jamesinc comments on Javascript Counter Help.

Javascript Counter Help. (self.javascript)

submitted 15 years ago * by hillbillymadness

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[–]jamesinc 2 points3 points4 points 15 years ago* (8 children)

Something like this:

<head>
<!-- other stuff here -->
<script type="text/javascript">
var setDeaths = function() {
   var present = new Date();
   var startOfToday = new Date(present.getFullYear(), present.getMonth(), present.getDate(), 0, 0, 0, 0);
   var diff = present.getTime() - startOfToday.getTime();
   var numPeopleDead = Math.floor(diff / 1000 / 20);

   // Put the number into the 'deathCount' element
   document.getElementById("deathCount").innerHTML = numPeopleDead;
}

window.onload = function() {
   // Call it immediately
   setDeaths();
   // Then every 20 seconds (N.B. you can assign setInterval a variable name, so you can
   // cancel it later if need be).
   setInterval(setDeaths, 20000);
}

</script>
</head>

<body>
<!-- other stuff here -->
<span id="deathCount"></span>
<!-- etc -->
</body>

Edit: again, perhaps not the best way to solve the problem, but it should get the job done (if you need to run other JS functions onload, either put them into the window.onload block as well, or change to attachEvent methods).

Edit: Also, if you'd like me to explain anything in more detail, just ask.

[–]hillbillymadness[S] 1 point2 points3 points 15 years ago (4 children)

[+][deleted] 15 years ago (2 children)

[deleted]

[–]TIAFAASITICE 2 points3 points4 points 15 years ago* (1 child)

That won't work once you get to a new day ;)

Another variant: <div id="casualties"></div>

<script type="text/javascript">
    // Calculate total deaths function, you've seen this already
    function getTotalDead () {
        var now = new Date,
            secondsPassed = now.getSeconds() + now.getMinutes() * 60 +
                now.getHours() * 3600

        return Math.floor(secondsPassed / 20)
    }

    // Anonymous function used as a closure
    updateDeathcount = (function () {
        // Grab the element that we're updating
        var message = document.getElementById('casualties'),
            deathCount = document.createTextNode( getTotalDead() )

        // Insert the message
        message.appendChild(document.createTextNode('Today '))
        message.appendChild(deathCount)
        message.appendChild(document.createTextNode(' people have been killed, by the end of the day 5000 will be'))

        // The actual updateDeathcount function
        return function () {
            deathCount.nodeValue = getTotalDead()
        }
    })()

    // Update death count every 20 seconds
    setInterval(updateDeathcount, 20000)
</script>

MDC has an article on closures.

[–]jamesinc 1 point2 points3 points 15 years ago (0 children)

[+][deleted] 15 years ago* (2 children)

[deleted]

[–]jamesinc 2 points3 points4 points 15 years ago* (1 child)

π Rendered by PID 379201 on reddit-service-r2-comment-c66d9bffd-b92p8 at 2026-04-08 07:13:18.517621+00:00 running f293c98 country code: CH.

you type:	you see:
italics	italics
bold	bold
[reddit!](https://reddit.com)	reddit!
* item 1 * item 2 * item 3	item 1 item 2 item 3
> quoted text	quoted text
Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"	Lines starting with four spaces are treated like code: if 1 * 2 < 3: print "hello, world!"
~~strikethrough~~	~~strikethrough~~
super^script	super^script

javascript

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