Function to return variable from ajax call

Question

Im trying to make a function return a string from a ajax call.

This is my code:

function GetText(getThis) {  
    var current = GetMarketAndLang();  
    var dataToReturn = "Error";  
    $.get('inc/ajaxGetText.php', {lang : current.lang, market : current.market, name : getThis},  
        function(data){  
            dataToReturn = data;  
    });  
    return dataToReturn;  
}

Using firebug i can see that the ajax call is correct but the whole function still returns the text "Error" instead of "and". Why is that and what can i do?

Thanks.

Tatu Ulmanen · Accepted Answer · 2010-01-08 23:50:26Z

8

That is because of the asynchronous nature of the AJAX query – the function returns before the response is back. To solve this, you must use the full fledged $.ajax() function and set async to false:

function GetText(getThis) {  
    var current = GetMarketAndLang();  
    var dataToReturn = "Error";  

    $.ajax({
        url: 'inc/ajaxGetText.php',
        type: 'GET',
        async: false,
        success: function(data) {
            dataToReturn = data;
        }
    });

    return dataToReturn;
}

This forces the script to wait until the request has returned before the execution of the script can continue, thus, the variable is now the one returned from the AJAX call.

answered Jan 8, 2010 at 23:50

Tatu Ulmanen

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1 Comment

user1106925 Over a year ago

-1 While it may make the code work, this is almost never the proper solution.

David Hogue · Accepted Answer · 2010-01-08 23:51:10Z

3

That's because the AJAX call is asynchronous. Your

function(data){  
    dataToReturn = data;  
}

does not run until after the asynchronous AJAX call is completed. The return dataToReturn will actually execute before the callback function in the AJAX call.

The ideal way to do this would be to call the function that uses the dataToReturn from the callback.

Alternatively pass in a function to GetText to be executed when the AJAX call is complete.

answered Jan 8, 2010 at 23:51

David Hogue

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Comments

Justin Ethier · Accepted Answer · 2010-01-08 23:52:03Z

1

The ajax call is executing asynchronously, which is why "Error" is returned right away. To get the ajax results to return, you need to use $.ajax to do a synchronous GET.

answered Jan 8, 2010 at 23:52

Justin Ethier

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