Help with variables (newbie)

[jaburke]

I have a javascript variable defined as:
var name;

In my HTML, I am calling a javascript function that sets the name variable.

Once I return from the function call, the value of name isn't set. What am I doing wrong? How can I access the value of the name variable from the html after the function is called?

 

[BillyRayPreachersSon]

If the argument name in your function definition is also "name", then the variable "name" in the function will be local to that function:

var name = 1;

function doSomething(name) {
	name++;
	alert(name);		/* 2 */
};

alert(name);			/* 1 */
doSomething(name);
alert(name);			/* 1 */;

There are several ways around this. You could:

- Use a different argument name, so that "name" refers to the global variable instead of a local variable:

var name = 1;

function doSomething(otherName) {
	name++;
	alert(name);		/* 2 */
};

alert(name);			/* 1 */
doSomething(name);
alert(name);			/* 2 */;

Or, refer to "window.name" inside the function, which would always be the global variable. This way you can also refer to only "name" to use the local version:

var name = 1;

function doSomething(name) {
	window.name++;
	alert(window.name);	/* 2 */
	name++;
	alert(name);		/* 2 */
};

alert(name);			/* 1 */
doSomething(name);
alert(name);			/* 2 */;

Of course, you've posted no code at all, so all of this is guesswork. If I'm right, and you are naming your argument "name", it has to be asked: Why are you passing a global variable into a function when you can access it anyway without passing it in?

If I'm wrong, and you've not got an argument called "name", then I can only assume you also have a local variable called "name", in which case, either rename it or use the "window." trick.

Failing all of this, post some code. We're not psychic

Hope this helps,

Dan


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