How do I declare variables for multiple functions

Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't it possible to declare a variable right after the script tag, so that it can be used throughout that script? I tried this, and my functions are acting as if it isn't even there. Did I do something wrong, or is this supposed to happen. I would hate to have to redeclare all of my variables for each function if they are the exact same thing.

Sorry about that

<script>
  var na=document.getElementById('nr');
  var ea=document.getElementById('er');
  var em=document.subscribe.email;
  var fn=document.subscribe.fname;
  var ln=document.subscribe.lname;
  var eml=document.subscribe.email.value.length;
  var fnl=document.subscribe.fname.value.length;
  var lnl=document.subscribe.lname.value.length;
  var at=document.subscribe.email.value.indexOf("@");
  var per=document.subscribe.email.value.lastIndexOf("."); 

function validate_form() {
  if((fnl<1 || lnl<1) && !eml<1){
      alert("Please enter your first and last name.")
      if(fnl<1){fn.focus()}else{ln.focus()}
      }
  else if((fnl<1 || lnl<1) && eml<1){
      alert("Please fill in all fields.")
      if(fnl<1){fn.focus()}else{ln.focus()}
      }  
  else if(eml<1 || at<1 || per-at<2 || eml-per<2){
      alert("Please enter a valid email address")
      em.focus()
      }    
  else if (at>1 && per-at>2 && 开发者_开发技巧eml-per>2 && fnl>1 && lnl>1){return true}
  vfn(); vln(); vem();
 return false}

It works perfectly fine when the vars are INSIDE the function, but when they are like this, nothing at all happens.

The issue is that the variables (particularly eml, fnl, lnl) contain values obtained when they are declared. JS is not recalculating the length of strings or the values of elements every time your function is called.

When you move those vars inside the function, then they actually are "recalculated" every time the function is called.

What I would do is leave the vars that are assigned DOM elements outside of the functions, but move the vars that get DOM elements' values/lengths inside the functions. Then you can reference the vars that contain the dom elements.

For example (partial code):

var na=document.getElementById('nr'),
    ea=document.getElementById('er'),
    em=document.subscribe.email,
    fn=document.subscribe.fname,
    ln=document.subscribe.lname;


function validate_form() {
  var eml=em.value.length,
      fnl=fn.value.length,
      lnl=ln.lname.value.length,
      at=em.value.indexOf("@"),
      per=em.value.lastIndexOf(".");
  // Rest of code.

I actually figured out how to do it. I just read about the global variables, and how to declare them inside a function. So I put all the vars back inside the function, erased the "var" on it and it works perfect now.

function validate_form() {
   na=document.getElementById('nr');
   ea=document.getElementById('er');
   em=document.subscribe.email;
   fn=document.subscribe.fname;
   ln=document.subscribe.lname;
   eml=document.subscribe.email.value.length;
   fnl=document.subscribe.fname.value.length;
   lnl=document.subscribe.lname.value.length;
   at=document.subscribe.email.value.indexOf("@");
   per=document.subscribe.email.value.lastIndexOf("."); 
  if((fnl<1 || lnl<1) && !eml<1){
      alert("Please enter your first and last name.")
      if(fnl<1){fn.focus()}else{ln.focus()}
      }
  else if((fnl<1 || lnl<1) && eml<1){
      alert("Please fill in all fields.")
      if(fnl<1){fn.focus()}else{ln.focus()}
      }  
  else if(eml<1 || at<1 || per-at<2 || eml-per<2){
      alert("Please enter a valid email address")
      em.focus()
      }    
  else if (at>1 && per-at>2 && eml-per>2 && fnl>1 && lnl>1){return true}
  vfn(); vln(); vem();
 return false}

It will be better if you wrap all your this code inside window.onload event. or inside $(function(){ }); in case of jquery.

I am assuming that validate_form() function will be called on the click of any button/hyperlink.

like following:

var na = null;
var ea = null;
var em = null;
var fn = null;
var ln = null;
var eml = null;
var fnl = null;
var lnl = null;
var at = null;
var per = null;

window.onload = function () {
    na = document.getElementById('nr');
    ea = document.getElementById('er');
    em = document.subscribe.email;
    fn = document.subscribe.fname;
    ln = document.subscribe.lname;
    eml = document.subscribe.email.value.length;
    fnl = document.subscribe.fname.value.length;
    lnl = document.subscribe.lname.value.length;
    at = document.subscribe.email.value.indexOf("@");
    per = document.subscribe.email.value.lastIndexOf(".");
};