Access a file with javascript

Question

I have seen several examples of how to load a file with javascript, however most of those examples use the data from the file to display it in a html.

I need to keep accessing a file since the file keeps updating and use those values in javascript as variables.

I got the closest with this,

function test() {

    $().ready(function(){ 
        var url = 'output.txt';
        $.get(url, function(data) {
            // can use 'data' in here...
            console.log(data);
        });
    });
}

It logs document to the console and I can collapse that.

There is really a lot of stuff (to much to list here). I only don't know in what kind of format it needs the data to be or how to access it. I do see stuff about xml-stylesheet, so can i even use this?

Changing the way I write the file is no problem for me.

json would be the easiest to parse, as the file keeps changing would wrapping the $.get... in a loop work? — T I
– T I, Commented Dec 29, 2011 at 20:19

gen_Eric · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-29 20:35:07Z

3

I suggest using a JSON file. For example:

{
  username: "Rocket",
  realname: "Eric",
  age: 23
}

To read this, you can use jQuery's $.getJSON method.

$.getJSON('/path/to/your/file.json', function(data){
    var username = data.username;
});

You can also use XML, though I suggest using JSON (it's easier to get the data from it).

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<item> <!-- XML needs a root element -->
  <username>Rocket</username>
  <realname>Eric</realname>
  <age>23</age>
</item>

jQuery doesn't have a $.getXML method, so we have to use $.get.

$.get('/path/to/your/file.xml', function(data){
    var username =  $('item', data).find('username').text();
}, 'xml');

edited Dec 29, 2011 at 20:35

answered Dec 29, 2011 at 20:16

gen_Eric

228k42 gold badges304 silver badges343 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

Comments

khollenbeck · Accepted Answer · 2011-12-29 20:07:33Z

0

Try using the Jquery GetJson method: Something like this. May need some tweaking.

$.ajax({
  url: 'http://www.yourfile.html',
  dataType: 'json',
  data: data,
  success: function(data){

  $('#yourdiv').html(data);

  }
});

answered Dec 29, 2011 at 20:07

khollenbeck

16.2k18 gold badges68 silver badges102 bronze badges

1 Comment

gen_Eric Over a year ago

Setting the HTML to the JSON data isn't going to do anything useful. Depending on the JSON, you'd want something like data.html or whatever.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Access a file with javascript

2 Answers 2

Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Comments

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related