JS how to access variable outside it's function

Question

Here is my code:

var pickupdate;
$(function(){
  $.datepicker.setDefaults(
    $.extend( $.datepicker.regional[ '' ] )
  );
  $( '#pickupdate' ).datepicker( {
    dateFormat: 'yy-mm-dd',
    maxDate: "+3m",
    minDate: 0,
    onSelect: function() { 
      pickupdate = $(this).datepicker( 'getDate' ); 
      alert(pickupdate)
 }
  });
});
console.log(pickupdate)

The alert (within function) works while the console.log (outside function) shows pickupdate as undefined. What am I doing wrong?

It's not possible. Any code that needs a value (`'getDate'`) from an event (`onSelect`) has to also be bound to or called by that event (like the `alert()` is). — Jonathan Lonowski, Aug 31 '14 at 02:17
You may set the variable outside all functions and edit it within the scopes. — Max, Aug 31 '14 at 02:30

score 1 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 31 '14 at 02:11

When you do

$(function(){
    //Code here
});

You're basically binding that function to jQuery's document ready function, which is called after console.log(pickupdate) executes. The reason why it says pickupdate is undefined is because the onSelect function for the datepicker has not fired yet.

You could try encasing it in a function:

function LogValue() {
    console.log(pickupdate);
}

Then you could add that function as a click event to a button, and you'll see that when you change the datepicker value and click the button, it will log the correct value. Fiddle Here

JS how to access variable outside it's function

1 Answers1