Rails 3 UJS run a while loop when waiting for an ajax:callback

Question

This is my javascript for a :remote => true form.

Currently, when the form is submitted, this function runs once. (the width increases by 5%.

However, I want this animation to run in a loop so that the width keeps increasing by increments of 5% until I get an ajax:success or an ajax:failure callback, at which point I want to jump into another function.

$('#new_message').bind('ajax:loading', function() {
  $('#send_bar').animate({
    width: '+=5%'
  });
});

Answer 1

Declare a function that runs the animation, and then in the completion parameter, pass the the function so that it calls itself recursively:

var start_animation = function() {
  $('#send_bar').animate({width: '+=5%'}, 5000, 'linear', start_animation);
}

In the loading function, call the function to begin the animation:

$('#new_message').bind('ajax:loading', function() {
  start_animation();
});

Then in your bind to ajax:success and ajax:failure, call stop:

$('#new_message').bind('ajax:success', function() {
  $('#send_bar').stop();
});

$('#new_message').bind('ajax:failure', function() {
  $('#send_bar').stop();
});