javascript variables

Question

I need to access javascript variable:

var geocoder = new google.maps.Geocoder();

function geocodePosition(pos) {    
  geocoder.geocode({    
    latLng: pos    
  }, function(responses) {  
    if (responses && responses.length > 0) {  
      updateMarkerAddress(responses[0].formatted_address);  
    } else {  
      updateMarkerAddress('Cannot determine address at this location.');  
    }  
  });  
}  

function updateMarkerStatus(str) {  
  document.getElementById('markerStatus').innerHTML = str;  
}  

function updateMarkerPosition(latLng) {  
  document.getElementById('info').innerHTML = [  
    latLng.lat(),  
    latLng.lng()  
  ].join(', ');  
}  

function updateMarkerAddress(str) {  
  document.getElementById('address').innerHTML = str;  
} 



function initialize() {  

  geocoder.geocode( { 'address': 'london'}, function(results, status) {
   rr = results[0].geometry.location;
});

 var latLng = new google.maps.LatLng(rr);  

  var map = new google.maps.Map(document.getElementById('mapCanvas'), {  
    zoom: 8,  
    center: latLng,  
    mapTypeId: google.maps.MapTypeId.ROADMAP
  });
  var marker = new google.maps.Marker({
    position: latLng,
    title: 'Point A',
    map: map,
    draggable: true
  });  

  // Update current position info.  
  updateMarkerPosition(latLng);  
  geocodePosition(latLng);  

  // Add dragging event listeners.  
  google.maps.event.addListener(marker, 'dragstart', function() {  
    updateMarkerAddress('Dragging...');  
  });  

  google.maps.event.addListener(marker, 'drag', function() {  
    updateMarkerStatus('Dragging...');    
    updateMarkerPosition(marker.getPosition());  
  });  

  google.maps.event.addListener(marker, 'dragend', function() {  
    updateMarkerStatus('Drag ended');  
    geocodePosition(marker.getPosition());  
  });  


// Onload handler to fire off the app.  
google.maps.event.addDomListener(window, 'load', initialize);    

This is whole script I need to get near address first so pass somehow address to convert to ltlng

Answer 1

You have to access it or pass it somewhere in the callback, like this:

var rr;      
geocoder.geocode( { 'address': 'london'}, function(results, status) {
  rr = results[0].geometry.location;
  alert(rr);    
});

Or pass it to another function to do additional work with the data:

geocoder.geocode( { 'address': 'london'}, function(results, status) {
  anotherFunction(results[0].geometry.location);
});

That anonymous function is the callback for the geocode() function, meaning it runs later, so rr is getting set after your alert() currently.

Answer 2

The call is asynchronous meaning that the geocoder.geocode will return immediately and only inside the anonymous callback function you are able to access it.

geocoder.geocode( { 'address': 'london'}, function(results, status) {
   alert(results[0].geometry.location);
});