Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

**Stephen Chalmers** · Jul 23 '05, 05:38 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

Martin Altschwager <cosas@altschwa ger.de> wrote in message
news:bbebb69b.0 502071410.25ca1 280@posting.goo gle.com...
[color=blue]
> onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Stan dard','1');"[/color]
[color=blue]
> 01 function showDesc(typeDe sc,noDesc)[/color]
{
[color=blue]
>03 document.getEle mentById('tdDes c').innerHTML = WS_Standard[noDesc];[/color]

You're subscripting the array with the string: '1';

--
S.C.

**Robert** · Jul 23 '05, 05:38 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

In article <42080877$1_3@m k-nntp-2.news.uk.tisca li.com>,
"Stephen Chalmers" <ignoring@lycos .co.uk> wrote:
[color=blue]
> Martin Altschwager <cosas@altschwa ger.de> wrote in message
> news:bbebb69b.0 502071410.25ca1 280@posting.goo gle.com...
>[color=green]
> > onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Stan dard','1');"[/color]
>[color=green]
> > 01 function showDesc(typeDe sc,noDesc)[/color]
> {
>[color=green]
> >03 document.getEle mentById('tdDes c').innerHTML = WS_Standard[noDesc];[/color]
>
> You're subscripting the array with the string: '1';[/color]

While it isn't standard, that should still work since numeric indexes
are converted a string value before the actual lookup.

Robert

**Robert** · Jul 23 '05, 05:38 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

In article <bbebb69b.05020 71410.25ca1280@ posting.google. com>,
cosas@altschwag er.de (Martin Altschwager) wrote:
[color=blue]
> Any help is highly appreciated![/color]

I do not believe that I found any problems with the javascript functions
you showed. I filled in the missing html and changed one event handler.

Here is my revised version of the file.

Robert

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">
<html>
<head>
<title>Saving stats</title>
<base href="http://spaceplace.jpl. nasa.gov/en/_images/">
<script type="text/javascript">
/*
My problem appears when it comes to adressing the text that is in the
array, lines 03, 08, 16. I want to use my "typeDesc"-argument to
adress the array, but whatever I try, it's either an error or I get a
string "WS_Standar d" or "WS_Standar d[1]" or something, but never the
text in the array WS_Standard[1].

changes
call onmouseout
call hideDesc
you do not show the text to change nor the images. Could have the
wrong values in the id attributes
this is a bad variable name tdDesc 'cause it is hard to distingish
the d from the D.

*/
var WS_Standard = new Array();
WS_Standard[0] = "Standard text when no mouse over";
WS_Standard[1] = "Sample Text 1";
WS_Standard[2] = "Sample Text 2";
WS_Standard[3] = "Sample Text 3";

function showDesc(typeDe sc,noDesc) {
var imgDesc = ('img' + typeDesc + '_' + noDesc);
document.getEle mentById('table Description').i nnerHTML =
WS_Standard[noDesc];
document.getEle mentById(imgDes c).style.displa y = "";
}

function hideDesc(typeDe sc,noDesc) {
var imgDesc = ('img' + typeDesc + '_' + noDesc);
document.getEle mentById('table Description').i nnerHTML =
WS_Standard[0];
document.getEle mentById(imgDes c).style.displa y = "none";
}

function resetDesc(typeD esc,totalDesc) {
for (var i = 1; i < totalDesc; i++) {
var imgDesc = ('img' + typeDesc + '_' + i);
document.getEle mentById(imgDes c).style.displa y = "none";
}
document.getEle mentById('table Description').i nnerHTML =
WS_Standard[0];
}

</script>
</head>
<body onload="resetDe sc('WS_Standard ',WS_Standard.l ength);">
<a href="#" onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Stan dard',1);"
onmouseout="hid eDesc('WS_Stand ard',1);">
Link no. 1</a>

<p>
<img
id="imgWS_Stand ard_1"
src="common/nasa_header/logo_nasa.gif">
<br>
<img
id="imgWS_Stand ard_2"
src="common/nasa_header/logo_nasa.gif">
<br>
<img
id="imgWS_Stand ard_3"
src="common/nasa_header/logo_nasa.gif">
</p>
<p>
<span id="tableDescri ption" class="hidden"> Message to display</span>
</p>
</body>
</html>

**Martin Altschwager** · Jul 23 '05, 05:38 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

"Stephen Chalmers" <ignoring@lycos .co.uk> wrote in message news:<42080877$ 1_3@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tisca li.com>...[color=blue]
> Martin Altschwager <cosas@altschwa ger.de> wrote in message
> news:bbebb69b.0 502071410.25ca1 280@posting.goo gle.com...
>[color=green]
> > onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Stan dard','1');"[/color]
>[color=green]
> > 01 function showDesc(typeDe sc,noDesc)[/color]
> {
>[color=green]
> >03 document.getEle mentById('tdDes c').innerHTML = WS_Standard[noDesc];[/color]
>
> You're subscripting the array with the string: '1';[/color]

Hi Stephen,

Thank you for answering, but I'm sorry, I don't get it. The way the
function is shown above, it does work. But what needs to be changed in
my function so that it returns the text in the array that I specify in
the argument? Something like

01 function showDesc(typeDe sc,noDesc) {
03 document.getEle mentById('tdDes c').innerHTML = typeDesc[noDesc];

These two lines obviously don't work. What's wrong?

Thank you already for further help!

Martin

**Martin** · Jul 23 '05, 05:38 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

Hi Robert,

thank you for your reply. As a matter of fact, the .js-file I posted is
indeed working. My problem lies in lines 3, 8, and 16. Let me
demonstrate with line 3:

document.getEle mentById('tdDes c').innerHTML=W S_Standard[noDesc];

I'm explicitly pointing to the Array WS_Standard, and that works
perfectly.

However, I want to use the function later again with another Array, for
instance WS_Special, so the "WS_Standar d" in my line needs to be
replaced with the name that I put in the arguments of the calling
function, showDetail('WS_ Special','1').

(Otherwise I would have to duplicate the stupid function as many times
as I have Arrays)

I've tried different things such as

document.getEle mentById('tdDes c').innerHTML=t ypeDesc[noDesc];
document.getEle mentById('tdDes c').innerHTML=s howDesc.argumen t[0][noDesc]
;

and so on, but it either resulted in an error, or I got just portions of
the name itself as in

showDetail('WS_ Standard','0') returned 'W'
showDetail('WS_ Standard','1') returned 'S'
showDetail('WS_ Standard','2') returned '_'

and so on...

Plain and simple: When the function called goes
showDetail('WS_ Special','1');

what do I have to write here
document.getEle mentById('tdDes c').innerHTML=? ??[noDesc];

so that the function fills my tdDesc-Tablecell with the value of the
Array "WS_Special[1]"?

You help is highly appreciated!

Martin

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**Martin** · Jul 23 '05, 05:38 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

Hi Robert,

I just reread your revised code sample. As a matter of fact, when I use
this, there's another error coming up:

You're calling onload "resetDesc('WS_ Standard',WS_St andard.length') "

WS_Standard.len gth returns 10, because "WS_Standar d" consists of 11
characters. Here too, the string itself is addressed and not the Array
with that name. Why's that? Seems similiar to my particular problem...

Regards,

Martin

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**RobG** · Jul 23 '05, 05:38 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

Martin Altschwager wrote:[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> I desperately need some help with what I assume to be a minor problem
> that I just can't solve.
>
> I'm writing a page where on mouseover a link, an image needs to be
> displayed and some text, which is defined inside an array, sould
> appear inside a table cell (whose id is "tdDesc").
>
> That's basically what's in the HTML-file:
>
> <body onload="resetDe sc('WS_Standard ','3');">
> <a href="#" onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Stan dard','1');"
> onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Stan dard','1');">
> Link no. 1</a>[/color]

Since you creating your messages as a global array, why not pass
them directly?

<a href="#" onmouseover="sh owDesc(WS_Stand ard[1]);"
onmouseout="sho wDesc(WS_Standa rd[0]);">

[...][color=blue]
> 18 var WS_Standard = new Array();
> 19 WS_Standard[0] = "Standard text when no mouse over";
> 20 WS_Standard[1] = "Sample Text 1";
> 21 WS_Standard[2] = "Sample Text 2";
> 22 WS_Standard[3] = "Sample Text 3";[/color]

This is simpler (to me) when written as:

var WS_Standard = [
"Standard text when no mouse over",
"Sample Text 1",
"Sample Text 2",
"Sample Text 3"
];

Both create exactly the same array.

--
Rob

**Martin** · Jul 23 '05, 05:38 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

RobG wrote:[color=blue]
>[color=green]
> > That's basically what's in the HTML-file:
> >
> > <body onload="resetDe sc('WS_Standard ','3');"
> > <a href="#"
> > onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Stan dard','1');"
> > onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Stan dard','1');"
> > Link no. 1</a>[/color]
>
> Since you creating your messages as a global array, why
> not pass them directly?
>
> <a href="#" onmouseover="sh owDesc(WS_Stand ard[1]);"
> onmouseout="sho wDesc(WS_Standa rd[0]);">[/color]

Thanks for answering. It's a good idea, however, that same function must
show or hide the corresponding image, too.

My image are called "imgWS_Standard _1" and so on (compare lines 2 and 4,
7 and 9, 13 and 14). I feel there must be an easier way than using the
argument "WS_Standar d[1]" and then splitting it up again to make it
"imgWS_Standard "...

Any idea?
[color=blue]
> This is simpler (to me) when written as:
>
> var WS_Standard = [
> "Standard text when no mouse over",
> "Sample Text 1",
> "Sample Text 2",
> "Sample Text 3"
> ];
>
> Both create exactly the same array.[/color]

Maybe, but I like the numbers nearby so that I know instantly what text
corresponds to what number (think 20 entries). I believe it makes no
difference here...

Thanks!

Martin

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**RobG** · Jul 23 '05, 05:39 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

Martin wrote:[color=blue]
> RobG wrote:[/color]
[...][color=blue][color=green]
>>Since you creating your messages as a global array, why
>>not pass them directly?
>>
>> <a href="#" onmouseover="sh owDesc(WS_Stand ard[1]);"
>> onmouseout="sho wDesc(WS_Standa rd[0]);">[/color]
>
>
> Thanks for answering. It's a good idea, however, that same function must
> show or hide the corresponding image, too.[/color]

OK, you can still pass more parameters:

<a href="#" onmouseover="sh owDesc(WS_Stand ard[1],'1');"
onmouseout="sho wDesc(WS_Standa rd[0],'2');">

WS_Standard[1] will be evaluated so that your function
showDesc() gets the string (or whatever is in WS_Standard).
[color=blue]
>
> My image are called "imgWS_Standard _1" and so on (compare lines 2 and 4,
> 7 and 9, 13 and 14). I feel there must be an easier way than using the
> argument "WS_Standar d[1]" and then splitting it up again to make it
> "imgWS_Standard "...
>
> Any idea?
>
>[color=green]
>> This is simpler (to me) when written as:
>>
>> var WS_Standard = [
>> "Standard text when no mouse over",
>> "Sample Text 1",
>> "Sample Text 2",
>> "Sample Text 3"
>> ];
>>
>> Both create exactly the same array.[/color]
>
>
> Maybe, but I like the numbers nearby so that I know instantly what text
> corresponds to what number (think 20 entries). I believe it makes no
> difference here...[/color]

Fine, just making a suggestion.

Here's another. You can create an object that contains your
arrays, then you can address them using strings passed to your
function (I think this fits better with what you are trying to
do). They are often incorrectly called "hashtables " or
"2D arrays":

<html><head>
<title>2d arrays</title>
<script type="text/javascript">

var WS_Standard = ["Standard text when no mouse over",
"Standard Text 1","Standard Text 2","Standard Text 3"];

var WS_Super = ["Super text when no mouse over",
"Super Text 1","Super Text 2","Super Text 3"];

var msgObj = {'WS_Standard': WS_Standard,'WS _Super':WS_Supe r};

function zap(aName,aInde x) {
return(msgObj[aName][aIndex]);
}

</script>
</head>
<body>

<input type="button" value="std 0" onclick="
alert(zap('WS_S tandard','0'));
">
<input type="button" value="std 1" onclick="
alert(zap('WS_S tandard','1'));
">
<input type="button" value="std 2" onclick="
alert(zap('WS_S tandard','2'));
">
<input type="button" value="std 3 onclick="
alert(zap('WS_S tandard','3'));
">
<br>
<input type="button" value="super 0" onclick="
alert(zap('WS_S uper','0'));
">
<input type="button" value="super 1" onclick="
alert(zap('WS_S uper','1'));
">
<input type="button" value="super 2" onclick="
alert(zap('WS_S uper','2'));
">
<input type="button" value="super 3" onclick="
alert(zap('WS_S uper','3'));
">
</body></html>

The above is just play code to demonstrate a "2d" array.

--
Rob

**Stephen Chalmers** · Jul 23 '05, 05:39 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

Martin Altschwager <cosas@altschwa ger.de> wrote in message >[color=blue]
> Hi Stephen,
>
> 01 function showDesc(typeDe sc,noDesc) {
> 03 document.getEle mentById('tdDes c').innerHTML = typeDesc[noDesc];
>
> These two lines obviously don't work. What's wrong?
>
> Thank you already for further help!
>
> Martin[/color]

I wish you had shown that code initially. In that case the problem is still
in the way you are passing the relevant parameter, assuming this function
call is unchanged:

<a href="#" onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Stan dard','1');"

which means that you end up trying to subscript the string typeDesc.

--
S.C.

URL Shortener, Branded Short Links & Analytics | TinyURL

http://makeashorterlink.com/?H3E82245A

**Martin** · Jul 23 '05, 05:39 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

Hi Rob,

you're a genius and you were right. It was exactly the
what-should-not-be-called-2D-arrays solution that I needed. (I had heard
of this, but never learnt how to do it.) I had it implemented within a
minute and it works perfectly.

Thank you very much!

Martin

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**Martin Altschwager** · Jul 23 '05, 05:39 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

"Stephen Chalmers" <ignoring@lycos .co.uk> wrote in message news:<42080877$ 1_3@mk-nntp-2.news.uk.tisca li.com>...[color=blue]
> Martin Altschwager <cosas@altschwa ger.de> wrote in message
> news:bbebb69b.0 502071410.25ca1 280@posting.goo gle.com...
>[color=green]
> > onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Stan dard','1');"[/color]
>[color=green]
> > 01 function showDesc(typeDe sc,noDesc)[/color]
> {
>[color=green]
> >03 document.getEle mentById('tdDes c').innerHTML = WS_Standard[noDesc];[/color]
>
> You're subscripting the array with the string: '1';[/color]

My problem's been solved. I'm using 2D-Arrays now.

Thanks!

Martin

**Robert** · Jul 23 '05, 05:40 PM

Re: Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

In article <4208afa3$1_1@1 27.0.0.1>, Martin <no.spam@for.me > wrote:
[color=blue]
>
> I'm explicitly pointing to the Array WS_Standard, and that works
> perfectly.
>
> However, I want to use the function later again with another Array, for
> instance WS_Special, so the "WS_Standar d" in my line needs to be
> replaced with the name that I put in the arguments of the calling
> function, showDetail('WS_ Special','1').
>
> (Otherwise I would have to duplicate the stupid function as many times
> as I have Arrays)[/color]

There are two things you are working with here. One is the array
WS_Standard and the other is the string of characters used in the id
attribute of the img tag. You have given them the similar names which
is confusing.

Here is a way of accessing multiple lists and images and text.

Robert

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"
"http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd">
<html>
<head>
<title>Saving stats</title>
<base href="http://spaceplace.jpl. nasa.gov/en/">
<script type="text/javascript">

/* I am create an object grouptArrays which contains the indexes
WS_Standard and WS_Special. Each index points to an arrary
with the desired text strings. I put in comments to note
the index in the array.

You can use the bracket notaion [ ] to access objects.

Trying to initialize lots of data via assignment statements
will lead to errors when you copy data to save typing and
when you change entries. */

/* I find your variable names confusing. noDesc could be no description
instead of number description. Arrarys take indexes so using index
over
number has more meaning.
*/

var groupArray = {'WS_Standard': [
/* 0 */ "Standard text when no mouse over",
/* 1 */ "Sample Text 1",
/* 2 */ "Sample Text 2",
/* 3 */ "Sample Text 3"
],
'WS_Special': [
/* 0 */ "special text when no mouse over",
/* 1 */ "special Text 1",
/* 2 */ "special Text 2",
/* 3 */ "special Text 3"
]
}

function showDesc(descri ption,theIndex) {
var imgDesc = ('img' + description + '_' + theIndex);
document.getEle mentById('td_'+ description).in nerHTML =
groupArray[description][theIndex];
document.getEle mentById(imgDes c).style.displa y = "";
}

function hideDesc(descri ption,theIndex) {
var imgDesc = ('img' + description + '_' + theIndex);
document.getEle mentById('td_'+ description).in nerHTML =
groupArray[description][0];
document.getEle mentById(imgDes c).style.displa y = "none";
}

function resetDesc(descr iption,totalDes c) {
for (var i = 1; i < totalDesc; i++) {
var imgDesc = ('img' + description + '_' + i);
document.getEle mentById(imgDes c).style.displa y = "none";
}
document.getEle mentById('td_'+ description).in nerHTML =
groupArray[description][0];
}

</script>
</head>
<body onload="resetDe sc('WS_Standard ',groupArray['WS_Standard'].length);
resetDesc('WS_S pecial',groupAr ray['WS_Special'].length);">

<a href="#" onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Stan dard',1);"
onmouseout="hid eDesc('WS_Stand ard',1);">
Link number 1</a>

<p>
<img
id="imgWS_Stand ard_1"
src="_images/common/nasa_header/logo_nasa.gif">
<br>
<img
id="imgWS_Stand ard_2"
src="_images/common/nasa_header/logo_nasa.gif">
<br>
<img
id="imgWS_Stand ard_3"
src="_images/common/nasa_header/logo_nasa.gif">
</p>
<p>
<span id="td_WS_Stand ard" class="hidden"> Message to
display</span>
</p>

<a href="#" onmouseover="sh owDesc('WS_Spec ial',1);"
onmouseout="hid eDesc('WS_Speci al',1);">
Link number 2</a>

<p>
<img
id="imgWS_Speci al_1"
src="educators/images/solarsystem/clem_full_moon_ T.jpg">
<br>
<img
id="imgWS_Speci al_2"
src="educators/images/solarsystem/clem_full_moon_ T.jpg">
<br>
<img
id="imgWS_Speci al_3"
src="educators/images/solarsystem/clem_full_moon_ T.jpg">
</p>
<p>
<span id="td_WS_Speci al" class="hidden"> Message to
display</span>
</p>
</body>
</html>

Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

Addressing an Array from Function Arguments?

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