getting comment nodes

rnd me · 10-14-2009, 04:34 AM

what's the fastest or easiest way to get all comment nodes into an Array?

the solution only needs to work in ie8/w3 if that helps.

mrhoo · 10-14-2009, 03:01 PM

//

Code:

function getComments(hoo){
	if(!arguments.length) hoo=document;
	var A= [];
	if(hoo){
		hoo= hoo.firstChild;
		while(hoo!= null){
			if(hoo.nodeType== 8){
				A[A.length]= hoo.data;
			}
			else A= A.concat(arguments.callee(hoo));
			hoo= hoo.nextSibling;
		}
	}
	return A;
}

// Test
alert(getComments())

Note- IE (only) will return doctype text, if the page has a doctype, as the first item in the array. You can ignore it or remove it before the return -

Code:

if(A[0].toLowerCase().indexOf('doctype')==0)A.shift();
return A;

rnd me · 10-15-2009, 10:37 PM

thanks for the code.
You ended up opening pandora's box on me here.

I generalized your recursive iteration pattern to be able to grab any node based on a property. This grew and grew until I had a very robust and powerful function.

I will probably end up posting the results in the "Post a javascript" section, i want to finish my unit-tests first.

At any rate, thanks again!