Question

I was wondering how to extract data from a returned object via jQuery’s $.get() method. IE:

function dynamicData(file){
    var wantedData;
    var getObj = $.get(file);
    wantedData = getObj.complete(function(data){return data;});
    return wantedData;
}
$(window).load(function(){
     var newData = dynamicData('somefile');
     alert(newData);
});

I don’t want to just stick the data to some DOM as soon as it’s gotten the new data.

I get an object alerted, but how do I get data inside of it? I have no idea how the object structure is at this point since newData is an object, but newData[0] is null. Is this by chance some sort of mapped object with key:value pairs? or are we not allowed to do it this way?

Answer 1

Since $.get() is asynchronous, you’re calling your alert before the get returns any data.

A better approach would be:

function dynamicData(file,callback){
  $.get(file,function(data){
    callback(data);
  });
}

$(window).load(function(){
  dynamicData('somefile', alert);
});

which will alert(data) when it becomes available.