How do I pass a function as a parameter without the function executing in the "parent" function or using eval()? (Since I've read that it's insecure.)
I have this:
addContact(entityId, refreshContactList());
It works, but the problem is that refreshContactList fires when the function is called, rather than when it's used in the function.
I could get around it using eval(), but it's not the best practice, according to what I've read. How can I pass a function as a parameter in JavaScript?
You just need to remove the parenthesis:
addContact(entityId, refreshContactList);
This then passes the function without executing it first.
Here is an example:
function addContact(id, refreshCallback) {
refreshCallback();
// You can also pass arguments if you need to
// refreshCallback(id);
}
function refreshContactList() {
alert('Hello World');
}
addContact(1, refreshContactList);
If you want to pass a function, just reference it by name without the parentheses:
function foo(x) {
alert(x);
}
function bar(func) {
func("Hello World!");
}
//alerts "Hello World!"
bar(foo);
But sometimes you might want to pass a function with arguments included, but not have it called until the callback is invoked. To do this, when calling it, just wrap it in an anonymous function, like this:
function foo(x) {
alert(x);
}
function bar(func) {
func();
}
//alerts "Hello World!" (from within bar AFTER being passed)
bar(function(){ foo("Hello World!") });
If you prefer, you could also use the apply function and have a third parameter that is an array of the arguments, like such:
function eat(food1, food2) {
alert("I like to eat " + food1 + " and " + food2 );
}
function myFunc(callback, args) {
//do stuff
//...
//execute callback when finished
callback.apply(this, args);
}
//alerts "I like to eat pickles and peanut butter"
myFunc(eat, ["pickles", "peanut butter"]);
Example 1:
funct("z", function (x) { return x; });
function funct(a, foo){
foo(a) // this will return a
}
Example 2:
function foodemo(value){
return 'hello '+value;
}
function funct(a, foo){
alert(foo(a));
}
//call funct
funct('world!',foodemo); //=> 'hello world!'
look at this
To pass the function as parameter, simply remove the brackets!
function ToBeCalled(){
alert("I was called");
}
function iNeedParameter( paramFunc) {
//it is a good idea to check if the parameter is actually not null
//and that it is a function
if (paramFunc && (typeof paramFunc == "function")) {
paramFunc();
}
}
//this calls iNeedParameter and sends the other function to it
iNeedParameter(ToBeCalled);
The idea behind this is that a function is quite similar to a variable. Instead of writing
function ToBeCalled() { /* something */ }
you might as well write
var ToBeCalledVariable = function () { /* something */ }
There are minor differences between the two, but anyway - both of them are valid ways to define a function.
Now, if you define a function and explicitly assign it to a variable, it seems quite logical, that you can pass it as parameter to another function, and you don't need brackets:
anotherFunction(ToBeCalledVariable);
There is a phrase amongst JavaScript programmers: "Eval is Evil" so try to avoid it at all costs!
In addition to Steve Fenton's answer, you can also pass functions directly.
function addContact(entity, refreshFn) {
refreshFn();
}
function callAddContact() {
addContact("entity", function() { DoThis(); });
}
I chopped all my hair off with that issue. I couldn't make the examples above working, so I ended like :
function foo(blabla){
var func = new Function(blabla);
func();
}
// to call it, I just pass the js function I wanted as a string in the new one...
foo("alert('test')");
And that's working like a charm ... for what I needed at least. Hope it might help some.
I suggest to put the parameters in an array, and then split them up using the .apply() function. So now we can easily pass a function with lots of parameters and execute it in a simple way.
function addContact(parameters, refreshCallback) {
refreshCallback.apply(this, parameters);
}
function refreshContactList(int, int, string) {
alert(int + int);
console.log(string);
}
addContact([1,2,"str"], refreshContactList); //parameters should be putted in an array
You can also use eval() to do the same thing.
//A function to call
function needToBeCalled(p1, p2)
{
alert(p1+"="+p2);
}
//A function where needToBeCalled passed as an argument with necessary params
//Here params is comma separated string
function callAnotherFunction(aFunction, params)
{
eval(aFunction + "("+params+")");
}
//A function Call
callAnotherFunction("needToBeCalled", "10,20");
That's it. I was also looking for this solution and tried solutions provided in other answers but finally got it work from above example.
Here it's another approach :
function a(first,second)
{
return (second)(first);
}
a('Hello',function(e){alert(e+ ' world!');}); //=> Hello world
In fact, seems like a bit complicated, is not.
get method as a parameter:
function JS_method(_callBack) {
_callBack("called");
}
You can give as a parameter method:
JS_method(function (d) {
//Finally this will work.
alert(d)
});
The other answers do an excellent job describing what's going on, but one important "gotcha" is to make sure that whatever you pass through is indeed a reference to a function.
For instance, if you pass through a string instead of a function you'll get an error:
function function1(my_function_parameter){
my_function_parameter();
}
function function2(){
alert('Hello world');
}
function1(function2); //This will work
function1("function2"); //This breaks!
See JsFiddle
Some time when you need to deal with event handler so need to pass event too as an argument , most of the modern library like react, angular might need this.
I need to override OnSubmit function(function from third party library) with some custom validation on reactjs and I passed the function and event both like below
ORIGINALLY
<button className="img-submit" type="button" onClick=
{onSubmit}>Upload Image</button>
MADE A NEW FUNCTION upload and called passed onSubmit and event as arguments
<button className="img-submit" type="button" onClick={this.upload.bind(this,event,onSubmit)}>Upload Image</button>
upload(event,fn){
//custom codes are done here
fn(event);
}
By using ES6:
const invoke = (callback) => {
callback()
}
invoke(()=>{
console.log("Hello World");
})
If you can pass your whole function as string, this code may help you.
convertToFunc( "runThis('Micheal')" )
function convertToFunc( str) {
new Function( str )()
}
function runThis( name ){
console.log("Hello", name) // prints Hello Micheal
}
You can use a JSON as well to store and send JS functions.
Check the following:
var myJSON =
{
"myFunc1" : function (){
alert("a");
},
"myFunc2" : function (functionParameter){
functionParameter();
}
}
function main(){
myJSON.myFunc2(myJSON.myFunc1);
}
This will print 'a'.
The following has the same effect with the above:
var myFunc1 = function (){
alert('a');
}
var myFunc2 = function (functionParameter){
functionParameter();
}
function main(){
myFunc2(myFunc1);
}
Which is also has the same effect with the following:
function myFunc1(){
alert('a');
}
function myFunc2 (functionParameter){
functionParameter();
}
function main(){
myFunc2(myFunc1);
}
And a object paradigm using Class as object prototype:
function Class(){
this.myFunc1 = function(msg){
alert(msg);
}
this.myFunc2 = function(callBackParameter){
callBackParameter('message');
}
}
function main(){
var myClass = new Class();
myClass.myFunc2(myClass.myFunc1);
}
Is it possible to pass a callback function that does not exist yet? My goal is to have a common function that will wait for another callback function to exist, when it does exist, it should execute it. This is what I have so far, but I can't figure out how to pass the function in that doesn't exist as a function yet.
function RunTemplateFunction(callback, userInfo) {
if ($.isFunction(callback)) {
callback(userInfo);
} else {
var myInterval = setInterval(function () {
if ($.isFunction(callback)) {
clearInterval(myInterval);
callback(userInfo);
}
}, 200);
}
}
I run the function like this:
RunTemplateFunction(MyFunctionToRun, GetUserInfo());
I get MyFunctionToRun is undefined for obvious reasons, I also tried the workaround of passing the function as a string and then convert the string to a function using eval(). But that throws the same error. I also thought of using the new function(), but that actually creates a new function.
Any help is appreciated. thank you.
If you call RunTemplateFunction by undefined there is no way we can see, is callback is defined or not, as we don't have reference to anything.
If you can modify the declaration to accept object as below, we can achieve what we want
function RunTemplateFunction(options, userInfo) {
if ($.isFunction(options.callback)) {
console.log('called1',userInfo);
options.callback(userInfo);
} else {
var myInterval = setInterval(function () {
if ($.isFunction(options.callback)) {
console.log('Called dynamically!!');
clearInterval(myInterval);
options.callback(userInfo);
}
}, 200);
}
}
var options = {}
RunTemplateFunction(options,{user:122});
options.callback = function(){
console.log("I'm called!!");
}
This will print
Called dynamically!!
I'm called!!
EDIT:
We can also call callback function in following way without setInterval, it will look different but options.callback variable is replaced by template.callMe function and its instantaneous also.
function TemplateRunner(userInfo){
this.callMe = function(cb){
this.templateFunction(cb);
}
this.templateFunction = function(callback){
callback(userInfo);
}
}
var template = new TemplateRunner({user:100})
template.callMe(function(user){
console.log('call me1',user);
});
template.callMe(function(user){
console.log('call me2',user);
})
This will print
call me1 {user: 100}
call me2 {user: 100}
Why is this code working:
function onCordovaReady() {
navigator.globalization.getLocaleName(function (locale) {
jQuery.i18n.properties({
name:'message',
path:'lang/',
mode:'map',
language:locale.value,
callback: function(){
alert(locale.value);
alert(jQuery.i18n.prop('msg_hello'));
alert(jQuery.i18n.prop('msg_complex', 'John'));
}
});
});
}
And this one not:
function onCordovaReady() {
navigator.globalization.getLocaleName(function (locale) {
jQuery.i18n.properties({
name:'message',
path:'lang/',
mode:'map',
language:locale.value,
callback: onLanguageReady(locale)
});
});
}
function onLanguageReady(locale) {
alert(locale.value);
alert(jQuery.i18n.prop('msg_hello'));
alert(jQuery.i18n.prop('msg_complex', 'John'));
}
I want to make the callback in a different function so my code will look cleaner, but couldn't get it to work. The first alert will work (it will display nl_NL), but the second and third alert will output [msg_hello] and [msg_complex].
Many thanks!
Try with this:
// beginning of code omitted
callback: function(locale) {
onLanguageReady(locale)
}
it is because you are assigning undefined to the callback property.
You are calling onLanguageReady and assigns that value to the callback method.
The solution is to use another function as callback function which will call the onLanguageReady function as given by #romainberger
function onCordovaReady() {
navigator.globalization.getLocaleName(function (locale) {
jQuery.i18n.properties({
name:'message',
path:'lang/',
mode:'map',
language:locale.value,
callback: onLanguageReady
});
});
}
function onLanguageReady(locale) {
alert(locale.value);
alert(jQuery.i18n.prop('msg_hello'));
alert(jQuery.i18n.prop('msg_complex', 'John'));
}
will work if the function calls back with locale.
the callback is expecting a function pointer that it can call once the processing is done when you say onLanguageReady(locale) you are actually executing the function and thus assigning the result of the function as the call back in this case the return is nothing thus undefined
I am trying to do the following:
function main(callback) {
$.ajax('server-side', function() {
this.callback.call("hello");
}.bind({ callback: callback });
}
main(function(response) {
alert(response);
});
Response is undefined, I would expect it to be "hello". Any ideas why?
call first argument should be a reference to "this". Being "this" the context where you want to execute your function.
Call function Mozila MDN
You wrote :
function main(callback) {
$.ajax('server-side', function() {
this.callback.call("hello");
}.bind({ callback: callback });
}
main(function(response) {
print response;
});
print doesnt exists in javascript.
then you wrote this.callback.call , which is wrong
you should write
callback.call(this,"hello") ,
just check the call function signature.
Say I write this function...
var sayHi = function() {
return "hi";
}
alert(sayHi()); will return "hi".
Now if I write it this way...
var sayHi = function(callback) {
callback("hi");
}
How do I display "hi" with this function?
Based on an example here: http://nowjs.com/doc
You pass a function to sayHi, so I imagine this:
sayHi(alert);
you must have defined some callback function or pass a anonymous function:
var sayHi = function(callback) {
callback("hi");
}
sayHi(function(message){
alert(message);
});
Try this:
sayHi(function(msg){
alert(msg)
});
Your new sayHi function doesn't return a value, so you have to perform the alert in the callback function.
sayHi(function(value) {
alert(value);
});
sayHi(function(msg) {
alert(msg);
});
You have to invert your thinking process when using callbacks. Instead of writing the next operation first, you write the next operation last.
Here in example callback is a function. So you should pass function argument.
You may do this in 2 ways:
var some_fun = function(some_str) {
alert(some_str);
}
var sayHi = function(callback) {
callback("hi");
}
sayHi(some_fun)
or you can pass function when you call it:
var sayHi = function(callback) {
callback("hi");
}
sayHi(function(some_str){
alert(some_str);
});