How do i test a text field?

I have the following function:

function testLauncher(){

var inputBox=document.Bear.babybear.value;

if(inputBox.value==undefined)
{
alert("You chose to not type anything");
inputBox.value="";
}
else
{
alert("You wrote, " + inputBox.value);
inputBox.value="";
}
}

The problem is, that no matter what i type in, i always end up getting the first alert message. How do i basically make it alert one of 2 potential conditions? At first i tried, if (inputBox=="") to make it alert the first alert, but that didnt work either. It seems like the undefined message was all that it would display for me.

There is no such thing as: inputBox.value....
inputBox is a variable and you already declared its value....

var inputBox=document.Bear.babybear.value;

.....Willy

I have no idea what you mean.

Am i, or am i not to say:

if(inputBox.value==undefined)
?

i thought i need to access the value property to compare whats inside to something else?

What is wrong with this:

var inputBox=document.Bear.babybear.value;
?

What Willy said; i.e.,

var inputBox=document.Bear.babybear.value;

if(document.Bear.babybear.value.value==undefined)

<script>
<!--

function testLauncher(){

var inputBox = document.Bear.babybear;

if (inputBox.value == ""){
alert("You chose to not type anything");
} else {
alert("You wrote, " + inputBox.value);
inputBox.value = "";
}
}

//-->
</script>

<form name="Bear">
<input type="text" name="babybear" size="10" />
<input type="button" value="alert" onClick="javascript:testLauncher();" />
</form>




undefined
The value undefined.Core property


Implemented in
JavaScript 1.3

ECMA version
ECMA-262



Syntax
undefined
Description
undefined is a top-level property and is not associated with any object.

A variable that has not been assigned a value is of type undefined. A method or statement also returns undefined if the variable that is being evaluated does not have an assigned value.

You can use undefined to determine whether a variable has a value. In the following code, the variable x is not defined, and the if statement evaluates to true.

var x;
if (x == undefined) {
alert(x);
}

undefined is also a primitive value.


inputBox, any text field, returns an empty string like:

<input type="text" name="babybear" value="" size="10" />

Think of it like:

if (inputBox.value == ""){
alert("You chose to not type anything");
inputBox.value = "";

you wouldn't write:

if (inputBox.value == ""){
alert("You chose to not type anything");
inputBox.value = undefined;

Try this:

<script>
<!--

function testLauncher(){

var inputBox = document.Bear.babybear;

if (inputBox.value == ""){
alert(typeof(inputBox.value));
alert("You chose to not type anything");
} else {
alert("You wrote, " + inputBox.value);
inputBox.value = "";
}
}

//-->
</script>

OK, i think now i understand what was meant:

What Willy said; i.e.,

var inputBox=document.Bear.babybear.value;

if(document.Bear.babybear.value.value==undefined)


So when i declare a variable, and assign to it a specific object for its meaning, i shouldnt include within its assignment a specific property of that object/tag? Like you said above, if i include value at the end of babybear, then when i want to access that value property, i would have to do more or less a repeat? Like this:

if(document.Bear.babybear.value.value==undefined)
?

So i should always bear in mind the difference between an object as an assignment, and the accessing of a property through a variable?

if(document.Bear.babybear.value.value==undefined)

No. I think what he meant was what you were doing was the equivalent of the above.

inputBox is a variable and you already declared its value....

var inputBox=document.Bear.babybear.value;


So, you would simply say:


if(inputBox== "")

Not only is value.value redundant, but improper syntax.



-james