Develop Reference

Problem with SetTimeout function - no gap [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
JavaScript closure inside loops – simple practical example
(44 answers)
Closed 7 years ago.
I have this script:
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
setTimeout(function() { alert(i) }, 100);
}
But 3 is alerted both times, instead of 1 then 2.
Is there a way to pass i, without writing the function as a string?

You have to arrange for a distinct copy of "i" to be present for each of the timeout functions.
function doSetTimeout(i) {
setTimeout(function() {
alert(i);
}, 100);
}
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; ++i)
doSetTimeout(i);
If you don't do something like this (and there are other variations on this same idea), then each of the timer handler functions will share the same variable "i". When the loop is finished, what's the value of "i"? It's 3! By using an intermediating function, a copy of the value of the variable is made. Since the timeout handler is created in the context of that copy, it has its own private "i" to use.
Edit:
There have been a couple of comments over time in which some confusion was evident over the fact that setting up a few timeouts causes the handlers to all fire at the same time. It's important to understand that the process of setting up the timer — the calls to setTimeout() — take almost no time at all. That is, telling the system, "Please call this function after 1000 milliseconds" will return almost immediately, as the process of installing the timeout request in the timer queue is very fast.
Thus, if a succession of timeout requests is made, as is the case in the code in the OP and in my answer, and the time delay value is the same for each one, then once that amount of time has elapsed all the timer handlers will be called one after another in rapid succession.
If what you need is for the handlers to be called at intervals, you can either use setInterval(), which is called exactly like setTimeout() but which will fire more than once after repeated delays of the requested amount, or instead you can establish the timeouts and multiply the time value by your iteration counter. That is, to modify my example code:
function doScaledTimeout(i) {
setTimeout(function() {
alert(I);
}, i * 5000);
}
(With a 100 millisecond timeout, the effect won't be very obvious, so I bumped the number up to 5000.) The value of i is multiplied by the base delay value, so calling that 5 times in a loop will result in delays of 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, and 25 seconds.
Update
Here in 2018, there is a simpler alternative. With the new ability to declare variables in scopes more narrow than functions, the original code would work if so modified:
for (let i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
setTimeout(function() {
alert(i)
}, 100);
}
The let declaration, unlike var, will itself cause there to be a distinct i for each iteration of the loop.

You can use an immediately-invoked function expression (IIFE) to create a closure around setTimeout:
for (var i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
(function(index) {
setTimeout(function() { alert(index); }, i * 1000);
})(i);
}

This's Because!
The timeout function
callbacks are all running well after the completion of the loop. In fact,
as timers go, even if it was setTimeout(.., 0) on each iteration, all
those function callbacks would still run strictly after the completion
of the loop, that's why 3 was reflected!
all two of those functions, though they are defined
separately in each loop iteration, are closed over the same shared global
scope, which has, in fact, only one i in it.
the Solution's declaring a single scope for each iteration by using a self-function executed(anonymous one or better IIFE) and having a copy of i in it, like this:
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
(function(){
var j = i;
setTimeout(function() { console.log(j) }, 100);
})();
}
the cleaner one would be
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
(function(i){
setTimeout(function() { console.log(i) }, 100);
})(i);
}
The use of an IIFE(self-executed function) inside each iteration created a new scope for each
iteration, which gave our timeout function callbacks the opportunity
to close over a new scope for each iteration, one which had a variable
with the right per-iteration value in it for us to access.

The function argument to setTimeout is closing over the loop variable. The loop finishes before the first timeout and displays the current value of i, which is 3.
Because JavaScript variables only have function scope, the solution is to pass the loop variable to a function that sets the timeout. You can declare and call such a function like this:
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
(function (x) {
setTimeout(function () { alert(x); }, 100);
})(i);
}

You can use the extra arguments to setTimeout to pass parameters to the callback function.
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
setTimeout(function(j) { alert(j) }, 100, i);
}
Note: This doesn't work on IE9 and below browsers.

ANSWER?
I'm using it for an animation for adding items to a cart - a cart icon floats to the cart area from the product "add" button, when clicked:
function addCartItem(opts) {
for (var i=0; i<opts.qty; i++) {
setTimeout(function() {
console.log('ADDED ONE!');
}, 1000*i);
}
};
NOTE the duration is in unit times n epocs.
So starting at the the click moment, the animations start epoc (of EACH animation) is the product of each one-second-unit multiplied by the number of items.
epoc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epoch_(reference_date)
Hope this helps!

You could use bind method
for (var i = 1, j = 1; i <= 3; i++, j++) {
setTimeout(function() {
alert(this);
}.bind(i), j * 100);
}

Well, another working solution based on Cody's answer but a little more general can be something like this:
function timedAlert(msg, timing){
setTimeout(function(){
alert(msg);
}, timing);
}
function yourFunction(time, counter){
for (var i = 1; i <= counter; i++) {
var msg = i, timing = i * time * 1000; //this is in seconds
timedAlert (msg, timing);
};
}
yourFunction(timeInSeconds, counter); // well here are the values of your choice.

I had the same problem once this is how I solved it.
Suppose I want 12 delays with an interval of 2 secs
function animate(i){
myVar=setTimeout(function(){
alert(i);
if(i==12){
clearTimeout(myVar);
return;
}
animate(i+1)
},2000)
}
var i=1; //i is the start point 1 to 12 that is
animate(i); //1,2,3,4..12 will be alerted with 2 sec delay

the real solution is here, but you need to be familiar with PHP programing language.
you must mix PHP and JAVASCRIPT orders in order to reach to your purpose.
pay attention to this :
<?php
for($i=1;$i<=3;$i++){
echo "<script language='javascript' >
setTimeout(function(){alert('".$i."');},3000);
</script>";
}
?>
It exactly does what you want, but be careful about how to make ralation between
PHP variables and JAVASCRIPT ones.

Why var defined value at the end of for loop prints a number bigger than what it is supposed to [duplicate]

This question already has answers here:
JavaScript closure inside loops – simple practical example
(44 answers)
Closed 7 years ago.
I have this script:
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
setTimeout(function() { alert(i) }, 100);
}
But 3 is alerted both times, instead of 1 then 2.
Is there a way to pass i, without writing the function as a string?

You have to arrange for a distinct copy of "i" to be present for each of the timeout functions.
function doSetTimeout(i) {
setTimeout(function() {
alert(i);
}, 100);
}
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; ++i)
doSetTimeout(i);
If you don't do something like this (and there are other variations on this same idea), then each of the timer handler functions will share the same variable "i". When the loop is finished, what's the value of "i"? It's 3! By using an intermediating function, a copy of the value of the variable is made. Since the timeout handler is created in the context of that copy, it has its own private "i" to use.
Edit:
There have been a couple of comments over time in which some confusion was evident over the fact that setting up a few timeouts causes the handlers to all fire at the same time. It's important to understand that the process of setting up the timer — the calls to setTimeout() — take almost no time at all. That is, telling the system, "Please call this function after 1000 milliseconds" will return almost immediately, as the process of installing the timeout request in the timer queue is very fast.
Thus, if a succession of timeout requests is made, as is the case in the code in the OP and in my answer, and the time delay value is the same for each one, then once that amount of time has elapsed all the timer handlers will be called one after another in rapid succession.
If what you need is for the handlers to be called at intervals, you can either use setInterval(), which is called exactly like setTimeout() but which will fire more than once after repeated delays of the requested amount, or instead you can establish the timeouts and multiply the time value by your iteration counter. That is, to modify my example code:
function doScaledTimeout(i) {
setTimeout(function() {
alert(I);
}, i * 5000);
}
(With a 100 millisecond timeout, the effect won't be very obvious, so I bumped the number up to 5000.) The value of i is multiplied by the base delay value, so calling that 5 times in a loop will result in delays of 5 seconds, 10 seconds, 15 seconds, 20 seconds, and 25 seconds.
Update
Here in 2018, there is a simpler alternative. With the new ability to declare variables in scopes more narrow than functions, the original code would work if so modified:
for (let i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
setTimeout(function() {
alert(i)
}, 100);
}
The let declaration, unlike var, will itself cause there to be a distinct i for each iteration of the loop.

You can use an immediately-invoked function expression (IIFE) to create a closure around setTimeout:
for (var i = 1; i <= 3; i++) {
(function(index) {
setTimeout(function() { alert(index); }, i * 1000);
})(i);
}

This's Because!
The timeout function
callbacks are all running well after the completion of the loop. In fact,
as timers go, even if it was setTimeout(.., 0) on each iteration, all
those function callbacks would still run strictly after the completion
of the loop, that's why 3 was reflected!
all two of those functions, though they are defined
separately in each loop iteration, are closed over the same shared global
scope, which has, in fact, only one i in it.
the Solution's declaring a single scope for each iteration by using a self-function executed(anonymous one or better IIFE) and having a copy of i in it, like this:
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
(function(){
var j = i;
setTimeout(function() { console.log(j) }, 100);
})();
}
the cleaner one would be
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
(function(i){
setTimeout(function() { console.log(i) }, 100);
})(i);
}
The use of an IIFE(self-executed function) inside each iteration created a new scope for each
iteration, which gave our timeout function callbacks the opportunity
to close over a new scope for each iteration, one which had a variable
with the right per-iteration value in it for us to access.

The function argument to setTimeout is closing over the loop variable. The loop finishes before the first timeout and displays the current value of i, which is 3.
Because JavaScript variables only have function scope, the solution is to pass the loop variable to a function that sets the timeout. You can declare and call such a function like this:
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
(function (x) {
setTimeout(function () { alert(x); }, 100);
})(i);
}

You can use the extra arguments to setTimeout to pass parameters to the callback function.
for (var i = 1; i <= 2; i++) {
setTimeout(function(j) { alert(j) }, 100, i);
}
Note: This doesn't work on IE9 and below browsers.

ANSWER?
I'm using it for an animation for adding items to a cart - a cart icon floats to the cart area from the product "add" button, when clicked:
function addCartItem(opts) {
for (var i=0; i<opts.qty; i++) {
setTimeout(function() {
console.log('ADDED ONE!');
}, 1000*i);
}
};
NOTE the duration is in unit times n epocs.
So starting at the the click moment, the animations start epoc (of EACH animation) is the product of each one-second-unit multiplied by the number of items.
epoc: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Epoch_(reference_date)
Hope this helps!

You could use bind method
for (var i = 1, j = 1; i <= 3; i++, j++) {
setTimeout(function() {
alert(this);
}.bind(i), j * 100);
}

Well, another working solution based on Cody's answer but a little more general can be something like this:
function timedAlert(msg, timing){
setTimeout(function(){
alert(msg);
}, timing);
}
function yourFunction(time, counter){
for (var i = 1; i <= counter; i++) {
var msg = i, timing = i * time * 1000; //this is in seconds
timedAlert (msg, timing);
};
}
yourFunction(timeInSeconds, counter); // well here are the values of your choice.

I had the same problem once this is how I solved it.
Suppose I want 12 delays with an interval of 2 secs
function animate(i){
myVar=setTimeout(function(){
alert(i);
if(i==12){
clearTimeout(myVar);
return;
}
animate(i+1)
},2000)
}
var i=1; //i is the start point 1 to 12 that is
animate(i); //1,2,3,4..12 will be alerted with 2 sec delay

the real solution is here, but you need to be familiar with PHP programing language.
you must mix PHP and JAVASCRIPT orders in order to reach to your purpose.
pay attention to this :
<?php
for($i=1;$i<=3;$i++){
echo "<script language='javascript' >
setTimeout(function(){alert('".$i."');},3000);
</script>";
}
?>
It exactly does what you want, but be careful about how to make ralation between
PHP variables and JAVASCRIPT ones.

how to stop the setTimeout recursion

I have created the setTimeout which has a callback named run, Inside the run I have called a console.log(i) to print the value of I with i++ and once it reaches to 50, I want to clear the setTimeout with clearTimeout, I am calling setTimeout again with run making it recursive, but it doesn't work.
can somebody help me understand the concept better?
let i = 1;
var abc = setTimeout(function run(){
console.log(i);
if(i==50){
abc1();
}
i++;
setTimeout(run,100);
},100);
function abc1(){
clearTimeout(abc);
}

When you call setTimeout you get the ID of the timer returned. It's exactly what you've done here:
var abc = setTimeout(function run(){
However, that ID is valid only until the delayed function executes. Once it does, it's ineffective. When you call setTimeout(run,100); you will get a new ID for the timer. You need to capture that again, otherwise the ID gets lost and you have no way to stop it.
There is a final consideration - with your current code even if you were to correctly capture the ID calling abc = setTimeout(run, 100); that would still not stop the counter because it will attempt to stop the function that is running right now (which does nothing), instead of cancelling the execution of the next one:
let i = 1;
var abc = setTimeout(function run() {
console.log(i);
if (i == 50) {
abc1(); //this will clear the *current* timer
}
i++;
abc = setTimeout(run, 100); //this will set the *new* ID
}, 100);
function abc1() {
clearTimeout(abc);
}
In order to stop the execution you have two options. If you want to use your initial idea, you need to cancel the future execution after it is scheduled
let i = 1;
var abc = setTimeout(function run() {
console.log(i);
abc = setTimeout(run, 100); //this will set the *new* ID
if (i == 50) {
abc1(); //this will clear the *new* timer now
}
i++;
}, 100);
function abc1() {
clearTimeout(abc);
}
Alternatively, you can do it without using timer handles at all and just use the if condition to determine if you want to schedule another execution or not:
let i = 1;
setTimeout(function run() {
console.log(i);
if (i != 50) { //until 50 is reached
abc = setTimeout(run, 100); //schedule a new execution
}
i++;
}, 100);

The problem is the order of your operations.
if(i==50){
abc1();
}
If i reaches 50, the function abc1() will be called - which clears the interval.
i++;
setTimeout(run,100);
here you're restarting the interval.
You need to wrap it inside an else block.
let i = 1;
var abc = setTimeout(function run() {
console.log(i);
if (i == 50) {
abc1();
} else {
i++;
setTimeout(run, 100);
}
}, 100);
function abc1() {
clearTimeout(abc);
}

let i = 1;
var abc = setTimeout(function run(){
console.log(i);
if(i<50){
setTimeout(run,100);
}
i++;
},100);
You should run timeout only if timer not run out.

The setTimeout() inside run() in not assigned to any variable so it can't be cleared in any manner.
I suppose what you want is to overwrite abc so you must replace:
setTimeout(run,100);
by
abc = setTimeout(run,100);

Since var abc is only set once, at the first timeout, you are clearing only the very first Timeout, which very likely is already complete.
SetTimeout returns a numeric value, which is an ID to refer to that task. When you call clearTimeout, you must inform the ID of the timeout you want to clear, and now you are informing the ID for the very first timeout, which is already finished, thus can't be cleared.
If you wish to clear the last timeout, maybe you would like to always update abc with the IDs for each timeout, like this:
abc = setTimeout(run,100);

This is a weird way of doing a timed loop but you just need to clear (actually not in this case but I like to do it anyway as it is a good practice to release resources once you don't use them anymore) the timeouts (done by keeping track of abc handle) before creating new ones and return after clear on the given condition:
let i = 1;
let abc = setTimeout(
function run(){
console.log(i);
if(i==50){
abc1();
return;
}
abc1();
i++;
abc = setTimeout(run,100);
},
100
);
function abc1(){
clearTimeout(abc);
}

you need to add return after you call abc1 function. you clear timeout, but then code still running and call setTimeout(run,100) again.
let i = 1;
var abc = setTimeout(function run(){
console.log(i);
if(i==50){
abc1();
return;
}
i++;
setTimeout(run,100);
},100);
function abc1(){
clearTimeout(abc);
}

How to exec a function after previous ends?

guys. It's a timer. I wanna run the timer and when it's end do something else(like a warning),and then run again with other amount of minutes. But I can't cause always only the second call is executed:
$(document).ready(function() {
timer(5,timer(25));
// timer(5);
// timer(25); do not work... only exec de last one
});
function timer(countTo,callback){
var time = 10; /* how long the timer runs for */
var initialOffset = '440';
var i = 1
var interval = setInterval(function() {
$('.circle_animation').css('stroke-dashoffset', initialOffset-(i*(initialOffset/countTo)));
$('h2').text(i);
if (i == countTo) {
clearInterval(interval);
}
i++;
}, 1000);
callback();
}
Which is the best solution? There is something that I am not understanding... Thanks anyway!

Well, first off:
timer(5,timer(25));
If you think this line will execute timer(5), and then at the end of timer(5) it will execute timer(25), you are mistaken. This is actually going to evaluate timer(25) immediately, and pass its return value (undefined) as the second parameter to timer(5,undefined).
If you intended to pass that as a callback, you need to pass a function. So you could do:
timer(5,timer.bind(null,25));
But, for that matter, you don't even check if callback exists before attempting to invoke it, so you probably are getting a reference error anyway.

timer(5,timer(25));
starts two timers and passes the result of the second (undefined) to the first as callback. You want:
timer(5,timer.bind(window,25));
And the callback needs to be executed if i==countTo ...

Is this what you want?
timer(5,function(){timer(25)});

Your problem is here:
timer(5,timer(25));
You should type
timer(5, function(){
timer(25)
});
//or using ES6 syntax
timer(5, () => timer(25));
because timer(25) returns its value (this function doesn't return value so it tries to invoke undefined), not that function.
Also read about closures, it might be helpful.

Instead of runing a callback(), you need to run the function itself (timer()). You'll also need to run a for loop inside your function that checks how many times the function has already run. If it reaches your desired maximum, break out of that. This way it won't run indefinitely.
In the following example, the timer() function executes five times, which is what I'm assuming you want by calling timer(5).
$(document).ready(function() {
timer(5);
});
function timer(countTo) {
for (var iterations = 0; iterations < countTo; iterations++) {
var time = 10; /* how long the timer runs for */
var initialOffset = '440';
var i = 1
var interval = setInterval(function() {
$('.circle_animation').css('stroke-dashoffset', initialOffset - (i * (initialOffset / countTo)));
$('h2').text(i);
if (i == countTo) {
clearInterval(interval);
}
}, 1000);
timer();
console.log("Iteration:", iterations + 1);
}
}
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
To run the function 25 times after this, all you have to do is call timer(25) directly after timer(5):
$(document).ready(function() {
timer(5);
timer(25);
});
$(document).ready(function() {
timer(5);
timer(25);
});
function timer(countTo) {
for (var iterations = 0; iterations < countTo; iterations++) {
var time = 10; /* how long the timer runs for */
var initialOffset = '440';
var i = 1
var interval = setInterval(function() {
$('.circle_animation').css('stroke-dashoffset', initialOffset - (i * (initialOffset / countTo)));
$('h2').text(i);
if (i == countTo) {
clearInterval(interval);
}
}, 1000);
timer();
console.log("Iteration:", iterations + 1);
}
}
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
Hope this helps! :)

Javascript function setTimeout and setIntervall not working

I've got this Problem here, that this function is not working and I cant figure out why..
This function should count to 10 (in 10 seconds). For this purpose I'm using a for loop with setTimeout function - duration set to 1000ms.
It should go on and on for what i took the setInterval function.
function timer() {
var time=10;
for(i=0; i<time; i++){
setTimeout(console.log(i+1), 1000);
}
}
setInterval(timer, 10000);
The Problem is, that it isnt working and I dont understand why ... I have found another working solution but would like to know the issue of this one. :)

The reason that nothing appears to happen is the way that you use setTimeout. Instead of providing an event handler you are calling console.log and try to use the return value from that call as event handler.
The closest thing that would at least do something would be to make a function that calls console.log:
setTimeout(function(){ console.log(i+1) }, 1000);
However, you will notice that it will just log the value 11 ten times at once, every ten seconds, indefinitely.
Eventhough the loop counts from 0 to 9, you start a timeout in each iteration that will be triggered one second from when it was created. As all ten timeouts are created at the same time, they will be triggered at the same time. There isn't a separate variable i for each handler, so they will all show the value in the variable at the time that they are triggered, and as the loop has completed before any of them can be called they will all show the final value 10 + 1.
You are using both an interval and timeouts, you should use one or the other.
You can start timeouts in a loop, but then you should only do it once, not in an interval, and you should specify the time from start to when you want it to be triggered:
var time = 10;
for (var i = 1; i <= time; i++){
setTimeout(function() { console.log('tick'); }, 1000 * i);
}
If you want to use the variable in the event handler, then you need to create a copy of the variable for each iteration:
var time = 10;
for (var i = 1; i <= time; i++){
(function(copy){
setTimeout(function() { console.log(copy); }, 1000 * i);
})(i);
}
You can use an interval, but then you don't have a loop, it's the interval that is the loop. Use clearInterval to stop it when you reach the end of the loop:
var i = 1, time = 10, handle;
function timer() {
console.log(i);
i++;
if (i > time) clearInterval(handle);
}
handle = setInterval(timer, 1000);

First, it's not working because setTimeout call is wrong. Even if your setTimeout call worked, there's another issue here. Your code will actually print 11 every 10 seconds.
function timer() {
var time = 10;
for (i = 0; i < time; i++) {
setTimeout(function() {
console.log(i + 1)
}, 1000);
}
}
setInterval(timer, 10000);
Because, you have sequential setTimeout calls to be effected every second and you are forming a closure on the variable i.
You need to take care of the closure and calls must be done after the second has been printed.
function timer() {
var p = Promise.resolve();
for (var i = 0; i < 10; i++) {
p = p.then(closure(i));
}
}
function closure(i) {
return (function () {
return new Promise(function (resolve) {
setTimeout(function () {
document.getElementById('results').innerHTML = (i + 1) + '\n';
resolve();
}, 1000);
})
});
}
timer();
setInterval(timer, 10000);
<pre id="results"></pre>

When I run your code in the Firebug debugger, I see:
TypeError: can't convert console.log(...) to string
I added a comment to your code about that error:
function timer() {
var time=10;
for(i=0; i<time; i++){
// The source of error is the line below
// Type error: setTimeout needs a function as first argument!
setTimeout(console.log(i+1), 1000);
}
}
setInterval(timer, 10000);
A corrected version might be
function timer() {
var time=10;
for(i=0; i<time; i++){
setTimeout(function() { console.log(i+1); }, 1000);
}
}
setInterval(timer, 10000);
However, the above change fixes the type error but not the logic.
You probably wanted to do this:
var counter = 0;
var count = function() {
console.log(++counter);
if (counter >= 10) {
clearInterval(timer);
}
};
var timer = setInterval(count, 1000);
Once the callback function count notices the counter passed the value 10 it will stop the periodic timer whose ID was saved in the variable timer when setting it up.