Uncaught TypeError: .indexOf is not a function

Question

I am new to JavaScript and I'm getting an error as below.

Uncaught TypeError: time.indexOf is not a function

Gee, I really thought indexOf() really was a function. Here is a snippet of my code:

    var timeofday = new Date().getHours() + (new Date().getMinutes()) / 60;
    document.getElementById("oset").innerHTML = timeD2C(timeofday);
</script>


<script>
 function timeD2C(time) { // Converts 11.5 (decimal) to 11:30 (colon)
    var pos = time.indexOf('.');
    var hrs = time.substr(1, pos - 1);
    var min = (time.substr(pos, 2)) * 60;

    if (hrs > 11) {
        hrs = (hrs - 12) + ":" + min + " PM";
    } else {
        hrs += ":" + min + " AM";
    }
    return hrs;
}
</script>

Annoying

It is indeed a function - of a valid object - meaning time isn't a valid object. Make sure time exists, log it inside the timeD2C function call. – Landy

Why do you think a number has an indexOf function? – Hinojosa

Your code is mixing strings and numbers. You need to be careful that you are using the correct type when performing each operation. – Assuasive

Answer 1

Basically indexOf() is a method belongs to string(array object also), But while calling the function you are passing a number, try to cast it to a string and pass it.

document.getElementById("oset").innerHTML = timeD2C(timeofday + "");

 var timeofday = new Date().getHours() + (new Date().getMinutes()) / 60;




 function timeD2C(time) { // Converts 11.5 (decimal) to 11:30 (colon)
    var pos = time.indexOf('.');
    var hrs = time.substr(1, pos - 1);
    var min = (time.substr(pos, 2)) * 60;

    if (hrs > 11) {
        hrs = (hrs - 12) + ":" + min + " PM";
    } else {
        hrs += ":" + min + " AM";
    }
    return hrs;
}
alert(timeD2C(timeofday+""));

---

And it is good to do the string conversion inside your function definition,

function timeD2C(time) { 
  time = time + "";
  var pos = time.indexOf('.');

So that the code flow won't break at times when devs forget to pass a string into this function.

Agustin

Casting to string would better be placed inside the function – that way, it won’t throw errors should it be called with a number from somewhere else for whatever reason. – Plural

Thank you all for your suggestions. I added the time=time+"" and the problem went away. JavaScript is so liberal when dealing with stings and numbers that it's easy to forget that a number can't always be treated as a string. – Annoying

I think a clean approach will be converting to String like time = String(time) – Lonnalonnard

@TerryO, please accept this answer if it worked. This question is marked without an accepted answer until then. – Passport

Answer 2

Convert timeofday to string to use indexOf

var timeofday = new Date().getHours() + (new Date().getMinutes()) / 60;
console.log(typeof(timeofday)) // for testing will log number
function timeD2C(time) { // Converts 11.5 (decimal) to 11:30 (colon)
    var pos = time.indexOf('.');
    var hrs = time.substr(1, pos - 1);
    var min = (time.substr(pos, 2)) * 60;

    if (hrs > 11) {
        hrs = (hrs - 12) + ":" + min + " PM";
    } else {
        hrs += ":" + min + " AM";
    }
    return hrs;
}
 // "" for typecasting to string
 document.getElementById("oset").innerHTML = timeD2C(""+timeofday);

Test Here

Solution 2

use toString() to convert to string

document.getElementById("oset").innerHTML = timeD2C(timeofday.toString());

jsfiddle with toString()

Bluecoat

Answer 3

I was getting e.data.indexOf is not a function error, after debugging it, I found that it was actually a TypeError, which meant, indexOf() being a function is applicable to strings, so I typecasted the data like the following and then used the indexOf() method to make it work

e.data.toString().indexOf('<stringToBeMatchedToPosition>')

Not sure if my answer was accurate to the question, but yes shared my opinion as i faced a similar kind of situation.

Riot

Exactly my issue. Worked for me. – Hamo

Answer 4

I ran across this error recently using a javascript library which changes the parameters of a function based on conditions.

You can test an object to see if it has the function. I would only do this in scenarios where you don't control what is getting passed to you.

if( param.indexOf != undefined ) {
   // we have a string or other object that 
   // happens to have a function named indexOf
}

You can test this in your browser console:

> (3).indexOf == undefined;
true

> "".indexOf == undefined;
false

Wartow