can compute values, and are used in templates. For example, this code calls a helper named format-currency:

app/templates/application.hbs
<Cost @cents={{230}} />
app/components/cost.hbs
<div>{{format-currency @cents currency="$"}}</div>

Additionally a helper can be called as a nested helper. In this example, we show the formatted currency value if the showMoney named argument is truthy.

{{if @showMoney (format-currency @cents currency="$")}}

Helpers defined using a class must provide a compute function. For example:

app/helpers/format-currency.js
import Helper from '@ember/component/helper';

export default class extends Helper {
  compute([cents], { currency }) {
    return `${currency}${cents * 0.01}`;
  }
}

Each time the input to a helper changes, the compute function will be called again.

As instances, these helpers also have access to the container and will accept injected dependencies.

Additionally, class helpers can call recompute to force a new computation.

Available since v1.13.0

positional
Array

The positional arguments to the helper

named
Object

The named arguments to the helper

Override this function when writing a class-based helper.

returns
EmberObject

receiver

Destroys an object by setting the isDestroyed flag and removing its metadata, which effectively destroys observers and bindings.

If you try to set a property on a destroyed object, an exception will be raised.

Note that destruction is scheduled for the end of the run loop and does not happen immediately. It will set an isDestroying flag immediately.

An overridable method called when objects are instantiated. By default, does nothing unless it is overridden during class definition.

Example:

import EmberObject from '@ember/object';

const Person = EmberObject.extend({
  init() {
    alert(`Name is ${this.get('name')}`);
  }
});

let steve = Person.create({
  name: 'Steve'
});

// alerts 'Name is Steve'.

NOTE: If you do override init for a framework class like Component from @ember/component, be sure to call this._super(...arguments) in your init declaration! If you don't, Ember may not have an opportunity to do important setup work, and you'll see strange behavior in your application.

Available since v1.13.0

On a class-based helper, it may be useful to force a recomputation of that helpers value. This is akin to rerender on a component.

For example, this component will rerender when the currentUser on a session service changes:

app/helpers/current-user-email.js
import Helper from '@ember/component/helper'
import { service } from '@ember/service'
import { observer } from '@ember/object'

export default Helper.extend({
  session: service(),

  onNewUser: observer('session.currentUser', function() {
    this.recompute();
  }),

  compute() {
    return this.get('session.currentUser.email');
  }
});
returns
String

string representation

Returns a string representation which attempts to provide more information than Javascript's toString typically does, in a generic way for all Ember objects.

import EmberObject from '@ember/object';

const Person = EmberObject.extend();
person = Person.create();
person.toString(); //=> "<Person:ember1024>"

If the object's class is not defined on an Ember namespace, it will indicate it is a subclass of the registered superclass:

const Student = Person.extend();
let student = Student.create();
student.toString(); //=> "<(subclass of Person):ember1025>"

If the method toStringExtension is defined, its return value will be included in the output.

const Teacher = Person.extend({
  toStringExtension() {
    return this.get('fullName');
  }
});
teacher = Teacher.create();
teacher.toString(); //=> "<Teacher:ember1026:Tom Dale>"

Override to implement teardown.

Defines the properties that will be concatenated from the superclass (instead of overridden).

By default, when you extend an Ember class a property defined in the subclass overrides a property with the same name that is defined in the superclass. However, there are some cases where it is preferable to build up a property's value by combining the superclass' property value with the subclass' value. An example of this in use within Ember is the classNames property of Component from @ember/component.

Here is some sample code showing the difference between a concatenated property and a normal one:

import EmberObject from '@ember/object';

const Bar = EmberObject.extend({
  // Configure which properties to concatenate
  concatenatedProperties: ['concatenatedProperty'],

  someNonConcatenatedProperty: ['bar'],
  concatenatedProperty: ['bar']
});

const FooBar = Bar.extend({
  someNonConcatenatedProperty: ['foo'],
  concatenatedProperty: ['foo']
});

let fooBar = FooBar.create();
fooBar.get('someNonConcatenatedProperty'); // ['foo']
fooBar.get('concatenatedProperty'); // ['bar', 'foo']

This behavior extends to object creation as well. Continuing the above example:

let fooBar = FooBar.create({
  someNonConcatenatedProperty: ['baz'],
  concatenatedProperty: ['baz']
})
fooBar.get('someNonConcatenatedProperty'); // ['baz']
fooBar.get('concatenatedProperty'); // ['bar', 'foo', 'baz']

Adding a single property that is not an array will just add it in the array:

let fooBar = FooBar.create({
  concatenatedProperty: 'baz'
})
view.get('concatenatedProperty'); // ['bar', 'foo', 'baz']

Using the concatenatedProperties property, we can tell Ember to mix the content of the properties.

In Component the classNames, classNameBindings and attributeBindings properties are concatenated.

This feature is available for you to use throughout the Ember object model, although typical app developers are likely to use it infrequently. Since it changes expectations about behavior of properties, you should properly document its usage in each individual concatenated property (to not mislead your users to think they can override the property in a subclass).

Destroyed object property flag.

if this property is true the observers and bindings were already removed by the effect of calling the destroy() method.

Destruction scheduled flag. The destroy() method has been called.

The object stays intact until the end of the run loop at which point the isDestroyed flag is set.

Defines the properties that will be merged from the superclass (instead of overridden).

By default, when you extend an Ember class a property defined in the subclass overrides a property with the same name that is defined in the superclass. However, there are some cases where it is preferable to build up a property's value by merging the superclass property value with the subclass property's value. An example of this in use within Ember is the queryParams property of routes.

Here is some sample code showing the difference between a merged property and a normal one:

import EmberObject from '@ember/object';

const Bar = EmberObject.extend({
  // Configure which properties are to be merged
  mergedProperties: ['mergedProperty'],

  someNonMergedProperty: {
    nonMerged: 'superclass value of nonMerged'
  },
  mergedProperty: {
    page: { replace: false },
    limit: { replace: true }
  }
});

const FooBar = Bar.extend({
  someNonMergedProperty: {
    completelyNonMerged: 'subclass value of nonMerged'
  },
  mergedProperty: {
    limit: { replace: false }
  }
});

let fooBar = FooBar.create();

fooBar.get('someNonMergedProperty');
// => { completelyNonMerged: 'subclass value of nonMerged' }
//
// Note the entire object, including the nonMerged property of
// the superclass object, has been replaced

fooBar.get('mergedProperty');
// => {
//   page: {replace: false},
//   limit: {replace: false}
// }
//
// Note the page remains from the superclass, and the
// `limit` property's value of `false` has been merged from
// the subclass.

This behavior is not available during object create calls. It is only available at extend time.

In Route the queryParams property is merged.

This feature is available for you to use throughout the Ember object model, although typical app developers are likely to use it infrequently. Since it changes expectations about behavior of properties, you should properly document its usage in each individual merged property (to not mislead your users to think they can override the property in a subclass).