Question

I have the following Coffeescript in test.js

yo () -> console.log("yo")

When compiled via coffee -o public/javascripts/ -cw public/coffeescripts/, I get public/javascripts/test.js:

// Generated by CoffeeScript 1.4.0
(function() {
  var yo;

  yo = function() {
    return console.log('yo');
  };

}).call(this);

I’m trying to include this in the usual way in an HTML file:

<script src="/javascripts/test.js" type="text/javascript"></script>
<script type='text/javascript'>
  //<![CDATA[
  $(function() {
    alert('before yo');
    yo();
    alert('after yo');
  });
  //]]>
</script>

However I keep getting “Uncaught Reference Error: yo is not defined”. Whats the process for actually using the javascript generated by Coffeescript?

Answer 1

In your CoffeeScript file, yo is a local variable. It is not a global variable. If you want to use that variable from another JavaScript file or from JavaScript in the HTML file, then you will need to make yo a global variable.

You can do this in the CoffeeScript file like so:

yo = -> ...

# either
@yo = yo
# or
window.yo = yo