Javascript - Passing Multiple Parameters through setTimeout

Submitted by rcastera on Mon, 06/22/2009 - 10:51

One of the problems that I've faced with Javascript is passing multiple parameters through the setTimeout function. I found this little snippet on the internet a few months ago and would like to share it with you. I don't know who the original author is so I could not give him/her proper credit. Thanks!

var _st = window.setTimeout;

window.setTimeout = function(fRef, mDelay) { 
	if(typeof fRef == "function") {  
		var argu = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments,2); 
		var f = (function(){ fRef.apply(null, argu); }); 
		return _st(f, mDelay); 
	} 
	return _st(fRef,mDelay);
}

Define your function to call with setTimeout:

function alertMe(message, name) {
    alert(message + name);
}

Now, just call the function.

var message = 'Hello, ';
var name = 'Richard';
setTimeout(alertMe, 2000, message, name);

Hope this helps someone!

10 comments for Javascript - Passing Multiple Parameters through setTimeout

why would anyone like to...

Posted by harald on 06/24/2009.

why would anyone like to overwrite the setTimeout method, when it's so much easier to just write:



var message = 'Hello';

var name = 'Richard';

window.setTimeout(function() { alertMe(message, name); }, 2000);

... am i missing something or did the original author of the snippet did not understand variable scope in javascript?

reply

Hello Harald! Thank you for...

Posted by Richard on 06/28/2009.

Hello Harald! Thank you for your comment. Sometimes it may be necessary to override native functions to add additional functionality or to implement something specific to your requirements. Your example is missing one major element that this post contains. The ability to pass multiple parameters to a function that is called in setTimeout at the specified interval. With the native setTimeout this is not possible.

reply

His solution does in fact...

Posted by Anonymous on 10/14/2011.

His solution does in fact provide the functionality you describe while also avoiding overwriting native functionality... by using native functionality.

Native setTimeout + closure will be more efficient than any solution that involves array manipulation.

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THIS IS JUST AWESOME!...

Posted by Richard on 10/30/2009.

THIS IS JUST AWESOME! THANKS!!!

reply

Thanks!...

Posted by Richard on 11/01/2009.

Thanks!

reply

Thanks a lot !!! I was...

Posted by harry on 04/04/2010.

Thanks a lot !!!
I was looking for passing multiple args to setTimeout for hours. Now, it's works !!!

reply

Wow dude. You saved me from...

Posted by Zlatan Halilovic on 05/26/2010.

Wow dude. You saved me from having a lot of headaches. Thanks!

reply

Thanks!...

Posted by Richard on 05/31/2010.

Thanks!

reply

Hi Richard, thanks for...

Posted by Nizzy on 07/17/2010.

Hi Richard, thanks for sharing the code. It looks nice, but I think the following code can do this job easier. Don't you think?



function myFunction() {

    var args = Array.prototype.slice.call(arguments);

    args.pop();

    alert(args.join(' '));

}
setTimeout(myFunction,1000,'1','2','3','4','5','6','7');

reply

Richard Castera