Javascript: "TypeError: $(...).html(...).html(...).css is not a function"

Question

i'm trying to write a function which counts the number of syllables in a piece of text, i know it won't be that accurate, it's just a simple version I need at the moment which roughly counts the number of syllables.

whenkeydown = function(max_length) {
$("#my_text").unbind().keyup(function() {
    //check if the appropriate text area is being typed into
    if (document.activeElement.id === "my_text") {
        //get the data in the field
        var text = $(this).val();

        function countSyllables(words) {
            console.log(words);
            for (var z; z < words.length; z++) {
                word = word[z].toLowerCase();                                     
                if(word.length <= 3) { return 1; }                             
                word = word.replace(/(?:[^laeiouy]es|ed|[^laeiouy]e)$/, '');   
                word = word.replace(/^y/, '');                                 
                syllables = word.match(/[aeiouy]{1,2}/g).length; 
                syllableCount += syllabes   
                }              
        return syllableCount
        }

        var syllableCount = countSyllables(text)

        $("#noOfSyllables").html("").html(syllableCount).css("color", "#F7860C"); //orange

The error i get in the (aptana/firefox) debugger is "TypeError: $(...).html(...).html(...).css is not a function", does this mean my function does not return anything?

Setting the html() to nothing and than to another value is a useless step. There is no reason to blank it out. — epascarello
– epascarello, Commented Nov 26, 2012 at 13:53
@sємsєм yes i have, <script src="ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.4/jquery.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script> Syllable Count: <em><span id="noOfSyllables"></span></em> in my html file and — Ed Harrod
– Ed Harrod, Commented Nov 26, 2012 at 14:12
@epascarello oh yes, that was copied from another line where i change the colour of the text based on how many characters are there, for which i need to set it to nothing, but yes you're right, it is unnecessary on this line — Ed Harrod
– Ed Harrod, Commented Nov 26, 2012 at 14:13

epascarello · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-26 14:42:20Z

3

Your variable syllableCount is never set in your function countSyllables.

I expect to see a var syllableCount = 0;

function countSyllables(words) {
    var syllableCount = 0;
    ...

second issue.

You are treating text() as if it returns an Array. It is a single string.

edited Nov 26, 2012 at 14:42

answered Nov 26, 2012 at 13:55

epascarello

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2 Comments

Ed Harrod Over a year ago

oh yes, that was stupid of me, that fixes the error, although i still get a value returned of zero regardless

epascarello Over a year ago

Because it looks like words is supposed to be an Array and it is a single string. :)

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