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

Posted by Rafael Capati
Rafael Capati
10,725 Points

My solution to the final challenge

Hey guys, what you can say about my code? It's pretty straight, but seems to be working.

var message = ""; // The final message to display
var student; // The actual student
var choice; // Store the user input

// Print the message into the DOM
function print(text) {
  var outputDiv = document.getElementById("output");
  outputDiv.innerHTML = text;
}

// Loop through the objects of students (matches found)
function getStudentReport(studentFound) {
  var report = "";
  for (var i = 0; i < studentFound.length; i++) {
    report += "<h2>Student: " + studentFound[i].name + "</h2>";
    report += "<p>Track: " + studentFound[i].track + "</p>";
    report += "<p>Badges: " + studentFound[i].badges + "</p>";
    report += "<p>Points: " + studentFound[i].points + "</p>";
  }
  return report;
}

while(true) {
  choice = prompt("Type the student name. or \"quit\" to close.");
  if (choice === null || choice.toLowerCase() === "quit") {
    break;
  } else {
    choice = choice.toLowerCase();
    var contain = false; // The choice is really a student name?
    var found = []; // Array to store the matches found
    for (var i = 0; i < students.length; i++) {
      student = students[i];
      if (student.name.toLowerCase() === choice) {
        contain = true; // A student was found
        found.push(student); // Add the student (object) to the array of matches
      }
    }
    if (!contain) { // If no student was found...
      alert("Could not find the student: " + choice);
    } else {
      // Otherwise, print the student information
      message = getStudentReport(found);
      print(message);
    }
  }
}

3 Answers

Iain Simmons
Iain Simmons
Treehouse Moderator 32,305 Points

Works great! Just note that you don't necessarily need the variable contain, you can just check if the length of the found array is greater than 0.

My solution was similar:

var html = '';

function print(nodeID, message) {
  document.getElementById(nodeID).innerHTML = message;
}

function buildDefinitionList(obj) {
  var prop;
  var dListHTML = '<dl>';
  for (prop in obj) {
    dListHTML += '<dt>' + prop.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + prop.slice(1) + '</dt>';
    dListHTML += '<dd>' + obj[prop] + '</dd>';
  }
  dListHTML += '</dl>';
  return dListHTML;
}

function buildStudentList(list) {
  var i;
  var uListHTML = '<ul>';
  for (i = 0; i < list.length; i++) {
    uListHTML += '<li>' + buildDefinitionList(list[i]) + '</li>';
  }
  uListHTML += '</ul>';
  return uListHTML;
}

function getMatchingStudents(list) {
  var query;
  var i;
  var resultList;
  // keep looping until the user quits
  while(true) {
    // reset the result list
    resultList = [];
    // prompt and convert to lowercase
    query = prompt("Search student records: type a name [Iain] (or type 'quit' to end)");
    // check if they want to quit
    if (query === null || query.toLowerCase() === 'quit') {
      break;
    }
    // loop through students and check if the name contains the search query
    for (i = 0; i < list.length; i++) {
      if (list[i].name.toLowerCase().indexOf(query.toLowerCase()) > -1) {
        // if so, push to the result list
        resultList.push(list[i]);
      }
    }    
    // if there are results
    if (resultList.length > 0) {
      // build the list of matching students
      html = buildStudentList(resultList);
    } else {
      // otherwise print a friendly not found message
      html = '<p>Sorry, there are no students matching that name</p>';
    }    
    // print html to output div
    print('output', html);
  }
}

getMatchingStudents(students);
Rafael Capati
Rafael Capati
10,725 Points

Thanks to post your solution, variable contain you are dismissed!

Rishit Shah
Rishit Shah
4,975 Points
Rishit Shah
Rishit Shah
4,975 Points

Works fine. Were you able to figure out the code to sort the problem of two students having same name?. I am having a tough time figuring it out

Rafael Capati
Rafael Capati
10,725 Points

Hey Rishit Shah, maybe I can help you. I edited my code with some comments, I think it's more clear now.

You just need to create a new array to add the matches found:

var found = [];

If a match was found, add the whole object to that array, using the push method:

found.push(student);

After that you have to loop through the objects in that array to display the information.

for (var i = 0; i < studentFound.length; i++) {
    report += "<h2>Student: " + studentFound[i].name + "</h2>";
    report += "<p>Track: " + studentFound[i].track + "</p>";
    report += "<p>Badges: " + studentFound[i].badges + "</p>";
    report += "<p>Points: " + studentFound[i].points + "</p>";
  }
Rishit Shah
Rishit Shah
4,975 Points
Rishit Shah
Rishit Shah
4,975 Points

Got it. Thanks a lot