Running a javascript function in global scope

Question

In order to be GDPR compliant I wrapped all affiliate scripts on our webshop inside functions and add them to a job queue.

After the user accepts our privacy policy I run all queued jobs. I want to run them in global scope so all declared variables are accessible in global scope because some affiliate scripts are depending on global variables (I know that's ugly ;) ).

I know, I could rewrite all the javascript code and declare the varibales in global scope and wrap the rest of the code inside a function. But then I would need to edit a lot of external modules (we are running a magento webshop and use external modules for including the affiliate scripts)

my current approach:

var jobQueue = [];
var add = function (fn) {
    jobQueue.push(fn);
    console.log("function pushed to queue");
};
var execute = function () {
    while ((curJob = jobQueue.pop()) !== undefined) {
        curJob();
        console.log("executed job");
    }
};

my problem is that some external scripts are depending on the variables declared inside my jobs. Is there any possibility to run the functions like the code was run globally?

I already found something like this but I could not make it work: Javascript eval on global scope? (this does not work with functions)

eval.call(window, x, y, z)

If they are your functions, you can just declare the variables differently (not use var). But to be honest, I would get rid of any code that requires your variables to be global. — GolezTrol
– GolezTrol, Commented Apr 24, 2018 at 7:16
i do not like it too but i need this in order to get affiliate scripts working. i changet my code because of gdpr and declare / load the variables / scripts after the user accepts our privacy policy... however... the code which was run in global scope is now wrapped inside a function and called later... but when loading the external affiliate script it needs the variables in global scope — warch
– warch, Commented Apr 24, 2018 at 7:21
i guess you have many function using the same variables,so by putting the variables in global execution context,all function can access the variable ? — Biswadev
– Biswadev, Commented Apr 24, 2018 at 7:22
@ThumChoonTat i am wrapping all my affiliate script on my webside inside a function block and add them to my job queue ... when the user accepts the privacy policy (because of gdpr) i execute all my queued jobs — warch
– warch, Commented Apr 24, 2018 at 7:22

warch · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-24 08:12:13Z

3

I found a possible solution but it is ugly:

I save the body of the function (How to get function body text in JavaScript?) to a string and evaluate it in window scope

var execute = function () {
    while ((curJob = jobQueue.pop()) !== undefined) {
        var entire = curJob .toString(); 
        var body = entire.slice(entire.indexOf("{") + 1, entire.lastIndexOf("}"));
        eval.call(window, body);
        console.log("executed job");
    }
};

edited Apr 24, 2018 at 8:12

answered Apr 24, 2018 at 8:03

warch

2,6292 gold badges31 silver badges48 bronze badges

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

Comments

RicardoAgra · Accepted Answer · 2018-04-24 07:27:24Z

0

Variables in Javascript have 'function scope', meaning that if you declare a variable inside a function, it won't be accessible from outside that function. But when a variable doesn't exist inside a function, Javascript will look for that variable outside that function until it reaches the global object.

So variables declared in the global object are visible everywhere.

You can assign variables to the global scope just by declaring them in the global scope.

var pushing = "function pushed to queue";
var executed = "executed job";
var jobTitle = "... programing ...";

var jobQueue = [];
var add = function (fn) {
    jobQueue.push(fn);
    console.log( pushing );
};
var execute = function () {
    while ((curJob = jobQueue.pop()) !== undefined) {
        curJob();
        console.log( executed );
    }
};

// Lets add a Job
add( function(){ console.log( jobTitle ); } );

execute();

JS Bin

As you can see, the job added has access to the variable jobTitle that is declared in the global scope.

Hope it helps

answered Apr 24, 2018 at 7:27

RicardoAgra

6801 gold badge4 silver badges13 bronze badges

2 Comments

warch Over a year ago

thx for your answer but i do not want to edit all scripts on my website i am just wrapping all inlined affiliate scripts inside functions to run them at a different time (after the user accepts the privacy policy).... i know i could declare all variables needed in global scope manually but this would be too much effort because we are running multiple affiliate scripts rendered by some external modules (we are running a magento webshop)... i would need to edit all modules if i want to declare the variables in a different way

RicardoAgra Over a year ago

If you need to access variables declared in a function somewhere else, you'll need to store them in a shared scope. The point of using an iife is to prevent global definitions. What you can do is declare a single object in the global space and store all your variables there. It's what jQuery does with $()

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Running a javascript function in global scope

2 Answers 2

Comments

2 Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

Comments

2 Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related