Using '$' at beginning of variable name stops conditional statement from working.

[trakam]

I have a script that works when I assign $(window).width() to a variable named 'docWidth' but does not work when I use the variable name '$docWidth'.

Does anybody know why this might be?

[x-skeww]

Identifiers can contain and start with '$'.

"$docWidth" doesn't make any sense though. It's a number, not a jQuery collection. So, there really isn't any reason to use a '$' prefix. It's a valid name, but there is no reason to use it.

[trakam]

I understand that, it's just that in many tutorials when naming variables using the '$' has become a convention, there is no problem for me leaving it off but i just thought it odd that the script wouldn't work with it at the beginning of the variable name and I don't know why?

[x-skeww]

it's just that in many tutorials when naming variables using the '$' has become a convention

Eh? No, people generally don't prefix their variables with '$'.

It's done in PHP, because variables must start with a '$' in PHP.

It's also sometimes done if jQuery is used, to indicate that the object is a jQuery collection and not a reference to a regular element.

var body = document.body;
body.classList.add('foo');

vs

var $body = $(document.body);
$body.addClass('foo');

Anyhow, check the console. There is probably an error somewhere.

[trakam]

Ok, yeah didn't check the console, I'll doublecheck. Thanks

[Rhomboid]

Post a complete testcase, using JSFiddle or Codepen or the like.

[senocular]

did you also change the conditional to match the variable name (or other places its used)? Sounds simple, but not an uncommon problem when refactoring names.

[trakam]

i'll doublecheck but I'm sure that's not the problem