module.exports = function(alias_layers) { // make a copy of the array so, you are not modifying original ref var layers = alias_layers.slice(0); // expand aliases var expand_aliases = function(alias, layers, layer_indeces) { var alias_index = layers.indexOf(alias); if (alias_index !== -1 ) { layers.splice(alias_index, 1); layers = layers.concat(layer_indeces); } return layers; }; layers = expand_aliases('poi', layers, ['geoname','osmnode','osmway']); layers = expand_aliases('admin', layers, ['admin0','admin1','admin2','neighborhood']); layers = expand_aliases('address', layers, ['osmaddress','openaddresses']); // de-dupe layers = layers.filter(function(item, pos) { return layers.indexOf(item) === pos; }); return layers; };