returning array from function and assigning it to variable

Question

I am trying to return an object array from a function and assign it to a variable

function contactsbuilder(contacts){
    var contactsarray = [];
    parent.$(contacts).each(function(i,contact){
        contactsarray.push(somevalues);
        if(contacts.length == i+1){
            console.log("coming in here?");
            return contactsarray;
        }
    });
};

Now I tried to assign it like

var contactsarray =contactsbuilder(customdetails.contacts);

but contactsarray always stays undefined even after the console log is made. I tried setTimeout but no luck

I tried a simpler one without foreach

function sample(){
var xx= ["ss","ssdfds"];
return xx;
}
var something = sample()

Now something gets array value, what is wrong in my case?

it is just an for each for an array of objects $(somearray).each — Vignesh Subramanian, May 18 '16 at 11:37

score 2 · Accepted Answer · answered May 18 '16 at 11:32

2

You need to returning the array inside the each() callback which doesn't have any effect. And nothing is returning from the contactsbuilder function, so move the return statement outside.

function contactsbuilder(contacts){
    var contactsarray = [];
    parent.$(contacts).each(function(i,contact){
        contactsarray.push(somevalues);
        if(contacts.length == i+1){
            console.log("coming in here?");
        }
    });
    return contactsarray;// return the array
};

answered May 18 '16 at 11:32

Pranav C Balan

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thanks, wont it return empty array if it has like 1000 values in it? or when I want to make some ajax calls and return values? – Vignesh Subramanian May 18 '16 at 11:35
@vignesh : I couldn't get you – Pranav C Balan May 18 '16 at 11:41
for example, if I want to make some ajax call inside that $().each, wont it return the contactsarray before the ajax call returns some value? – Vignesh Subramanian May 18 '16 at 11:44
@vignesh : ajax is asynchronous and it may complete any time .... the function will not wait for the ajax to execute – Pranav C Balan May 18 '16 at 11:46
thanks ji, what should i do if i am going to use an ajax call inside that function and return value based on its result? – Vignesh Subramanian May 18 '16 at 11:49
@vignesh : do whatever you want to do inside the success handler , call function inside from it.... ref : http://stackoverflow.com/questions/3302702/jquery-return-value-using-ajax-result-on-success – Pranav C Balan May 18 '16 at 11:51

returning array from function and assigning it to variable

1 Answers1