Return value for function is not working correctly. How to set up correct return value for function checkIfExist()?

Question

I am writing a script for Premiere pro where I can add markers in the timeline and export a still for each marker in one go. However, when I write a function to check if the still has been previously created, the functions tells me it finds the previously created still, but then still creates a new one. So basically: Function returns true, but still executes the else{}

    //checks if the frame that is about to be exported already exists 
        if(checkIfExist(app.project.rootItem, outputFile)){
            alert("frame already exists");
        }else{
        //This is where the actual still gets created and imported
            activeSequence.exportFramePNG(time, outputFileName);
        //here the previously created item gets moved to the appropriate bin (This is working great ATM)
            moveToBin(outputFile);
       }
    }
}
//This function is meant to check if an item exists in the project bin. It does this by looping though all the items in the array from the start. 
function checkIfExist(currentItem, name){
    for(var i = 0; i<currentItem.children.numItems; i++){
        currentChild = currentItem.children[i];
        if(currentChild.name.toUpperCase() === name.toUpperCase()){
            alert("Found:   " + currentChild.name);
            return true;
        }if(currentChild.type == ProjectItemType.BIN){
            checkIfExist(currentChild, name);
        }
    }
    return false;
}

Answer 1

I think it happens because of the recursion you do:

 if(currentChild.type == ProjectItemType.BIN){
            checkIfExist(currentChild, name);
 }

If this one gets kicked off before you can return true, you will start to run the function for a second time.

Now the first run can return a true, while the second (or even 3th, or 4th, etc) can return false and thus creating a new one, while also finding it.

Also if possible try to use arr.find or arr.findIndex and check if the value is -1 (or not found). This will make your code shorter, cleaner and less open for errors :)

But this will not work for nested arrays. Then you need to make an other function to first make a flat copy that includes all nested array before you do the arr.find or arr.findIndex. Still think that is the better solution.

You can use this to make nested array into a flat one:

let arr1 = [1,2,3,[1,2,3,4, [2,3,4]]];

function flattenDeep(arr1) {
   return arr1.reduce((acc, val) => Array.isArray(val) ? acc.concat(flattenDeep(val)) : acc.concat(val), []);
}
flattenDeep(arr1);// [1, 2, 3, 1, 2, 3, 4, 2, 3, 4]