Control Map Pan per checkbox

Question

I want to add the functionality of switching the option to pan the map and put it in a checkbox. But I'm not quite sure how I can do that.

The reason I want to do this is: I have a layer which displays features and has a select and hover control. So there's no way to pan the map, because the clickEvent triggers direct action from the Handlers (click,hover). I want to add a checkbox where I can activate/deactivate the possibility to pan the map, so I can pan the map when there are features present, which normally would trigger a reaction to the mouseover the feature.

The way I've tried to do it is this one but it didn't work. I attached the function to the checkbox but it never worked.

function allowPan() {

    if(panAct == false){
            highlightCtrl.activate();
            selectedControl.activate();
            alert("controls activated!!")
            panAct = true;
        }     
    if(panAct == true){ 
        highlightCtrl.deactivate();
        selectedControl.deactivate();
        alert("controls deactivated!!");
        panAct = false;
        }                  
}

Answer 1

It will be tricky to debug that without the full code. How could we know if your variables are globals, if you're calling the right control vars and so on?

Anyway, the first thing to do would be to test the value of panAct var by adding alert(panAct); instructions just at the beginning of your function.

By the way, it would probably be a great idea to return panAct; var at the end.

Answer 2

This is my final working version of the function which I've now added to my program. I think my boss will be making a joyful leap when he enters office tomorrow. Thanks @simo for pointing me in the right direction.

var panAct = new Boolean(); //panning activator
panAct = false; //panning not activated by default

//this is the function which is connected to the checkbox
//this gets fired when you check/uncheck the box

 function allowPan() {
    alert("in allowPan")
    alert("panAct:" + panAct);

    if(panAct == true){ 
        highlightCtrl.activate();
        selectedControl.activate();
        alert("controls activated!! Panning deactivated!!");
        panAct = false;
        return;
        }

    if(panAct == false){ 
        highlightCtrl.deactivate();
        selectedControl.deactivate();
        alert("controls deactivated!! Panning activated!!");
        panAct = true;
        return;
        }

    alert("panAct:" + panAct);                    
}