Question

Let’s say for example that I have two functions with random code inside and also that based on the user’s system (slow, medium, or fast) there is no way to tell how long the two functions will take to complete, so the use of setTimeout is not practical when trying to fire function2 only after function1 is complete.

How can you use jQuery.deferred to make function2 fire only after function1 no matter what the time requirements are, and considering that both functions are 100% non-jQuery functions with no jQuery code inside them and therefore completely un-observable by jQuery? At the very most, the functions might include jQuery methods like .css() which do not have a time association and can run slower on old computers.

How do I assure that function2 is not executing at the same time as function1 if I call them like this:

function1(); function2();

using $.deferred? Any other answers besides those regarding $.deferred are also welcome!

ADDED March 20:
What if function1() is a lambda function where, depending on user input, the function may or may not have asynchronous calls and it is not possible to tell how many operations the function will do? It’d be a function where you wouldn’t have any clue as to what would happen next, but no matter what, you’d still want function2 to execute only after everything from the lambda function (function1) is done, no matter how long it takes but as long as the asynchronous aspects are completed. How can this be achieved?

ADDED March 22:
So I guess the only way to do what I’m asking is to pass anonymous functions as callbacks to asynchromous functions that execute the callbacks after they are done, or to create event listeners that will do execute what you want when the event is finally triggered.

There’s not really any way to just execute to asynchronous calls on two seperate lines and have them fire in order without manually constructing mechanisms (event handlers) within the frame containing the said functions to handle the actual execution of their actions.

A good example of these types of mechanisms would be jQuery’s .queue() method and $.Defferred object.

The answers below along with reading up on jQuery’s API on .queue()ing and using $.Deferred helped clarify this.

Tgr gave a great example below on how to create custom chainable functions using jQuery’s $.Deferred object, and the custom functions themselves don’t necessarily have to have any jQuery code inside them, which is exactly what I was looking for.

Answer 1

function first(deferred) {
    // do stuff
    deferred.resolve();
}
function second() {
    // do stuff
}

$.Deferred(first).then(second);

But as Tomalak pointed out, this is unnecessary, unless you do something very tricky in first (like utilising web workers).

Update:

The basic idea is that whenever you do something that is not immediate, you create a Deferred object, and return that. (jQuery’s AJAX calls already do this.) You can then use Deferred.then to delay follow-up operations.

function first() {
    var deferred = $.Deferred();
    var callback = function() {
        deferred.resolve();
    }
    // do immediate stuff
    someAsyncOperation(callback);
    return deferred.promise(); // turns the Deferred into a Promise, which
                               // means that resolve() will not be accessible
}

function second() {
    // do stuff
}

first().then(second); // or: $.when(first).then(second)

If second is also an asynchronous operation, you can use $.when‘s merging capabilities:

function second() {
    var anotherDeferred = $.Deferred();
    // do stuff with anotherDeferred
    return anotherDeferred.promise();
}

$.when(first(), second()).then(third); // third will run at the moment when 
                                   // both first and second are done