NodeJS: use module.exports in function from another module

Question

NodeJS: use module.exports in function from another module

Simple example:

file1

module.exports.foo = function(obj) {
  module.exports.obj = obj;
}

file2

file1 = require("file1")
var something = {a: "a"};
file1.foo(something); //export "something" being a part of file2

The example above is not working.

What I want is basically a module.exports helper, since I plan a few helpers for whole object "exportion".

Thank you

javascript
node.js
module

Answer 1

module in file1.js is a different instance from that in file2.js.

file1.js

module.exports.foo = function(obj) {
    module.exports.obj = obj; 
    return module;
}

file2.js

console.log("running file2");

file1 = require("./file1");

var something = {a: "a"}; 
var moduleOfFile1 = file1.foo(something); //export "something" being a part of file2 

console.log("file1 module: " + moduleOfFile1.id);
console.log("file2 module: " + module.id);

console:

node file2.js

id returned are different

Update

alternatively, why not update file2.js to extend its module.exports

File2.js

// well, you may copy `extend` implementation if you 
// do not want to depend on `underscore.js`
var _ = require("underscore");     
file1 = require("./file1");  

_.extend(module.exports, file1);

var something = {a: "a"};  
// or do something else

_.extend(module.exports, {
    obj: something
});

File3.js

file2 = require("./file2.js");
console.log(file2.obj.a);