looping through an array of strings only returns a letter from each string

Question

i am trying to test the timing function in javascript by having it loop through an array of strings and displaying each after a 3 second delay but when i call the function it does a weird pattern of only taking the first letter of the first string, then the second letter of the second string, and so on... if, say the fourth item in the array has no fourth letter it prints undefined. please help. thanks

function myFunc () {
    setTimeout(function () {
        var contacts = {
            addressBook : [
            {
                'name' : 'Jane',
                'email' : 'JaneDoegmail.com'
            },
            {
                'name' : 'Meggie',
                'email' : 'meggiegmail.com'
            },
            {
                'name' : 'John',
                'email' : 'johnDoegmail.com'
            },
            {
                'name' : 'Paul',
                'email' : 'paulgmail.com'
            },
            {
                'name' : 'Bo',
                'email' : 'bogmail.com'
            }
            ]
        };
        var object = contacts.addressBook;
        var i;
        for (var i = 0; i < object.length; i++) {
            var item = object[i];
            var name = item.name;
            var email = item.email;

            document.write(name[i]);
        };

        if (i < 10) {
            myFunc();
        };
    }, 3000)
}
myFunc();

Travis J · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-22 18:57:23Z

Here is a working jsFiddle demo

Basically, your output is correct from what you tell it to do, it is showing you the character at the index of the name string. You should use (name) instead of (name[i]).

However, I think this is what you were probably after: suggested improvement demo

Basically, it allows the loop to be externally controller by a counter which will increment as called and stop once it has displayed all of the contact addresses.

js:

var c = document.getElementById("console");
var contacts = {
  addressBook : [
    {
        'name' : 'Jane',
        'email' : 'JaneDoegmail.com'
    },
    {
        'name' : 'Meggie',
        'email' : 'meggiegmail.com'
    },
    {
        'name' : 'John',
        'email' : 'johnDoegmail.com'
    },
    {
        'name' : 'Paul',
        'email' : 'paulgmail.com'
    },
    {
        'name' : 'Bo',
        'email' : 'bogmail.com'
    }
  ]
};
var i = 0;
(function myFunc () {
 var item = contacts.addressBook[i++];
 var name = item.name;
 var email = item.email;
 c.innerHTML += name +", " + email + "<br>";
 if (i < contacts.addressBook.length) {
  setTimeout(myFunc,3000);
 }
})()

Claudiu · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-22 18:43:24Z

1

Instead of document.write(name[i]);, do document.write(name);

answered Mar 22, 2013 at 18:43

Claudiu

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1 Comment

Paul Over a year ago

that worked thanks but it just outputs all the names. im trying to have it output one then pause then another and pause. any thoughts. much appreciated.

Piyas De · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-22 18:45:04Z

0

Your document.write(name[i]);

should be

document.write(name);

Thanks

answered Mar 22, 2013 at 18:45

Piyas De

1,76215 silver badges27 bronze badges

1 Comment

John Dvorak Over a year ago

Actually, it shouldn't. document.write is pretty bad.

Khanh Tran · Accepted Answer · 2013-03-22 18:49:10Z

Check it out:

myFunc();
function myFunc () {
setTimeout(function () {
    var contacts = {
    addressBook : [
        {
            'name' : 'Jane',
            'email' : 'JaneDoegmail.com'
        },
        {
            'name' : 'Meggie',
            'email' : 'meggiegmail.com'
        },
        {
            'name' : 'John',
            'email' : 'johnDoegmail.com'
        },
        {
            'name' : 'Paul',
            'email' : 'paulgmail.com'
        },
        {
            'name' : 'Bo',
            'email' : 'bogmail.com'
        }
    ]
};
var object = contacts.addressBook;
var i;
for (var i = 0; i < object.length; i++) {
    var item = object[i];
    var name = item.name;
    var email = item.email;

    document.write(name+" -->  ");
};

if (i < 10) {
    myFunc();
};
}, 3000)}

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