Pass a JavaScript function as parameter

Question

How do I pass a function as a parameter without the function executing in the \"parent\" function or using eval()? (Since I\'ve read that it\'s insecure.)

Answer 1

You just need to remove the parenthesis:

addContact(entityId, refreshContactList);

This then passes the function without executing it first.

Here is an example:

function addContact(id, refreshCallback) {
    refreshCallback();
    // You can also pass arguments if you need to
    // refreshCallback(id);
}

function refreshContactList() {
    alert('Hello World');
}

addContact(1, refreshContactList);

Answer 2

Example 1:

funct("z", function (x) { return x; });

function funct(a, foo){
    foo(a) // this will return a
}

Example 2:

function foodemo(value){
    return 'hello '+value;
}

function funct(a, foo){
    alert(foo(a));
}

//call funct    
funct('world!',foodemo); //=> 'hello world!'

look at this

Answer 3

Here it's another approach :

function a(first,second)    
{        
return (second)(first);           
}     

a('Hello',function(e){alert(e+ ' world!');}); //=> Hello world     

Answer 4

You can use a JSON as well to store and send JS functions.

Check the following:

var myJSON = 
{
    "myFunc1" : function (){
        alert("a");
    }, 
    "myFunc2" : function (functionParameter){
        functionParameter();
    }
}



function main(){
    myJSON.myFunc2(myJSON.myFunc1);
}

This will print 'a'.

The following has the same effect with the above:

var myFunc1 = function (){
    alert('a');
}

var myFunc2 = function (functionParameter){
    functionParameter();
}

function main(){
    myFunc2(myFunc1);
}

Which is also has the same effect with the following:

function myFunc1(){
    alert('a');
}


function myFunc2 (functionParameter){
    functionParameter();
}

function main(){
    myFunc2(myFunc1);
}

And a object paradigm using Class as object prototype:

function Class(){
    this.myFunc1 =  function(msg){
        alert(msg);
    }

    this.myFunc2 = function(callBackParameter){
        callBackParameter('message');
    }
}


function main(){    
    var myClass = new Class();  
    myClass.myFunc2(myClass.myFunc1);
}

Answer 5

If you want to pass a function, just reference it by name without the parentheses:

function foo(x) {
    alert(x);
}
function bar(func) {
    func("Hello World!");
}

//alerts "Hello World!"
bar(foo);

But sometimes you might want to pass a function with arguments included, but not have it called until the callback is invoked. To do this, when calling it, just wrap it in an anonymous function, like this:

function foo(x) {
   alert(x);
}
function bar(func) {
   func();
}

//alerts "Hello World!" (from within bar AFTER being passed)
bar(function(){ foo("Hello World!") });

If you prefer, you could also use the apply function and have a third parameter that is an array of the arguments, like such:

function eat(food1, food2)
{
    alert("I like to eat " + food1 + " and " + food2 );
}
function myFunc(callback, args)
{
    //do stuff
    //...
    //execute callback when finished
    callback.apply(this, args);
}

//alerts "I like to eat pickles and peanut butter"
myFunc(eat, ["pickles", "peanut butter"]); 

Answer 6

You can also use eval() to do the same thing.

//A function to call
function needToBeCalled(p1, p2)
{
    alert(p1+"="+p2);
}

//A function where needToBeCalled passed as an argument with necessary params
//Here params is comma separated string
function callAnotherFunction(aFunction, params)
{
    eval(aFunction + "("+params+")");
}

//A function Call
callAnotherFunction("needToBeCalled", "10,20");

That's it. I was also looking for this solution and tried solutions provided in other answers but finally got it work from above example.