Beginner Javascript help

JCurtnerStudent · 06-10-2009, 05:25 PM

Hello All,

This is my first time using javascript.. I am trying to do my first homework assignment which is basically to make a page that will calculate gross pay. when i try and run it in a browser the dialog boxes pop up and ask the user for the information but thats where it stops. Can anyone give me a little help or at least lead me in the right direction as to where im making my mistakes? I would really appreciate it!! Thanks much! Jessica

Code:

<?xml version = "1.0" encoding = "utf-8"?>
<!DOCTYPE html PBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
"http://www.w3/org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">

<html xmlns = "http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">

   <head>
     <title>Calculating gross pay</title>
	 <script type = "text/javascript">
	  
	  //define variables
	  
	   var name; //user name
	   var hourlyWage; //users hourly rate
	   var hoursWorked; //hours user worked
	   var netPay; //pay before taxes taken out
	   var grossPay; //pay after taxes taken out
	   var fedTaxes; //amount of federal taxes held
	   var stateTaxes; //amount of state taxes held
	   var fica; //amount of fica taxes held
	   var overtimeHours;
	   var regHours;
	 
	   
	   //Get users name
	   name = window.prompt( "Please enter your name" );
	   
	   //Get users hourly wage
	   hourlyWage = window.prompt( "Please enter your hourly wage" );
	   
	   //get users hours worked
	   hoursWorked = window.prompt( "Please enter amount of hours worked" );
	   
	   
	   if(hoursWorked > 40)
	   { 
	     overtimeHours = hoursWorked - 40;
		 regHours = 40;
	   }
	   
	   if(HoursWorked < 40)
	   {
		  OvertimeHours = 0;
		  regHours = HoursWorked;
	   }
		  //calculate gross pay	  
		  grossPay = regHours * HourlyWage + 1.5*(overtimeHours * HourlyWage);
		  
		  //calculate taxes
		  fedTaxes = grossPay / .20;
		  stateTaxes = grossPay / .3;
		  fica = grossPay / .8;
		  
		  //calculate net pay
		  
		 netPay = grossPay - fedTaxes - stateTaxes - fica;
		 
		 
		 document.writeln(<h1> " BHC Group " + name "pay" </h1> );
		 
		 document.writeln ("name" + name );
		 document.writeln ("gross pay = " + grossPay );
		 document.writeln ("federal taxes withdrew = " + fedTaxes );
		 document.writeln ("State taxes withdrew = " + stateTaxes );
		 document.writeln ("FICA withdrew = " + fica );
		 document.writeln ("Net pay = " + netPay );
		 
		 </script>
		</head>
	    <body>
		</body>
</html>

kmote · 06-10-2009, 05:49 PM

Sorry, but we can't help with homework. One thing I will say is that most browsers have an option to open a console or other descriptive error dialogue on javascript errors using that will give you fair insight into whats going wrong.

EDIT: that might be a little harsh... you should check the casing on your variables. If necessary you could use an alert to show where your code is getting up to.

oldskool · 06-10-2009, 08:17 PM

Be patient JCurtnerStudent, Kmote is one of the best coders around here, along with a few others. If you stay around - and we hope you do - you will know who they are. As Kmote said, you have to do your own homework, however if you remain patient, we can give ideas for you to try, and in doing so, you will learn much quicker and more efficiently than if someone just plasters the code here. That said ...

...Some good things to think about when you are starting out in any language, is to start "small". What I mean by that is, after you have all your basic script down, you can add things a little at a time, and by using Kmote's suggestion, add an alert box in key places, such as in a function that you add to your basic script.

That technique has helped me a lot. What it does, is when the code executes properly up until the point of the inserted alert box text, you will know that your code is fine up to that point. Then move the alert box text to the next part, and so forth. When you don't see an alert box pop up, then you will know something was wrong.

I know this all above what you asked for, and may be a bit too advanced of an answer for you to comprehend since you are a beginner, but stay with it, and we will see if we can help.

CrazeD · 06-10-2009, 08:44 PM

Since I'm a nice guy, I will help you.

The reason you don't get any output is because the script encounters an error and it terminates the script. Javascript errors, by them self, are very ambiguous and sometimes hard to detect. Therefore, you really need to get some debug tools. I HIGHLY recommend the Firebug plugin for Firefox. It is an excellent tool for Javascript/AJAX developers. You can step through the code line-by-line, setup breakpoints, find errors, make on-the-fly changes...etc.

Your error is that you have mixed the case of your hoursWorked variable, as well as some others. Those aren't the only errors, but I'll let you try to figure the rest out.

kmote · 06-11-2009, 08:20 AM

Well that should be enough to get the OP on the right track. Tread closed.

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