Converts a multi-dimensional object to single-dimensional object in JavaScript. Dot-notated paths are used as object keys to represent nesting depth and to facilitate re-inflation.

deflate.js

/* Adding deflate() to the Object prototype */
Object.prototype.deflate = function(pathArray,result){

    pathArray                   = (typeof pathArray === 'undefined') ? [] : pathArray;
    result                      = (typeof result === 'undefined') ? {} : result;

    var key, value, newKey;

    for (var i in this){

        if (this.hasOwnProperty(i)){

            key                 = i;
            value               = this[i];

            pathArray.push(key);

            if (typeof value === 'object' && value !== null){

                result          = value.deflate(pathArray,result);

            } else {

                newKey          = pathArray.join('.');
                result[newKey]  = value;
            }

            pathArray.pop();
        }
    }

    return result;
};

/* Creating deflate() as a standalone function */
var deflate = function(source,pathArray,result){

    pathArray                   = (typeof pathArray === 'undefined') ? [] : pathArray;
    result                      = (typeof result === 'undefined') ? {} : result;

    var key, value, newKey;

    for (var i in source){

        if (source.hasOwnProperty(i)){

            key                 = i;
            value               = source[i];

            pathArray.push(key);

            if (typeof value === 'object' && value !== null){

                result          = deflate(value,pathArray,result);

            } else {

                newKey          = pathArray.join('.');
                result[newKey]  = value;
            }

            pathArray.pop();
        }
    }

    return result;
};


/*----------- Usage examples -----------*/

var obj = {
    foo : {
        bar : {
            baz : 'SUCCESS!',
            biz : ['first','second','third']
        }
    }
};

/* Using the Object prototype version */
obj.deflate();

// RETURNS:
// {
//     "foo.bar.baz": "SUCCESS!",
//     "foo.bar.biz.0": "first",
//     "foo.bar.biz.1": "second",
//     "foo.bar.biz.2": "third"
// }

/* Using the standalone function version */
deflate(obj);

// RETURNS:
// {
//     "foo.bar.baz": "SUCCESS!",
//     "foo.bar.biz.0": "first",
//     "foo.bar.biz.1": "second",
//     "foo.bar.biz.2": "third"
// }