# Invoking Javascript function in views

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/invoking-javascript-function-in-views/133758>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [April 3, 2008, 9:45am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/invoking-javascript-function-in-views/133758 "2008-04-03T09:45:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![sgudibanda](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@sgudibanda](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sgudibanda)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2008, 9:45am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/invoking-javascript-function-in-views/133758/1 "2008-04-03T09:45:58Z")

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Hi,

I need to pass in an array to JS function, which initializes its local  
variables.  
I have always called JS functions on events like onclick and such.

How do i invoke JS function directly without such events?

Regards,  
Sandeep G

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sgudibanda](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@sgudibanda](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sgudibanda)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2008, 9:52am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/invoking-javascript-function-in-views/133758/2 "2008-04-03T09:52:15Z")

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You need to pass an array (in which language) to Javascript?

Do you want to pass a Ruby array in? Or a Javascript array?

Where do you want to invoke the Javascript from? Javascript is usually  
(as you say) event based.

Julian.

Learn Ruby on Rails! CHECK OUT THE FREE VIDS (LIMITED TIME) NEW VIDEO  
(#2) OUT NOW!  
[http://sensei.zenunit.com/](http://sensei.zenunit.com/)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sgudibanda](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@sgudibanda](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sgudibanda)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2008, 10:25am UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/invoking-javascript-function-in-views/133758/3 "2008-04-03T10:25:19Z")

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I need to pass in Ruby array or hash to JS.  
I am trying to pass this array into JS (Google maps).

Julian L. wrote:

> You need to pass an array (in which language) to Javascript?
> 
> Do you want to pass a Ruby array in? Or a Javascript array?
> 
> Where do you want to invoke the Javascript from? Javascript is usually  
> (as you say) event based.
> 
> Julian.
> 
> Learn Ruby on Rails! CHECK OUT THE FREE VIDS (LIMITED TIME) NEW VIDEO  
> (#2) OUT NOW!  
> [http://sensei.zenunit.com/](http://sensei.zenunit.com/)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sgudibanda](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@sgudibanda](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sgudibanda)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2008, 10:28pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/invoking-javascript-function-in-views/133758/4 "2008-04-03T22:28:18Z")

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Thanks Scott!  
Had I known this earlier, I wud have saved nearly 6 hours doing hash  
conversions into JS multidimensional arrays!

🙂 Anyways, it wil save my time henceforth 🙂

Regards,  
Sandeep G

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![sgudibanda](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/a9adbd/32.png) [@sgudibanda](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/sgudibanda)\
**Post date:** [April 3, 2008, 10:18pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/invoking-javascript-function-in-views/133758/5 "2008-04-03T22:18:28Z")

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Use the .to\_json method on the array or hash

ex.

[“first”, “second”, “thrid”].to\_json out puts “[“first”, “second”,  
“third”]”

in your view you do something like this

On Apr 3, 4:25 am, Sandeep G. \<rails-mailing-l…@andreas-