JavaScript Function in JS File Won't Execute 1

nevadaflyfisher · Feb 5, 2004

Greetings,

I'm new to JavaScript, but this problem seems ridiculously simple and I'm stumped. I've tried a few suggestions from other posts with no success.

I'm using IE6 on Win2K Pro and trying to execute a function in an external .js file. I double-checked to ensure that active scripting is enabled in the IE's security settings.

In an effort to oversimplify things, I created test.js with the following code:

Code:

function Howdy()
  {
    alert (&quot;Howdy!&quot;)
  }

I call it from within the body of another HTML page:

Code:

<script language=&quot;javascript&quot; type=&quot;text/javascript&quot; src=&quot;test.js&quot;></script>

I also tried calling it from the document head without success.

I've tried a simple

Code:

document.write(&quot;Howdy&quot;)

statement in test.js and it works just fine.

Any idea as to what the heck might be wrong with calling the function?

TIA!

mwolf00 · Feb 5, 2004

Can you show the code where you call the function? If the document.write works then you must have a typo when you're calling it...

Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build better and bigger idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning. - Rick Cook (No, I'm not Rick)

nevadaflyfisher · Feb 5, 2004

Wow, thanks for the lightning fast response, Rick!

Here's everything that currently exists in the body:

Code:

<body>

<div id=&quot;navigation&quot;>
 <a href=&quot;Test3.html&quot;>CA/NV<br>Fly Fishing</a><br>
 <a href=&quot;Test3.html&quot;>Local Weather</a><br>
 <a href=&quot;Test3.html&quot;>Professional<br>Resume</a><br>
 <a href=&quot;Test3.html&quot;>Photos</a>
</div>

<div id=&quot;bg&quot;>
 <img src=&quot;images/bg.gif&quot; alt=&quot;&quot; width=&quot;100&quot;>
</div>
			
<div id=&quot;content&quot;>
 <h1>Welcome</h1>
 <script language=&quot;javascript&quot; type=&quot;text/javascript&quot; src=&quot;js/test.js&quot;></script>
</div>			

</body>

mwolf00 · Feb 5, 2004

looks like you haven't called the function...

<body onLoad="Howdy()">

<div id="navigation">
<a href="Test3.html">CA/NV<br>Fly Fishing</a><br>
<a href="Test3.html">Local Weather</a><br>
<a href="Test3.html">Professional<br>Resume</a><br>
<a href="Test3.html">Photos</a>
</div>

<div id="bg">
<img src="images/bg.gif" alt="" width="100">
</div>

<div id="content">
<h1>Welcome</h1>
<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript" src="js/test.js"></script>
</div>

</body>

Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build better and bigger idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning. - Rick Cook (No, I'm not Rick)

nevadaflyfisher · Feb 5, 2004

That was it!

I had perused a couple of other web sites for information on how to accomplish this and there was no mention whatsoever of the onLoad statement.

Thank you very much, Rick!

mwolf00 · Feb 6, 2004

There are many methods to call functions. onLoad, onClick, onMouseOver, onChange, onBlur, onKeyPress and so on. No function ever fires on its own - it needs to be called (usually by an event handler like I've listed or by another function.

Example
<script>

alert("This alert will fire as soon as it is read by the browser&quot

function pageLoaded(){
alert("this alert will only fire when the function is called&quot

}

<body onLoad="pageLoaded()">

<input type=button value="Click Me" onClick="alert('button was clicked')">
<br>
<a href="somePage.htm" onMouseOver="pageLoaded()">A link</a>

Programming today is a race between software engineers striving to build better and bigger idiot-proof programs, and the Universe trying to produce bigger and better idiots. So far, the Universe is winning. - Rick Cook (No, I'm not Rick)

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JavaScript Function in JS File Won't Execute 1

nevadaflyfisher

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mwolf00

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nevadaflyfisher

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mwolf00

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nevadaflyfisher

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mwolf00

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