How do I add a control to a form.

[Mike R]

Hi,

I have a form frm1 . The form is generated by a "control" that is placed on
the page - I have no access to the source to modify the controls. I can
access other hidden controls within it by referencing:

ocontainer.frm1 .txt1.value;

I would like to insert my own hidden control that can be posted back to to
my page so I can do something with it. How can I do this from clientside at
runtime?

Thanks

Mike

[RobB]

Re: How do I add a control to a form.

Mike R wrote:[color=blue]
> Hi,
>
> I have a form frm1 . The form is generated by a "control" that is[/color]
placed on[color=blue]
> the page - I have no access to the source to modify the controls. I[/color]
can[color=blue]
> access other hidden controls within it by referencing:
>
> ocontainer.frm1 .txt1.value;
>
> I would like to insert my own hidden control that can be posted back[/color]
to to[color=blue]
> my page so I can do something with it. How can I do this from[/color]
clientside at[color=blue]
> runtime?
>
> Thanks
>
> Mike[/color]

Quick guess:

var hfield = document.create Element('input' );
hfield.setAttri bute('type', 'hidden');
hfield.setAttri bute('name', 'somename');
hfield.setAttri bute('value', 'somevalue');
ocontainer.frm1 .appendChild(hf ield);
ocontainer.frm1 .somename = hfield;
ocontainer.frm1 .elements.somen ame = hfield;

[Michael Winter]

Re: How do I add a control to a form.

RobB wrote:

[snip]
[color=blue]
> var hfield = document.create Element('input' );
> hfield.setAttri bute('type', 'hidden');
> hfield.setAttri bute('name', 'somename');
> hfield.setAttri bute('value', 'somevalue');[/color]

It's preferable to use the shortcut properties in HTML documents. That is,

hfield.type = 'hidden';

and so on.
[color=blue]
> ocontainer.frm1 .appendChild(hf ield);[/color]

The element that should be used a container may vary by DOCTYPE. A
Transitional document can use a FORM element directly. With Strict,
the container should be a block-level element within the form.
[color=blue]
> ocontainer.frm1 .somename = hfield;
> ocontainer.frm1 .elements.somen ame = hfield;[/color]

That's unnecessary. Inserting a form control into a form automatically
adds it to the elements collection and sets the form property on the
control. This even occurs if the new element is not a child of the
form, but a descendant.

Mike

--
Michael Winter
Replace ".invalid" with ".uk" to reply by e-mail.

[Mike R]

Re: How do I add a control to a form.


"RobB" <ferndoc9@hotma il.com> wrote in message
news:1110303838 .443391.182920@ z14g2000cwz.goo glegroups.com.. .[color=blue]
> Mike R wrote:[color=green]
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have a form frm1 . The form is generated by a "control" that is[/color]
> placed on[color=green]
>> the page - I have no access to the source to modify the controls. I[/color]
> can[color=green]
>> access other hidden controls within it by referencing:
>>
>> ocontainer.frm1 .txt1.value;
>>
>> I would like to insert my own hidden control that can be posted back[/color]
> to to[color=green]
>> my page so I can do something with it. How can I do this from[/color]
> clientside at[color=green]
>> runtime?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Mike[/color]
>
> Quick guess:
>
> var hfield = document.create Element('input' );
> hfield.setAttri bute('type', 'hidden');
> hfield.setAttri bute('name', 'somename');
> hfield.setAttri bute('value', 'somevalue');
> ocontainer.frm1 .appendChild(hf ield);
> ocontainer.frm1 .somename = hfield;
> ocontainer.frm1 .elements.somen ame = hfield;
>[/color]

Thanks Rob and Mike, I will give it a go

[Mike R]

Re: How do I add a control to a form.


"RobB" <ferndoc9@hotma il.com> wrote in message
news:1110303838 .443391.182920@ z14g2000cwz.goo glegroups.com.. .[color=blue]
> Mike R wrote:[color=green]
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have a form frm1 . The form is generated by a "control" that is[/color]
> placed on[color=green]
>> the page - I have no access to the source to modify the controls. I[/color]
> can[color=green]
>> access other hidden controls within it by referencing:
>>
>> ocontainer.frm1 .txt1.value;
>>
>> I would like to insert my own hidden control that can be posted back[/color]
> to to[color=green]
>> my page so I can do something with it. How can I do this from[/color]
> clientside at[color=green]
>> runtime?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>> Mike[/color]
>
> Quick guess:
>
> var hfield = document.create Element('input' );
> hfield.setAttri bute('type', 'hidden');
> hfield.setAttri bute('name', 'somename');
> hfield.setAttri bute('value', 'somevalue');
> ocontainer.frm1 .appendChild(hf ield);
> ocontainer.frm1 .somename = hfield;
> ocontainer.frm1 .elements.somen ame = hfield;
>[/color]

Hi

I get invalid argument with this ocontainer.frm1 .appendChild(hf ield);

my code :

var oGridContainerW indow =
document.getEle mentById("crmGr id0").contentWi ndow;

var hfield = document.create Element('input' );

hfield.type = 'hidden';

hfield.id = 'rowHeight';


oGridContainerW indow.frmGrid.a ppendChild(hfie ld);

[RobB]

Re: How do I add a control to a form.

Hi Mike.

Michael Winter wrote:[color=blue]
> RobB wrote:
>
> [snip]
>[color=green]
> > var hfield = document.create Element('input' );
> > hfield.setAttri bute('type', 'hidden');
> > hfield.setAttri bute('name', 'somename');
> > hfield.setAttri bute('value', 'somevalue');[/color]
>
> It's preferable to use the shortcut properties in HTML documents.[/color]
That is,[color=blue]
>
> hfield.type = 'hidden';
>
> and so on.[/color]

Hmm..I demur. I think it's preferable to use DOM Level 1+ methods
whenever feasible, avoiding them where cross-browser implementation is
uneven (and there's a better way). setAttribute() for these cases is
reliable in my experience.
[color=blue][color=green]
> > ocontainer.frm1 .appendChild(hf ield);[/color]
>
> The element that should be used a container may vary by DOCTYPE. A
> Transitional document can use a FORM element directly. With Strict,
> the container should be a block-level element within the form.[/color]

Just conforming to the OPs description.
[color=blue][color=green]
> > ocontainer.frm1 .somename = hfield;
> > ocontainer.frm1 .elements.somen ame = hfield;[/color]
>
> That's unnecessary. Inserting a form control into a form[/color]
automatically[color=blue]
> adds it to the elements collection and sets the form property on the
> control. This even occurs if the new element is not a child of the
> form, but a descendant.[/color]

Not intended to add it to elements[], just to create the usual
references at Form.element_na me and Form.elements.e lement_name, not
implemented in current versions of MSIE.

[Mike R]

Re: How do I add a control to a form.


"Mike R" <news@mikeread. freeserve.co.uk > wrote in message
news:d0kqeq$2m3 $1$8300dec7@new s.demon.co.uk.. .[color=blue]
>
> "RobB" <ferndoc9@hotma il.com> wrote in message
> news:1110303838 .443391.182920@ z14g2000cwz.goo glegroups.com.. .[color=green]
>> Mike R wrote:[color=darkred]
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I have a form frm1 . The form is generated by a "control" that is[/color]
>> placed on[color=darkred]
>>> the page - I have no access to the source to modify the controls. I[/color]
>> can[color=darkred]
>>> access other hidden controls within it by referencing:
>>>
>>> ocontainer.frm1 .txt1.value;
>>>
>>> I would like to insert my own hidden control that can be posted back[/color]
>> to to[color=darkred]
>>> my page so I can do something with it. How can I do this from[/color]
>> clientside at[color=darkred]
>>> runtime?
>>>
>>> Thanks
>>>
>>> Mike[/color]
>>
>> Quick guess:
>>
>> var hfield = document.create Element('input' );
>> hfield.setAttri bute('type', 'hidden');
>> hfield.setAttri bute('name', 'somename');
>> hfield.setAttri bute('value', 'somevalue');
>> ocontainer.frm1 .appendChild(hf ield);
>> ocontainer.frm1 .somename = hfield;
>> ocontainer.frm1 .elements.somen ame = hfield;
>>[/color]
>
> Hi
>
> I get invalid argument with this ocontainer.frm1 .appendChild(hf ield);
>
> my code :
>
> var oGridContainerW indow =
> document.getEle mentById("crmGr id0").contentWi ndow;
>
> var hfield = document.create Element('input' );
>
> hfield.type = 'hidden';
>
> hfield.id = 'rowHeight';
>
>
> oGridContainerW indow.frmGrid.a ppendChild(hfie ld);
>
>[/color]

Ignore this, I used var hfield =
oGridContainerW indow.document. createElement(' input');

and that worked[color=blue]
>
>[/color]

[RobB]

Re: How do I add a control to a form.

Mike R wrote:

(snip)
[color=blue][color=green]
> > Hi
> >
> > I get invalid argument with this[/color][/color]
ocontainer.frm1 .appendChild(hf ield);[color=blue][color=green]
> >
> > my code :
> >
> > var oGridContainerW indow =
> > document.getEle mentById("crmGr id0").contentWi ndow;
> >
> > var hfield = document.create Element('input' );
> >
> > hfield.type = 'hidden';
> >
> > hfield.id = 'rowHeight';
> >
> >
> > oGridContainerW indow.frmGrid.a ppendChild(hfie ld);
> >
> >[/color]
>
> Ignore this, I used var hfield =
> oGridContainerW indow.document. createElement(' input');
>
> and that worked[color=green]
> >
> >[/color][/color]

Very sneaky, leaving out the part about the iframe. #;=)

Glad you got it sorted out.

[Michael Winter]

Re: How do I add a control to a form.

RobB wrote:

[setAttribute vs. convenience properties]
[color=blue]
> I think it's preferable to use DOM Level 1+ methods whenever feasible,[/color]

On what grounds? The convenience properties were provided explicitly
for HTML documents to provide a simple and efficient method of
altering the attributes of HTML elements.

If /true/ XHTML were an issue, and it shouldn't be for a long time
yet, there would be little option than to use methods. However, given
the opportunity, why not take the shorter route?

[snip]
[color=blue][color=green][color=darkred]
>>> ocontainer.frm1 .somename = hfield;
>>> ocontainer.frm1 .elements.somen ame = hfield;[/color][/color][/color]

[snip]
[color=blue]
> not implemented in current versions of MSIE.[/color]

You know, I never noticed that. The inserted elements do exist within
the elements collection, but not as named properties. How odd. I had
noticed problems with other collections - for example, the links
collection which doesn't expose any named properties - but I didn't
think it extended to forms.

Mike

--
Michael Winter
Replace ".invalid" with ".uk" to reply by e-mail.