JQuery - Widget Public Methods

Question

If I create a JQuery widget (code example below), and then define a "public" method, is there any other way to call the method other than using the following form?

$("#list").list("publicMethod"); 

I would like to create a series of widgets that all define the same methods (basically implementing the same interface), and be able to call the method without knowing anything about which widget I currently am invoking the method on. In the current form, I need to know that I am executing the method on the "list" widget.

---

Below is an example of creating a widget with the "public" method.

 (function($) {
    var items = [];
    var itemFocusIdx = 0;

    $.widget("ui.list", {
        // Standard stuff
        options : { ... },
        _create : function() { ... },
        destroy : function() { ... },

        // My Public Methods
        publicMethod : function() { ... }
        ...
    });
}(jQuery));

Answer 1

jQuery UI widgets use jQuery's $.data(...) method to indirectly associate the widget class with the DOM element. The preferred way to call a method on the widget is exactly what was described by Max...

$('#list').list('publicMethod');

...but if you want to field a return value, you'll have better luck calling it this way, via the data method:

$('#list').data('list').publicMethod();

However, using the second way side-steps the whole jQuery UI widget pattern, and should probably be avoided if possible.