How to access javascript variable outside function

Question

I have the following code.

var dat = null;

$.get("example.com", function(data){
    dat = data;
    alert(dat); // Has the info.
});

alert(dat); // null.

How can I access dat outside $.get?

Welcome to the wonderful world of **async**! You can't do that. — SLaks, Jun 24 '13 at 03:01
the `alert(dat)` statement is executed before your `$.get()` method populates `dat` — Pablo, Jun 24 '13 at 03:02
Ahh, thank you for pointing this out. To both of you. What should I do with this question now? — johnsnails, Jun 24 '13 at 03:03
@user1745738 I think you should do what ever you need to do with `data` inside the `$.get()` callback function — Pablo, Jun 24 '13 at 03:05

score 2 · Answer 1 · answered Jun 24 '13 at 03:02

Accessing that variable should work fine. The problem is that the function which sets dat will run after the last alert.

The function is a callback.. it only runs after get has complete, whereas the last alert will run straight away.

Here is a way to chain code after the callback

var dat = null;

$.get("example.com", function(data){
    dat = data;
    alert(dat); // Has the info.
}).then(function() {
   alert(dat); // Has the info too.
});

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Jun 24 '13 at 03:08

The line alert(data); is executed before the $.get() because the async. Use the $.ajax() with async:false or put alert(data) in success of $.get():

$.ajax({
    type: "GET",
    async: false,
    url: "example.com",
    success: function(data) {
           dat = data;
           alert(dat);
    },
    error: function(e) {
        console.log(e); //error
    }
});

How to access javascript variable outside function

2 Answers2