global variable problem

Hi

I am struggling! why would this would not work. I am a beginner.

The global variable 'birds' array populates from an xml file in processResponse_autosuggest, though I think for some reason it is treating birds as a local variable within this function because when I try to access birds after this function is called and finished, birds.length is zero though calling birds after populating within the function gives array of length 21 which is what I expect.

thanks for looking
dickie


//<!--
var asyncRequest_autosuggest;
var birds = new Array();

function processResponse_autosuggest() {
if (asyncRequest_autosuggest.readyState == 4 && asyncRequest_autosuggest.status == 200 && asyncRequest_autosuggest.responseXML) {
var birdsxml = asyncRequest_autosuggest.responseXML.getElementsByTagName("bird");
for (var i=0; i < birdsxml.length; i++) {
birds[i] = birdsxml.item(i).firstChild.nodeValue;
}
alert(birds.length) //returns 21. expected
}
}

function getautosuggest(id) {
var userInput = document.getElementById(id).value;
getArrayBirds('birds.xml');
alert(birds.length); // returns zero. don't know why
}

function getArrayBirds(url) {
try {
asyncRequest_autosuggest = new XMLHttpRequest();
asyncRequest_autosuggest.onreadystatechange = function() {processResponse_autosuggest()};
asyncRequest_autosuggest.open('GET', url, true);
asyncRequest_autosuggest.send(null);

}
catch (exception) {
alert('Request Failed');
} 
}



//-->

</script>
</head>
<body>
<form>
<input id="autosuggestinput_id" onkeyup="getautosuggest(this.id)" />
</form>
</body>
</html>

global variable problem

global variable problem ajax

dmdickie

Fotiman

dmdickie

Join The Conversation

Moderators and Top Contributors

Hot Threads This Week