wait for while loop to end before executing code

Question

I am trying to retrieve data from an object, I generate 3 random numbers from 1-9 and then pick out data from a json object using these random numbers. However it sometimes works and then sometimes doesn't, I think it might be because it doesn't wait for the random numbers to be generated before selecting data from the object, it all occurs on page load:

the jsfiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/dbqw79j4/1/

the code:

var jsonfile =[      
        {
        "id" : "article1",
        "image" : "http://images.domain.com/is/image/boss/BOSS_london_bridge_skyline?$c_overview_large$",
        "headline" : "<h2>EIN TAG IN LONDON<span class='h2'>MIT LEWIS HAMILTON</span></h2>"
        },
        {
        "id" : "article2",
        "image" : "http://images.domain.com/is/image/boss/FAB_5819?$c_overview_large$",
       "headline" : "<h2>EIN TAG IN MONACO<span class='h2'>MIT NICO ROSBERG</span></h2>"
        },
  ...
]

var arr = []
var article1;
var article2;
var article3;

var art1hd;
var art1img;

var art2hd;
var art2img;

var art3hd;
var art3img;


while(arr.length < 3){
  var randomnumber=Math.ceil(Math.random()*9)
  var found=false;
  for(var i=0;i<arr.length;i++){
    if(arr[i]==randomnumber){found=true;break}
  }
  if(!found)arr[arr.length]=randomnumber;
}
console.log(arr);
console.log(arr[0]);
console.log(arr[1]);
console.log(arr[2]);


article1 = arr[0];
article2 = arr[1];
article3 = arr[2];

console.log(article1)
console.log(article2)
console.log(article3)


art1hd = jsonfile[article1]['headline'];
art1img = jsonfile[article1]['image'];

art2hd = jsonfile[article2]['headline'];
art2img = jsonfile[article2]['image'];

art3hd = jsonfile[article3]['headline'];
art3img = jsonfile[article3]['image'];

console.log(art1hd)
console.log(art1img)

console.log(art2hd)
console.log(art2img)

console.log(art3hd)
console.log(art3img)

What is the error when it does not work?? Is it "Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'headline' of undefined"..? — Viraj Nalawade
– Viraj Nalawade, Commented Jul 3, 2015 at 9:09
Check the fiddle. TypeError: jsonfile[article3] is undefined — A1rPun
– A1rPun, Commented Jul 3, 2015 at 9:09

suvroc · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-03 09:10:27Z

3

You generate random numbers from range of 0-9 and your array contains only 9 elements and it is indexed from 0-8

You should use:

while(arr.length < 3){
  var randomnumber=Math.ceil(Math.random()*8)
  var found=false;
  for(var i=0;i<arr.length;i++){
    if(arr[i]==randomnumber){found=true;break}
  }
  if(!found)arr[arr.length]=randomnumber;
}

answered Jul 3, 2015 at 9:10

suvroc

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1 Comment

Michael Geary Over a year ago

Good catch! Just one note - Math.ceil() is not the right function to use with Math.random() in this fashion. It should always be Math.floor() instead - see my answer for details on this issue. The correct formula here would be Math.floor( Math.random() * 9 ).

Jaromanda X · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-03 09:10:15Z

2

The problem is, your "jsonfile" array has nine elements. this breaks when you generate the random number 9, as arrays are zero-based, the valid values for indexing the array are 0-8

answered Jul 3, 2015 at 9:10

Jaromanda X

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Comments

Michael Geary · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-03 09:50:39Z

Math.ceil() is never the right function to generate an integer result based on Math.random() times something as this code does:

var randomnumber = Math.ceil( Math.random() * 9 );

You should always use Math.floor() in code like this instead. If you don't want your range to start with 0, then add the range base after doing the Math.floor().

In other words, if you want a random integer in the range 1 through 9 inclusive, this is the correct way to do it:

var randomnumber = Math.floor( Math.random() * 9 ) + 1;

Why is this? It's important to understand that Math.random() produces a value that is greater than or equal to 0, and less than (but never equal to) 1.

So Math.random() * 9 gives a value that is always less than 9 (and never equal to 9). If you take Math.floor() on that, you now have an integer in the range 0 through 8 inclusive.

Add 1 to that, and you have your desired range of 1 through 9.

Many JavaScript references fail to describe Math.random() clearly. Just keep in mind that its result is in the range 0 <= Math.random() < 1.

So, what could go wrong if you used Math.ceil()? Going back to the original example:

var randomnumber = Math.ceil( Math.random() * 9 );

What this code actually does is generates a number in the range 0 through 9, not 1 through 9. Now the chance of getting a 0 result is extremely small: it would be fairly rare for Math.random() to return 0, but it can happen. By using Math.floor() instead, you insure that the result is always in the desired range.

That said, as suvroc points out, you're (eventually) using this value as an index into an array of 9 elements, therefore the range you want is actually 0 through 8. So the code should be:

var randomnumber = Math.floor( Math.random() * 9 );

Roland Szabo · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-03 09:11:59Z

0

It is, because the random number generator can generate the number 9, but your jsonfile has only 9 elements, so the last index is 8.

answered Jul 3, 2015 at 9:11

Roland Szabo

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Comments

Sacreyoule · Accepted Answer · 2015-07-03 09:30:06Z

0

First, as others said the random number generated as to be :

Math.floor(Math.random()*9)

Then I reviewed the code to be sure of synchronicity : http://jsfiddle.net/dbqw79j4/6/

I did a recursive function who calls logs on arr.length >= 3 and add a random number if it doesn't exists on arr.

edited Jul 3, 2015 at 9:30

answered Jul 3, 2015 at 9:17

Sacreyoule

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