frustration with the if() statement

[jason_kelly]

Hi there,

I need your help

There must be a cleaner, clever and neater way than attempting to do what I am doing. I am trying to basically compare vars in a function to do different things when values are either specified or not:

function test() {

var reqtype = "REQUEST"
	reqtype = reqtype.length
	
var doctype = "DOCUMENT"
	doctype = doctype.length
	
var status = "ACTIVE"
	status = status.length
	
var routing = "MAIL"
	routing = routing.length

if 		(status > 0 && routing > 0) 								{ alert("all 2a groups") }
if 		(reqtype > 0 && routing > 0) 								{ alert("all 2b groups") }

if 		(reqtype > 0 && status > 0 && doctype > 0 && routing > 0)	{ alert("all 4 groups") }
else if (reqtype > 0 && status > 0 && doctype > 0)					{ alert("all 3a groups") }

if 		(reqtype > 0 && status > 0 && routing > 0)					{ alert("all 3b groups") }

}//end of function

With the current set of values given in the vars, it seems to set off everything else. How can I get the only line:

if 		(reqtype > 0 && status > 0 && doctype > 0 && routing > 0)	{ alert("all 4 groups") }

to trigger and not the rest?

Much thanks and appreciation for all your help.

Jay

[Richter]

Hi Kelly,
Longest condition first and the shortest last, try to use "switch" then "if" when you have multi condition(more then 3); other then this, I leave it up to you to develop your own style

	switch(true){
		case  reqtype > 0 && status > 0 && doctype > 0 && routing > 0:
			alert("all 4 groups") ;
		break;
		case reqtype > 0 && status > 0 && doctype:
			alert("all 3a groups") ;
		break;
		case reqtype > 0 && status > 0 && routing:
			alert("all 3b groups") ;
		break;
		case reqtype > 0 && routing > 0:
			alert("all 2b groups");
		break;
		case status > 0 && routing > 0:
			alert("all 2a groups") ;
		break;
	}

[DrDOS]

Something else you can do to simplify coding is to set flags and unset them if a condition fails.

[Hashim1]

Originally Posted by jason_kelly

Hi there,

I need your help

There must be a cleaner, clever and neater way than attempting to do what I am doing. I am trying to basically compare vars in a function to do different things when values are either specified or not:

function test() {

var reqtype = "REQUEST"
    reqtype = reqtype.length
    
var doctype = "DOCUMENT"
    doctype = doctype.length
    
var status = "ACTIVE"
    status = status.length
    
var routing = "MAIL"
    routing = routing.length

if         (status > 0 && routing > 0)                                 { alert("all 2a groups") }
if         (reqtype > 0 && routing > 0)                                 { alert("all 2b groups") }

if         (reqtype > 0 && status > 0 && doctype > 0 && routing > 0)    { alert("all 4 groups") }
else if (reqtype > 0 && status > 0 && doctype > 0)                    { alert("all 3a groups") }

if         (reqtype > 0 && status > 0 && routing > 0)                    { alert("all 3b groups") }

}//end of function

With the current set of values given in the vars, it seems to set off everything else. How can I get the only line:

if         (reqtype > 0 && status > 0 && doctype > 0 && routing > 0)    { alert("all 4 groups") }

to trigger and not the rest?

Much thanks and appreciation for all your help.

Jay

I'm a bit confused as to what you're trying to do here. Could you explain in a bit more detail, what you want your script to do and how you want it to behave? If I have a clear idea of what you want to do, I may be able to help you.

[jmrker]

I don't think you are checking what you think you are.
For example:

<script type="text/javascript">
var reqtype = "REQUEST"
	reqtype = reqtype.length
	
var doctype = "DOCUMENT"
	doctype = doctype.length

alert(reqtype+'\n'+doctype);

</script>

The alert will always return 7 and 8 because that's the length of the variable strings
before they are turned into numbers with the .length command

The 'if ...' test will not change the results.

Also, for what it's worth, if you are after the length of the string you could just as easily do this in one step...

<script type="text/javascript">
var reqtype = "REQUEST".length
	
var doctype = "DOCUMENT".length

alert(reqtype+'\n'+doctype);

</script>

[jason_kelly]

Thanks very much Richter!

I didn't think of ever using the switch / case method.

But it works the best as I adjust the variables accordingly.

Simply flawless.

Thank you too to the many others who have helped me.

Cheers and have an awesome day!

Jay