Synchronize setting a variable which is outside javascript function

Question

below this text there is code what I tryed.
I want to achive this: outside function geocoder.geocode there is variable called var address. geocoder.geocode ... gets addres from latlng, and I want to set the address by this row address = results[1].formatted_address; but the varriable address is probably not visible outside.
When I call: alert('Inside: '+ address) address is correctly set, but whe I call same outside the function alert ('Outside address: '+address) the address is back empty string, so setting the address is probably only local, what I want to achieve is to set it outside the function to be able work with this wariable. What do I wrong?

var geocoder = new google.maps.Geocoder();
var myPosition = new google.maps.LatLng(41.850033, -87.6500523);
var address = "";

            //get address
            geocoder.geocode({'latLng': myPosition}, function(results, status) {
                if (status == google.maps.GeocoderStatus.OK) {
                    if (results[1]) {
                        address = results[1].formatted_address;
                        alert('Inside: '+ address);
                    } else {
                        alert('No results found');

                    }
                } else {
                    alert('Geocoder failed due to: ' + status);
                }
            });
alert ('Outside address: '+address);

Edit:
It turned out that it's problem of assynchronous comunication. The outside alert is executed before the the geocoder.geocode is executed. So can I somehow stop executing the script till it will be executed? Synchronize it somehow, to be able work with this variable?

Welcome to the world of Asynchronous communication. What you want to do can not happen. — epascarello, Jul 29 '14 at 16:31
It's not a problem of variable *scope*, but of *timing*. Your "outside address" alert alerts first, doesn't it? — deceze, Jul 29 '14 at 16:31
@user1097772: No. Your only choice is to put the outside alert (and also the variable declaration) inside the callback — Bergi, Jul 29 '14 at 16:38

score 0 · Answer 1 · answered Jul 29 '14 at 16:33

0

Well the first thing i'd check is my order of operations, it could be that the alert is executing BEFORE your geocoder is executing, try running your alert in a console view after the whole javascript runs.

If address is still staying undeclared do this on your line.

window.address = results[1].formatted_address;

this will set address as a window variable, which is the same scope as declaring var address outside of any function.

answered Jul 29 '14 at 16:33

Jordan

96
1
4

It's now problem of operation. – user1097772 Jul 29 '14 at 16:39
to fix that you can set a timeout. setTimeout(function(){alert ('Outside address: '+address);}, 1000); – Jordan Jul 29 '14 at 16:46

Synchronize setting a variable which is outside javascript function

1 Answers1