JavaScript module pattern: How do private methods access module's scope?

Question

When implementing the module pattern, how do private functions access the private properties of the module? I haven\'t seen any examples where developers do this. Is there any r

Answer 1

One alternative to have private methods with access to the this is by using the call or apply methods.

function Restaurant()
{
    this.mongoose = 'beans';
    this.freedom = {bear:'love',a:'12'};

    var myPrivateVar;

    var private_stuff = function()   // Only visible inside Restaurant()
    {
        myPrivateVar = "I can set this here!";
        this.mongoose = 12;
    }

    this.use_restroom = function()   // use_restroom is visible to all
    {
        private_stuff();
    }

    this.buy_food = function()    // buy_food is visible to all
    {
        private_stuff();
    }

    private_stuff.call(this);
}

var bobbys = new Restaurant();

Of course you would move the use_restroom and buy_food to a prototype and private_stuff outside of the constructor if you were planning on having multiple instances of this object.