Setting a variable in a function

JavaScript
1

In the following code I do not understand why the score variable in the sc() function is not being reset to 0 each time a question is asked ? The code works properly but each time the sc function is invoked by the checkAnswer method why is score not reset to 0?

(function () {
    var Question = function (question, answers, correct) {
        this.question = question;
        this.answers = answers;
        this.correct = correct;
    };

    Question.prototype.displayQuestion = function () {
        console.log(this.question);

        for (i = 0; i < this.answers.length; i++) {
            console.log(i + ' : ' + this.answers[i]);
        }
    };

    Question.prototype.checkAnswer = function (ans, callback) {
        // var sc;

        if (ans === this.correct) {
            console.log('correct');
            sc = callback(true);
        } else {
            console.log('incorrect');
            sc = callback(false);
        }

        this.displayScore(sc);
    };

    Question.prototype.displayScore = function (score) {
        console.log('Your current score is :' + score);
        console.log('______________________________');
    };


    var q1 = new Question('Whats the best dog breed?', ['Staffy', 'Boxer', 'Pug'], 0);
    var q2 = new Question('Whats the best name?', ['Donna', 'Mary', 'Jane'], 0);
    var q3 = new Question('Whats the best city?', ['Sydney', 'Perth', 'Melbourne'], 1);

    var qArray = [q1, q2, q3];

    function sc() {
        var score = 0;
        return function (correct) {
            if (correct) {
                score++;
            }
            return score;
        }
    }

    var keepScore = sc();

    function askNextQuestion() {
        var randQuestion = [Math.floor(Math.random() * qArray.length)];
        qArray[randQuestion].displayQuestion();
        var askPlayer = prompt('What is the best answer? - enter the answer number');

        if (askPlayer != 'exit') {
            qArray[randQuestion].checkAnswer(parseInt(askPlayer), keepScore);
            askNextQuestion();
        }
    }

    askNextQuestion();

})();
2

var keepScore = sc();
You have called sc, which returns a function.
sc references a variable, score. This variable reference is then included in the return.
The return does not reset the value of score when it is called…

1 Like
3

Thanks I appreciate the insight - still getting my head around javascript function returns and referencing.
I assumed (wrongly) that when the sc function is invoked/executed from checkAnswer that it first assigns a value of 0 to var score (ie effectively resetting its value to 0) before returning the function being passed true or false for correct).
A lot to learn still …

4

checkAnswer doesn’t invoke sc. sc has already been invoked by keepScore, but what gets executed when you invoke keepScore (which is what checkAnswer actually does) is the return value from sc.

1 Like
5

Wow - the penny drops! REALLY appreciate that gem of an insight. Doing prep work for my 3rd semester of univ (web dev) and have not heard that fact regarding returns expressed before in all the tutorials I have been doing in javascript. Do you have a favorite book recommendation or other source of JS? Again that helps so much mate.

6

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