Javascript: Pass parameter into setTimeout

Sometimes passing a parameter into a function, specified within a setTimeout() function isn't so straight forward. Different browser garbage collectors operate differently, and your function sometimes won't be executed at all.

Here is a method that works in all browsers. You need to specify the function within an anonymous function, and set the parameter to null.

Code Sample

var foo = "Hello World";

setTimeout(function () { helloWorld(foo); foo = null }, 3000);

function helloWorld(foo)

{

    alert(foo);

}