JavaScript TypeError: cannot read property 'split' of undefined

Question

I am getting this typeError with split when I try to run this js. I am unsure of how to fix it, I defined it properly as shown in my textbook.

var current;
var string;

console.log("Enter words separated by spaces.");
prompt(string);

var array = [];
array = string.split(" ");

for(i = 0; i < array.length; i++)
    {
        var frequency = 0;
        current = array[i];
            for(i = 0; i < array.length; i++)
                {
                    if(current === array[i])
                        frequency++;
                }
        console.log(current + " - " + frequency);    
    }
}

When running properly the function should produce an output like so: hey - 1. It counts the frequency of each unique word and displays next to the word the amount of times it appears in the string. Any help would be greatly appreciated thank you.

`prompt(string)` will make no change to the value of `string`; it will remain `undefined`. — Pointy, Nov 10 '19 at 15:15
would the correction: `string = prompt("Enter words separated by spaces.");` fix that error? — slowbro46, Nov 10 '19 at 15:21

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Nov 10 '19 at 15:23

the main problem is that you were not reading string in from your prompt. I have stored the result as s in my example below.

Also you were using i again in your second for loop. Use another letter for this (the convention is j):

var current;
var string;
var s;

console.log("Enter words separated by spaces.");
s = prompt(string);

var array = [];
array = s.split(" ");

console.log(array);

for(i = 0; i < array.length; i++){
        var frequency = 0;
        current = array[i];
        
        for(j = 0; j < array.length; j++){
            if(current === array[j]) frequency++;
        }
                
        console.log(current + " - " + frequency);    
    }

I hope this helps.

Chris · Answer 2 · 2019-11-10T15:19:41.360

0

Instead of doing split, you can do .splice.

I believe this link is helpful.

However, first, you would have to search through the array for " ". You can implement this through string.search(" "), which returns where the " " is found.

Furthermore, your syntax for prompt is wrong, it should be:

var something = prompt("Enter words separated by spaces.");

edited Nov 10 '19 at 15:19

answered Nov 10 '19 at 15:16

Chris

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The value of `string` is still `undefined` however. – Pointy Nov 10 '19 at 15:18
I added on, to the prompt thingy – Chris Nov 10 '19 at 15:19

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Nov 10 '19 at 15:19

Just little mistakes:

store the prompt in string: string = prompt(string);
give second for loop another variable j, so i won't overwritten.

var current;
var string;

console.log("Enter words separated by spaces.");
string = prompt(string);

var array = [];
array = string.split(" ");

for (i = 0; i < array.length; i++) {
  var frequency = 0;
  current = array[i];
  for (j = 0; j < array.length; j++) {
    if (current === array[j])
      frequency++;
  }
  console.log(current + " - " + frequency);
}

JavaScript TypeError: cannot read property 'split' of undefined

3 Answers3