CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascriptjqueryhtml
StackOverQuestions
StackOverQuestions

Reputation: 283

Javascript variable not updating its value

I set the following in my console:

document.getElementById('messsages').textContent;

which gave me the output "this is a message i sent through websocket chat!"

I then did 

var convo = document.getElementById('messsages').textContent;

and typed in convo into the console and it gave me the same output as before. I then sent another message through my websocket chat and typed in convo and it gave me the old output but when I typed in document.getElementById('messsages').textContent; it gave me the new output.

Why is this? And is there a method for me to assign a variable which updates its value accordingly with my element?

Upvotes: 4

Views: 111

Answers (1)

guest271314
guest271314

Reputation: 1

Try utilizing an IIFE

var convo = function convo() {
                return (function(elem) { 
                    return elem.textContent 
                }(document.getElementById("messages"))
            };

See also MutationObserver

setInterval(function() {
 var arr = "abcdefg".split("");
 var i = 1 + Math.floor(Math.random() * arr.length -1);
 document.getElementById("messages").textContent = arr[i];
}, 2000);

var convo = function convo() {
  return (function(elem) {
    return elem.textContent
  }(document.getElementById("messages")))
};

document.addEventListener("click", function() {
  console.log(convo())
});
click
<div id="messages"></div>

Upvotes: 3

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