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0

137
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How can I chain functions asynchronously using JavaScript?

I was asked to create such an object called foo that can chain the function log and wait.

For example:

foo.log('breakfast').wait(3000).log('lunch').wait(3000).log('dinner');

In this scenario it prints breakfast first, waits 3 seconds, prints lunch, and then after 3 seconds it prints dinner.

I tried something like this, but it doesn't work. What did I miss?

var foo = {
  log: function(text){
    console.log(text);
    return foo;
  },

  wait: function(time) {
    setTimeout(function() {
      return foo;
    }, time);
  }
}

foo.log('breakfast').wait(3000).log('lunch').wait(3000).log('dinner');

over 4 years ago · Santiago Trujillo
5 answers
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0

It's always better to use promises. An implementation of this functionality could be;

class Foo {
  constructor(){
    this.promise = Promise.resolve();
  }
  log(txt){
    this.promise = this.promise.then(_ => console.log(txt))
    return this;
  }
  wait(ms){
    this.promise = this.promise.then(_ => new Promise(v => setTimeout(v,ms)));
    return this;
  }
}
  
  var foo = new Foo();
  foo.log("happy").wait(1000).log("new").wait(1000).log("year");

over 4 years ago · Santiago Trujillo Report

0

Place the call to wait inside the previous one, and as the last item, like a recursive function.

meals=['breakfast','elevenses','lunch','afternoon tea','dinner','supper'];
c=0;
wait=t=>{setTimeout(function() {
      if (c<meals.length) document.write(meals[c++],'<br>');wait(500);
    }, t);}

wait(500);

over 4 years ago · Santiago Trujillo Report

0

For the record, Redu's excellent answer without the class sugar.

See also

const foo = {
  promise: Promise.resolve(),
  log(txt) {
    this.promise.then(_ => console.log(txt));
    return this;
  },
  wait(ms) {
    this.promise = this.promise.then(_ => new Promise(v => setTimeout(v, ms)));
    return this;
  }
};

// OR
const Foo = (defaultMs = 1000) => {
  let promised = Promise.resolve();
  return {
    log(txt) {
      promised.then(_ => console.log(txt));
      return this;
    },
    wait: function(ms) {
      promised = promised.then( _=> 
        new Promise( rs => setTimeout(rs, ms || defaultMs) ) );
      return this;
    }
  };
};

foo.log("Happy").wait(1000).log("new").wait(1000).log("year");
Foo().wait(3000)
  .log(`** From Foo ;)`).log(`Happy`).wait().log("new").wait().log("year");

over 4 years ago · Santiago Trujillo Report

0

Shorter, within Promise (not recommended).

Promise.prototype.log = function(txt) {
    return this.then(() => console.log(txt))
}

Promise.prototype.wait = function(ms) {
    return this.then(() => new Promise(res => setTimeout(res, ms)))
}

var foo = Promise.resolve()
foo.log('breakfast').wait(3000).log('lunch').wait(3000).log('dinner')
over 4 years ago · Santiago Trujillo Report

0

You can do it without promises:

const foo = {
    log(text) {
        return {...foo, start: () => {
            this.start();
            console.log(text);
        }};
    },
    wait(time) {
        return {...foo, start: () => {
            setTimeout(this.start, time);
        }};
    },
    start() {}
};
foo.log('breakfast').wait(3000).log('lunch').wait(3000).log('dinner').start();
The functions foo.log() and foo.wait() return immediately, returning a modified clone of foo. A clone is made using {...foo}, but with the start() function modified so that it calls the caller's this.start() followed by the new operation. When the chain is complete you call start() to start the actions.

over 4 years ago · Santiago Trujillo Report
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