setInterval("clock()",50) different from setInterval("clock",50)？

Question

Running the code, the browser will display RangeError.

function hide() {
    h -= step;
    pp.style.height = h + "px";
    setTimeout(hide(), 1);
}

Answer 1

The problem is this line:

setTimeout(hide(),1);

Rather than telling JavaScript to call hide() again in 1 millisecond you actually call it immediately and only pass it's return value to setTimeout(). This causes an infinite recursion, which in the end causes the stack overflow/error you're getting.

To fix this, you'll have to use either syntax from your question's title:

• Pass the function name only rather than calling it (better here).
• Pass a lambda function.
• Or pass the call inside a string that will be evaluated (IMO should be avoided or replaced with a lambda expression).

However, in your specific scenario I'd suggest using set Timeout(), considering your code is reasonably simple to always finish in time:

// Start the while thing
var handle = setInterval(hide, 1);

// Actual function
function hide()
{
    // Do stuff

    // End condition
    if (done)
        clearInterval(handle);
}

Answer 2

This code doesn't terminate, so it creates infinite number of stacks which causes stack overflow.

Consider adding some termination logic, like:

if (h < 0) { return }

This terminates the execution of hide() function when h is less then 0.

I'm assuming h and step are some global vars.

Also you're calling hide immediately and passing the value to setTimeout.

Correct way to recursively call function with timeout will be to pass function as value to setTimeout function:

setTimeout(hide, 1)

which is equivalent to:

setTimeout(function() { hide() }, 1)