Question

-Update-

found answer here: json, rails, parse error in javascript

also, see iltempo’s answer below (thanks iltempo)

JSON / GOOGLE MAPS

PlacesController, index respond_to block

    format.json { render json: @places }    

places.js.erb (/assets)

    var markersArray = <%= @places.to_json %>;
    addMarkerArray(markersArray);

    function addMarkerArray(markersArray) {
        for(var i = 0; i < markersArray.length; i++) {
            var lt = markersArray[i].latitude;
            var lg = markersArray[i].longitude;
            ...
            ...
        }
    )

Firebug Error

    TypeError: markersArray is null 
    " for(var i = 0; i < markersArray.length; i++) { "  

Answer 1

You are not able to access the ERB template variable @places in a Javascript file placed in assets/. Instead call the function addMarkerArray() with the return value of the AJAX call you do to get the places data.