CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascript
Tom Maton
Tom Maton

Reputation: 1594

javascript function returning undefined even though value display in console.log

I've got this really annoying issue where a function returning a value of undefined every time even though the console.log() always shows that there is a value when getting into the first if statement

This is my function

function getElementIdentifier(elem, domSelector) {
    if(elem.getAttribute('id') !== null) {
        console.log('here');

        return elem.id + ' ' + domSelector;
    } else {
        getElementIdentifier(elem.parentNode, elem.tagName + ' ' + domSelector);
    }
}

This is how I call it

getElementIdentifier(elem, '');

Heres a fiddle to replicate it. http://jsfiddle.net/wqCSn/5/ (thanks @adeneo)

Upvotes: 1

Views: 715

Answers (2)

Vasiliy vvscode Vanchuk
Vasiliy vvscode Vanchuk

Reputation: 7169

Your function does not return value if call self recursively. You should to add return statement ro alternative branch of algorithm

function getElementIdentifier(elem, domSelector) {
    if(elem.getAttribute('id') !== null) {
        return elem.id + ' ' + domSelector;
    } else {
        return getElementIdentifier(elem.parentNode, elem.tagName + ' ' + domSelector);
    }
}

Upvotes: 3

Charlie Affumigato
Charlie Affumigato

Reputation: 1027

hmmmm... try this:

function getElementIdentifier(elem, domSelector) {
 if(elem.getAttribute('id') !== null) {
    console.log('here');

    return elem.id + ' ' + domSelector;
 } else {
 //return the recursion returned value (sounds like inception) but
 //you are expecting a value from this function... 
    return getElementIdentifier(elem.parentNode, elem.tagName + ' ' + domSelector);
 }
}

Upvotes: 1

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