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

Posted by ori
ori
2,307 Points

Can you please check if my solution works?

I tried to solve the challenge before watching the video, and here is how I did it. Can you please let me know if I missed anything conceptually or if I should have done anything better (based on best standards)? Thanks so much.

var products = ["Banana", "Bread", "Apple", "Orange", "Cottage Cheese", "Egg"];
var productList = products.join(', ');

for (i = 0; i < products.length; i += 1) {
    var search = prompt("Search for a product in our store. Type 'list' to show all of the produce and 'quit' to exit.").toLowerCase();
    productSearch = products.indexOf(search);

    if (search === "list" ) {
        document.write(productList + "<br />");
    } else if (search === "quit") {
        document.write("Okay..." + "<br />");
    } else if (productSearch !== -1) {
        inStock = true;
        document.write("Yes, we have " + search + " in stock" + "<br />");
    } else {
        inStock = false;
        document.write(search + " is not in stock" + "<br />");
    }
}
Iain Simmons
Iain Simmons
Treehouse Moderator 32,305 Points

I added a code block around your code to make it easier to read.

2 Answers

Bradley Weston
PLUS
Bradley Weston
Courses Plus Student 360 Points
Bradley Weston
Bradley Weston
Courses Plus Student 360 Points

In future can you use Markdown syntax to add code tags around your code snippets to allow for readability. If you're on Chrome you can press F12 and in the console tab test your code in there.

Also you don't need to use the a new line to represent a new line the following works using escape sequences. http://www.delorie.com/gnu/docs/gawk/gawk_27.html

var myMultiLineComment = "my\n\rmultiline\n\rcomment";

But if you just want a HTML new line try wrapping your snippet in p tags.

ori
ori
2,307 Points

I'm trying to format the code but it's not working for me... Am I supposed to add the following?

<code>

</code>

huckleberry
huckleberry
14,636 Points
huckleberry
huckleberry
14,636 Points

ori, to make your code show up right you need to place three backticks <code>```</code> and then the name of the language that makes up the code. Then hit enter a couple of times. Paste/write your code. Hit enter a couple of times and then put 3 more backticks. Like so

so <code>```</code> javascript

your code here

end with <code>```</code>

Here's your code wrapped in the proper syntax for the forums code pasting. 

var products = ["Banana", "Bread", "Apple", "Orange", "Cottage Cheese", "Egg"]; 
var productList = products.join(', ');

for (i = 0; i < products.length; i += 1) { 
var search = prompt("Search for a product in our store. Type 'list' to show all of the produce and 'quit' to exit.").toLowerCase(); 
productSearch = products.indexOf(search);

if (search === "list" ) {
    document.write(productList + "<br />");
} else if (search === "quit") {
    document.write("Okay..." + "<br />");
} else if (productSearch !== -1) {
    inStock = true;
    document.write("Yes, we have " + search + " in stock" + "<br />");
} else {
    inStock = false;
    document.write(search + " is not in stock" + "<br />");
}
Iain Simmons
MOD
Iain Simmons
Treehouse Moderator 32,305 Points
Iain Simmons
Iain Simmons
Treehouse Moderator 32,305 Points

So, you've probably watched the video by now, but a few comments/suggestions:

First, because your list has capital letters and you're not converting them or the search term, the user would need to search with the exact same string, including the capital letters. i.e. banana or Cottage cheese would not work, or rather, would tell the user that they are not in stock. Dave uses a combination of a list of only lowercase products and converting the search term to lowercase to solve this.

Second, you have a few variables that you're not declaring before using. The first is the loop index variable i, the second is productSearch, and the last one is inStock, which you actually not even using for anything and therefore probably isn't required.

Third and probably most importantly, you're using a for loop, which will have a limited number of iterations or cycles before it finishes. In this case, the user only has 6 opportunities to search through or list the products before the loop finishes and no longer prompts them for a search term.

You'll need a while or do ... while loop instead, and need to use break if they enter quit.

Lastly, you're not really changing anything if the user tries to quit, you're just printing a different message. You can also use break in a for loop, but again, it's not the best loop for this scenario anyways.