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JavaScript JavaScript Loops, Arrays and Objects Tracking Data Using Objects The Student Record Search Challenge Solution

Posted by Bruce Kean
Bruce Kean
6,864 Points

My solution (with code blocks) to final challenge. Any feedback would be really appreciated.

Here is my solution to the final challenge. It seems to work but I'm new to JavaScript so don't know if it's best practice or not. Any feedback would be really appreciated. 

var students = [ 
  { 
   name: 'Dave',
    track: 'Front End Development',
    achievements: 158,
    points: 14730
  },
  {
    name: 'Jody',
    track: 'iOS Development with Swift',
    achievements: '175',
    points: '16375'
  },
  {
    name: 'Jody',
    track: 'PHP Development',
    achievements: '55',
    points: '2025'
  },
  {
    name: 'John',
    track: 'Learn WordPress',
    achievements: '40',
    points: '1950'
  },
  {
    name: 'Trish',
    track: 'Rails Development',
    achievements: '5',
    points: '350'
  }
];

var message = '';
var student;
var search;

function print(message) {
  var outputDiv = document.getElementById('output');
  outputDiv.innerHTML = message;
}

function getReport( student ){
  var report = '<h2>Student: ' + student.name + '</h2>';
  report += '<p>Track: ' + student.track + '</p>';
  report += '<p>Points: ' + student.points + '</p>';
  report += '<p>Achievements: ' + student.achievements + '</p>';
  return report;
}


while(true){

  search = prompt("Search for a student by name or type 'quit' to exit");

  if( search === null || search.toLowerCase() === 'quit' ){
    break;
  } else {
    print("<h2>There is no student by that name</h2>");
  }

  for (var i = 0; i < students.length; i += 1) {
    student = students[i];

    if( search === student.name ) {
      message += getReport( student );
      print(message);
      continue;
    } 
  }  
  message = ' ';
}

6 Answers

Chyno Deluxe
Chyno Deluxe
16,936 Points
Chyno Deluxe
Chyno Deluxe
16,936 Points

Great Job! My only suggestion would be to keep your student points and achievements consistent by keeping them as integers rather than strings of numbers.

var students = [ 
  { 
   name: 'Dave',
    track: 'Front End Development',
    achievements: 158,
    points: 14730
  },
  {
    name: 'Jody',
    track: 'iOS Development with Swift',
    achievements: 175,
    points: 16375
  },
  {
    name: 'Jody',
    track: 'PHP Development',
    achievements: 55,
    points: 2025
  },
  {
    name: 'John',
    track: 'Learn WordPress',
    achievements: 40,
    points: 1950
  },
  {
    name: 'Trish',
    track: 'Rails Development',
    achievements: 5,
    points: 350
  }
];
Bruce Kean
Bruce Kean
6,864 Points
Bruce Kean
Bruce Kean
6,864 Points

Thanks for the feedback. Hadn't realised I'd done that. Thanks for pointing it out :)

Muhammad Athar
Muhammad Athar
4,004 Points
Muhammad Athar
Muhammad Athar
4,004 Points

I am trying to understand how the continue keyword was able to help with the solution. Can you please explain the logic.

Bruce Kean
Bruce Kean
6,864 Points
Bruce Kean
Bruce Kean
6,864 Points

I've just checked and it actually needn't be there. I tried a few different solutions before landing on this one so probably left it there from a previous attempt. The amended solution is;

var message;
var student;
var search;

function print(message) {
  var outputDiv = document.getElementById('output');
  outputDiv.innerHTML = message;
}

function getReport( student ){
  var report = '<h2>Student: ' + student.name + '</h2>';
  report += '<p>Track: ' + student.track + '</p>';
  report += '<p>Points: ' + student.points + '</p>';
  report += '<p>Achievements: ' + student.achievements + '</p>';
  return report;
}

while(true){
  search = prompt("Search for a student by name or type 'quit' to exit");
  message = ' ';

  if( search === null || search.toLowerCase() === 'quit' ){
    break;
  } else {
    print("<h2>There is no student by that name</h2>");
  }

  for (var i = 0; i < students.length; i += 1) {
    student = students[i];

    if( search === student.name ) {
      message += getReport( student );
      print(message);
    } 
  }  
}
Yang Zou
Yang Zou
6,937 Points
Yang Zou
Yang Zou
6,937 Points

Hi Bruce, I've been looking at your code for a long time... and still don't understand why the 'else' comes before the for loop.

This is how I understand the code and I know I am wrong (!): if the searcher doesn't click 'cancel' (search === null) or type 'quit' (search.toLowerCase() === 'quit'), the sentence 'There is no student by that name' will be displayed straight away before the for loop runs.

Please can you help me understand your code... Many thanks!

Muhammad Athar
Muhammad Athar
4,004 Points
Muhammad Athar
Muhammad Athar
4,004 Points

I would also recommend you to add .toLowerCase() to search in the conditional statement inside the for loop.

Bruce Kean
Bruce Kean
6,864 Points
Bruce Kean
Bruce Kean
6,864 Points

Yeah I agree. Definitely better. Thanks :)