How do I return 'data' as the result of save_it ?

blerg.coffee

# How do I return 'data' as the result of save_it ?

  save_it = (edited_value, s) ->
    $.post(url_to_save_to, {value: edited_value}, (data) -> data)

By the way, if instead of $.post you were calling something that synchronously runs its callback, then you could write

save_it = (edited_value, s) ->
  data = null
  runNow (d) -> data = d
  data

to return the value provided by runNow from save_it. (The data = null line is necessary to give data scope outside of the callback.)