random text string

Question

I am fooling around with this function that says if you leave this text box blank than print the error code. if its not blank that print one of the text strings. The error code is working but I cannot get it to print any of the text strings. I think the problem is somewhere in returning the random selection to the html doc, I am not sure how to syntax this. When you click the button it executes the function

function button() {
    var a = "Punf";
    var b = "Relcken";
    var c = "Checks in the mail";
    var d = "Thae said";
    var e = "Drorself";
    var f = "Thertions";
    var g = "Don stupid";
    var err = "You think you are smarter than this website? Your not!"

    if (document.getElementById('ask').value == "") {
        document.getElementById('answer').innerHTML = err;
    }

    if (document.getElementById('ask').value == !"") {
        var qoute = (a, b, c, d, e, f, g);
        var maxQuote = quote.length;
        var randQuote = Math.floor(Math.random() * maxQuote);
        return quote(randQuote);
        document.getElementById('answer').innerHTML = a;
    }
}

I have got it down to here but I am still having issues and I am not sure why, Thanks for pointing out my rookie mistakes I need to take a step back and look at it with fresh eyes more.

if (document.getElementById('ask').value == ""){

document.getElementById('answer').innerHTML = err;

}
        var quote = [a,b,c,d,e,f,g];
        var maxQuote = quote.length;
        var randQuote = Math.floor(Math.random()*maxQuote);
        document.getElementById('answer').value = quote[randQuote];



    }

You do realize that because you have a return statement the innerHTML of "answer" is never going to get set? — Ann L.
– Ann L., Commented Nov 3, 2011 at 21:13
Spelling mistake in variable declaration. Also, use != "" not == !"" — xthexder
– xthexder, Commented Nov 3, 2011 at 21:15
Contest: I spot five major problems with this code. How many do you see? — Peter Olson
– Peter Olson, Commented Nov 3, 2011 at 21:16
@PeterOlson: 1) naming convention, 2) too many, unnecessary variables, 3) incorrect comparison, 4) incorrect array literal, 5) some parts of the code will never be executed, 6) this not executed part makes something dummy and does not need any calculations, 7) the button() function not always return value. Anything else? — Tadeck
– Tadeck, Commented Nov 3, 2011 at 21:29

Marc B · Accepted Answer · 2011-11-03 21:14:31Z

2

What is == !''?

if (something equals not-a-blank-string)

?

What's the "not" of a blank string?

That should be !== '' instead.

answered Nov 3, 2011 at 21:14

Marc B

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5 Comments

Tadeck Over a year ago

You are wrong - == !'' is not the same as !==''. The first is actually the same as == true and I believe you understand the difference between == true and !== ''?

Marc B Over a year ago

No, I don't. What's the inverse of an empty string? A full string? Full of what? Nulls? 0s? random characters? Killer African bees? It's a syntactically horrible construct.

Tadeck Over a year ago

Horrible or not, this is sometimes used (in more meaningful situations, though). Have you seen eg. !!a (where a is some integer)? You would probably say " it is opposite of the opposite of some integer, it is horrible construct ", but for some it is just conversion from integer to boolean.

Overcranked Over a year ago

I was trying to state if the value is not null, does it not work this way?

Ann L. Over a year ago

@EdwardNickAJubrey If you want to compare something to null, use the constructs "a == null" or "a != null". '' is not the same as null: it signifies an empty (zero-length) string.

gehsekky · Accepted Answer · 2011-11-03 21:14:55Z

1

change

document.getElementById('ask').value == !""

to

document.getElementById('ask').value != ""

answered Nov 3, 2011 at 21:14

gehsekky

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Comments

Joseph Marikle · Accepted Answer · 2011-11-03 21:15:30Z

1

Point 1: array syntax is with [] and not ()

var qoute = [a,b,c,d,e,f,g];
...
quote[randQuote];

Point 2: return will prevent the execution of the last line

    return quote(randQuote);
    document.getElementById('answer').innerHTML = a; // never executed.

answered Nov 3, 2011 at 21:15

Joseph Marikle

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Comments

Tadeck · Accepted Answer · 2011-11-03 21:19:20Z

0

You have made a typo.

Change line:

var qoute = (a,b,c,d,e,f,g);

into the following:

var quote = [a,b,c,d,e,f,g];

and this line:

return quote(randQuote);

into this line:

return quote[randQuote];

and tell me if it fixed the problem.

edited Nov 3, 2011 at 21:19

answered Nov 3, 2011 at 21:14

Tadeck

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Comments

Joe · Accepted Answer · 2011-11-03 21:14:36Z

0

var qoute = (a,b,c,d,e,f,g);

should be:

var qoute = [a,b,c,d,e,f,g];

basically:

var qoute = (a,b,c,d,e,f,g);

becomes:

var qoute = g; // commma operator

This:

if (document.getElementById('ask').value == !""){

should just be:

if (document.getElementById('ask').value) { // value has something, is not null or "" <-- empty

answered Nov 3, 2011 at 21:14

Joe

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