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FreeCodeCamp: checking for palindromes

This is my first question, so I apologize if this isn't formatted correctly or placed in the proper area.
I just completed the FreeCodeCamp checking for palindromes challenge. I can't help but think my solution was very inelegant.
function palindrome(str) {
var cleanString = str.replace(/[^A-Za-z0-9]/g, '');
var lowerCleanString = cleanString.toLowerCase();
var lowerArr = lowerCleanString.split('');
var reverseArr = lowerArr.reverse();
var joinedArr = reverseArr.join('');
if (joinedArr === lowerCleanString) {
return true;
}
// Good luck!
else {
return false;
}
}
I know it worked, but is it possible to do some of these steps together or in a cleaner way?

Simple function to check for palindromes
function checkPalindrome(palindrome) {
return palindrome == palindrome.split('').reverse().join('');
}

function palindrome(str) {
var newstr = str.replace(/[\W_]/g,'').toLowerCase();
if(newstr === newstr.split('').reverse().join('')){
return true;
}
return false;
}
palindrome("five|\_/|four");
You can use many methods in one row like I've used them .It's more simple :)
Good luck

Wow, I really like the answers comparing the string to a string.split('').reverse().join('') version of itself. I didn't think about that. Forgot about the .reverse() function. I ended up processing the string and splitting it out into an array and then using a double counter for the loop to compare the first and last items in the array. Was kinda fun to learn how to do that, but I like the .reverse() function use better.
In case someone is curious about the for loop I used ...
for(let i = 0, j = arr.length-1; i < j; i++, j--) {
if (arr[i] !== arr[j]) {
return false;
}
}

Simplify code with two variables?

I am not sure if I am asking this right, but basically i am trying to simplify my code so I don't have to write the same thing 5 times.
I have included two samples below. You can see that the only thing that changes is the event.X and the ".ia-event-x".
// For title
if (event.title) {
$(".ia-event-title").html(event.title);
$(".ia-event-title").addClass('ia-populated');
}
else if (!event.title) {
$(".ia-event-title").removeClass('ia-populated');
}
// For Description
if (event.description) {
$(".ia-event-description").html(event.description);
$(".ia-event-description").addClass('ia-populated');
}
else if (!event.description) {
$(".ia-event-description").removeClass('ia-populated');
}

Pretty straightforward. Note: This is the shortest solution that assumes all data and DOM follow same pattern.
var array = ['title','description']
for(var i = 0 ; i < array.length; i++){
var s = array[i];
var obj = $(".ia-event-" + s);
if (event[s])
obj.html(event[s]).addClass('ia-populated');
else
obj.removeClass('ia-populated');
}

I created a function that I'm passing my parameters too as needed.
function createPopupContent(eventParameter, eventClass) {
if (eventParameter) {
$(eventClass).html(eventParameter);
$(eventClass).addClass('ia-populated');
}
else if (!eventParameter) {
$(eventClass).removeClass('ia-populated');
}
}

Loop through array checking for indexOf's more simple?

Okay, like the title says. I have a array looking like this:
var hiTriggers = new Array();
hiTriggers = ["hi", "hai", "hello"];
And I'd like to check through it if it finds either of those. I can already achieve this by doing the following:
if(message.indexOf("hi") >= 0) {
// do whatever here!
}
But I'm looking for an more efficient way rather than doing 100 if() checks. Such as loop through an array with the "hiTriggers".
I tried the following:
for(var i; i < hiTriggers.length; i++) {
console.log(hiTriggers[i]); // simply to know if it checked them through)
if(message.indexOf(hiTriggers[i]) >= 0) {
//do stuff here
}
}
Which sadly did not work as I wanted as it does not check at all.
Thanks in advance and I hope I made sense with my post!
Edit; please note that I have 'messaged' already 'declared' at another place.

It doesn't run because you didn't give the i variable an initial value. It is undefined.
Change to use var i=0;:
for(var i=0; i < hiTriggers.length; i++) {
//console.log(hiTriggers[i]); // simply to know if it checked them through)
if(message.indexOf(hiTriggers[i]) >= 0) {
//do stuff here
console.log("found " + hiTriggers[i]);
}
}

Try using a regular expression to match the message. The \b is a word boundary marker, and the words between the | characters are what is being searched for. If any of the words appear in the message, then message.match will return the array of matches, otherwise null.
var pattern = /\b(Hello|Hi|Hiya)\b/i;
var message = "Hello World";
if (message.match(pattern))
{
console.log("do stuff");
}

You can write even simpler using a for in loop:
for(var v in hiTriggers){
if(message.indexOf(hiTriggers[v]) >= 0) {
//do stuff here
console.log("found " + hiTriggers[v]);
}
}

Problem is becoz - you have not initialized your var i, make it var i = 0;
You can try forEach loop.
hiTriggers.forEach(function(e) {
if(message.indexOf(e) >= 0) {
//do sthg here
}
})

Multiple OR operators with elem.value.match

I've been writing a javascript function which returns true if the value matches one of about 4 values (just 3 in the example below). The problem is, when I have just two values the function works correctly, but adding a third breaks the code.
I'm pretty new to javascript and I'm guessing there's a much better way of doing this? I've tried searching but found nothing as of yet.
Any help is much appreciated.
function isValid(elem, helperMsg){
var sn6 = /[sS][nN]6/;
var sn5 = /[sS][nN]5/;
var sn38 = /[sS][nN]38/;
if(elem.value.match(sn6 || sn5 || sn38)){
//do stuff
return true;
}else{
return false;
}
}
Edit:
Here's my second attempt with an array:
function isLocal(elem, helperMsg){
var validPostcodes=new Array();
validPostcodes[0]= /[wW][rR]12/;
validPostcodes[1]= /[cC][vV]35/;
validPostcodes[2]= /[sS][nN]99/;
validPostcodes[3]= /[sS][nN]6/;
validPostcodes[4]= /[sS][nN]5/;
validPostcodes[5]= /[sS][nN]38/;
validPostcodes[6]= /[oO][xX]29/;
validPostcodes[7]= /[oO][xX]28/;
var i = 0;
for (i = 0; i < validPostcodes.length; ++i) {
if(elem.value.match(validPostcodes[i])){
// do stuff
return true;
}else{
alert(helperMsg);
elem.focus();
return false;
}
}
}

a || b || c
is an expression that evaluates to a boolean. That means that you're running either match(true) or match(false). You must write it as:
match(a) || match(b) || match(c)
Another option would be to store them in an array and loop over it. That would mean if the number of patterns grew you wouldn't have to change code other than the list of patterns. Another approach, though limited to this situation, might be to change the pattern to one that is equivalent to or-ing the three options together (untested, and I'm a bit rusty on regex):
elem.value.match(/[sSnN][6|5|38]/)
Array based example:
var patterns = [/../, /.../];
for (var i = 0; i < patterns.length; ++i) {
if (elem.value.match(patterns[i])) { return true; }
}
In real code, I would probably format it like this:
function isValid(elem, helperMsg){
var patterns = [/../, /.../],
i = 0;
for (i = 0; i < patterns.length; ++i) {
if (elem.value.match(patterns[i])) {
return true;
}
}
}
That's just a habit though since JavaScript hoists variables to the top of their scope. It's by no means required to declare the variables like that.

JavaScript/jQuery equivalent of LINQ Any()

Is there an equivalent of IEnumerable.Any(Predicate<T>) in JavaScript or jQuery?
I am validating a list of items, and want to break early if error is detected. I could do it using $.each, but I need to use an external flag to see if the item was actually found:
var found = false;
$.each(array, function(i) {
if (notValid(array[i])) {
found = true;
}
return !found;
});
What would be a better way? I don't like using plain for with JavaScript arrays because it iterates over all of its members, not just values.

These days you could actually use Array.prototype.some (specced in ES5) to get the same effect:
array.some(function(item) {
return notValid(item);
});

You could use variant of jQuery is function which accepts a predicate:
$(array).is(function(index) {
return notValid(this);
});

Xion's answer is correct. To expand upon his answer:
jQuery's .is(function) has the same behavior as .NET's IEnumerable.Any(Predicate<T>).
From http://docs.jquery.com/is:
Checks the current selection against an expression and returns true, if at least one element of the selection fits the given expression.

You should use an ordinary for loop (not for ... in), which will only loop through array elements.

You might use array.filter (IE 9+ see link below for more detail)
[].filter(function(){ return true|false ;}).length > 0;
https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Array/filter

I would suggest that you try the JavaScript for in loop. However, be aware that the syntax is quite different than what you get with a .net IEnumerable. Here is a small illustrative code sample.
var names = ['Alice','Bob','Charlie','David'];
for (x in names)
{
var name = names[x];
alert('Hello, ' + name);
}
var cards = { HoleCard: 'Ace of Spades', VisibleCard='Five of Hearts' };
for (x in cards)
{
var position = x;
var card = card[x];
alert('I have a card: ' + position + ': ' + card);
}

I suggest you to use the $.grep() method. It's very close to IEnumerable.Any(Predicate<T>):
$.grep(array, function(n, i) {
return (n == 5);
});
Here a working sample to you: http://jsfiddle.net/ErickPetru/BYjcu/.
2021 Update
This answer was posted more than 10 years ago, so it's important to highlight that:
When it was published, it was a solution that made total sense, since there was nothing native to JavaScript to solve this problem with a single function call at that time;
The original question has the jQuery tag, so a jQuery-based answer is not only expected, it's a must. Down voting because of that doesn't makes sense at all.
JavaScript world evolved a lot since then, so if you aren't stuck with jQuery, please use a more updated solution! This one is here for historical purposes, and to be kept as reference for old needs that maybe someone still find useful when working with legacy code.

Necromancing.
If you cannot use array.some, you can create your own function in TypeScript:
interface selectorCallback_t<TSource>
{
(item: TSource): boolean;
}
function Any<TSource>(source: TSource[], predicate: selectorCallback_t<TSource> )
{
if (source == null)
throw new Error("ArgumentNullException: source");
if (predicate == null)
throw new Error("ArgumentNullException: predicate");
for (let i = 0; i < source.length; ++i)
{
if (predicate(source[i]))
return true;
}
return false;
} // End Function Any
Which transpiles down to
function Any(source, predicate)
{
if (source == null)
throw new Error("ArgumentNullException: source");
if (predicate == null)
throw new Error("ArgumentNullException: predicate");
for (var i = 0; i < source.length; ++i)
{
if (predicate(source[i]))
return true;
}
return false;
}
Usage:
var names = ['Alice','Bob','Charlie','David'];
Any(names, x => x === 'Alice');