Javascript – socket.io Removing specific listener

javascriptsocket.iosockets

I'm using Socket.io v0.9.16 and
Chrome 34

I'm trying to remove a specific listener, or unsubscribe from a specific subscription

Something like this:

socket.on('testComplete',function(data){
    console.log('test complete',data);
}); 

function emitTest(){
    console.log('emitting test');
    socket.emit('test','first emit');
}

function removeListener(){
    socket.removeListener('testComplete');
}

If I call the emitTest function, and then the removeListener function, I still see the 'test complete' message when I call emitTest again. The listener should have been removed, if the socket function even works.

I'm looking for a way to remove a specific listener that actually works.

This answer says that removeListener doesn't work.

Is there any downside to just doing this:

socket.removeListener=function(name){
        if(socket.$events.hasOwnProperty(name)){
            delete socket.$events[name];
        }
    };

I marked an answer as correct, but I'm using the above in my code since it works better with my design.

Best Answer

//To unsubscribe all listeners of an event
socket.off('event-name');

//to unsubscribe a certain listener
socket.off('event-name', listener);

Note that socket.off, socket.removeListener, socket.removeAllListeners, socket.removeEventListener are synonyms.

This is tested on socket.io v1.4.3