Slice an array based on a given number

Question

I'm having a little problem on splitting my array based on user input. I have a text area in which a user will input an essay and an input box where one can input a number that will be a basis of the split. Supposed the user input "3", the whole essay will be divided into 3 sentences per paragraph.

I have this html thus far,

<textarea id="essay"></textarea>
<input type="text" onkeypress="return show_paragraph(event)" id="input" />

<div id="questionDiv"></div>

and one function that does it all. But the slice only works on the first paragraph, meaning, if i input an essay consisting of 8 sentences and i want to slice it in every 3 sentences for example, i only get two paragraphs, the first one having 3 sentences and the second with 5 sentences when i should have 3 paragraphs with, 3-3-2 sentences..

function show_paragraph(e){
    var numSentences = $("#input").val();
    var essay= $("#essay").val();
    if (e.keyCode == 13 || e.which == 13) {
        var sentence_list = essay.split(". "); //array of sentences
        var sentence_results = "";          
        var i,j,paragraph;
            var chunk = numSentences;

        for (i=0,j=sentence_list.length; i<j; i+=chunk) {
            paragraph = sentence_list.slice(i,i+chunk);
            sentence_results += '<div id="sentenceDiv" >';
            sentence_results += '<h4 id="paragraph'+i+'">'+paragraph+'</h4>';
            sentence_results += '</div>';
        }

        $("#questionDiv").html(sentence_results);

        return false;
    }
}

And I can't seem to return the period (.) back for each sentences.

Thanks for the help.. =)

Answer 1

Very interesting. Your logic is correct, you only have to fix this 2 lines:

Instead of

var chunk = numSentences;

Do:

var chunk = parseInt(numSentences, 10);

If not, when doing '+' in your for, it will concatenate instead of adding.

And instead of:

paragraph = sentence_list.slice(i,i+chunk);

Do:

paragraph = sentence_list.slice(i,i+chunk).join(". ");

So you get the periods back.

Tested, it works :).

Cheers, from La Paz, Bolivia