Random Text with Javascript

Question

I'm trying to output a random word into a specific html element. I'm almost there - but I think I'm messing up the part which prints the text...

Can anyone give me a tip as to where I'm going wrong ?

var txtGreeting = 10;
var randomCount = Math.round(Math.random() * (txtGreeting - 1)) + 1;
var greeting = new Array();
greeting[1] = "hello",
greeting[2] = "ciao",
greeting[3] = "welcome",
greeting[4] = "howdy",
greeting[5] = "greetings",
greeting[6] = "salut",
greeting[7] = "hallo",
greeting[8] = "hola",
greeting[9] = "Gday",
greeting[10] = "Hey",

document.getElementById("title").html = "greeting[randomCount]";

Try .innerHTML ;) So close! There's also some minor issues with your syntax for instance those ,s should be ;s. — Niet the Dark Absol
– Niet the Dark Absol, Commented May 12, 2014 at 22:45
adding to what @NiettheDarkAbsol said, you also don't need the "greeting[randomCount]" bit wrapped in quotes, since that will be interpreted as a literal string of text. — lemieuxster
– lemieuxster, Commented May 12, 2014 at 22:46
you know that you can separate variable declarations by commas, right? The way he has it isn't exactly correct...but barring that, it's pretty acceptable. like: var a =1, b =2, c =3, d = 4; — deweyredman
– deweyredman, Commented May 12, 2014 at 22:46
Stop using new Array!!! And the way you are using it is wrong: 1. It should be new Array() 2: An array starts at 0, not 1. — Derek 朕會功夫
– Derek 朕會功夫, Commented May 12, 2014 at 22:48

Niet the Dark Absol · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-12 22:49:32Z

6

I'm just going to tidy up your code for you. What you've written was a great attempt!

var greetings = [
      "hello"
    , "ciao"
    , "welcome"
    , "howdy"
    , "greetings"
    , "salut"
    , "hallo"
    , "hola"
    , "Gday"
    , "Hey"
];
var greeting_id = Math.floor(Math.random() * greetings.length);
document.getElementById('title').innerHTML = greetings[greeting_id];

This uses an array literal, a "proper" zero-based array (makes picking a random index easier), dynamic .length property so you don't have to rewrite code just because you want to add a new greeting, and finally .innerHTML instead of just .html.

answered May 12, 2014 at 22:49

Niet the Dark Absol

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2 Comments

Xotic750 Over a year ago

I understand why people use "comma-left" with array literals, but I find it so darn ugly! :)

Niet the Dark Absol Over a year ago

@Xotic750 Haha! Me too, but that's how it's done at work, so sometimes I just reflexively do it... I've become one of them! Save me!

Alen Zarkovic · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-12 22:49:01Z

-1

just put "greeting[randomCount]" out of quotes and it should be fine.

answered May 12, 2014 at 22:49

Alen Zarkovic

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1 Comment

tomysshadow Over a year ago

Incorrect. .html is not a native Javascript function, so it will not work. (it is JQuery based)

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