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JavaScript JavaScript Loops, Arrays and Objects Tracking Multiple Items with Arrays Useful Array Methods

Posted by Sam Begdouri
Sam Begdouri
2,328 Points

11 {'s. Am I counting this correctly?

Following along with this lesson, my code isn't working. According to jslint, I have a missing {, but I am not sure where it is supposed to be.

Did the teacher get it wrong? Did I get it wrong? Id he got it wrong, how did his code still work?

var inStock = [ 'apples', 'eggs', 'milk', 'cookies', 'cheese', 'bread', 'lettuce', 'carrot', 'broccoli', 'pizza', 'potato', 'crackers', 'onion', 'tofu', 'frozen dinner', 'cucumber'];
var search;

function print(message) {
  document.write( '<p>' + message + '</p>');
}

while (true) {
 search = prompt("Search for a product in our store. Type 'list' to show all of the produce and 'quit' to exit.");
  search = search.toLowerCase();

  if(search === 'quit') {
  break;
  } else if (search === 'list') {
     print(inStock.join(", ") );

  }  else {
    if (inStock.indexOf( search ) > -1) {
    print("Yes, we have " + search + " in the store.");
  } else  {
    print( search + " is not available.");
      }
}

3 Answers

Gunhoo Yoon
Gunhoo Yoon
5,027 Points
Gunhoo Yoon
Gunhoo Yoon
5,027 Points

Edit: I reformatted the code for better readability as Josh Olson mentioned. However, you should note that two space indent is still acceptable just be consistent with it. If you intend to use JSLint a lot stick with 4 space indent.

The problem is unclosed while statement. Fix your indentation and you will start to see the mistake.

var inStock = [
    'apples', 'eggs', 'milk',
    'cookies', 'cheese', 'bread',
    'lettuce', 'carrot', 'broccoli',
    'pizza', 'potato', 'crackers',
    'onion', 'tofu', 'frozen dinner',
    'cucumber'
];
var search;

function print(message) {
    document.write('<p>' + message + '</p>');
}

while (true) {
    search = prompt("Search for a product in our store. Type 'list' to show all of the produce and 'quit' to exit.");
    search = search.toLowerCase();

    if (search === 'quit') {
        break;
    } else if (search === 'list') {
        print(inStock.join(", "));
    } else {
        if (inStock.indexOf(search) > -1) {
            print("Yes, we have " + search + " in the store.");
        } else {
            print(search + " is not available.");
        }
    } // You missed this extra bracket. which closes top level else statement.
}
Gunhoo Yoon
Gunhoo Yoon
5,027 Points
Gunhoo Yoon
Gunhoo Yoon
5,027 Points

Well comment on OP not me. All it does to this code is to have 4 space indent level.

Quantice Appleton
Quantice Appleton
2,775 Points
Quantice Appleton
Quantice Appleton
2,775 Points

Thanks for this input. I was having the same problem when I discovered that I had a missing closing bracket. I followed along with the teacher exactly as well so I am not sure how I got this wrong but the coding would not work until I added the missing closing bracket.

Ben Ragsdale
Ben Ragsdale
14,187 Points
Ben Ragsdale
Ben Ragsdale
14,187 Points

I think it's the second 'else if'. You write:

else { if (....)

It should be

else if (...) {...}

Gunhoo Yoon
Gunhoo Yoon
5,027 Points
Gunhoo Yoon
Gunhoo Yoon
5,027 Points

Just because the code looks like else { if () {}} it doesn't mean it's typo of else if () {}. They are different logic.

Ted Sumner
PLUS
Ted Sumner
Courses Plus Student 17,967 Points
Ted Sumner
Ted Sumner
Courses Plus Student 17,967 Points

else if and else { if have two different meanings. With else if, you only execute the following code if the condition is met. In the else { if code, the else statement always runs. In the code above, there is an error using the else { if because the final else will never run. Once you hit the first else, the conditional ends.

There is no elseif in JavaScript.

Gunhoo Yoon
Gunhoo Yoon
5,027 Points
Gunhoo Yoon
Gunhoo Yoon
5,027 Points

Sorry but else if does exist in JavaScript and evidence is plenty.. For example, your link. He just wanted another control flow for else statement.

Ted Sumner
Ted Sumner
Courses Plus Student 17,967 Points

You are correct that else space if does exist as we both stated. If you look at my link to MDN on JavaScript you will see that they clearly say elseif (no space) does not exist in JavaScript. The two have distinctly different meanings in languages where elseif exists like PHP.