External Javascript File and Uncaught Reference Error

Question

I am trying to use Javascript code I wrote in a separate file with HTML. The code for the HTML document is as follows:

<!DOCTYPE html>

<html>


<a href="javascript:showAlert()">Show Alert!</a>


<script type="text/javascript" src="Users/Home/Documents/MyExternalScript.js">          </script>

</html>

and the Javascript file:

function showAlert(){

 alert("I am an alert box!");

}

The Javascipt code works perfectly well when put in the HTML file itself, but seperating it into a different file causes: an Uncaught Reference Error on showAlert().

I have double checked the path a dozen time and tried just removing the path and leaving the name as they are in the same directory. I have also tried removing the file extension... I've even tried adding the script tag and body above the anchor tag. Nothing works.

Could anyone please explain to me where I am going wrong?

markasoftware · Accepted Answer · 2014-05-15 01:06:23Z

2

You're using the wrong attribute. It should be <script type="text/javascript" src="URL-HERE">. You were putting source instead of src

answered May 15, 2014 at 1:06

markasoftware

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5 Comments

foobar5512 Over a year ago

Thanks for your response. I just changed to it src, and I'm still getting an Uncaught Reference Error

markasoftware Over a year ago

could you please update the code in the question then? Also make sure you wait a few seconds after the page loads before clicking the link to give the script time to load. Also, you should keep the script above the link to make sure it loads first.

foobar5512 Over a year ago

I figured it out. Apparently you have to add file://localhost before the path.

markasoftware Over a year ago

yeah, you also need the protocol and to have src

compid Over a year ago

Protocol is optional. The reason why the original src wasn't working was because of relative file paths. The browser was looking for the Users folder in the HTML file's folder. Adding a leading slash (/Users/Home/Documents/MyExternalScript.js) should also work.

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