checking if an object exists...

[ggallen]

I'm Dynamically creating an HTML page, which may or maynot
contain some named fields like ENTRY1, ENTRY2. There may
be some skipped numbers, so ENTRY3 may not exist.

My js will need to loop through all possible ENTRY#'s,
but I don't want to get dropped from the function if
I attempt to check a class setting of non-existant field name.

Is there an exists() function in javascript? and how is
it used?

Thanks.

George

[Choopernickel]

Not quite an exists() function, but here's what I use:

// something may exist
if (something && typeof something != 'undefined') {
    // operate on something
}

HTH

[Roy Sinclair]

Object existance testing is often done like this:

if (document.all)
{// document.all exists}
else
{// document.all doesn't exist}

Purists and the future will likely force you to eventually use the "typeOf" operator:

if (typeOf(document.all)=="undefined")
{// document.all doesn't exist}
else
{document.all exists}

[ggallen]

Thanks. I'll give the TypeOf a try. That looks like
what I'm after.

George

[beetle]

Javascript keywords are case-sensitive. It's typeof, not typeOf

Also, since it's technically an operator and not a function, you don't have to use the parentheses

if ( typeof document.all == 'undefiend' )

[ggallen]

ok....Well doesn't do as expected

Here is the function:

function hidebuttons(lineno) {
for (var i = 1 ; i <= 3 ; i++) {
if ( typeOf(eval("document.FORM1.BUTTONS"+i)) == "undefined" ) {
alert("Button"+i+" does not exist!");
} else {
alert("Button"+i+" does exist!");
}
}
}

BUTTONS1 is the ID of a table. Does that make a
difference how I reference it in the typeOf() ?

George

[ggallen]

OK. I changed the typeOf -> typeof, that stopped
the Object expected error

BUT....it can't find any of the table names.

BUTTONS1 BUTTONS2 or BUTTONS3
and I know BUTTONS3 in this case exists.

Can I check the existance of a table the same way
as a field?

George

[beetle]

try not using eval

if ( typeof document.FORM1.elements['BUTTONS'+i] == "undefined" ) {

[ggallen]

changed it to the elements[] syntax. Still doesn't find
any of the tables (which only BUTTONS3 exists).

HTML coding for the table is as:
<TD WIDTH=5% ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="CENTER">
<TABLE ID="BUTTONS3" BORDER="0" ALIGN="CENTER" VALIGN="CENTER" WIDTH=100%><TR><TD ALIGN="CENTER">
<INPUT TYPE="BUTTON" NAME="LINK3" VALUE="LINK" OnClick="subbmit('LINK3');">
<INPUT TYPE="BUTTON" NAME="MODIFY3" VALUE="UPDATE" OnClick="subbmit('MODIFY3');">
</TD></TR></TABLE>

If tried also:

if typeof getElementByID("BUTTONS"+i) also, but the
getElementByID gives me an object not found error on
the first check (BUTTONS1).

Basically, what I want to do, when a checkbox is checked,
I want a group of buttons to disappear (the disappering part
isn't the problem). So I need to figure out which set of tables
exists, then change their visibility.

Thanks
George

[ggallen]

if it helps any, this will be used ONLY on IE 5.5 or better.
so cross browser implementation isn't an issue.

Thanks
George

[beetle]

Oh, these aren't form elements.

Again, case-sensitivity applies

getElementById, not getElementByID

[ggallen]

type on my part on posting. I did have

getElementById.

Problem is that the getElementById function
has to have a valid Table Name (or rather ID),
and typeof doesn't seem to work for Tables.

My solution for now will be to imbed a HIDDEN
element within the table that I CAN reference
with typeof, ie:

<INPUT TYPE="HIDDEN" NAME="EXISTS3" VALUE="">

Then do a typeof document.FORM1.EXISTS+i If it
exists, then it's table exists

If anyone can think of another easy method, I'll
try it.

Thanks
George

[ggallen]

Using the Imbedded HIDDEN element work
just fine.

George

[beetle]

If the table has an ID, and it indeed does exist in the document, then

if ( typeof document.getElementById( 'tableId' ) == 'undefined' )

Should work. Of course, this is typically done with a reference first

var t = document.getElementById( 'tableId' );
if ( typeof t == 'undefined' )

[ggallen]

In my case, the table may or may not exist. That's
what I'm trying to find out. I'll try anyway returning
the base into a varible and checking the typeof
on the varible.

George