alert function not working

[bsmbahamas]

<script>

var timer = 0;

function SpellItOut(word)
{

var temp = word[timer];
timer += 1;

//why does this line alert the string 'temp' that i pased to it?
setTimeout("alert('temp')",2000); 

//but this one does not alert the string stored in var temp?
setTimeout("alert(temp)",2000);

}
</script>

<p><a href="javascript:SpellItOut('welcome')">welcome</a></p>

2 questions are in the comments. thanks guys!

[bsmbahamas]

<script>

var timer = 0;

function SpellItOut(word)
{

var temp = word[timer];

timer += 1;

if( timer >= word.length ){ timer = 0; }

alert(temp);
setTimeout("alert(temp)",2000);

}

</script>

<p><a href="javascript:SpellItOut('welcome')">welcome</a></p>

in the code above why does

alert(temp);

spell out the word each time i click the link, but

setTimeout("alert(temp)",2000);

not do the same thing 2 seconds later, the setTimeOut doesn't work at all, but it should run the same alert() that is executing on the line right above it?

[Declan1991]

Because when you pass a string to setTimeout, it executes in global scope. That means that only global variables are accessible. So one bad option would be to make temp a global variable, but a better option would be this.

setTimeout(function(){alert(temp);},2000);

You should never pass a string to setTimeout, always use a function instead.

[bsmbahamas]

Because when you pass a string to setTimeout, it executes in global scope. That means that only global variables are accessible. So one bad option would be to make temp a global variable, but a better option would be this.

setTimeout(function(){alert(temp);},2000);

You should never pass a string to setTimeout, always use a function instead.

i'll modify and try again, and i guess that means i shuld have titled this post setTimeout() not working properly too, lol