Jquery self-call function loop

Question

I'm trying to check whether my self-calling jquery function did the job done but what happened is that the result keep multiplying on each self calling.

HTML

<span id="checkit"></span>

Javascript

$(function(){
    callme();
});

function callme(){
    $('#checkit').append("callme loaded<br />");
    setInterval("callme()", 5000);
}

Normally, here's my result for the codes.

onLoad.

callme loaded

5 seconds later

callme loaded <from previous
callme loaded

another 5 seconds later

callme loaded <from previous
callme loaded <from previous
callme loaded
callme loaded
callme loaded
callme loaded

Sorry for the crappy explanation. I've been thinking really hard why this stuffs happened. If anyone could explain what I did wrong, or the solution for this. Please help - This problem kept bugging me for days.

score 3 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 20 '11 at 02:39

3

Each time you call callme, you are creating a new interval that will call callme again. You can clear the previous interval using clearInterval or use setTimeout instead of setInterval.

function callme(){
    $('#checkit').append("callme loaded<br />");
    setTimeout(callme, 5000);
}

answered Oct 20 '11 at 02:39

Will

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thanks William, I'll be sure to remember the differences between setTimeout and setInterval. – datuamizan Oct 20 '11 at 14:37

N Rohler · Answer 2 · 2011-10-20T02:46:23.690

0

You need to check if the #checkit element has been created. And, you need to use a timeout (which only calls once) instead of an interval (which goes on and on):

function callme(){
   $('#checkit').append("callme loaded<br />");
   if (!document.getElementById('checkit'))
      setTimeout(callme, 5000);
}

Reference for learning: window.setTimeout

edited Oct 20 '11 at 02:46

answered Oct 20 '11 at 02:40

N Rohler

4,595
24
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1

Is there a good reason to pass `"callme()"` instead of `callme`? – fncomp Oct 20 '11 at 02:42
Stupid copy/paste mistake; fixed ;) – N Rohler Oct 20 '11 at 02:47
Yeah, I later noticed the OP had it in there. – fncomp Oct 20 '11 at 02:47

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 20 '11 at 02:40

0

setInterval is not setTimeout. You are not clearing the interval, so they are compounding.

answered Oct 20 '11 at 02:40

Joe

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Jquery self-call function loop

3 Answers3