Resolved Inserting Content to Text Area Repeatedly

Zinnia-Aster · 02-27-2011, 07:41 PM

Hey there everybody,

Seems I need help again. Still trying to learn the ways of the javascript.

So here is my dilemma:
I have a text field and some buttons below it. When I click on the button it insert the text for it into the text field. However, in order for that text to display in the text field a second time in a row I have to click on the text field and then click on the button again.

What I would like to be able to do is to click on the button several times in a row so that it inserts the text again and again without having to click on the text field to reselect it. What's wrong with this script that is causing it to work that way? What can I do to fix it?

By the way, I will be coupling this code with a popup code. The popup code, which works perfectly fine, has buttons in it as well and insert that text into the main window text area repeatedly. I just need some buttons on my main window that do the same thing. I hope the explanation makes sense.

With all of this playing around, I know I'll get the hang of it eventually. I hope. . .

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Code:

<html>
<script type="text/javascript">
function insert(el,ins) {
window.lstText={};
    if (el.setSelectionRange){
        el.value = el.value.substring(0,el.selectionStart) + ins + el.value.substring(el.selectionStart,el.selectionEnd) + el.value.substring(el.selectionEnd,el.value.length);
    }
    else if (document.selection && document.selection.createRange) {
        el.focus();
        var range = document.selection.createRange();
        range.text = ins + range.text;
    }
}
</script>
<body>
<form>


<textarea rows="20" cols="100" name="txt1" onfocus="window.lstText=this;">
This is sample text, click anywhere in here then
choose on of the buttons above to see text inserted.
</textarea><br /><br />
<input type="button" value="Hi" onclick="insert(window.lstText,'Hi')">
<input type="button" value="Bye" onclick="insert(window.lstText,'Bye')">
<br />
</form>
</body>
</html>

chump2877 · 02-27-2011, 08:15 PM

Just add the highlighted line:

Code:

<script type="text/javascript">
function insert(el,ins) {
window.lstText={};
    if (el.setSelectionRange){
        el.value = el.value.substring(0,el.selectionStart) + ins + el.value.substring(el.selectionStart,el.selectionEnd) + el.value.substring(el.selectionEnd,el.value.length);
    }
    else if (document.selection && document.selection.createRange) {
        el.focus();
        var range = document.selection.createRange();
        range.text = ins + range.text;
    }
   el.focus();
}
</script>

Zinnia-Aster · 02-27-2011, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chump2877

Just add the highlighted line:

Code:

<script type="text/javascript">
function insert(el,ins) {
window.lstText={};
    if (el.setSelectionRange){
        el.value = el.value.substring(0,el.selectionStart) + ins + el.value.substring(el.selectionStart,el.selectionEnd) + el.value.substring(el.selectionEnd,el.value.length);
    }
    else if (document.selection && document.selection.createRange) {
        el.focus();
        var range = document.selection.createRange();
        range.text = ins + range.text;
    }
   el.focus();
}
</script>

That's all I was missing?

Wow, thanks so much for that. It is working fine now. And it is working alongside my popup code too. This is great. Much appreciated.

Philip M · 02-28-2011, 08:19 AM

Suggested improvement to avoid error if button pressed but no insertion point selected:-

Code:

<script type="text/javascript">
function insert(el,ins) {
if (typeof el === 'undefined') {
return false;
}

if (el.setSelectionRange){
el.value = el.value.substring(0,el.selectionStart) + ins + el.value.substring(el.selectionStart,el.selectionEnd) + el.value.substring(el.selectionEnd,el.value.length);
}
else if (document.selection && document.selection.createRange) {
el.focus();
var range = document.selection.createRange();
range.text = ins + range.text;
}
el.focus();
}
</script>

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