javascript array timed

Question

I'm missing some little thing.. prints the array but doesn't wait in between lines.

<script type="text/javascript">

function showLines()
{
arr =
[
  "Hi!",
  "Welcome!",
  "Hello!"
]

var duration=2000;

document.getElementById("quotes").innerHTML=arr;
setTimeout('showLines()',duration);

}
</script>

Answer 1

Most answers here are re initializing your array on each iteration.It makes no sense to do that. You should do it like this:

<script type="text/javascript">

function showLines(){

    var arr =
    [
      "Hi!",
      "Welcome!",
      "Hello!"
    ], i = 0;

    (function showLinesHelper(){
        document.getElementById("quotes").innerHTML += arr[i++]+'<br />';
        if(i < arr.length)
            setTimeout(showLinesHelper, 2000);
    })();

}

</script>

This way it works, and your array, and i are only initialized once.

EDIT In response to comment:

<script type="text/javascript">

function showLines(){

    var arr =
    [["Hi!", 3000],
     ["Welcome!", 500],
     ["Hello!", 1000]]
    , i = 0;

    function showLinesHelper(){
        document.getElementById("quotes").innerHTML += arr[i++][0]+'<br />';
        if(i < arr.length)
            setTimeout(showLinesHelper, arr[i][1]);
    }

    setTimeout(showLinesHelper, arr[0][1]);
}

</script>