Make frame with nulls clear items & array containers

src/components/annotations/annotation_defaults.js

@@ -16,14 +16,15 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
 
-module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, fullLayout) {
- var annOut = {};
+module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, annOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(annIn, annOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return annOut;
 

src/components/annotations/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleAnnotationDefaults = require('./annotation_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.annotations || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.annotations = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'annotations',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleAnnotationDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var annIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- annOut = handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(annOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/annotations/draw.js

@@ -242,7 +242,8 @@ function drawOne(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[axLetter] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, options, fullLayout);
  fullLayout.annotations[index] = options;
 
  var xa = Axes.getFromId(gd, options.xref),

src/components/images/defaults.js

@@ -8,24 +8,20 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
-var attributes = require('./attributes');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var name = 'images';
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: imageDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var itemIn = contIn[i] || {},
- itemOut = {};
-
- imageDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, layoutOut);
-
- contOut.push(itemOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 

src/components/shapes/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleShapeDefaults = require('./shape_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.shapes || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.shapes = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'shapes',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleShapeDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var shapeIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- shapeOut = handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(shapeOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/shapes/draw.js

@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ function updateShape(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[posAttr] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, gd._fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, options, gd._fullLayout);
  gd._fullLayout.shapes[index] = options;
 
  var clipAxes;

src/components/shapes/shape_defaults.js

@@ -15,14 +15,16 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var helpers = require('./helpers');
 
-module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, fullLayout) {
- var shapeOut = {};
+
+module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, shapeOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(shapeIn, shapeOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return shapeOut;
 

src/components/sliders/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var stepAttrs = attributes.steps;
 
 
 module.exports = function slidersDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: sliderDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var sliderIn = contIn[i] || {},
- sliderOut = {};
-
- sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- sliderOut._input = sliderIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- sliderOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(sliderOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut) {

src/components/updatemenus/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var buttonAttrs = attributes.buttons;
 
 
 module.exports = function updateMenusDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: menuDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var menuIn = contIn[i] || {},
- menuOut = {};
-
- menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- menuOut._input = menuIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- menuOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(menuOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut) {

src/plot_api/helpers.js

@@ -102,13 +102,12 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  }
 
- if(layout.annotations !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.annotations)) {
- Lib.warn('Annotations must be an array.');
- delete layout.annotations;
- }
- var annotationsLen = (layout.annotations || []).length;
+ var annotationsLen = Array.isArray(layout.annotations) ? layout.annotations.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < annotationsLen; i++) {
  var ann = layout.annotations[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(ann)) continue;
+
  if(ann.ref) {
  if(ann.ref === 'paper') {
  ann.xref = 'paper';
@@ -120,17 +119,17 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  delete ann.ref;
  }
+
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'yref');
  }
 
- if(layout.shapes !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.shapes)) {
- Lib.warn('Shapes must be an array.');
- delete layout.shapes;
- }
- var shapesLen = (layout.shapes || []).length;
+ var shapesLen = Array.isArray(layout.shapes) ? layout.shapes.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < shapesLen; i++) {
  var shape = layout.shapes[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(shape)) continue;
+
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'yref');
  }

src/plots/array_container_defaults.js

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+'use strict';
+
+var Lib = require('../lib');
+
+
+/** Convenience wrapper for making array container logic DRY and consistent
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjIn
+ * user input object where the container in question is linked
+ * (i.e. either a user trace object or the user layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjOut
+ * full object where the coerced container will be linked
+ * (i.e. either a full trace object or the full layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} opts
+ * options object:
+ * - name {string}
+ * name of the key linking the container in question
+ * - handleItemDefaults {function}
+ * defaults method to be called on each item in the array container in question
+ *
+ * Its arguments are:
+ * - itemIn {object} item in user layout
+ * - itemOut {object} item in full layout
+ * - parentObj {object} (as in closure)
+ * - opts {object} (as in closure)
+ * - itemOpts {object}
+ * - itemIsNotPlainObject {boolean}
+ * N.B.
+ *
+ * - opts is passed to handleItemDefaults so it can also store
+ * links to supplementary data (e.g. fullData for layout components)
+ *
+ */
+module.exports = function handleArrayContainerDefaults(parentObjIn, parentObjOut, opts) {
+ var name = opts.name;
+
+ var contIn = Array.isArray(parentObjIn[name]) ? parentObjIn[name] : [],
+ contOut = parentObjOut[name] = [];
+
+ for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
+ var itemIn = contIn[i],
+ itemOut = {},
+ itemOpts = {};
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(itemIn)) {
+ itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject = true;
+ itemIn = {};
+ }
+
+ opts.handleItemDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, parentObjOut, opts, itemOpts);
+
+ itemOut._input = itemIn;
+ itemOut._index = i;
+
+ contOut.push(itemOut);
+ }
+};

src/plots/plots.js

@@ -1569,8 +1569,14 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  for(i = 0; i < containerPaths.length; i++) {
  containerProp = Lib.nestedProperty(expandedObj, containerPaths[i]);
  containerVal = containerProp.get();
- containerProp.set(null);
- Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+
+ if(containerVal === undefined) {
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(null);
+ }
+ else {
+ containerProp.set(null);
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+ }
  }
  }
 
@@ -1584,15 +1590,20 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  if(!srcContainer) continue;
 
  destProp = Lib.nestedProperty(dest, containerPaths[i]);
-
  destContainer = destProp.get();
+
  if(!Array.isArray(destContainer)) {
  destContainer = [];
  destProp.set(destContainer);
  }
 
  for(j = 0; j < srcContainer.length; j++) {
- destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcContainer[j]);
+ var srcObj = srcContainer[j];
+
+ if(srcObj === null) destContainer[j] = null;
+ else {
+ destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcObj);
+ }
  }
 
  destProp.set(destContainer);

src/components/annotations/annotation_defaults.js

@@ -16,14 +16,15 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
 
-module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, fullLayout) {
- var annOut = {};
+module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, annOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(annIn, annOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return annOut;
 

src/components/annotations/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleAnnotationDefaults = require('./annotation_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.annotations || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.annotations = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'annotations',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleAnnotationDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var annIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- annOut = handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(annOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/annotations/draw.js

@@ -242,7 +242,8 @@ function drawOne(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[axLetter] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, options, fullLayout);
  fullLayout.annotations[index] = options;
 
  var xa = Axes.getFromId(gd, options.xref),

src/components/images/defaults.js

@@ -8,24 +8,20 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
-var attributes = require('./attributes');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var name = 'images';
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: imageDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var itemIn = contIn[i] || {},
- itemOut = {};
-
- imageDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, layoutOut);
-
- contOut.push(itemOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 

src/components/shapes/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleShapeDefaults = require('./shape_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.shapes || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.shapes = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'shapes',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleShapeDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var shapeIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- shapeOut = handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(shapeOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/shapes/draw.js

@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ function updateShape(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[posAttr] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, gd._fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, options, gd._fullLayout);
  gd._fullLayout.shapes[index] = options;
 
  var clipAxes;

src/components/shapes/shape_defaults.js

@@ -15,14 +15,16 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var helpers = require('./helpers');
 
-module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, fullLayout) {
- var shapeOut = {};
+
+module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, shapeOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(shapeIn, shapeOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return shapeOut;
 

src/components/sliders/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var stepAttrs = attributes.steps;
 
 
 module.exports = function slidersDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: sliderDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var sliderIn = contIn[i] || {},
- sliderOut = {};
-
- sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- sliderOut._input = sliderIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- sliderOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(sliderOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut) {

src/components/updatemenus/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var buttonAttrs = attributes.buttons;
 
 
 module.exports = function updateMenusDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: menuDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var menuIn = contIn[i] || {},
- menuOut = {};
-
- menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- menuOut._input = menuIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- menuOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(menuOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut) {

src/plot_api/helpers.js

@@ -102,13 +102,12 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  }
 
- if(layout.annotations !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.annotations)) {
- Lib.warn('Annotations must be an array.');
- delete layout.annotations;
- }
- var annotationsLen = (layout.annotations || []).length;
+ var annotationsLen = Array.isArray(layout.annotations) ? layout.annotations.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < annotationsLen; i++) {
  var ann = layout.annotations[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(ann)) continue;
+
  if(ann.ref) {
  if(ann.ref === 'paper') {
  ann.xref = 'paper';
@@ -120,17 +119,17 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  delete ann.ref;
  }
+
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'yref');
  }
 
- if(layout.shapes !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.shapes)) {
- Lib.warn('Shapes must be an array.');
- delete layout.shapes;
- }
- var shapesLen = (layout.shapes || []).length;
+ var shapesLen = Array.isArray(layout.shapes) ? layout.shapes.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < shapesLen; i++) {
  var shape = layout.shapes[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(shape)) continue;
+
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'yref');
  }

src/plots/array_container_defaults.js

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+'use strict';
+
+var Lib = require('../lib');
+
+
+/** Convenience wrapper for making array container logic DRY and consistent
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjIn
+ * user input object where the container in question is linked
+ * (i.e. either a user trace object or the user layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjOut
+ * full object where the coerced container will be linked
+ * (i.e. either a full trace object or the full layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} opts
+ * options object:
+ * - name {string}
+ * name of the key linking the container in question
+ * - handleItemDefaults {function}
+ * defaults method to be called on each item in the array container in question
+ *
+ * Its arguments are:
+ * - itemIn {object} item in user layout
+ * - itemOut {object} item in full layout
+ * - parentObj {object} (as in closure)
+ * - opts {object} (as in closure)
+ * - itemOpts {object}
+ * - itemIsNotPlainObject {boolean}
+ * N.B.
+ *
+ * - opts is passed to handleItemDefaults so it can also store
+ * links to supplementary data (e.g. fullData for layout components)
+ *
+ */
+module.exports = function handleArrayContainerDefaults(parentObjIn, parentObjOut, opts) {
+ var name = opts.name;
+
+ var contIn = Array.isArray(parentObjIn[name]) ? parentObjIn[name] : [],
+ contOut = parentObjOut[name] = [];
+
+ for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
+ var itemIn = contIn[i],
+ itemOut = {},
+ itemOpts = {};
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(itemIn)) {
+ itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject = true;
+ itemIn = {};
+ }
+
+ opts.handleItemDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, parentObjOut, opts, itemOpts);
+
+ itemOut._input = itemIn;
+ itemOut._index = i;
+
+ contOut.push(itemOut);
+ }
+};

src/plots/plots.js

@@ -1569,8 +1569,14 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  for(i = 0; i < containerPaths.length; i++) {
  containerProp = Lib.nestedProperty(expandedObj, containerPaths[i]);
  containerVal = containerProp.get();
- containerProp.set(null);
- Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+
+ if(containerVal === undefined) {
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(null);
+ }
+ else {
+ containerProp.set(null);
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+ }
  }
  }
 
@@ -1584,15 +1590,20 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  if(!srcContainer) continue;
 
  destProp = Lib.nestedProperty(dest, containerPaths[i]);
-
  destContainer = destProp.get();
+
  if(!Array.isArray(destContainer)) {
  destContainer = [];
  destProp.set(destContainer);
  }
 
  for(j = 0; j < srcContainer.length; j++) {
- destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcContainer[j]);
+ var srcObj = srcContainer[j];
+
+ if(srcObj === null) destContainer[j] = null;
+ else {
+ destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcObj);
+ }
  }
 
  destProp.set(destContainer);

src/components/annotations/annotation_defaults.js

@@ -16,14 +16,15 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
 
-module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, fullLayout) {
- var annOut = {};
+module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, annOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(annIn, annOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return annOut;
 

src/components/annotations/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleAnnotationDefaults = require('./annotation_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.annotations || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.annotations = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'annotations',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleAnnotationDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var annIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- annOut = handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(annOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/annotations/draw.js

@@ -242,7 +242,8 @@ function drawOne(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[axLetter] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, options, fullLayout);
  fullLayout.annotations[index] = options;
 
  var xa = Axes.getFromId(gd, options.xref),

src/components/images/defaults.js

@@ -8,24 +8,20 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
-var attributes = require('./attributes');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var name = 'images';
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: imageDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var itemIn = contIn[i] || {},
- itemOut = {};
-
- imageDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, layoutOut);
-
- contOut.push(itemOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 

src/components/shapes/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleShapeDefaults = require('./shape_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.shapes || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.shapes = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'shapes',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleShapeDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var shapeIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- shapeOut = handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(shapeOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/shapes/draw.js

@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ function updateShape(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[posAttr] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, gd._fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, options, gd._fullLayout);
  gd._fullLayout.shapes[index] = options;
 
  var clipAxes;

src/components/shapes/shape_defaults.js

@@ -15,14 +15,16 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var helpers = require('./helpers');
 
-module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, fullLayout) {
- var shapeOut = {};
+
+module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, shapeOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(shapeIn, shapeOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return shapeOut;
 

src/components/sliders/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var stepAttrs = attributes.steps;
 
 
 module.exports = function slidersDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: sliderDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var sliderIn = contIn[i] || {},
- sliderOut = {};
-
- sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- sliderOut._input = sliderIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- sliderOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(sliderOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut) {

src/components/updatemenus/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var buttonAttrs = attributes.buttons;
 
 
 module.exports = function updateMenusDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: menuDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var menuIn = contIn[i] || {},
- menuOut = {};
-
- menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- menuOut._input = menuIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- menuOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(menuOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut) {

src/plot_api/helpers.js

@@ -102,13 +102,12 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  }
 
- if(layout.annotations !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.annotations)) {
- Lib.warn('Annotations must be an array.');
- delete layout.annotations;
- }
- var annotationsLen = (layout.annotations || []).length;
+ var annotationsLen = Array.isArray(layout.annotations) ? layout.annotations.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < annotationsLen; i++) {
  var ann = layout.annotations[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(ann)) continue;
+
  if(ann.ref) {
  if(ann.ref === 'paper') {
  ann.xref = 'paper';
@@ -120,17 +119,17 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  delete ann.ref;
  }
+
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'yref');
  }
 
- if(layout.shapes !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.shapes)) {
- Lib.warn('Shapes must be an array.');
- delete layout.shapes;
- }
- var shapesLen = (layout.shapes || []).length;
+ var shapesLen = Array.isArray(layout.shapes) ? layout.shapes.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < shapesLen; i++) {
  var shape = layout.shapes[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(shape)) continue;
+
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'yref');
  }

src/plots/array_container_defaults.js

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+'use strict';
+
+var Lib = require('../lib');
+
+
+/** Convenience wrapper for making array container logic DRY and consistent
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjIn
+ * user input object where the container in question is linked
+ * (i.e. either a user trace object or the user layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjOut
+ * full object where the coerced container will be linked
+ * (i.e. either a full trace object or the full layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} opts
+ * options object:
+ * - name {string}
+ * name of the key linking the container in question
+ * - handleItemDefaults {function}
+ * defaults method to be called on each item in the array container in question
+ *
+ * Its arguments are:
+ * - itemIn {object} item in user layout
+ * - itemOut {object} item in full layout
+ * - parentObj {object} (as in closure)
+ * - opts {object} (as in closure)
+ * - itemOpts {object}
+ * - itemIsNotPlainObject {boolean}
+ * N.B.
+ *
+ * - opts is passed to handleItemDefaults so it can also store
+ * links to supplementary data (e.g. fullData for layout components)
+ *
+ */
+module.exports = function handleArrayContainerDefaults(parentObjIn, parentObjOut, opts) {
+ var name = opts.name;
+
+ var contIn = Array.isArray(parentObjIn[name]) ? parentObjIn[name] : [],
+ contOut = parentObjOut[name] = [];
+
+ for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
+ var itemIn = contIn[i],
+ itemOut = {},
+ itemOpts = {};
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(itemIn)) {
+ itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject = true;
+ itemIn = {};
+ }
+
+ opts.handleItemDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, parentObjOut, opts, itemOpts);
+
+ itemOut._input = itemIn;
+ itemOut._index = i;
+
+ contOut.push(itemOut);
+ }
+};

src/plots/plots.js

@@ -1569,8 +1569,14 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  for(i = 0; i < containerPaths.length; i++) {
  containerProp = Lib.nestedProperty(expandedObj, containerPaths[i]);
  containerVal = containerProp.get();
- containerProp.set(null);
- Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+
+ if(containerVal === undefined) {
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(null);
+ }
+ else {
+ containerProp.set(null);
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+ }
  }
  }
 
@@ -1584,15 +1590,20 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  if(!srcContainer) continue;
 
  destProp = Lib.nestedProperty(dest, containerPaths[i]);
-
  destContainer = destProp.get();
+
  if(!Array.isArray(destContainer)) {
  destContainer = [];
  destProp.set(destContainer);
  }
 
  for(j = 0; j < srcContainer.length; j++) {
- destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcContainer[j]);
+ var srcObj = srcContainer[j];
+
+ if(srcObj === null) destContainer[j] = null;
+ else {
+ destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcObj);
+ }
  }
 
  destProp.set(destContainer);

src/components/annotations/annotation_defaults.js

@@ -16,14 +16,15 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
 
-module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, fullLayout) {
- var annOut = {};
+module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, annOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(annIn, annOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return annOut;
 

src/components/annotations/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleAnnotationDefaults = require('./annotation_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.annotations || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.annotations = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'annotations',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleAnnotationDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var annIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- annOut = handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(annOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/annotations/draw.js

@@ -242,7 +242,8 @@ function drawOne(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[axLetter] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, options, fullLayout);
  fullLayout.annotations[index] = options;
 
  var xa = Axes.getFromId(gd, options.xref),

src/components/images/defaults.js

@@ -8,24 +8,20 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
-var attributes = require('./attributes');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var name = 'images';
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: imageDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var itemIn = contIn[i] || {},
- itemOut = {};
-
- imageDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, layoutOut);
-
- contOut.push(itemOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 

src/components/shapes/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleShapeDefaults = require('./shape_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.shapes || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.shapes = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'shapes',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleShapeDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var shapeIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- shapeOut = handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(shapeOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/shapes/draw.js

@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ function updateShape(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[posAttr] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, gd._fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, options, gd._fullLayout);
  gd._fullLayout.shapes[index] = options;
 
  var clipAxes;

src/components/shapes/shape_defaults.js

@@ -15,14 +15,16 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var helpers = require('./helpers');
 
-module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, fullLayout) {
- var shapeOut = {};
+
+module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, shapeOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(shapeIn, shapeOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return shapeOut;
 

src/components/sliders/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var stepAttrs = attributes.steps;
 
 
 module.exports = function slidersDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: sliderDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var sliderIn = contIn[i] || {},
- sliderOut = {};
-
- sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- sliderOut._input = sliderIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- sliderOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(sliderOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut) {

src/components/updatemenus/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var buttonAttrs = attributes.buttons;
 
 
 module.exports = function updateMenusDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: menuDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var menuIn = contIn[i] || {},
- menuOut = {};
-
- menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- menuOut._input = menuIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- menuOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(menuOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut) {

src/plot_api/helpers.js

@@ -102,13 +102,12 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  }
 
- if(layout.annotations !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.annotations)) {
- Lib.warn('Annotations must be an array.');
- delete layout.annotations;
- }
- var annotationsLen = (layout.annotations || []).length;
+ var annotationsLen = Array.isArray(layout.annotations) ? layout.annotations.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < annotationsLen; i++) {
  var ann = layout.annotations[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(ann)) continue;
+
  if(ann.ref) {
  if(ann.ref === 'paper') {
  ann.xref = 'paper';
@@ -120,17 +119,17 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  delete ann.ref;
  }
+
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'yref');
  }
 
- if(layout.shapes !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.shapes)) {
- Lib.warn('Shapes must be an array.');
- delete layout.shapes;
- }
- var shapesLen = (layout.shapes || []).length;
+ var shapesLen = Array.isArray(layout.shapes) ? layout.shapes.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < shapesLen; i++) {
  var shape = layout.shapes[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(shape)) continue;
+
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'yref');
  }

src/plots/array_container_defaults.js

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+'use strict';
+
+var Lib = require('../lib');
+
+
+/** Convenience wrapper for making array container logic DRY and consistent
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjIn
+ * user input object where the container in question is linked
+ * (i.e. either a user trace object or the user layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjOut
+ * full object where the coerced container will be linked
+ * (i.e. either a full trace object or the full layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} opts
+ * options object:
+ * - name {string}
+ * name of the key linking the container in question
+ * - handleItemDefaults {function}
+ * defaults method to be called on each item in the array container in question
+ *
+ * Its arguments are:
+ * - itemIn {object} item in user layout
+ * - itemOut {object} item in full layout
+ * - parentObj {object} (as in closure)
+ * - opts {object} (as in closure)
+ * - itemOpts {object}
+ * - itemIsNotPlainObject {boolean}
+ * N.B.
+ *
+ * - opts is passed to handleItemDefaults so it can also store
+ * links to supplementary data (e.g. fullData for layout components)
+ *
+ */
+module.exports = function handleArrayContainerDefaults(parentObjIn, parentObjOut, opts) {
+ var name = opts.name;
+
+ var contIn = Array.isArray(parentObjIn[name]) ? parentObjIn[name] : [],
+ contOut = parentObjOut[name] = [];
+
+ for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
+ var itemIn = contIn[i],
+ itemOut = {},
+ itemOpts = {};
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(itemIn)) {
+ itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject = true;
+ itemIn = {};
+ }
+
+ opts.handleItemDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, parentObjOut, opts, itemOpts);
+
+ itemOut._input = itemIn;
+ itemOut._index = i;
+
+ contOut.push(itemOut);
+ }
+};

src/plots/plots.js

@@ -1569,8 +1569,14 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  for(i = 0; i < containerPaths.length; i++) {
  containerProp = Lib.nestedProperty(expandedObj, containerPaths[i]);
  containerVal = containerProp.get();
- containerProp.set(null);
- Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+
+ if(containerVal === undefined) {
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(null);
+ }
+ else {
+ containerProp.set(null);
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+ }
  }
  }
 
@@ -1584,15 +1590,20 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  if(!srcContainer) continue;
 
  destProp = Lib.nestedProperty(dest, containerPaths[i]);
-
  destContainer = destProp.get();
+
  if(!Array.isArray(destContainer)) {
  destContainer = [];
  destProp.set(destContainer);
  }
 
  for(j = 0; j < srcContainer.length; j++) {
- destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcContainer[j]);
+ var srcObj = srcContainer[j];
+
+ if(srcObj === null) destContainer[j] = null;
+ else {
+ destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcObj);
+ }
  }
 
  destProp.set(destContainer);

src/components/annotations/annotation_defaults.js

@@ -16,14 +16,15 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
 
-module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, fullLayout) {
- var annOut = {};
+module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, annOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(annIn, annOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return annOut;
 

src/components/annotations/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleAnnotationDefaults = require('./annotation_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.annotations || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.annotations = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'annotations',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleAnnotationDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var annIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- annOut = handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(annOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/annotations/draw.js

@@ -242,7 +242,8 @@ function drawOne(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[axLetter] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, options, fullLayout);
  fullLayout.annotations[index] = options;
 
  var xa = Axes.getFromId(gd, options.xref),

src/components/images/defaults.js

@@ -8,24 +8,20 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
-var attributes = require('./attributes');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var name = 'images';
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: imageDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var itemIn = contIn[i] || {},
- itemOut = {};
-
- imageDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, layoutOut);
-
- contOut.push(itemOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 

src/components/shapes/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleShapeDefaults = require('./shape_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.shapes || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.shapes = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'shapes',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleShapeDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var shapeIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- shapeOut = handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(shapeOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/shapes/draw.js

@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ function updateShape(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[posAttr] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, gd._fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, options, gd._fullLayout);
  gd._fullLayout.shapes[index] = options;
 
  var clipAxes;

src/components/shapes/shape_defaults.js

@@ -15,14 +15,16 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var helpers = require('./helpers');
 
-module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, fullLayout) {
- var shapeOut = {};
+
+module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, shapeOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(shapeIn, shapeOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return shapeOut;
 

src/components/sliders/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var stepAttrs = attributes.steps;
 
 
 module.exports = function slidersDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: sliderDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var sliderIn = contIn[i] || {},
- sliderOut = {};
-
- sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- sliderOut._input = sliderIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- sliderOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(sliderOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut) {

src/components/updatemenus/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var buttonAttrs = attributes.buttons;
 
 
 module.exports = function updateMenusDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: menuDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var menuIn = contIn[i] || {},
- menuOut = {};
-
- menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- menuOut._input = menuIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- menuOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(menuOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut) {

src/plot_api/helpers.js

@@ -102,13 +102,12 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  }
 
- if(layout.annotations !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.annotations)) {
- Lib.warn('Annotations must be an array.');
- delete layout.annotations;
- }
- var annotationsLen = (layout.annotations || []).length;
+ var annotationsLen = Array.isArray(layout.annotations) ? layout.annotations.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < annotationsLen; i++) {
  var ann = layout.annotations[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(ann)) continue;
+
  if(ann.ref) {
  if(ann.ref === 'paper') {
  ann.xref = 'paper';
@@ -120,17 +119,17 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  delete ann.ref;
  }
+
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'yref');
  }
 
- if(layout.shapes !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.shapes)) {
- Lib.warn('Shapes must be an array.');
- delete layout.shapes;
- }
- var shapesLen = (layout.shapes || []).length;
+ var shapesLen = Array.isArray(layout.shapes) ? layout.shapes.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < shapesLen; i++) {
  var shape = layout.shapes[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(shape)) continue;
+
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'yref');
  }

src/plots/array_container_defaults.js

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+'use strict';
+
+var Lib = require('../lib');
+
+
+/** Convenience wrapper for making array container logic DRY and consistent
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjIn
+ * user input object where the container in question is linked
+ * (i.e. either a user trace object or the user layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjOut
+ * full object where the coerced container will be linked
+ * (i.e. either a full trace object or the full layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} opts
+ * options object:
+ * - name {string}
+ * name of the key linking the container in question
+ * - handleItemDefaults {function}
+ * defaults method to be called on each item in the array container in question
+ *
+ * Its arguments are:
+ * - itemIn {object} item in user layout
+ * - itemOut {object} item in full layout
+ * - parentObj {object} (as in closure)
+ * - opts {object} (as in closure)
+ * - itemOpts {object}
+ * - itemIsNotPlainObject {boolean}
+ * N.B.
+ *
+ * - opts is passed to handleItemDefaults so it can also store
+ * links to supplementary data (e.g. fullData for layout components)
+ *
+ */
+module.exports = function handleArrayContainerDefaults(parentObjIn, parentObjOut, opts) {
+ var name = opts.name;
+
+ var contIn = Array.isArray(parentObjIn[name]) ? parentObjIn[name] : [],
+ contOut = parentObjOut[name] = [];
+
+ for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
+ var itemIn = contIn[i],
+ itemOut = {},
+ itemOpts = {};
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(itemIn)) {
+ itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject = true;
+ itemIn = {};
+ }
+
+ opts.handleItemDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, parentObjOut, opts, itemOpts);
+
+ itemOut._input = itemIn;
+ itemOut._index = i;
+
+ contOut.push(itemOut);
+ }
+};

src/plots/plots.js

@@ -1569,8 +1569,14 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  for(i = 0; i < containerPaths.length; i++) {
  containerProp = Lib.nestedProperty(expandedObj, containerPaths[i]);
  containerVal = containerProp.get();
- containerProp.set(null);
- Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+
+ if(containerVal === undefined) {
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(null);
+ }
+ else {
+ containerProp.set(null);
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+ }
  }
  }
 
@@ -1584,15 +1590,20 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  if(!srcContainer) continue;
 
  destProp = Lib.nestedProperty(dest, containerPaths[i]);
-
  destContainer = destProp.get();
+
  if(!Array.isArray(destContainer)) {
  destContainer = [];
  destProp.set(destContainer);
  }
 
  for(j = 0; j < srcContainer.length; j++) {
- destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcContainer[j]);
+ var srcObj = srcContainer[j];
+
+ if(srcObj === null) destContainer[j] = null;
+ else {
+ destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcObj);
+ }
  }
 
  destProp.set(destContainer);

src/components/annotations/annotation_defaults.js

@@ -16,14 +16,15 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
 
-module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, fullLayout) {
- var annOut = {};
+module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, annOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(annIn, annOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return annOut;
 

src/components/annotations/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleAnnotationDefaults = require('./annotation_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.annotations || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.annotations = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'annotations',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleAnnotationDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var annIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- annOut = handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(annOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/annotations/draw.js

@@ -242,7 +242,8 @@ function drawOne(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[axLetter] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, options, fullLayout);
  fullLayout.annotations[index] = options;
 
  var xa = Axes.getFromId(gd, options.xref),

src/components/images/defaults.js

@@ -8,24 +8,20 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
-var attributes = require('./attributes');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var name = 'images';
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: imageDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var itemIn = contIn[i] || {},
- itemOut = {};
-
- imageDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, layoutOut);
-
- contOut.push(itemOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 

src/components/shapes/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleShapeDefaults = require('./shape_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.shapes || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.shapes = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'shapes',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleShapeDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var shapeIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- shapeOut = handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(shapeOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/shapes/draw.js

@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ function updateShape(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[posAttr] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, gd._fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, options, gd._fullLayout);
  gd._fullLayout.shapes[index] = options;
 
  var clipAxes;

src/components/shapes/shape_defaults.js

@@ -15,14 +15,16 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var helpers = require('./helpers');
 
-module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, fullLayout) {
- var shapeOut = {};
+
+module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, shapeOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(shapeIn, shapeOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return shapeOut;
 

src/components/sliders/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var stepAttrs = attributes.steps;
 
 
 module.exports = function slidersDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: sliderDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var sliderIn = contIn[i] || {},
- sliderOut = {};
-
- sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- sliderOut._input = sliderIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- sliderOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(sliderOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut) {

src/components/updatemenus/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var buttonAttrs = attributes.buttons;
 
 
 module.exports = function updateMenusDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: menuDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var menuIn = contIn[i] || {},
- menuOut = {};
-
- menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- menuOut._input = menuIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- menuOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(menuOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut) {

src/plot_api/helpers.js

@@ -102,13 +102,12 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  }
 
- if(layout.annotations !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.annotations)) {
- Lib.warn('Annotations must be an array.');
- delete layout.annotations;
- }
- var annotationsLen = (layout.annotations || []).length;
+ var annotationsLen = Array.isArray(layout.annotations) ? layout.annotations.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < annotationsLen; i++) {
  var ann = layout.annotations[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(ann)) continue;
+
  if(ann.ref) {
  if(ann.ref === 'paper') {
  ann.xref = 'paper';
@@ -120,17 +119,17 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  delete ann.ref;
  }
+
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'yref');
  }
 
- if(layout.shapes !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.shapes)) {
- Lib.warn('Shapes must be an array.');
- delete layout.shapes;
- }
- var shapesLen = (layout.shapes || []).length;
+ var shapesLen = Array.isArray(layout.shapes) ? layout.shapes.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < shapesLen; i++) {
  var shape = layout.shapes[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(shape)) continue;
+
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'yref');
  }

src/plots/array_container_defaults.js

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+'use strict';
+
+var Lib = require('../lib');
+
+
+/** Convenience wrapper for making array container logic DRY and consistent
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjIn
+ * user input object where the container in question is linked
+ * (i.e. either a user trace object or the user layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjOut
+ * full object where the coerced container will be linked
+ * (i.e. either a full trace object or the full layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} opts
+ * options object:
+ * - name {string}
+ * name of the key linking the container in question
+ * - handleItemDefaults {function}
+ * defaults method to be called on each item in the array container in question
+ *
+ * Its arguments are:
+ * - itemIn {object} item in user layout
+ * - itemOut {object} item in full layout
+ * - parentObj {object} (as in closure)
+ * - opts {object} (as in closure)
+ * - itemOpts {object}
+ * - itemIsNotPlainObject {boolean}
+ * N.B.
+ *
+ * - opts is passed to handleItemDefaults so it can also store
+ * links to supplementary data (e.g. fullData for layout components)
+ *
+ */
+module.exports = function handleArrayContainerDefaults(parentObjIn, parentObjOut, opts) {
+ var name = opts.name;
+
+ var contIn = Array.isArray(parentObjIn[name]) ? parentObjIn[name] : [],
+ contOut = parentObjOut[name] = [];
+
+ for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
+ var itemIn = contIn[i],
+ itemOut = {},
+ itemOpts = {};
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(itemIn)) {
+ itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject = true;
+ itemIn = {};
+ }
+
+ opts.handleItemDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, parentObjOut, opts, itemOpts);
+
+ itemOut._input = itemIn;
+ itemOut._index = i;
+
+ contOut.push(itemOut);
+ }
+};

src/plots/plots.js

@@ -1569,8 +1569,14 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  for(i = 0; i < containerPaths.length; i++) {
  containerProp = Lib.nestedProperty(expandedObj, containerPaths[i]);
  containerVal = containerProp.get();
- containerProp.set(null);
- Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+
+ if(containerVal === undefined) {
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(null);
+ }
+ else {
+ containerProp.set(null);
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+ }
  }
  }
 
@@ -1584,15 +1590,20 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  if(!srcContainer) continue;
 
  destProp = Lib.nestedProperty(dest, containerPaths[i]);
-
  destContainer = destProp.get();
+
  if(!Array.isArray(destContainer)) {
  destContainer = [];
  destProp.set(destContainer);
  }
 
  for(j = 0; j < srcContainer.length; j++) {
- destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcContainer[j]);
+ var srcObj = srcContainer[j];
+
+ if(srcObj === null) destContainer[j] = null;
+ else {
+ destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcObj);
+ }
  }
 
  destProp.set(destContainer);

src/components/annotations/annotation_defaults.js

@@ -16,14 +16,15 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
 
-module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, fullLayout) {
- var annOut = {};
+module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, annOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(annIn, annOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return annOut;
 

src/components/annotations/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleAnnotationDefaults = require('./annotation_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.annotations || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.annotations = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'annotations',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleAnnotationDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var annIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- annOut = handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(annOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/annotations/draw.js

@@ -242,7 +242,8 @@ function drawOne(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[axLetter] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, options, fullLayout);
  fullLayout.annotations[index] = options;
 
  var xa = Axes.getFromId(gd, options.xref),

src/components/images/defaults.js

@@ -8,24 +8,20 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
-var attributes = require('./attributes');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var name = 'images';
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: imageDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var itemIn = contIn[i] || {},
- itemOut = {};
-
- imageDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, layoutOut);
-
- contOut.push(itemOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 

src/components/shapes/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleShapeDefaults = require('./shape_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.shapes || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.shapes = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'shapes',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleShapeDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var shapeIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- shapeOut = handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(shapeOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/shapes/draw.js

@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ function updateShape(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[posAttr] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, gd._fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, options, gd._fullLayout);
  gd._fullLayout.shapes[index] = options;
 
  var clipAxes;

src/components/shapes/shape_defaults.js

@@ -15,14 +15,16 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var helpers = require('./helpers');
 
-module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, fullLayout) {
- var shapeOut = {};
+
+module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, shapeOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(shapeIn, shapeOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return shapeOut;
 

src/components/sliders/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var stepAttrs = attributes.steps;
 
 
 module.exports = function slidersDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: sliderDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var sliderIn = contIn[i] || {},
- sliderOut = {};
-
- sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- sliderOut._input = sliderIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- sliderOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(sliderOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut) {

src/components/updatemenus/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var buttonAttrs = attributes.buttons;
 
 
 module.exports = function updateMenusDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: menuDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var menuIn = contIn[i] || {},
- menuOut = {};
-
- menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- menuOut._input = menuIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- menuOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(menuOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut) {

src/plot_api/helpers.js

@@ -102,13 +102,12 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  }
 
- if(layout.annotations !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.annotations)) {
- Lib.warn('Annotations must be an array.');
- delete layout.annotations;
- }
- var annotationsLen = (layout.annotations || []).length;
+ var annotationsLen = Array.isArray(layout.annotations) ? layout.annotations.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < annotationsLen; i++) {
  var ann = layout.annotations[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(ann)) continue;
+
  if(ann.ref) {
  if(ann.ref === 'paper') {
  ann.xref = 'paper';
@@ -120,17 +119,17 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  delete ann.ref;
  }
+
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'yref');
  }
 
- if(layout.shapes !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.shapes)) {
- Lib.warn('Shapes must be an array.');
- delete layout.shapes;
- }
- var shapesLen = (layout.shapes || []).length;
+ var shapesLen = Array.isArray(layout.shapes) ? layout.shapes.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < shapesLen; i++) {
  var shape = layout.shapes[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(shape)) continue;
+
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'yref');
  }

src/plots/array_container_defaults.js

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+'use strict';
+
+var Lib = require('../lib');
+
+
+/** Convenience wrapper for making array container logic DRY and consistent
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjIn
+ * user input object where the container in question is linked
+ * (i.e. either a user trace object or the user layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjOut
+ * full object where the coerced container will be linked
+ * (i.e. either a full trace object or the full layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} opts
+ * options object:
+ * - name {string}
+ * name of the key linking the container in question
+ * - handleItemDefaults {function}
+ * defaults method to be called on each item in the array container in question
+ *
+ * Its arguments are:
+ * - itemIn {object} item in user layout
+ * - itemOut {object} item in full layout
+ * - parentObj {object} (as in closure)
+ * - opts {object} (as in closure)
+ * - itemOpts {object}
+ * - itemIsNotPlainObject {boolean}
+ * N.B.
+ *
+ * - opts is passed to handleItemDefaults so it can also store
+ * links to supplementary data (e.g. fullData for layout components)
+ *
+ */
+module.exports = function handleArrayContainerDefaults(parentObjIn, parentObjOut, opts) {
+ var name = opts.name;
+
+ var contIn = Array.isArray(parentObjIn[name]) ? parentObjIn[name] : [],
+ contOut = parentObjOut[name] = [];
+
+ for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
+ var itemIn = contIn[i],
+ itemOut = {},
+ itemOpts = {};
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(itemIn)) {
+ itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject = true;
+ itemIn = {};
+ }
+
+ opts.handleItemDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, parentObjOut, opts, itemOpts);
+
+ itemOut._input = itemIn;
+ itemOut._index = i;
+
+ contOut.push(itemOut);
+ }
+};

src/plots/plots.js

@@ -1569,8 +1569,14 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  for(i = 0; i < containerPaths.length; i++) {
  containerProp = Lib.nestedProperty(expandedObj, containerPaths[i]);
  containerVal = containerProp.get();
- containerProp.set(null);
- Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+
+ if(containerVal === undefined) {
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(null);
+ }
+ else {
+ containerProp.set(null);
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+ }
  }
  }
 
@@ -1584,15 +1590,20 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  if(!srcContainer) continue;
 
  destProp = Lib.nestedProperty(dest, containerPaths[i]);
-
  destContainer = destProp.get();
+
  if(!Array.isArray(destContainer)) {
  destContainer = [];
  destProp.set(destContainer);
  }
 
  for(j = 0; j < srcContainer.length; j++) {
- destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcContainer[j]);
+ var srcObj = srcContainer[j];
+
+ if(srcObj === null) destContainer[j] = null;
+ else {
+ destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcObj);
+ }
  }
 
  destProp.set(destContainer);

src/components/annotations/annotation_defaults.js

@@ -16,14 +16,15 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 
 
-module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, fullLayout) {
- var annOut = {};
+module.exports = function handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, annOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(annIn, annOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return annOut;
 

src/components/annotations/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleAnnotationDefaults = require('./annotation_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.annotations || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.annotations = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'annotations',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleAnnotationDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var annIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- annOut = handleAnnotationDefaults(annIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(annOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/annotations/draw.js

@@ -242,7 +242,8 @@ function drawOne(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[axLetter] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleAnnotationDefaults(optionsIn, options, fullLayout);
  fullLayout.annotations[index] = options;
 
  var xa = Axes.getFromId(gd, options.xref),

src/components/images/defaults.js

@@ -8,24 +8,20 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
-var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
-var attributes = require('./attributes');
+var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
+var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var name = 'images';
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: imageDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var itemIn = contIn[i] || {},
- itemOut = {};
-
- imageDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, layoutOut);
-
- contOut.push(itemOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 

src/components/shapes/defaults.js

@@ -9,17 +9,15 @@
 
 'use strict';
 
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 var handleShapeDefaults = require('./shape_defaults');
 
 
 module.exports = function supplyLayoutDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var containerIn = layoutIn.shapes || [],
- containerOut = layoutOut.shapes = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: 'shapes',
+ handleItemDefaults: handleShapeDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < containerIn.length; i++) {
- var shapeIn = containerIn[i] || {},
- shapeOut = handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, layoutOut);
-
- containerOut.push(shapeOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };

src/components/shapes/draw.js

@@ -232,7 +232,8 @@ function updateShape(gd, index, opt, value) {
  optionsIn[posAttr] = position;
  }
 
- var options = handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, gd._fullLayout);
+ var options = {};
+ handleShapeDefaults(optionsIn, options, gd._fullLayout);
  gd._fullLayout.shapes[index] = options;
 
  var clipAxes;

src/components/shapes/shape_defaults.js

@@ -15,14 +15,16 @@ var Axes = require('../../plots/cartesian/axes');
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var helpers = require('./helpers');
 
-module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, fullLayout) {
- var shapeOut = {};
+
+module.exports = function handleShapeDefaults(shapeIn, shapeOut, fullLayout, opts, itemOpts) {
+ opts = opts || {};
+ itemOpts = itemOpts || {};
 
  function coerce(attr, dflt) {
  return Lib.coerce(shapeIn, shapeOut, attributes, attr, dflt);
  }
 
- var visible = coerce('visible');
+ var visible = coerce('visible', !itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject);
 
  if(!visible) return shapeOut;
 

src/components/sliders/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var stepAttrs = attributes.steps;
 
 
 module.exports = function slidersDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: sliderDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var sliderIn = contIn[i] || {},
- sliderOut = {};
-
- sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- sliderOut._input = sliderIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- sliderOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(sliderOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function sliderDefaults(sliderIn, sliderOut, layoutOut) {

src/components/updatemenus/defaults.js

@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 'use strict';
 
 var Lib = require('../../lib');
+var handleArrayContainerDefaults = require('../../plots/array_container_defaults');
 
 var attributes = require('./attributes');
 var constants = require('./constants');
@@ -18,23 +19,12 @@ var buttonAttrs = attributes.buttons;
 
 
 module.exports = function updateMenusDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut) {
- var contIn = Array.isArray(layoutIn[name]) ? layoutIn[name] : [],
- contOut = layoutOut[name] = [];
+ var opts = {
+ name: name,
+ handleItemDefaults: menuDefaults
+ };
 
- for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
- var menuIn = contIn[i] || {},
- menuOut = {};
-
- menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut);
-
- // used on button click to update the 'active' field
- menuOut._input = menuIn;
-
- // used to determine object constancy
- menuOut._index = i;
-
- contOut.push(menuOut);
- }
+ handleArrayContainerDefaults(layoutIn, layoutOut, opts);
 };
 
 function menuDefaults(menuIn, menuOut, layoutOut) {

src/plot_api/helpers.js

@@ -102,13 +102,12 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  }
 
- if(layout.annotations !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.annotations)) {
- Lib.warn('Annotations must be an array.');
- delete layout.annotations;
- }
- var annotationsLen = (layout.annotations || []).length;
+ var annotationsLen = Array.isArray(layout.annotations) ? layout.annotations.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < annotationsLen; i++) {
  var ann = layout.annotations[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(ann)) continue;
+
  if(ann.ref) {
  if(ann.ref === 'paper') {
  ann.xref = 'paper';
@@ -120,17 +119,17 @@ exports.cleanLayout = function(layout) {
  }
  delete ann.ref;
  }
+
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(ann, 'yref');
  }
 
- if(layout.shapes !== undefined && !Array.isArray(layout.shapes)) {
- Lib.warn('Shapes must be an array.');
- delete layout.shapes;
- }
- var shapesLen = (layout.shapes || []).length;
+ var shapesLen = Array.isArray(layout.shapes) ? layout.shapes.length : 0;
  for(i = 0; i < shapesLen; i++) {
  var shape = layout.shapes[i];
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(shape)) continue;
+
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'xref');
  cleanAxRef(shape, 'yref');
  }

src/plots/array_container_defaults.js

@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+/**
+* Copyright 2012-2016, Plotly, Inc.
+* All rights reserved.
+*
+* This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+* LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+*/
+
+'use strict';
+
+var Lib = require('../lib');
+
+
+/** Convenience wrapper for making array container logic DRY and consistent
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjIn
+ * user input object where the container in question is linked
+ * (i.e. either a user trace object or the user layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} parentObjOut
+ * full object where the coerced container will be linked
+ * (i.e. either a full trace object or the full layout object)
+ *
+ * @param {object} opts
+ * options object:
+ * - name {string}
+ * name of the key linking the container in question
+ * - handleItemDefaults {function}
+ * defaults method to be called on each item in the array container in question
+ *
+ * Its arguments are:
+ * - itemIn {object} item in user layout
+ * - itemOut {object} item in full layout
+ * - parentObj {object} (as in closure)
+ * - opts {object} (as in closure)
+ * - itemOpts {object}
+ * - itemIsNotPlainObject {boolean}
+ * N.B.
+ *
+ * - opts is passed to handleItemDefaults so it can also store
+ * links to supplementary data (e.g. fullData for layout components)
+ *
+ */
+module.exports = function handleArrayContainerDefaults(parentObjIn, parentObjOut, opts) {
+ var name = opts.name;
+
+ var contIn = Array.isArray(parentObjIn[name]) ? parentObjIn[name] : [],
+ contOut = parentObjOut[name] = [];
+
+ for(var i = 0; i < contIn.length; i++) {
+ var itemIn = contIn[i],
+ itemOut = {},
+ itemOpts = {};
+
+ if(!Lib.isPlainObject(itemIn)) {
+ itemOpts.itemIsNotPlainObject = true;
+ itemIn = {};
+ }
+
+ opts.handleItemDefaults(itemIn, itemOut, parentObjOut, opts, itemOpts);
+
+ itemOut._input = itemIn;
+ itemOut._index = i;
+
+ contOut.push(itemOut);
+ }
+};

src/plots/plots.js

@@ -1569,8 +1569,14 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  for(i = 0; i < containerPaths.length; i++) {
  containerProp = Lib.nestedProperty(expandedObj, containerPaths[i]);
  containerVal = containerProp.get();
- containerProp.set(null);
- Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+
+ if(containerVal === undefined) {
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(null);
+ }
+ else {
+ containerProp.set(null);
+ Lib.nestedProperty(containerObj, containerPaths[i]).set(containerVal);
+ }
  }
  }
 
@@ -1584,15 +1590,20 @@ plots.extendObjectWithContainers = function(dest, src, containerPaths) {
  if(!srcContainer) continue;
 
  destProp = Lib.nestedProperty(dest, containerPaths[i]);
-
  destContainer = destProp.get();
+
  if(!Array.isArray(destContainer)) {
  destContainer = [];
  destProp.set(destContainer);
  }
 
  for(j = 0; j < srcContainer.length; j++) {
- destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcContainer[j]);
+ var srcObj = srcContainer[j];
+
+ if(srcObj === null) destContainer[j] = null;
+ else {
+ destContainer[j] = plots.extendObjectWithContainers(destContainer[j], srcObj);
+ }
  }
 
  destProp.set(destContainer);