Input-field with captured text falsely empties on click

sidisinsane · 12-04-2008, 08:11 PM

The script captures body-text to a specified input-field by either left-clicking and dragging the mousepointer over or simply performing a double-click on it.

The problem: When text is entered manually into the input-field, it simply disappears when a neighbouring select-element is clicked. Why?

Another minor issue is that I would actually prefer to be able to limit the capturable area to a container with an id.

Although this code doesn't make use of a framework, I wouldn't mind a solution with JQuery or MooTools.

Code:

// Captures highlighted text within the document to a specified input-field.
var text = "";

// Captures all highlighted text.
function captureText() 
{ 
	// Sets text MSIE or Netscape active.
	lookuptext = (document.all) ? document.selection.createRange().text : document.getSelection();
	
	// Form name="research", input name="lookup"
	document.research.lookup.value = lookuptext;

	return TRUE;
}

// Initiate capture function
document.onmouseup = captureText;
if(!document.all) document.captureEvents(Event.MOUSEUP);

Wildhoney · 12-04-2008, 11:05 PM

Its behaviour for me is that when you type something and click, the text you typed in the box disappears. Is this the correct behaviour? I apologise, but I don't really understand, I don't think.

sidisinsane · 12-04-2008, 11:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wildhoney

Its behaviour for me is that when you type something and click, the text you typed in the box disappears. Is this the correct behaviour? I apologise, but I don't really understand, I don't think.

Thanks for responding!

I modified your sample-file to demonstrate the behaviour I'm getting and what I'm expecting to get. After testing it, the issues should be clearer.

Wildhoney · 12-04-2008, 11:57 PM

Thanks. I think a simple check to see if you actually selected anything should do it, shouldn't it? By adding in the following code, I seem to have fixed it. Although I'm not entirely if this is the correct behaviour:

javascript Code:

if (!lookuptext)
{
    return;
}

Wildhoney · 12-05-2008, 12:08 AM

As for your other problem of only selecting items from a specific DIV, I am unsure. I've never used the createRange() or getSelection() before. I am sorry, but I hope the other thing worked for you!

sidisinsane · 12-05-2008, 12:12 AM

Thanks a lot, Wildhoney. Your fix solves all my issues and so simple it was.