javascript function not running

Question

I have the script below placed in the HEAD of the page. The map should initialize when the page loads. There's two pieces to this puzzle, one is the script within the document.ready which sets all variables and configures the map i am wanting to place on a page. The second piece is the window.onload=initialize_map; that starts the map.

I believe everything is running correctly, however, i don't know for sure. All i know is that the initialize_map function never runs. I even tried to set an onclick on a button with initialize_map(); to try and manually start the map and it still didn't work. Is there something wrong with my code? Any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

CODE IN QUESTION:

    <script src= "http://maps.google.com/maps?file=api&amp;amp;v=2&amp;amp;key=ABQIAAAAhTrgZ5jvdqcEQouEpPcZ_hS81NmJwGXlxuJr8lEEo4Njw3WRVhT8auzZb55JSMDkwIaCdNkPHL5gNg" type="text/javascript"> </script>

<script type="text/javascript">
$(document).ready(function(){
var dealerName = $('.name', '.adr').text();
var customerName = dealerName.slice(0, - 1);
var customerAddress = $('.street', '.adr').text() + ', ' + $('.locality', '.adr').text() + ', ' + $('.state', '.adr').text() + ', ' + $('.zipCode', '.adr').text();
$("#nameAddress .placeholderName").html(customerName);
$("#nameAddress .placeholderAddress").html(customerAddress);

        var error_address_empty     = 'Please enter a valid address first.';
        var error_invalid_address   = 'This address is invalid. Make sure to enter your street number and city as well?'; 
        var error_google_error      = 'There was a problem processing your request, please try again.';
        var error_no_map_info       = 'Sorry! Map information is not available for this address.';


        var default_address = customerAddress;

        var current_address = null;
        var map               = null;
        var geocoder          = null;
        var gdir                  = null;
        var map_compatible  = false;

        if( GBrowserIsCompatible() ) {
            map_compatible = true;
        }

        function initialize_map() {
            if( map_compatible ) {
                map         = new GMap2(document.getElementById('map_canvas'));        
                geocoder = new GClientGeocoder();
                show_address(default_address);

                map.addControl(new GSmallMapControl());

                map.addControl(new GMapTypeControl());              
            }
        }

        function show_address(address) {
            if( map_compatible && geocoder ) {
                current_address = address;      
                geocoder.getLatLng(
                address,
                function( point ) {
                    if( !point ) {
                        alert(error_no_map_info);
                    } else {
                        map.setCenter(point, 13);
                        var marker = new GMarker(point);
                        map.addOverlay(marker);
                        marker.openInfoWindowHtml("<span style='font-size:14px; font-weight:bold;'>" + customerName + "<br /></span><span style='font-size:12px;'>" + address + "</span>");
                    }
                }
                );
            }
            return false;
        }

        function get_directions() {
            if( map_compatible ) {
                if( document.direction_form.from_address.value == '' ) {
                    alert(error_address_empty);
                    return false;
                }

                document.getElementById('directions').innerHTML = '';

                gdir = new GDirections(map, document.getElementById('directions'));

                GEvent.addListener(gdir, 'error', handleErrors);

                set_directions(document.direction_form.from_address.value, current_address);            
            }
            return false;
        }

        function set_directions(fromAddress, toAddress) {
        gdir.load("from: " + fromAddress + " to: " + toAddress,
                    { "locale": "en" });
        }

        function handleErrors(){
            if( gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_UNKNOWN_ADDRESS )
                alert(error_invalid_address);
            else if( gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_SERVER_ERROR )
                alert(error_google_error);
            else if( gdir.getStatus().code == G_GEO_MISSING_QUERY )
                alert(error_address_empty);
            else 
                alert(error_invalid_address);
        }
});
        window.onload=initialize_map;
</script>

Answer 1

The entire body of your function is in an if statement that depends on the boolean variable map_compatible being true. Are you sure that it is true?

Try putting an alert before the if statement and see if it runs that way. Maybe print out the value of map_compatible.

If it is not true then you can use a tool like firebug for firefox to step through your javascript and see why it is not being set to true as you expect it to.

Answer 2

Two problems jump out right away:

1. initialize_map is not in the global scope (it's defined within the anonymous ready event handler), so you're likely assigning an undefined value to window.onload, as you've placed the assignment itself outside of that function (in the global scope).

2. Why are you mixing jQuery's ready handler with window.onload? At worst, this is flat-out not going to work - from the jQuery documentation:

   The .ready() method is generally incompatible with the attribute. If load must be used, either do not use .ready() or use jQuery's .load() method to attach load event handlers to the window or to more specific items, like images.

   ...and even at best, it's unnecessary. Use jQuery for both or neither:

   $(document).ready(function(){
   
   
     ...
   
   
     $(window).load(initialize_map);
   
   
     ...
   
   
   });