Global variable troubles (Calling Variables Declared in Another Unit) in javascript

[royd]

I have successfully used "//USEUNIT" method of calling functions and variables in the past.  I am trying to use "module.exports" method and can not figure out how  to make it work. Here is what I have -

The source unit:

//Patinet_Information
var nameOfPatient;
function patientStat(){
   ...
  nameOfPatient = page.FindChild("idStr", "patientName", 10).contentText;
   ...
 }

 module.exports.nameOfPatient;

The destination unit:

var patientInfo = require("Patinet_Information");
function createPatient(){
    ...
  let pName = page.FindChildByXPath("//input[@id='userName']");;
  pName.SetText(nameOfPatient);
}

I have also tried 

  pName.SetText(patientInfo.nameOfPatient);

did not work ("nameOfPatient is undefined").

Thanks in advance for any help.

Dave

[cunderw]

The first thing I see is that 

module.exports.nameOfPatient;

should be 

module.exports.nameOfPatient = nameOfPatient;

You have to specify what the export is referencing.  

[royd]

Thank you. I will try that and report it when I get a chance.

[royd]

Hi cunderw

This morning corrected and tried your suggestion. I also realized that I missed a few things as well, so here is what I did -

//Patinet_Information
var nameOfPatient;
function patientStat(){
 ...
 nameOfPatient = page.FindChild("idStr", "patientName", 10).contentText;
 ...
 }

 //module.exports.patientStat = patientStat;
 module.exports.nameOfPatient = nameOfPatient;

and ...

 var Patinet_Information = require("Patinet_Information");
function createPatient(){
 ...
 let pName = page.FindChildByXPath("//input[@id='userName']");;
 pName.SetText(Patinet_Information.nameOfPatient);
}

  I am still getting nameOfPatinet 'undefined'.

[cunderw · Accepted solution]

Ah, I forgot the Javascript scope can be a little weird. You won't actually be able to reference that var directly without it being a const. 

So you could approach it two different ways:

let fooString = ""

function setFooString(){
 
 fooString = "Test";
 
}

function getFooString() {
  
  return fooString;
}

module.exports.setFooString = setFooString;
module.exports.getFooString = getFooString;

// bar file

let foo = require("foo");

function barFunction() { 
  foo.setFooString();
  ShowMessage(foo.getFooString());
}

Or you could do a const object like this:

// foo file
const info = {
  fooString : ""
}

function setFooString(){
 
 info.fooString = "Test";
 
}

module.exports.setFooString = setFooString;
module.exports.info = info;

// bar file

let foo = require("foo");

function barFunction() { 
  foo.setFooString();
  ShowMessage(foo.info.fooString);
}

I personally would prefer the second way because it's much easier to expand on what you're acceessing from the first unit.

[royd]

Hi Carson

Thank you very much for your help. I will have to take a close look at it, I am relatively new to Javascript, still learning. 🙂

Thank you for taking the time to explain.