Checking a Url in Jquery/Javascript

Question

All I need is a method that returns true if the Url is responding. Unfortunately, I\'m new to jQuery and it\'s making my attempts at writing that method rather frustrating.<

Answer 1

urlExists() can not return because it needs wait for the request.

Either pass it a callback, or make it synchronous (not recommended, because it locks the browser).

var urlExists = function(url, callback) {

    if ( ! $.isFunction(callback)) {
       throw Error('Not a valid callback');
    }   

    $.ajax({
        type: 'HEAD',
        url: url,
        success: $.proxy(callback, this, true),
        error: $.proxy(callback, this, false)      
    });

};

Then you can do

urlExists('/something', function(success) {
    if (success) {
        alert('Yay!');
    } else {
        alert('Oh no!');
    }
});

It also worth mentioning the same origin policy.

Also, returning from an anonymous function's scope will not return in the parent function (like in your original example). It just returns that inner function. To return from an inner to a parent, set a flag and return it.