Wait until a condition is true?

Question

I\'m using navigator.geolocation.watchPosition in JavaScript, and I want a way to deal with the possibility that the user might submit a form relying on locatio

Answer 1

Personally, I use a waitfor() function which encapsulates a setTimeout():

//**********************************************************************
// function waitfor - Wait until a condition is met
//        
// Needed parameters:
//    test: function that returns a value
//    expectedValue: the value of the test function we are waiting for
//    msec: delay between the calls to test
//    callback: function to execute when the condition is met
// Parameters for debugging:
//    count: used to count the loops
//    source: a string to specify an ID, a message, etc
//**********************************************************************
function waitfor(test, expectedValue, msec, count, source, callback) {
    // Check if condition met. If not, re-check later (msec).
    while (test() !== expectedValue) {
        count++;
        setTimeout(function() {
            waitfor(test, expectedValue, msec, count, source, callback);
        }, msec);
        return;
    }
    // Condition finally met. callback() can be executed.
    console.log(source + ': ' + test() + ', expected: ' + expectedValue + ', ' + count + ' loops.');
    callback();
}

I use my waitfor() function in the following way:

var _TIMEOUT = 50; // waitfor test rate [msec]
var bBusy = true;  // Busy flag (will be changed somewhere else in the code)
...
// Test a flag
function _isBusy() {
    return bBusy;
}
...

// Wait until idle (busy must be false)
waitfor(_isBusy, false, _TIMEOUT, 0, 'play->busy false', function() {
    alert('The show can resume !');
});

Answer 2

Try using setInterval and clearInterval like this...

var current_latlng = null;

function gpsSuccess(pos) {
    //console.log('gpsSuccess');  
    if (pos.coords) {
        lat = pos.coords.latitude;
        lng = pos.coords.longitude;
    } else {
        lat = pos.latitude;
        lng = pos.longitude;
    }
    current_latlng = new google.maps.LatLng(lat, lng);
}
watchId = navigator.geolocation.watchPosition(gpsSuccess,
    gpsFail, {
        timeout: 5000,
        maximumAge: 300000
    });
$('#route-form').submit(function (event) {
    // User submits form, we need their location...
    // Checks status every half-second
    var watch = setInterval(task, 500)

    function task() {
        if (current_latlng != null) {
            clearInterval(watch)
            watch = false
            return callback()
        } else {
            toastMessage('Waiting for your location...');

        }
    }

    function callback() {
        // Continue on with location found...
    }
});

Answer 3

This is precisely what promises were invented and implemented (since OP asked his question) for.

See all of the various implementations, eg promisejs.org

Answer 4

Modern solution using Promise

function waitFor(conditionFunction) {

  const poll = resolve => {
    if(conditionFunction()) resolve();
    else setTimeout(_ => poll(resolve), 400);
  }

  return new Promise(poll);
}

Usage

waitFor(_ => flag === true)
  .then(_ => console.log('the wait is over!'));

or

async function demo() {
  await waitFor(_ => flag === true);
  console.log('the wait is over!');
}

References
Promises
Arrow Functions
Async/Await

Answer 5

You'll want to use setTimeout:

function checkAndSubmit(form) {
    var location = getLocation();
    if (!location) {
        setTimeout(checkAndSubmit, 500, form); // setTimeout(func, timeMS, params...)
    } else {
        // Set location on form here if it isn't in getLocation()
        form.submit();
    }
}

... where getLocation looks up your location.

Answer 6

You could use a timeout to try to re-submit the form:

$('#route-form').submit(function(event) {
    // User submits form, we need their location...
    if(current_location==null) {
        toastMessage('Waiting for your location...');
        setTimeout(function(){ $('#route-form').submit(); }, 500); // Try to submit form after timeout
        return false;
    } else {
        // Continue with location found...
    }
});