I have a JS script that will be hosted on my server and that others will embed in their html, i.e.
...<code for http://yoursite.example.com />
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://mysite.example.com/awesome.js" />
...<code for http://yoursite.example.com />
My script declares an object with a bunch of properties accessible for use as a Javascript Object(), i.e.
<script type="text/javascript">
//From http://mysite.example.com/awesome.js
alert(Awesome.Name);
</script>
Due to the load time variance, it seems I need to signal that the "Awesome" object in my script is ready. I need this to stand on its own, so no dependencies on specific JS frameworks.
Do I need to publish my own custom JS event, or does the simple fact that my script is loaded get captured by one of the existing page-level events? How else should I be doing this?
UPDATE: as a point of reference, if I include the JS in an HTML page running from http://mysite.example.com, the Awesome object is available and populated. When the JS file is included from another domain, the object is undefined at runtime.
The javascript content of <script> tags is executed procedurally, so this
<script type="text/javascript" src="http://mysite.com/awesome.js" />
<script type="text/javascript">
alert(Awesome.Name);
</script>
will only alert the contents of Awesome.Name if found in any previous script tag.
To understand if everything has been fully loaded on the page, you have to use the DOMContentLoaded, for firefox, and "onreadystatechange" for ie. Also you can simply check the load event on the window object if you don't care about checking the DOM (could be easier).
if ( document.addEventListener ) {
document.addEventListener( "DOMContentLoaded", function(){
doSomething();
}, false );
} else if ( document.attachEvent ) { // IE
document.attachEvent("onreadystatechange", function(){
if ( document.readyState === "complete" ) {
doSomething();
}
});
}
If your script needs the DOM to be loaded before your object is instantiated, you should look at some frameworks and see how they handle this, then implement it in your code. If you don't need the DOM to be loaded, then I would let the user worry about the timing of using your object based on when it is loaded. Generally, your object should be available to be be used as soon as your script has been loaded, which means that the object ought to be available right after the script tag that includes it.
Anything accessible in the global scope can be accessed through the window scope. Hence, you could use this:
if (window["Awesome"] != null) { /* do something */ }
A). You realise that script requests are blocking? Are you ok with this or do you want to work around that, because the answer to your question depends on it.
B). Bare bones bulletproof and simple mechanism is to call a specified method which you can guarantee exists on the page. Let that methods implementation be up to the user to do what it will. Lots of other ways exist but we'd need to know what exactly the lifecycle and intent of your code is to recommend anything.
you can simply use it like this:
<script type="text/javascript" src="myfunction.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="iwannaloadthis.js?onload=executeThis"></script>
remember as pointed out earlier, execute this must be defined in myfunction.js (or before trying to load iwannaloadthis.js.
Hope this helps!!
Related
Is it possible to call a javascript function when a user has successfully been redirected to a new view?
I have tried the following-
C#
if (Session["UserId"])
{
return RedirectToAction("LoggedIn");
}
cshtml
#if (Session["UserId"] != null)
{
<script>$('#btnTest').click();</script>
}
Fails with
JavaScript runtime error: '$' is undefined
I have referenced jquery in the project and tested it just with a button click and this works however the above is failing. How can I achieve this?
Most likely, this HTML is being inserted before jQuery is actually referenced. For example, if you're not referencing jQuery until the closing body tag (as you should), then this will be run before jQuery actually exists. The best way to handle this type of thing is with sections. You can defined a section in your layout for scripts and then ensure that that section is below required dependencies like jQuery.
_Layout.cshtml
<script src="/path/to/jquery.js"></script>
#RenderSection("Scripts", required: false)
</body>
AwesomeView.cshtml
#section Scripts
{
#if (Session["UserId"] != null)
{
<script>$('#btnTest').click();</script>
}
}
This will result in the following HTML being generated (assuming the session variable isn't null of course:
<script src="/path/to/jquery.js"></script>
<script>$('#btnTest').click();</script>
</body>
It's important to note that this only works with standard views. Partial views cannot define sections, so if you need to include some bit of script inside a partial, you'll have to take a different approach to deferring execution. Generally, the best method at that point is simply utilize window.onload directly:
var onload = window.onload
window.onload = function () {
onload();
// your code here
}
That should ensure that jQuery has already been loaded. However, it's really better to just not include JS code in partials, in the first place. There's a number of issues that can result from that and it makes your code very fragmented and brittle, in general.
I am just starting out with JavaScript and I have a simple code that sends a value to an element with id p. I am currently declaring this function in a <script> in the <head> element of my document.
function writeP(resultSet) {
document.getElementById('p').innerHTML = resultSet.length;
};
writeP(results);
When I have this listed within the <head> element and run the webpage, firebug throws this error at me: TypeError: document.getElementById(...) is null.
However, if I move the code block into a <script> tag beneath the element and then reload the webpage, no problems and the script works as it should. Is there any reason for this, and a way I could make this work so I wouldn't have to define my functions beneath the element or include a onload on my body element?
Thanks for your help
Reason is that by the time your launch js code, DOM is not yet prepared, and JS can't find such element in DOM.
You can use window.onload (docs on W3schools) trigger to fire your functions after all elements are ready. It's same as having onload property on body element, but is more clear, as you can define it in your js code, not in html.
JS evaluates syncronically. Therefore, it does matter WHEN you declare the function. In this case, you're declaring it before the element actually exists.
Second, when you declare a function with that syntax, it does get eval'd inmediately. If you declared, instead
var writeP=function(resultSet) {
document.getElementById('p').innerHTML = resultSet.length;
};
you could save just the call to the end of the Doc, and leave the declaration at the beggining.
However, I would advise you to read a few jQuery tutorials to learn easier ways to deal with dom manipulation. Nobody runs raw JS for that task anymore.
jQuery includes an useful call to document ready event, which will save you a lot of headaches and is -IMHO- more efficient than the onload event. In this case, you would include the jQuery library somewhere in your code
<script src="//ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.10.2/jquery.min.js"></script>
and then add
<script>
jQuery(document).ready(function() {
var writeP=function(resultSet) {
jQuery('#p').html(resultSet.length);
};
writeP(resultSet);
});
</script>
just about anywhere in your document or an external js file, as it suits you.
I wish to call a javascript function from an HTML page and I do not want it dependent on any event. The function is in a separate .js file since I wish to use it from many web pages. I am also passing variables to it. I've tried this:
HTML:
<script type="text/javascript" src="fp_footer2.js">
footerFunction(1_basic_web_page_with_links, 1bwpwl.html);
</script>
The function in fp_footer2.js:
function footerFunction(path, file) {
document.write("<a href=" + path + "/" + file + " target='_blank'>Link to the original web page for this assignment.</a>");
return;
}
(I have also tried putting the fp_footer2.js file reference in the header, to no avail. I'm not sure if I can put it 'inline' like I did in this example. If not, please let me know.
PS: I know I can do this with a simple 'a href=""' in the HTML itself. I wanted to see if this could work, for my own curiosity.
If a <script> has a src, then the external script replaces the inline script.
You need to use two script elements.
The strings you pass to the function also need to be actual strings and not undefined variables (or properties of undefined variables). String literals must be quoted.
<script src="fp_footer2.js"></script>
<script>
footerFunction("1_basic_web_page_with_links", "1bwpwl.html");
</script>
JavaScript will run while your page is being rendered. A common mistake is to execute a script that tries to access an element further down the page. This fails because the element isn't there when the script runs.
So includes in the <head> will run before any DOM content is available.
If your scripts are dependent on the existence of DOM elements (like a footer!) try to put the script includes after the DOM element. A better solution is to use the document ready event ($(document).ready() in jQuery). Or window.onload.
The difference between documen ready and window onload is that document ready will fire when the DOM has been rendered; so all initial DOM elements will be available. Where as window onload fires after all resources have loaded, like images. window onload is useful if you're doing things with those images. Usually document ready is the right one.
Maybe I misunderstand your question, but you should be able to do something like this:
<script type="text/javascript" src="fp_footer2.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
footerFunction(1_basic_web_page_with_links, 1bwpwl.html);
</script>
Have you tried calling it from a document.ready?
<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function() {
footerFunction(1_basic_web_page_with_links, 1bwpwl.html);
});
</script>
Consider a javascript file script.js which contains the code alert(theVar);
Now, i linked the js file to the document like
<script type="text/javascript">
var theVar= 'a alert';
</script>
<script type="text/javascript" src="script.js"></script> //Contains alert(theVar);
The variable theVar is used and i get a alert. This works fine.
When,
<script type="text/javascript" src="script.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
var theVar= 'a alert';
</script>
is used, i am not getting a alert.
I know the problem is because of the variable, which is declared after loading the js file.
But is there any way to get the variable declared anywhere in the document ?
in script.js do
window.onload = function() { alert ( theVar ) }
Or your favorite library dom ready fn, so it invokes the callback after a certain event instead of immediately.
Though, this really depends on what kind of functionality script.js has, which you have not specified thus far.
The important bit is that code gets executed in the appropriate order. You should delay the call to alert(theVar) until the document gets fully loaded. For instance, you can attach an onload event handler to the window object.
It's also worth noting that calling external *.js files does not affect the way code gets run.
The simple solution:
Move the script.js inclusion to the last row of the body. That way a variable declared at any point in the document can be used.
The technical solution:
Inside script.js, hook on to the window.onload event before doing any evaluating. The result is the same as with the simpler solution, but allows you to keep you script tags in the head (or anywhere for that matter).
I have a couple of, what may end up being for this forum, overly-novice questions regarding unobtrusive event handling.
As I understand it, a properly set-up document would look something like this:
<html>
<head>
<title>Title</title>
<script src="jsfile.js" type="text/javascript></script>
</head>
<body>
//Body content, like some form elements in my case
</body>
</html>
Jsfile.js would look something like this:
function a() {
//code;
}
function b()...
window.addEventListener('load', a, false);
document.getElementById("id").addEventListener('click', b, false);
document.myForm.typeSel.addEventListener('change', c, false);
//or to use better browser-compatible code...
function addEvent(obj,evt,fn) {
if (obj.addEventListener)
obj.addEventListener(evt,fn,false);
else if (obj.attachEvent)
obj.attachEvent('on'+evt,fn);
}
addEvent(window, 'load', a);
addEvent(document.getElementById('id'), 'click', b);
addEvent(document.myForm.typeSel, 'change', c);
As I understand it, while in the head the browser will load this JavaScript code, adding each of those event handlers to their respective elements. HOWEVER... While the window handler is added properly, none of the others are. But if placed within a function, the (for instance) getElementById method of accessing an element works just fine, and the event handler is added. So I could conceivably make a loadEvents() function which is called via window onload, which contains all of the addEvent() functions for the other document elements for which I need event handlers. But as I understand the whole thing, I shouldn't have to do this.
In addition, if I were to stick the addEvent code within the body along with the element it addresses, such as:
<input type="checkbox" id="test" />
<script type="text/javascript>
document.getElementById("test").onclick = func;
</script>
...then it works fine. But of course it also violates the whole reason for removing inline event handlers!
So question being: In order to use *element*.addEventListener('click',func,false), addEvent(*element*,'click',func), or even *element*.onclick = func - how can I successfully reference an element at the end of a script file in the head, without having to stick it in another function? Why does getElementById and other such methods not work outside of a function in the head?
Or, is there some flaw in my underlying understanding?
Putting <script> in the <head> used to be the wisdom. But nowadays, with heavy ajax pages, <script> is more and more often but in the body, as far down below as possible. The idea is that the loading and parsing of the <script> keeps the rest of the page from loading, so the user will be looking at a blank page. By making sure the body is loaded as fast as possible, you give the user something to look at. See YAHOO best practices for a great explanation on that issue: http://developer.yahoo.com/performance/rules.html
Now, regardless of that issue, the code as you set it up now, can't work - at least, not when the elements you attempt to attach the handlers to aren't created yet. For example, in this line:
document.getElementById("id").addEventListener('click', b, false);
you will get a runtime error if the element with id="id" is inside the body. Now, if you put the <script> in the body, way below, after the content (including the lement with id="id", it will just work, since the script is executed after the html code for those elements is parsed and added to the DOM.
If you do want to have the script in the head, then you can do so, but you'll need to synchronize the adding of the event handlers with the rendering of the page content. You could do this by adding them all inside the document or window load handler. So, if you'd write:
//cross browser add event handler
function addEventHandler(obj,evt,fn) {
if (obj.addEventListener) {
obj.addEventListener(evt,fn,false);
} else if (obj.attachEvent) {
obj.attachEvent('on'+evt,fn);
}
}
addEventHandler(document, 'load', function(){
//set up all handlers after loading the document
addEventHandler(document.getElementById('id'), 'click', b);
addEventHandler(document.myForm.typeSel, 'change', c);
});
it does work.
The reason why window.addEventListener works while document.getEle...().addEventListener does not is simple: window object exists when you're executing that code while element with id="abc" is still not loaded.
When your browser downloads page's sources the source code is parsed and executed as soon as possible. So if you place script in head element - on the very beginning of the source - it's executed before some <div id="abc">...</div> is even downloaded.
So I think now you know why
<div id="test">Blah</div>
<script type="text/javascript">document.getElementById("test").style.color = "red";</script>
works, while this:
<script type="text/javascript">document.getElementById("test").style.color = "red";</script>
<div id="test">Blah</div>
doesn't.
You can handle that problem in many ways. The most popular are:
putting scripts at the end of document (right before </body>)
using events to delay execution of scripts
The first way should be clear right now, but personally I prefer last one (even if it's a little bit worse).
So how to deal with events? When browser finally download and parse whole source the DOMContentLoaded event is executed. This event means that the source is ready, and you can manipulate DOM using JavaScript.
window.addEventListener("DOMContentLoaded", function() {
//here you can safely use document.getElementById("...") etc.
}, false);
Unfortunately not every browser support DOMContentLoaded event, but as always... Google is the anwser. But it's not the end of bad news. As you noticed addEventListener isn't well supported by IE. Well... this browser really makes life difficult and you'll have to hack one more thing... Yes... once again - Google. But it's IE so it's not all. Normal browsers (like Opera or Firefox) supports W3C Event Model while IE supports its own - so once again - Google for cross-browser solution.
addEventListener might seems now the worst way to attach events but in fact it's the best one. It let you easly add or remove many listeners for single event on single element.
PS. I noticed that you consider of using Load event to execute your scripts. Don't do that. Load event is execute too late. You have to wait till every image or file is loaded. You should use DOMContentLoaded event. ;)
EDIT:
I've forgotten... dealing with cross-browser event model is much easier when you're using some framework like very popular jQuery. But it's good to know how the browsers work.
are you familiar with jQuery?
its a javascript library featuring some really awesome tools.
for instance if you want to have some js action done just after your page if fully loaded and all DOM elements are created (to avoid those annoying exceptions) you can simply use the ready() method.
also i see you want to attach click \ change events jQuery takes care of this too :) and you don't have to worry about all those cross-browser issues.
take a look at jQuery selectors to make your life easier when attempting to fetch an element.
well thats it, just give it a shot, its has a very intuitive API and a good documentation.