I know you are supposed to be able to break out of an each statement by returning, which is what I'm trying to do, but I must be doing something wrong and it seems so simple I can't find it.

I have code like this

function create() {
  var test = hasThing();
  if (test) {
    $('#myForm').submit();
  } else {
    alert('you suck!')
  }
}

function hasThing() {
  $('.selects').each(function() {
    if (this.value != "") {
      return true;
    }
  });
  return false;
}

I have set breakpoints on "return true;" and hit it but var test is always false because for some reason the .each() loop continues and the hasThing() function continues. I've tried switching things around so that I return false in the .each() just in case for some reason that mattered but it didn't change anything.

I don't get it. Seems counter to how the documentation says it should work.

I know you are supposed to be able to break out of an each statement by returning, which is what I'm trying to do, but I must be doing something wrong and it seems so simple I can't find it.

I have code like this

function create() {
  var test = hasThing();
  if (test) {
    $('#myForm').submit();
  } else {
    alert('you suck!')
  }
}

function hasThing() {
  $('.selects').each(function() {
    if (this.value != "") {
      return true;
    }
  });
  return false;
}

I have set breakpoints on "return true;" and hit it but var test is always false because for some reason the .each() loop continues and the hasThing() function continues. I've tried switching things around so that I return false in the .each() just in case for some reason that mattered but it didn't change anything.

I don't get it. Seems counter to how the documentation says it should work.

• javascript
• loops
• return
• break

• 1 To break .each you have to return false, and returning from inside the each loop does not return from the outer function. – adeneo Commented Jul 21, 2014 at 17:40
• 2 Seems counter to how the documentation says it should work. - the documentation says "You can stop the loop from within the callback function by returning false". How is the behavior not inline with the docs? – Ian Commented Jul 21, 2014 at 17:44

2 Answers 2

Your return true; statement returns from the anonymous function given to each. The return false; line is always executed which explains why var test is always false.

Change your code to

function hasThing() {
  var hasThing = false;
  $('.selects').each(function() {
    if (this.value != "") {
      hasThing = true;
      return false; // breaks the $.each, but does not return from hasThing()
    }
  });
  return hasThing;
}

You could use Array.some() to check if any of the selects have a selected value

function hasThing() {
    return $('select').toArray().some(function(el) {
        return el.value != "";
    })
}

function create() {

    var test = hasThing();

    if (test) {
        alert('at least one select was changed');
        //$('#myForm').submit();
    } else {
        alert('you suck!');
    }
}

function hasThing() {
	return $('select').toArray().some(function(el) {
    	return el.value != "";
    })
}

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<p>Select at least one option !</p>
<form id="myForm">
    <select class="selects">
        <option value="">blank</option>
        <option value="2">option1</option>
    </select>
    
    <select class="selects">
        <option value="">blank</option>
        <option value="2">option1</option>
    </select>
    
    <input type="button" onclick="create()" value="submit" />
    
</form>