Welcome to the Treehouse Community

Want to collaborate on code errors? Have bugs you need feedback on? Looking for an extra set of eyes on your latest project? Get support with fellow developers, designers, and programmers of all backgrounds and skill levels here with the Treehouse Community! While you're at it, check out some resources Treehouse students have shared here.

Looking to learn something new?

Treehouse offers a seven day free trial for new students. Get access to thousands of hours of content and join thousands of Treehouse students and alumni in the community today.

Start your free trial

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

Kai-Ting Lin
Kai-Ting Lin
5,712 Points

Can't figure out why do I get a repeated "Sorry, we don't find xxx in the list". Thanks for help :-)

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

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


function getStudentReport( 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 student records: type a name[Jody](or type β€˜quit’ to end)");
   if (search === null || search.toLowerCase() === 'quit') {
      break;
   }  
   else{
      print("Sorry, we don't find " + search + " in the list.");
   }

   for (var i = 0; i < students.length; i += 1) {
        student = students[i];
        if(search === student.name) {
          message = getStudentReport( student );
          print(message);
        } 
   }
}

1 Answer

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,007 Points

Look closely at the test you apply to the user input:

   if (search === null || search.toLowerCase() === 'quit') {
      break;
   }  
   else {
      print("Sorry, we don't find " + search + " in the list.");
   }

An "if...else" always does one of two things. As you have constructed it, if the input is empty or the word "quit", you break out of the loop.

:point_right: In all other cases ("else"), you print the "Sorry..." message.

You probably want to restructure the code so the loop that checks the input against student names occurs first, and the "Sorry..." message is only printed when nothing is found.

Kai-Ting Lin
Kai-Ting Lin
5,712 Points

Ah... I see, that's why even I have Jody in the student list it still gets printed out. Thanks a lot for the answer :-)