Can I construct a JavaScript object without using the new keyword?

Question

Here is what I\'d like to do:

function a() {
  // ...
}
function b() {
  //  Some magic, return a new object.
}
var c = b();

c instanceof b // -> true
c          


        

Answer 1

For those, who may find this via Google (like me...), I developed the original solution further for a better common usage:

var myObject = function() {}; // hint: Chrome debugger will name the created items 'myObject'

var object = (function(myself, parent) {  
     return function(myself, parent) {
         if(parent){
             myself.prototype = parent;
         }
         myObject.prototype = myself.prototype;
         return new myObject();
     };
})(); 

a = function(arg) {
     var me = object(a);
     me.param = arg;
     return me;
};

b = function(arg) {
    var parent = a(arg),
        me = object(b, parent)
    ;
    return me;
};

var instance1 = a();
var instance2 = b("hi there");

console.log("---------------------------")
console.log('instance1 instance of a: ' +  (instance1 instanceof a))
console.log('instance2 instance of b: ' +  (instance2 instanceof b))
console.log('instance2 instance of a: ' +  (instance2 instanceof a))
console.log('a() instance of a: ' +  (a() instanceof a))
console.log(instance1.param)
console.log(instance2.param)