Variable is not assigned problem

[davidn5918184]

I'm trying to to create an if/else test on the first letter of a input(bookCode) and assign a string but it doesn't seem to assign it, it alerts with nothing. Is there something I'm missing here?

var mockLocation = bookCode.charAt(0)
var newLocation = "";

function tpbFunction(){   
    if (mockLocation == "A"|"B") {
    newLocation = " CURRENT SCANS > A-B";
    } else if (mockLocation == "C"|"D"|"E"|"F"){
    newLocation = " CURRENT SCANS > C-F";
    } else if (mockLocation == "G"|"H"|"I"|"J"|"K"){
    newLocation = " CURRENT SCANS > G-K";
    } else if (mockLocation == "L"|"M"|"N"|"O"|"P"){
    newLocation = " CURRENT SCANS > L-P";
    } else if (mockLocation == "Q"|"R"|"S") {
    newLocation = " CURRENT SCANS > Q-S";
    } else {
    newLocation = " CURRENTSCANS > T-Z";
    }
    
} 
tpbFunction();
alert(mockLocation);
alert(newLocation);

[davidn5918184]

Let me add to that, specifically the newLocation var won't assign.

[BarlaeDC]

H,

The variable newLocation is in two different scopes, so the external on which is effected by the lines

var newLocation = ""; AND alert ( newLocation) is actually a different variable compared to the one in tpbFunction, to marry the two you would need to alter the function, I would be tempted to just have it return a value so your code would be

var mockLocation = bookCode.charAt(0)

function tpbFunction(){  
    var nl = "";
    if (mockLocation == "A"|"B") {
    nl = " CURRENT SCANS > A-B";
    } else if (mockLocation == "C"|"D"|"E"|"F"){
    nl = " CURRENT SCANS > C-F";
    } else if (mockLocation == "G"|"H"|"I"|"J"|"K"){
    nl = " CURRENT SCANS > G-K";
    } else if (mockLocation == "L"|"M"|"N"|"O"|"P"){
    nl = " CURRENT SCANS > L-P";
    } else if (mockLocation == "Q"|"R"|"S") {
    nl = " CURRENT SCANS > Q-S";
    } else {
    nl = " CURRENTSCANS > T-Z";
    }
    return nl;
} 
var newLocation = tpbFunction();
alert(mockLocation);
alert(newLocation);// or if you wanted to save space << alert ( tpbFunction()) >>

Then the value will be passed out of the function.

Regards

Malcolm

[davidn5918184]

I'm only just competetant in coding so if this is obvious please excuse me.

Two things.

How do I run it? Just by using the var newLocation you are running the function or do I need to run it tpbFunction(); and then assign newLocation to it. 

Lastly, when I run it now, it always pulls up the last else, it doesn't seem to be working correctly. 

else {
    nl = " CURRENTSCANS > T-Z";
    }

[BarlaeDC]

HI,

1,  var newLocation = tpbFunction();  // this runs the function and puts whatever is in nl in the function into newLocation.

2. if it is always the if, then is it is either that the bookcode[0] is always a letter after  capital S, or it is a small letter, or not a letter at all 0-9 for example? do you know that it will always be a capital letter?

Regards

Malcolm

[davidn5918184]

What you showed me works, thank you btw. It is always a capital letter, I think my issue is how I'm comparing the first letters but I'm not sure what yet.

[BarlaeDC · Accepted solution]

Hi,

That is my bad, I didn;t spot it but you need to OR each == so instead of

if (mockLocation == "A"|"B")

you need

if (mockLocation == "A" || mockLocation == "B")

Sorry I must have read those lines a number of times and it never clicked, but that should fix it. because of the type of if you are using you could also use a switch statement something like:

switch ( mockLocation){
  case "A":
  case "B":
    nl = " CURRENT SCANS > A-B";
    break;
  case "C":
  case "D":
  case "E":
  case "F":
    nl = " CURRENT SCANS > C-F";
    break;
  case "G":
  case "H":
  case "I":
  case "J":
  case "K":
    nl = " CURRENT SCANS > G-K";
    break;
  case "L":
  case "M":
  case "N":
  case "O":
  case "P":
    nl = " CURRENT SCANS > L-P";
    break;
  case "Q":
  case "R":
  case "S":
    nl = " CURRENT SCANS > Q-S";
    break;
  default:
    nl = " CURRENTSCANS > T-Z";
    break;
   }
    return nl;

In this case because you are always testing the same variable, the switch statement can simplify the code ( I will leave it up to you if you agree)

Regards

Malcolm

[davidn5918184]

Thank you so much. I like the switch way better. I appriciate all your help!

[Marc Autret]

var mockLocation = bookCode.charAt(0)
var newLocation =  tpbFunction(mockLocation);

function tpbFunction(/*[A-Z]*/c)
{
    return " CURRENT SCANS > " +
           ( c <= 'B' && "A-B" ) ||
           ( c <= 'F' && "C-F" ) ||
           ( c <= 'K' && "G-K" ) ||
           ( c <= 'P' && "L-P" ) ||
           ( c <= 'S' && "Q-S" ) ||
           "T-Z";
}

alert(mockLocation);
alert(newLocation);

[davidn5918184]

That's beautiful.

So if c is less than or equal to B then "A-B" or...

The && means if its true then A-B"?