Develop Reference

How to create callback function using Ajax?

I am working on the jquery to call a function to get the return value that I want to store for the variable email_number when I refresh on a page.
When I try this:
function get_emailno(emailid, mailfolder) {
$.ajax({
url: 'getemailnumber.php',
type: 'POST',
data : {
emailid: emailid,
mailfolder: mailfolder
},
success: function(data)
{
email_number = data;
}
});
return email_number;
}
I will get the return value as 6 as only when I use alert(email_number) after the email_number = data;, but I am unable to get the value outside of a function.
Here is the full code:
var email_number = '';
// check if page refreshed or reloaded
if (performance.navigation.type == 1) {
var hash = window.location.hash;
var mailfolder = hash.split('/')[0].replace('#', '');
var emailid = 'SUJmaWg4RTFRQkViS1RlUzV3K1NPdz09';
get_emailno(emailid, mailfolder);
}
function get_emailno(emailid, mailfolder) {
$.ajax({
url: 'getemailnumber.php',
type: 'POST',
data : {
emailid: emailid,
mailfolder: mailfolder
},
success: function(data)
{
email_number = data;
}
});
return email_number;
}
However, I have been researching and it stated that I would need to use callback via ajax but I have got no idea how to do this.
I have tried this and I still don't get a return value outside of the get_emailno function.
$.ajax({
url: 'getemailnumber.php',
type: 'POST',
async: true,
data : {
emailid: emailid,
mailfolder: mailfolder
},
success: function(data)
{
email_number = data;
}
});
I am getting frustrated as I am unable to find the solution so I need your help with this. What I am trying to do is I want to call on a get_emailno function to get the return value to store in the email_number variable.
Can you please show me an example how I could use a callback function on ajax to get the return value where I can be able to store the value in the email_number variable?
Thank you.

From the jquery documentation, the $.ajax() method returns a jqXHR object (this reads fully as jquery XMLHttpRequest object).
When you return data from the server in another function like this
function get_emailno(emailid, mailfolder) {
$.ajax({
// ajax settings
});
return email_number;
}
Note that $.ajax ({...}) call is asynchronous. Hence, the code within it doesn't necessarily execute before the last return statement. In other words, the $.ajax () call is deferred to execute at some time in the future, while the return statement executes immediately.
Consequently, jquery specifies that you handle (or respond to) the execution of ajax requests using callbacks and not return statements.
There are two ways you can define callbacks.
1. Define them within the jquery ajax request settings like this:
$.ajax({
// other ajax settings
success: function(data) {},
error: function() {},
complete: function() {},
});
2. Or chain the callbacks to the returned jqXHR object like this:
$.ajax({
// other ajax settings
}).done(function(data) {}).fail(function() {}).always(function() {});
The two methods are equivalent. success: is equivalent to done(), error: is equivalent to fail() and complete: is equivalent to always().
On when it is appropriate to use which function: use success: to handle the case where the returned data is what you expect; use error: if something went wrong during the request and finally use complete: when the request is finished (regardless of whether it was successful or not).
With this knowledge, you can better write your code to catch the data returned from the server at the right time.
var email_number = '';
// check if page refreshed or reloaded
if (performance.navigation.type == 1) {
var hash = window.location.hash;
var mailfolder = hash.split('/')[0].replace('#', '');
var emailid = 'SUJmaWg4RTFRQkViS1RlUzV3K1NPdz09';
get_emailno(emailid, mailfolder);
}
function get_emailno(emailid, mailfolder) {
$.ajax({
url: 'getemailnumber.php',
type: 'POST',
data : {
emailid: emailid,
mailfolder: mailfolder
},
success: function(data)
{
// sufficient to get returned data
email_number = data;
// use email_number here
alert(email_number); // alert it
console.log(email_number); // or log it
$('body').html(email_number); // or append to DOM
}
});
}

Javascript JQuery On Select Change Get Result and pass to outside

I have the following code which works on the event that a select box is changed.
When it changes, the ajax call will pass the results to the variable result.
My problem is that I cannot get that data outside this function.
The code:
$('#myselect').on('change', function() {
$.ajax({
url: 'myurl'+this.value,
method: 'GET',
success: function(result) {
console.log(result); //Just checking it's there
external = result;
}
});
});
console.log(external); //Returning Undefined
I need external to be available here outside the function above.
How do I do this?

You can create the variable outside of the event and than access it outside. But as ajax is ascychron, the variable would still be undefined:
var external;
$('#myselect').on('change', function() {
$.ajax({
url: 'myurl' + this.value,
method: 'GET',
success: function(result) {
external = result;
}
});
});
// this would be still undefined
console.log(external);
You can write the console.log inside your success, or create your own callback function. Then you can log or handle the data otherwise after the ajax request.
$('#myselect').on('change', function() {
$.ajax({
url: 'myurl' + this.value,
method: 'GET',
success: function(result) {
myCallback(result);
}
});
});
function myCallback(external) {
console.log(external);
}
Even shorter would it be possible in this example, if you directly use your callback function as success callback without wrapper. And because GET is the default request type, we could remove it too:
$('#myselect').on('change', function() {
$.ajax({
url: 'myurl' + this.value,
success: myCallback
});
});
function myCallback(external) {
console.log(external);
}

I'm sorry if I'm misunderstanding the question:
What it sounds like is that you are trying to get the data from external but the ajax call hasn't called the callback yet, so the data hasn't been set.
If I can recommend how to fix it, call the code that references external from the callback itself so you can guarantee that you have the data when you need it.

You are not able to access variable because it comes in picture after ajax completion and you are trying to access it directly, since you don't have any idea how exact time this ajax takes each time so you need to define a function like this
$('#myselect').on('change', function() {
$.ajax({
url: 'myurl'+this.value,
method: 'GET',
success: function(result) {
console.log(result); //Just checking it's there
saySomething(result); //result will be injected in this function after ajax completion
});
});
function saySomething(msg) {
console.log(msg); //use variable like this
}

I hope my code is help to you.
$('#myselect').on('change', function() {
$.ajax({
url: 'myurl'+this.value,
method: 'GET',
async: false, // stop execution until response not come.
success: function(result) {
console.log(result); //Just checking it's there
external = result;
}
});
});
console.log(external); //now it should return value

Define the variable external above your first function like so:
var external;
$('#myselect').on('change', function() {
$.ajax({
url: 'myurl'+this.value,
method: 'GET',
success: function(result) {
console.log(result); //Just checking it's there
external = result;
}
});
});
console.log(external);

Jquery Ajax Call Return

I have made a function which is the one below that i pass data to and returns the result as is. I made this way because i will be needing a lot of ajax call and i just made a function that i pass the data to and get the result as is and work with the result.
function FunctionsCall(data){
var ret;
$.ajax({
type:'GET',
url: 'includes/helpers/functions.php',
dataType:"json",
data: data,
success: function(result){
ret = result;
}});
return ret;}
Now i am calling it where i need it:
$('#register-name, #register-surname').keyup(function(e) {
var x = FunctionsCall({query: $(this).val(), funcid: 1});
(x!==1) ? $(this).addClass('input-has-error') : $(this).removeClass('input-has-error'); });
But strange is that i always see x as undefined. Pointing out the ret is filled with either 1 or 0 i don't know why it is not being passed to x.
Can you please help me out? It might be simple but i just experiment when needed with javascript and jquery.
Regards

ret doesn't get set until the success function runs, which is when the ajax finishes. FunctionCall returns straight away however. You'll either need to return the ajax deferred object or put your addClass/removeClass functionality in your success function.
A way to add your addClass/removeClass functionality to your success function would be like this:
function FunctionsCall(data, successFn) {
$.ajax({
type: 'GET',
url: 'includes/helpers/functions.php',
dataType: "json",
data: data,
success: successFn
});
}
$('#register-name, #register-surname').keyup(function(e) {
var element = $(this);
var data = { query: element.val(), funcid: 1 };
var successFn = function(x) {
if (x !== 1) {
element.addClass('input-has-error')
} else {
element.removeClass('input-has-error');
}
}
FunctionsCall(data, successFn);
});

The problem is that the ajax call takes time to execute, whereas your processing of x is immediately after the call to FunctionsCall
Imagine that in order to go to the php file and get the result, the browser has to send a request over the wire, the server needs to process the request and return the value, again over the wire. This process takes an unpredictable amount of time as it relies on network connections and server specs / current load.
The code to call the function and process the result happens immediately after this step and as such won't have the required values when it is run (browsers are much quicker at executing the next step than networks are at processing requests).
The best thing to do is to wrap your processing code up in it's own function, so it isn't immediately called, then call that function with the result once you get it. Like this:
// function defined, won't be called until you say so
var processMe = function(result) {
alert(result);
}
$.ajax({
// ajax params
success: function(result) {
// function called within success - when we know the request is fully
// processed, however long it takes
processMe(result));
}
});
You could also do the processing directly in the success block but the advantage of using a function is it's there to re-use in the future, plus, you also get to give it a nice understandable name, like outputValidatedMessage.

you must send ajax request syncronous
function FunctionsCall(data){
var ret;
$.ajax({
type:'GET',
async: false,
url: 'includes/helpers/functions.php',
dataType:"json",
data: data,
success: function(result){
ret = result;
}
});
return ret;
}

Ajax calls are asynchronous.
This means that while you call $.ajax(), the function continues to run and return x which is undefined, as the ajax response has not been send yet.
function FunctionsCall(data){
var ret;
$.ajax({
type:'GET',
async: false,
url: 'includes/helpers/functions.php',
dataType:"json",
data: data,
success: function(result){
ret = result;
}
});
return ret;
}

The below should work for you
function FunctionsCall(data){
var ret;
$.ajax({
type:'GET',
url: 'includes/helpers/functions.php',
dataType:"json",
data: data,
success: function(result){
(result !==1 ) ? $(this).addClass('input-has-error') : $(this).removeClass('input-has-error'); });
}});
}

maybe is because the ajax function is called asynchronously so the line var x= .... doesn't wait for the asignment and thats why is undefined. for that you should use a promise here is an example http://joseoncode.com/2011/09/26/a-walkthrough-jquery-deferred-and-promise/
http://www.htmlgoodies.com/beyond/javascript/making-promises-with-jquery-deferred.html

check if the following works, may be your GET method is taking time to execute.
var x;
function FunctionsCall(data){
var ret;
$.ajax({
type:'GET',
url: 'includes/helpers/functions.php',
dataType:"json",
data: data,
success: function(result){
ret = result;
x= result;
alert(x)
}});
return ret;}
if the snippet works, you should make you synchronous async: false or make callback function

try this code.
function FunctionsCall(data,callback) {
try {
ajax({
type: 'GET',
url: 'includes/helpers/functions.php',
dataType: "json",
data: data,
success: function (result) {
callback(result);
}
});
} catch(e) {
alert(e.description);
}
}
$('#register-name, #register-surname').keyup(function (e) {
var data = {
uery: $(this).val(),
funcid: 1
};
FunctionsCall(JSON.stringify(data), function (result) {
(result !== 1) ? $(this).addClass('input-has-error') : $(this).removeClass('input-has-error');
});
});

jquery trouble with getJSON call

Got some basic problem again.
I need to modify a function that previously returned a in code written object.
Im now trying to get the object from json through $.getJSON
function getEventData() {
var result = '';
$.getJSON("ajax.php?cmd=getbydate&fromdate=&todate=", function(data) {
result = data;
});
return result;
}
Problem is that result isn't set in the callback function for obvious reasons.
Do you guys have a solution for this?
Edit:
Ok i got an answer that was removed.
I just had to change it abit..
This is the answer that works:
function getEventData() {
var result = '';
url = "ajax.php?cmd=getbydate&fromdate=&todate=";
$.ajax({
url: url,
async: false,
dataType: 'json',
success: function(data) {
result = data;
}
});
return result;
}

You should program your application in an asynchronous way, which means, that you should use callback functions for you application flow, too, or continue in the getJson callback function. You can also make the request synchronously which should then be able to return the value (or at least assign it and block the function till the callback is completed), but this is not recommended at all:
function getEventData() {
var result = '';
result = $.ajax({
url: "ajax.php?cmd=getbydate&fromdate=&todate=",
async: false,
dataType: "json",
data: data,
success: function(data) {
return data;
}
});
return result;
}

Are you sure that the server returns valid json? It will be better to validate it using a tool like jsonlint. Also make sure that application/json is used as content type for the response.

How can I return a variable from a $.getJSON function

I want to return StudentId to use elsewhere outside of the scope of the $.getJSON()
j.getJSON(url, data, function(result)
{
var studentId = result.Something;
});
//use studentId here
I would imagine this has to do with scoping, but it doesn't seem to work the same way c# does

it doesn't seem to work the same way
c# does
To accomplish scoping similar to C#, disable async operations and set dataType to json:
var mydata = [];
$.ajax({
url: 'data.php',
async: false,
dataType: 'json',
success: function (json) {
mydata = json.whatever;
}
});
alert(mydata); // has value of json.whatever

Yeah, my previous answer does not work because I didn't pay any attention to your code. :)
The problem is that the anonymous function is a callback function - i.e. getJSON is an async operation that will return at some indeterminate point in time, so even if the scope of the variable were outside of that anonymous function (i.e. a closure), it would not have the value you would think it should:
var studentId = null;
j.getJSON(url, data, function(result)
{
studentId = result.Something;
});
// studentId is still null right here, because this line
// executes before the line that sets its value to result.Something
Any code that you want to execute with the value of studentId set by the getJSON call needs to happen either within that callback function or after the callback executes.

Even simpler than all the above. As explained earlier $.getJSON executes async which causes the problem. Instead of refactoring all your code to the $.ajax method just insert the following in the top of your main .js file to disable the async behaviour:
$.ajaxSetup({
async: false
});
good luck!

If you wish delegate to other functions you can also extend jquery with the $.fn. notation like so:
var this.studentId = null;
$.getJSON(url, data,
function(result){
$.fn.delegateJSONResult(result.Something);
}
);
$.fn.delegateJSONResult = function(something){
this.studentId = something;
}

var context;
$.ajax({
url: 'file.json',
async: false,
dataType: 'json',
success: function (json) {
assignVariable(json);
}
});
function assignVariable(data) {
context = data;
}
alert(context);

hmm, if you've serialized an object with the StudentId property then I think that it will be:
var studentId;
function(json) {
if (json.length > 0)
studentId = json[0].StudentId;
}
But if you're just returning the StudentId itself maybe it's:
var studentId;
function(json) {
if (json.length > 0)
studentId = json[0];
}
Edit: Or maybe .length isn't even required (I've only returned generic collections in JSON).
Edit #2, this works, I just tested:
var studentId;
jQuery.getJSON(url, data, function(json) {
if (json)
studentId = json;
});
Edit #3, here's the actual JS I used:
$.ajax({
type: "POST",
url: pageName + "/GetStudentTest",
contentType: "application/json; charset=utf-8",
dataType: "json",
data: "{id: '" + someId + "'}",
success: function(json) {
alert(json);
}
});
And in the aspx.vb:
<System.Web.Services.WebMethod()> _
<System.Web.Script.Services.ScriptMethod()> _
Public Shared Function GetStudentTest(ByVal id As String) As Integer
Return 42
End Function