Passing argument to function in javascript- received as object not variable?

Question

Love PHP, but very new to JavaScript. I'm following a tutorial, and one thing has me stuck. I call the markRead function with:

<a href="#" onclick="return false;" onmousedown="markRead(9,notifreq_9)">

function markRead(noteid,elem){
var action = "delete";
var ajax = ajaxObj("POST", "php_parsers/notification_parser.php");
ajax.onreadystatechange = function() {
    if(ajaxReturn(ajax) == true) {
        if(ajax.responseText == "deleted"){
        _(elem).innerHTML = "";
        }
    }
}
ajax.send("action="+action+"&noteid="+noteid);
}

For some reason it is reading noteid as a variable (i can alert(noteid) and it will report 9), but if I try alert(elem) it kicks back [object].

I cheated by assigning elem = notifreq_+noteid, but I would love to understand what is going on here... Can someone point me in the right direction to understand what is happening?

What is notifreq_9? That is probably an object, where as 9 is just an integer. — putvande
– putvande, Commented Nov 12, 2013 at 18:52

Aditya Vikas Devarapalli · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-12 18:56:43Z

2

you need to use quotes

if you don't use quotes javascript will take it as a object i.e. a variable with that name or id

so change this

onmousedown="markRead(9,notifreq_9)"

to this

onmousedown="markRead(9,'notifreq_9')"

answered Nov 12, 2013 at 18:56

Aditya Vikas Devarapalli

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3 Comments

putvande Over a year ago

Are you sure you didn't copy - paste this from other answers?

Aditya Vikas Devarapalli Over a year ago

no my internet is too slow ! and who needs to copy the basics of javascript ?? @putvande

ajp15243 Over a year ago

@putvande This is a simple enough answer that similar answers are not unexpected. I would have put the same code format and used ' myself, if I had posted an answer.

epascarello · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-12 18:52:31Z

1

Because it does not have quotes it is being referenced as an object and that goes back to some browsers will look for a variable with that name, if it does not find it it looks for an element with that id.

onmousedown="markRead(9,notifreq_9)">

needs to be

onmousedown="markRead(9,'notifreq_9')">

answered Nov 12, 2013 at 18:52

epascarello

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Comments

tymeJV · Accepted Answer · 2013-11-12 19:05:59Z

1

Anything passed without quotes will be assumed to be a variable, if your trying to pass the actual word, use "markRead(9,'notifreq_9')"

edited Nov 12, 2013 at 19:05

answered Nov 12, 2013 at 18:52

tymeJV

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4 Comments

ajp15243 Over a year ago

Putting " into the attribute value (without escaping at least) as it is now will cause the attribute value string to end prematurely, and cause other issues. This should probably be pointed out or avoided, particularly given the level of experience OP has indicated in JavaScript.

tymeJV Over a year ago

@ajp15243 -- Thanks for pointing it out, fixed it with single quotes.

user2067101 Over a year ago

Awesome! Thanks a lot guys. I spent 4 hours trying different work arouds... you guys got it in 30 seconds.

ajp15243 Over a year ago

@user2067101 Make sure to accept (with the green check/tick mark) the answer that best solves your problem, so that people searching in the future can see that your question was answered.

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