[SOLVED] Countdown timer function --- NaN

[galvin]

if I have a function...

function cd(time) {
	mins = 1 * m("time"); // change minutes here
	secs = 0 + s(":01"); // change seconds here 
	redo();
}

 

and then I run...

 

cd(5);

 

it shows my countdown timer as NaN:59. I know that means not a number, but what am I doing wrong in the original function. Shouldn't I be able to pass it a number like I did (i.e. the 5)???

 

I didn't include the rest of the countdown timer code b/c I don't think it matters, but if you disagree, let me know and I'll attach all the code.

[Psycho]

The line in which you use "time" you are using it as the string "time" and not the variable time. I'm assuming m() and s() are functions.

function cd(time) {
	// You are passing the string "time" and not the var time
	mins = 1 * m("time");
	// Passing a string here as well, but it includes numbers,
	//so it may be interpreted correctly
	secs = 0 + s(":01");
	redo();
}

[galvin]

Here is the entire external file called "countDown.js".  I guess my question is how could I call "cd()" from another page and be able to enter cd(any number I want) and then have it run the cd() function below and replace the "5" (on line 4 below) with whatever number I enter into cd(any number I want)? 

 

var mins
var secs;
function cd() {
	mins = 1 * m("5"); // change minutes here
	secs = 0 + s(":01"); // change seconds here 
	redo();
}

function m(obj) {
	for(var i = 0; i < obj.length; i++) {
  		if(obj.substring(i, i + 1) == ":")
  		break;
	}
	return(obj.substring(0, i));
}

function s(obj) {
	for(var i = 0; i < obj.length; i++) {
  		if(obj.substring(i, i + 1) == ":")
  		break;
	}
	return(obj.substring(i + 1, obj.length));
}

function dis(mins,secs) {
	var disp;
	if(mins <= 9) {
  		disp = " 0";
	} else {
  		disp = " ";
	}
	disp += mins + ":";
	if(secs <= 9) {
  		disp += "0" + secs;
	} else {
  		disp += secs;
	}
	return(disp);
}

function redo() {
	secs--;
	if(secs == -1) {
  		secs = 59;
  		mins--;
	}
	document.cd.disp.value = dis(mins,secs); // setup additional displays here.
	if((mins == 0) && (secs == 0)) {
  		window.alert("Time is up. Press OK to continue."); // change timeout message as required
  		// window.location = "yourpage.htm" // redirects to specified page once timer ends and ok button is pressed
	} else {
		cd = setTimeout("redo()",1000);
	}
}

[Psycho]

I already gave you the solution. You are not properly utilizing the variable passed to the function. If you put a varibale name within quotes, it is no longer a variable, it is a string. JavaScript does not interpret variables within a string like PHP does. Here is an example of what I mean

 

function alertVariableNoQuotes(var)
{
    alert(var);  //This will alert the value of the variable passed to the function
}
function alertVariableWithQuotes(var)
{
    alert("var"); //This will alert the string "var"
}

 

This line in your code

mins = 1 * m("time"); // change minutes here

interprets "time" as a sting, NOT the value of the variable time. You would need to remove the quotes, however there are other parts of your code that requires the variable to be a string.

 

I decided just to rewite the whole thing

var seconds = 0;
var outputObj = false;

function startTimer(startTime, timerOutputObj)
{
    //Parse minutes and seconds into integers
    startTime = String(startTime);
    var mins = parseInt(startTime.split(':')[0]);
    if (isNaN(mins)) { mins = 0; }
    var secs = parseInt(startTime.split(':')[1]);
    if (isNaN(secs)) { secs = 0; }

    //Convert to seconds
    seconds = (mins * 60) + secs;
    outputObj = timerOutputObj;

    //Run the timer
    runTimer(outputObj);
}


function runTimer()
{
    outputObj.value = formatTime(seconds);
    seconds--;

    if(seconds < 0)
    {
        window.alert("Time is up. Press OK to continue."); // change timeout message as required
        // window.location = "yourpage.htm" // redirects to specified page once timer ends and ok button is pressed
    }
    else
    {
        setTimeout('runTimer()', 1000);
    }
}

function formatTime(seconds)
{
    var mins = Math.floor(seconds/60);
    if (mins<10) { mins = '0' + mins; }
    var secs = Math.round(seconds%60);
    if (secs<10) { secs = '0' + secs; }
    return (mins + ':' + secs);
}

 

You would call the function like this

startTimer('5:30', document.cd.disp);

 

The start time can be a string or a number.

 

[galvin]

All I can say is THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!!! Works like a charm and I understand it better now as well. I don't know if you get paid to help newbies like me, but you should.  This site is amazing.