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JavaScript JavaScript Loops, Arrays and Objects Tracking Data Using Objects The Build an Object Challenge, Part 2 Solution

Jonathan Weinstein
Jonathan Weinstein
9,063 Points
Posted by Jonathan Weinstein
Jonathan Weinstein
9,063 Points

Can't figure out why only the first entry is appearing! Anyone see the error?

I'm trying to get all the students and their data to print out like it is for the first one. Anyone know why nothing else comes after that? Thanks!

var students=[
  {name: 'John',
   track: 'iOS',
   achievements: 7,
   points: 654
  },
  {name: 'Sara',
   track: 'Web Design',
   achievements: 34,
   points: 67
  },
  {name: 'Orlo',
   track: 'Front End Development',
   achievements: 35,
   points: 1048
  },
  {name: 'Patrick',
   track: 'Ruby',
   achievements: 66,
   points: 1236
  },
  {name: 'Jane',
   track: 'iOS',
   achievements: 45,
   points: 6689
  }
];

function html() {

  for (var i = 0; i < students.length; i +=1) {
    var entry = "<h2>Student: " + students[i].name + "</h2>";
    entry += "<p>Track: " + students[i].track + "</p>";
    entry += "<p>Achievements: " + students[i].achievements + "</p>";
    entry += "<p>Points: " + students[i].points + "</p>";
    return entry;
  }
}

document.write(html(students));

2 Answers

LaVaughn Haynes
LaVaughn Haynes
12,397 Points
LaVaughn Haynes
LaVaughn Haynes
12,397 Points

Your return statement is inside the loop so you return entry on the first iteration. You should also define your variable outside of the loop. Finally you you are passing students when you call html() but there is no argument for it in your function.

function html(students) {

  var entry = '';

  for (var i = 0; i < students.length; i +=1) {
    entry += "<h2>Student: " + students[i].name + "</h2>";
    entry += "<p>Track: " + students[i].track + "</p>";
    entry += "<p>Achievements: " + students[i].achievements + "</p>";
    entry += "<p>Points: " + students[i].points + "</p>";
  }

  return entry;

}
Leonardo Hernandez
Leonardo Hernandez
13,798 Points

Johnathan doesn't need to pass the parameter though right? The object 'students' is in scope. To make a function that prints object property values (on any object) the 'for in' loop could be a solution that would require a parameter.

LaVaughn Haynes
LaVaughn Haynes
12,397 Points
LaVaughn Haynes
LaVaughn Haynes
12,397 Points

You are correct. In this situation he does not need to pass students in. But if he wanted to have multiple student arrays (var thirdGrade = [{}], fourthGrade[{}];) it would make his function more reusable to pass it in and not use the global. Also if he decides not to pass in students then he could just call the function like this

document.write(html());
Jonathan Weinstein
Jonathan Weinstein
9,063 Points
Jonathan Weinstein
Jonathan Weinstein
9,063 Points

Hi LaVaughn, I added in your solution, but now instead of getting only the first entry, I get only the last entry! It seems like var entry is being rewritten each time it goes through the loop, not simply added to like what we want. Any thoughts on this?

LaVaughn Haynes
LaVaughn Haynes
12,397 Points
LaVaughn Haynes
LaVaughn Haynes
12,397 Points

See the example I posted above. It's because you defined the variable inside of the loop like this:

var entry = "<h2>Student: " + students[i].name + "</h2>";

move the var entry part outside of the loop and just concatenate the string inside the loop like this:

  var entry = '';

  for (var i = 0; i < students.length; i +=1) {
    // use "+= " not "=" inside the loop
    entry += "<h2>Student: " + students[i].name + "</h2>";
    ...
  }

you are erasing the contents of your var on each iteration

Leonardo Hernandez
Leonardo Hernandez
13,798 Points
Leonardo Hernandez
Leonardo Hernandez
13,798 Points

The problem has to do with your loop and the return in the loop. The reserved word 'return' causes the loop to stop on the the first iteration and you only get John.

Jonathan Weinstein
Jonathan Weinstein
9,063 Points
Jonathan Weinstein
Jonathan Weinstein
9,063 Points

Thanks! I moved the return statement to outside the loop, but, as I just noted above, now I get only the last entry instead of the first...