Converting an object to a string

Question

How can I convert a JavaScript object into a string?

Example:

var o = {a:1, b:2}
console.log(o)
console.log(\'Item: \' + o)

Output:

Answer 1

var o = {a:1, b:2};

o.toString=function(){
  return 'a='+this.a+', b='+this.b;
};

console.log(o);
console.log('Item: ' + o);

Since Javascript v1.0 works everywhere (even IE) this is a native approach and allows for a very costomised look of your object while debugging and in production https://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Object/toString

Usefull example

var Ship=function(n,x,y){
  this.name = n;
  this.x = x;
  this.y = y;
};
Ship.prototype.toString=function(){
  return '"'+this.name+'" located at: x:'+this.x+' y:'+this.y;
};

alert([new Ship('Star Destroyer', 50.001, 53.201),
new Ship('Millennium Falcon', 123.987, 287.543),
new Ship('TIE fighter', 83.060, 102.523)].join('\n'));//now they can battle!
//"Star Destroyer" located at: x:50.001 y:53.201
//"Millennium Falcon" located at: x:123.987 y:287.543
//"TIE fighter" located at: x:83.06 y:102.523

Also, as a bonus

function ISO8601Date(){
  return this.getFullYear()+'-'+(this.getMonth()+1)+'-'+this.getDate();
}
var d=new Date();
d.toString=ISO8601Date;//demonstrates altering native object behaviour
alert(d);
//IE6   Fri Jul 29 04:21:26 UTC+1200 2016
//FF&GC Fri Jul 29 2016 04:21:26 GMT+1200 (New Zealand Standard Time)
//d.toString=ISO8601Date; 2016-7-29