Function doesn't read global variable

Question

I'm having a litte problem with Javascript and global variables. According to an article I read a few minutes ago when searching for a solution, variables defined outside a function are global and can be used all over the document. Well, this doesn't seem to work for me. Basically, even why I try to simplify the process to this:

var list_amount = 1;
function createElements() {
    window.alert('0');
    var cintfa_list_top = $("<div>").attr({"id":"intfa_list_top"});
    $('#intfa_list').empty()
    $('#intfa_list').append(cintfa_list_top);
    var j=0;
    window.alert('1');
    for (j=0;j<list_amount;j++) {
        window.alert('2');
            ......
            ....
            ..

I get the window.alert for 0 and 1, but not for 2. When I set a window.alert(list_amount) inside the function, it returns undefined. Shouldn't the global variable work inside the function as well? And if I misunderstood something, is there a way to make variables global for functions as well without having to add them to the function parameters?

Answer 1

I tried out your code http://jsfiddle.net/lastrose/ALd2b/ and it seems to work fine. Only thing I can think is where it is all defined.

Answer 2

There is an error in your code that hangs the script. As it is, closing for and function works very well (also commenting out $, as it's not defined here).

Check in Firebug or Chrome/Opera javascript console for errors.

LE: After seeing jsfiddle.net/ALd2b/2 you should call the function after variable assignment.