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JavaScript JavaScript Loops, Arrays and Objects Tracking Multiple Items with Arrays Using For Loops with Arrays

Josh Bennett
Josh Bennett
15,258 Points
Posted by Josh Bennett
Josh Bennett
15,258 Points

It is only printing the last item in the array.

My code looks the same as in the video, I think. I've checked it repeatedly but...no dice.

Here's my code

var playList = [
  'I Did It My Way',
  'Respect',
  'Imagine',
  'Born to Run',
  'Louie Louie',
  'Maybellene'
];

function print(message) {
  document.write(message);
}


function printList ( list ) {
    var listHTML = '<ol>';
    for ( var i = 0; i < list.length; i += 1 ) {
      listHTML = '<li>' + list[i] + '</li>';
    }
    listHTML += '</ol>';
    print(listHTML);
}

printList(playList)
Austin Whipple
Austin Whipple
29,725 Points
Austin Whipple
Austin Whipple
29,725 Points

Hey Josh, I updated your question with some code block markup. Helps readability a bit.

Julie Myers
Julie Myers
7,627 Points
Julie Myers
Julie Myers
7,627 Points

Here is the coding that works. The main issue is you were missing the plus operator after listHTML inside the for loop. 

var playList = [
  'I Did It My Way',
  'Respect',
  'Imagine',
  'Born to Run',
  'Louie Louie',
  'Maybellene'
];

function print(message) {
   console.log(message);
}


function printList (list) {
    var listHTML = '<ol>';
    for (var i = 0; i < list.length; i++) {
      listHTML += '<li>' + list[i] + '</li>';
    }
    listHTML += '</ol>';
    print(listHTML);
}

printList(playList);

3 Answers

akak
akak
29,445 Points
akak
akak
29,445 Points

You forgot a plus sign in your loop: 

for ( var i = 0; i < list.length; i += 1 ) {
      listHTML = '<li>' + list[i] + '</li>'; // it should be listHTML +='<li> ...rest of the code
    }

Without it you were constantly overriding previous value and that's why only the last one is printed out. Cheers.

Austin Whipple
Austin Whipple
29,725 Points
Austin Whipple
Austin Whipple
29,725 Points

So your code looks like it should run fine except for the missing semicolon at the end of the last line. Check out this other Community conversation about a similar issue. Might help.