CODEWITHSUNDEEP
functionvariablesglobal-variables
TPop
TPop

Reputation: 61

Unable to access global variable

I defined my variable globally so I could access it later in a function. However, I get a value of 'undefined' from within the function. Why isn't the value making it in?

Notes: - Global variable is "combineDashes" which is an array. - Function I want to use it in is "click 1. I tried passing the variable in as an argument to the function. Didn't work. 2. I confirmed the variable is defined and contains the correct value within the function in which it was defined. 3. I confirmed another global variable is making it into the function just fine.

Here's where combineDashes gets defined as a global variable:

$(document).ready(function() {      // upon page load

        var badGuesses;   // reset bad guess counter
        var theWord;        // defines variable globally
        var combineDashes;   // defines variable globally
        var letter;     // defines variable globally
        var alphabet = ["A", "B", "C", "D", "E", "F", "G", "H", "I", "J", "K", "L", "M", "N", "O", "P", "Q", "R", "S", "T", "U", "V", "W", "X", "Z"];   // array of letters to choose
        $("#lettersRemaining").html(alphabet);  // gets elements of the alphabet array and displays on UI

Here's the function where combineDashes gets defined (as an array):

//  N E W  G A M E  B U T T O N   C L I C K E D

    $("#newGame").click(function() {    // when user clicks on Start New Game button...

        $("#status").hide();   // upon game reset hide the status section stating game over
        var alphabet = ["A", "B", "C", "D", "E", "F", "G", "H", "I", "J", "K", "L", "M", "N", "O", "P", "Q", "R", "S", "T", "U", "V", "W", "X", "Z"];   // reset array of letters to choose from

        $("#hangmanGuy").html('<img src="img/Hangman-0.png" id="hangmanImg" alt="pic of hangman no limbs" width="144" height="216">'); // reset hangman image
        badGuesses = 0;   // reset guess counter which is used later

        var wordCollection = ["MANSION", "STATUE", "GORILLA", "NOTEBOOK", "SMARTPHONE", "ILLUSTRATION", "PHOTO", "ELEGANT", "ARBORIST", "KEYBOARD", "CALENDAR", "CAPITAL", "TEXTBOOK", "HORRIBLE", "LIBRARY"];  //  array of words the computer will randomly choose from

        theWord = wordCollection[Math.floor(Math.random()*wordCollection.length)]; // randomly selects a word
            console.log("theWord is ....");
            console.log(theWord);

        var theWordLength = theWord.length;     // Get number of characters in randomly selected word to know how many dashes to display
            console.log("theWordLength is ....");
            console.log(theWordLength);

        // D I S P L A Y  D A S H E S

        var combineDashes = []; // creates an array to hold the number of dashes inside the for loop

        for (var i = theWordLength; i > 0; i--) 
            {
                combineDashes.push(" - ");  // each loop through adds a dash to the array
            }

        combineDashes.join(" ");  // joins cumulative dashes and converts to a string

        $("#dashes").html(combineDashes); // displays dashes on UI
                console.log("combineDashes is...");
                console.log(combineDashes);

    });

Here's where I try to access the combineDashes variable:

    //  F O R  B A D  G U E S S E S
        if (indices.length === 0)   //  if bad guess 
            {
                badGuesses++;    // increment bad guess counter
                $("#status").show();
                $("#status").html("Sorry, " + letter + " is incorrect. Try again.");  // status message displays
                console.log("Total badGuesses...");
                console.log(badGuesses); 

                //  remove guessed letter from alphabet
                var alphaIndex = alphabet.indexOf(letter);      // gets index of letter in alphabet
                alphabet.splice(alphaIndex,1);  // removes the letter from the alphabet array
                console.log("alphabet index of letter guessed...");
                console.log(alphaIndex);
                $("#lettersRemaining").html(alphabet);  // refreshes letters remaining

            // display correct hangman image based on how many bad guesses
                    if (badGuesses === 1) 
                    {
                        $("#hangmanGuy").html('<img src="img/Hangman-1.png" id="hangmanImg" alt="pic of hangman 1 limb" width="144" height="216">');
                    }
                    else if (badGuesses === 2)
                    {
                            $("#hangmanGuy").html('<img src="img/Hangman-2.png" id="hangmanImg" alt="pic of hangman 2 limbs" width="144" height="216">');
                    }
                    else if (badGuesses === 3)
                    {
                            $("#hangmanGuy").html('<img src="img/Hangman-3.png" id="hangmanImg" alt="pic of hangman 3 limbs" width="144" height="216">');
                    }
                    else if (badGuesses === 4)
                    {
                            $("#hangmanGuy").html('<img src="img/Hangman-4.png" id="hangmanImg" alt="pic of hangman 4 limbs" width="144" height="216">');
                    }
                    else if (badGuesses === 5)
                    {
                            $("#hangmanGuy").html('<img src="img/Hangman-5.png" id="hangmanImg" alt="pic of hangman 5 limbs" width="144" height="216">');
                    }
                    else if (badGuesses === 6)
                    {
                            $("#hangmanGuy").html('<img src="img/Hangman-6.png" id="hangmanImg" alt="pic of hangman 6 limbs" width="144" height="216">');
                            $("#status").html("Game Over. Sorry, you lose. Click Start New Game and try again.");  // status message displays
                    }
            }
        //  F O R  G O O D  G U E S S E S
        else
            {
                //  remove guessed letter from alphabet
                var alphaIndex = alphabet.indexOf(letter);      // gets index of letter in alphabet

                alphabet.splice(alphaIndex,1);  // removes the letter from the alphabet array
                    console.log("alphabet index of letter guessed...");
                    console.log(alphaIndex);

                $("#lettersRemaining").html(alphabet);  // refreshes letters remaining

            // replace dash(es) with letter

                combineDashes[indices] = letter;       // <---  HUNG UP HERE !!!!   
                console.log(letter);
                console.log(combineDashes);


                $("#status").show();
                $("#status").html(letter + " is correct! Go again.");  // status message displays


            }


    });

});

Upvotes: 0

Views: 46

Answers (2)

Jeremy Kahan
Jeremy Kahan

Reputation: 3826

var combineDashes = [] should be combineDashes = [] or else you are setting a new local variable where you wanted to set the global.

Upvotes: 1

Dropye
Dropye

Reputation: 224

Iam not really sure but I think you should delete the 'var' from the following line

var combineDashes = []; // creates an array to hold the number of dashes inside the for loop

I guess the script creates a new local variable with this name wich is thrown away after the function ends

Upvotes: 1

Related Questions