Easy JS variable passing issue - javascript

I have an XHR call getting a date for me, but can't seem to pass it into the page. I just need to pass the date from the XHR call to a variable to be inserted via document.write.
Here is my code:
var upDated
function getUpdated(){
xmlhttp.open("HEAD", "MBP_box.JPG",true);
xmlhttp.onreadystatechange=function() {
if (xmlhttp.readyState==4) {
upDated = xmlhttp.getResponseHeader("Last-Modified");
alert(upDated);
}
}
xmlhttp.send(null)
}
and in the body....
document.write(upDated);

Instead of alert(upDated); you should have something like:
document.getElementById("some-element").innerHTML = upDated;
The idea is pretty simple, you must keep the logic inside the callback function (the one assigned to onreadystatechange) as you have no idea when it will be called (it will be called when the browser has received some response from the server, which may just as well not happen). So having some code after you set this connection won't work.

I'm not sure I understand what you want - do you mean you want the value of upDated, as returned via the Ajax call, to be inserted into the document body via document.write?
If so, you definitely can't do this. document.write is executed as soon as it is encountered, which will be while the document is loading. If you want to inject a value dynamically, you will have to use a DOM method.

Related

How to understand asynchronous Meteor.call on the client side

I'm working on a Meteor project and want to get the return value of Meteor.call in template helpers on client side. At very first, I just set a variable in the call back function and get the variable's value outside the Meteor.call. I found out the code after Meteor.call doesn't execute at all. Then I searched a bit and use Session, it works. But I don't really understand the reason. Here's my original code and modified code. Can anyone explain a bit for me? Thanks!!
Original wrong code: html
<div id="text-result-main">
<h2>{{title}}</h2>
</div>
js
Template.texts.helpers({
title: function(){
var index = Router.current().params.index;
Meteor.call('getTitle', index,function(error, result){
titles = result;
});
console.log(titles);
return titles;
}});
Collection text.js
Text = new Mongo.Collection("text");
Meteor.methods({
'getTitle': function(myindex){
return Text.findOne({index: myindex}).title;
}});
The working code: js
Template.texts.helpers({
title: function(){
var index = Router.current().params.index;
Meteor.call('getTitle', index,function(error, result){
Session.set("titles",result);
});
console.log(Session.get("titles"));
return Session.get("titles");
}});
Notice that I didn't publish Collection Text to the client at all because it's just so huge. Every time when I refresh the page when running the wrong code, I can't see the content of "title" or see it on the console. But when I set the session, it works. I don't really understand how it works here. Thanks
There is two issues Asynchronicity and Reactivity
This affectation
Meteor.call('getTitle', index,function(error, result){
titles = result;
});
inside the meteor call is executed but in a asynch way. So the return of your helper is immediately called, and return a empty value.
Try it out in the console of your browser.
But then, why your template render correctly with {{title}} when you use a Session Variable ?
It's because the Session is a reactive data source, witch means that every change to it trigger a re-computation of all templates involving this piece of data.
Here is a timeline:
Methods is called
Return empty value
Method is executed, setting variable value
If the Variable is a reactive data source, template is re-computed. ( in your case, the session is a reactive data source. )
To go further
I would use a reactive var in that case, it's very close from a session variable, but the scope is limited to a template.
A good read on Reactive data source: http://richsilv.github.io/meteor/meteor-reactive-data-types/
The problem is the fact that Meteor.call() is asynchronous when paired with a callback.
So when title() starts executing, it does not wait for your Meteor.call() invocation to return a result (or possibly an error). It continues execution. This is called asynchronous execution.
In short, you are trying to log the value for the key titles which doesn't exist in Session (since the state of your asynchronous Meteor call is unknown, at this point of time).
Try moving the console log statement into the callback paired with your Meteor.call() and you can see the result once it has successfully been set in Session.
A workaround to your problem is to make your Meteor.call() synchronous like this:
Template.texts.helpers({
title: function(){
var index = Router.current().params.index;
var result = Meteor.call('getTitle', index); // <--- this is synchronous code now
Session.set("titles",result);
console.log(Session.get("titles"));
return Session.get("titles");
}});
Removing the callback makes Meteor.call() behave synchronously.
If you do not pass a callback on the server, the method invocation
will block until the method is complete. It will eventually return the
return value of the method, or it will throw an exception if the
method threw an exception.
(from http://docs.meteor.com/api/methods.html#Meteor-call)
Why not use something like this:
title: function(){
var index = Router.current().params.index;
var a = Text.findOne({index: myindex}).title;
console.log(a);
return a;
without methods

Recommended way to Execute a function stored as String in JavaScript instead of using eval

Before anyone marks it as duplicate, this post does not actually answer the question but suggests a different way altogether to solve that particular issue.
Mine is a different issue. Please let me explain.
In my case, there are various .js files (plugins) which are being loaded with jquery getscript and stored in variables. Then whenever required they will be executed (more than once)
The code for loading script (this code will only run once at the init of the system for each plugin js file)
var storedFunc;
$.getScript(pathToPluginJSFile, function( data, textStatus, jqxhr ) {
storedFunc = data;
});
All the plugins are in this format
(function(){
//lots of code here
})()
But when I checked the storedFunc variable in console, I found out that it has been stored as String variable. Like this,
"(function(){
//lots of code here
})()"
Now to execute this, I used eval, like this (this code can be executed multiple times based on the need)
eval(storedFunc)
Everything is working fine and i am happy with it, but here comes the problem, I read in somewhere that the usage of eval is kind of like a bad thing to do. So now I am afraid that thought everything is working fine, all these negativity of using eval spread on the internet might scare my client away. :(
So, please tell me how I can run that stored function (which has become a string) without using eval.
Or should I use anything else than $.getScript which does not convert a function into a string ?
Or if there is any other way altogether rewriting this plugin functionality?
Please show me the way. I am in need of this solution badly.
Any help will be appreciated.
Thanks in advance.
Understanding how $.getScript works
Seems there is some confusion on how $.getScript works. If you notice jQuery's documentation on the method, and as #Pointy made mention of in the comments, this is stated:
Load a JavaScript file from the server using a GET HTTP request, then execute it.
Here's an example: Let's pretend the contents of the file being returned is only this:
// Contents of yourExternalFile.js
console.log('Executed!');
Now, when you use $.getScript:
$.getScript(pathToPluginJSFile, function( data, textStatus, jqxhr ) {
// The script you retrieved has already executed at this point, and you will find "Executed!" in the console.
console.log('All Done');
});
Console output:
> Executed!
> All Done
The $.getScript method is not meant to be used to return a string of the content of the file. However, while that data is available in the callback, the contents of the file have already been executed. So by taking the string version of the file, and re-executing it with either new Function, or even eval, you are executing it twice on the page (jQuery does it once, and so do you).
Original Post:
Use the Function constructor instead of using eval.
// Your function as a string stored to a variable
var stringFunction = "(function(){console.log('Executed');})()";
// Use the Function constructor to create a new function:
var executableFunction = new Function(stringFunction);
// Now you can execute it
executableFunction(); // logs "Executed"
This snippet from this SO question/answer addresses the difference between eval and new Function.
eval() evaluates a string as a JavaScript expression within the current execution scope and can access local variables.
new Function() parses the JavaScript code stored in a string into a function object, which can then be called. It cannot access local variables because the code runs in a separate scope.
Additional Information (Based on comments)
Yes, you can just get the string contents of the file and store them to a variable without the contents of the file executing. You can have that function to execute anytime. You just need to use the regular get method using jquery, and set the dataType to text. This way, the script will not execute, and you can execute it as you see fit:
var storedFunction;
$.get({url: pathToPluginJSFile, dataType: 'text'})
.done(function (data) {
// Turn the script into a new function and store it
// The information in the script file has not done anything yet
storedFunction = new Function(data);
})
.fail(function () {
console.log('Failed :(');
});
The only thing you will have to watch out for, is making sure that the function was assigned to the storedFunction variable as you are making an api call, and you have to wait for that to finish before attempting to make the function execute.
// Later on, call that function anytime, and as often as you want:
storedFunction();

Issue with multiple ajax calls simultaneously using jquery

I am using jquery for ajax calls
All the calls are called immmediately on page load and we are getting the responses at almost the same time.
the issue is, the 3 calls are fired and I am getting the data, but the callback function is fired for the first call only.
the other two callbacks are not called, the callback is defined as a separate function,
If I just write an alert instead of calling the callback method, all the 3 alert message are coming
So the issue is when we write the callback method, do any one have any idea of the strange behaviour?
We tried to reorder the calls, the behaviour is similar, which ever is called first, its callback will be called, for the rest, it will not be called
var url = "/test1";
ajaxCall(url, testMethod1, false);
var url = "test2";
ajaxCall(url, testMethod2, false);
var url = "test3";
ajaxCall(url, testMethod3, false);
testMethod1:function(data){
console.log("first"+data);
},
testMethod2:function(data){
console.log("second"+data);
},
testMethod3:function(data){
console.log("thrid"+data);
}
ajaxCall is defined as jquery ajax, the issue is only the testMethod1 is called, the rest 2 are not called
Regards
Hari
Well the thing that immediately caught my eye is that the URL for test1 has a forward slash preceding test1. This means that you are using a valid link in only test1. The alerts will trigger because you are probably not trying to access the data returned (which would still work even though the ajax request fails), where as you are trying to access the data in the coded call back functions you have provided, which will obviously throw a NullPointerException or whatever the equivalent as the ajax call fails due to an incorrect URL. Therefore data never gets set and the code doesn't work.

JSONP function call issue

i set up a webservice thats cross domain and needs to be contacted via json with padding
on a simple jquery codeline like this, i am successfull getting back json data.
$.getJSON("http://server/series/hist?jsonp=?", function(data){
console.log(data);
});
the webservice, will wrap the result in a function, whenever "jsonp" exists within in the url.
for those cases i used a default function name like:
myfunction({"a":1})
jquery helps me out here, and trys to call the function, that isnt existing ("myfunction()"). what i am trying to achieve instead is a simple call of the callback function (see above), to handle the data locally.
can you point me in the right direction?
thank you
I'm not quite sure what your problem actually is, but:
Interpretation 1
Assuming that by "locally" you mean "without using a callback":
That is impossible. JSON-P cannot work synchronously as it depends on the addition of a <script> element (which won't be processed until the current function has finished executing).
Interpretation 2
Assuming that by that isnt existing ("myfunction()") you mean "Your webservice always uses the function name myfunction:
Fix the webservice. jsonp=? means "Randomly generate a function name and pass it as the jsonp parameter.
The webservice must use that parameter to determine the function name used, and not use a fixed value such as myfunction.
Interpretation 3
You don't want to use JSON-P as the input, but to call your anonymous function directly.
You can't. It isn't stored anywhere you can access it. You have to rewrite your code so it isn't passed directly to getJSON:
function myFunction(data){
console.log(data);
}
$.getJSON("http://server/series/hist?jsonp=?", myfunction);
myfunction({"a":1})

anonymous function variable scope [js, ajax]

$(".delete").click(
function() {
var thesender = this;
$(thesender).text("Del...");
$.getJSON("ajax.php", {},
function(data) {
if (data["result"])
$(thesender).remove(); // variable defined outside
else
alert('Error!');
}
);
return false;
}
);
This can cause problems if user clicks on another ".delete" before the ajax callback is called?
It will fire another ajax request at the same time doing the same thing. Whether that causes problems or not depends on the server side of things.
Typically you're deleting an id or key of some sort...I assume later in this code you will be, but for now it just issues another delete and call to ajax.php...what the result of this is entirely depends on that PHP page.
The callback happens for that ajax request when that ajax request finishes, each request in independent in this respect, so each callback is individually handled. thesender is inside your current closure, so it's unique as well for each request and it's respective callback.
Each time the click handler is called, a separate closure will be created, so each the AJAX callback will have a reference to the correct variable.
Therefore, you don't need to worry about it. (Assuming that the server can handle the requests)
It will fire another event. You could use one rather than click if you want the event to only fire once. Alternately, you can keep track as to whether an AJAX request is in progress; e.g by using data as follows:
$('.delete').click(function () {
if ($(this).data('inProgress')) {
// Request in progress; cancel?
return;
} else {
$(this).data('inProgress', true);
};
});
You could also achieve the same thing by using a global variable, adding classes, etc.

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