Javascript sleep/delay/wait function

Question

Sorry if this question has already been asked here before, I could not find a suitable answer.

I am wanting to create a JavaScript sleep/delay/wait function that I c

Answer 1

You will have to use a setTimeout so I see your issue as

I have a script that is generated by PHP, and so am not able to put it into two different functions

What prevents you from generating two functions in your script?

function fizz() {
    var a;
    a = 'buzz';
    // sleep x desired
    a = 'complete';
}

Could be rewritten as

function foo() {
    var a; // variable raised so shared across functions below
    function bar() { // consider this to be start of fizz
        a = 'buzz';
        setTimeout(baz, x); // start wait
    } // code split here for timeout break
    function baz() { // after wait
        a = 'complete';
    } // end of fizz
    bar(); // start it
}

You'll notice that a inside baz starts as buzz when it is invoked and at the end of invocation, a inside foo will be "complete".

Basically, wrap everything in a function, move all variables up into that wrapping function such that the contained functions inherit them. Then, every time you encounter wait NUMBER seconds you echo a setTimeout, end the function and start a new function to pick up where you left off.