Unexpected Type Error - Javascript, multidimensional arrays

Question

I'm learning to code Javascript. I'm trying to create a random quote generator. The idea is that I have a method that creates a multidimensional array, with each element array having a quote and the author's name. This method returns the multidimensional array.

I assign this returned multidimensional array to a variable and pick a random element array. It gives me an "Unexpected Type Error" in the console.

    <script>
   var colors = ['#16a085', '#27ae60', '#2c3e50', '#f39c12', '#e74c3c', '#9b59b6',
                  '#FB6964', '#342224', '#472E32', '#BDBB99', '#77B1A9', '#73A857'];

   console.log("Hi!");

   function getQuote(){
      var quotesAndAuthors =
      [
         ['But suicides have a special language. Like carpenters, they want to know "which tools", they never ask "why build"', "Anne Sexton"],
         ['Here is the world. Beautiful and terrible things will happen. Dont be afraid', 'Frederick Buechner'],
         ['All grown-ups were once children, but only a few of them remember it', 'Alexander de Saint-Exupery'],
         ['It was love at first sight, at last sight, at ever ever sight', 'Vladimir Nabokov'],
         ['A paradise the color of hell flames, but a paradise nonetheless', 'Vladimir Nabokov'],
         ['There is nothing like the deep breaths after laughing that hard. Nothing in the world like a sore stomach for the right reasons','Stephen Chbosky'],
         ['And then suddenly, something is over','Louise Gluck'],
         ['Adventure is out there!', 'Up (Pixar)'],
         ['The strong do what they can, and the weak suffer what the must', 'Thucydides'],
         ['But who prays for Satan? Who, in eighteen centuries, has had the common humanity to pray for the one sinner that needed it most?', 'Mark Twain'],
         ['I stopped explaining myself when I realized people only understand from their level of perception', 'Unknown'],
         ['Unexpressed emotions will never die. They are buried alive and will come forth in uglier ways', 'Sigmund Freud'],
         ['Genius might be the ability to say a profound thing in a simple way', 'Charles Bukowski']
      ];
      return quotesAndAuthors;
   }

   function generate(){
      var pickColor = Math.floor(Math.random * colors.length);

      $('html body').animate({
         backgroundColor: colors[pickColor]
      }, 1000);

      $('#text #author').animate({
         color: colors[pickColor]
      }, 500);

      $('.buttons').animate({
         backgroundColor: colors[pickColor]
      },500);



      var quotes = getQuote();
      var n = Math.floor(Math.random * quotes.length);
      var quoteText = quotes[n][0];
      var quoteAuthor = quotes[n][1];

      $('#text').text(quoteText);
      $('#author').text(quoteAuthor);
   }

   $(document).ready(function(){
      generate();
      alert("Testing");
      $('#quoteButton').on('click', generate());
   });

</script>

Also, suggestions on how to store quotes more effectively would be appreciated.

Shwetha · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-24 09:20:13Z

1

random is a function and not a property. You should use paranthesis like

var n = Math.floor(Math.random() * quotes.length);

Also while adding event listeners, you should not use paranthesis, as this will call the method before even click event. Just give the function name.

$('#quoteButton').on('click', generate);

Also it's better to use arrary of objects in your case as below:

var quotesAndAuthors = [
      {
        "quote" : "But suicides have a special language",
        "athour" : "Anne Sexton"
      },
      {
        "quote" : "All grown-ups were once children",
        "athour" : "Alexander de Saint-Exupery"
      }

      ];

And you can access the quote as below using either of the method:

console.log(quotesAndAuthors[0]["quote"]);
console.log(quotesAndAuthors[0].quote);

edited Feb 24, 2016 at 9:20

answered Feb 24, 2016 at 9:12

Shwetha

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1 Comment

nnnnnn Over a year ago

"random is a function and not a property." - Isn't it a property that refers to a function? Aren't all object methods basically just properties that refer to functions?

the · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-24 09:12:39Z

1

.random is not a property of the Math object. Math.random() is a method.

answered Feb 24, 2016 at 9:12

the

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Comments

Idos · Accepted Answer · 2016-02-24 10:04:38Z

1

You wanted to call Math.random() because that's a function (note the parenthesis). That was generating your error.

edited Feb 24, 2016 at 10:04

answered Feb 24, 2016 at 8:59

Idos

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