how to access form elements with numbers as names

[Jon Hoowes]

Hi,

I have inherited some code that has some form elements (radio buttons)
that are called "1", "2" etc.

for example:

<input name="2" type="radio" value="45">
<input name="2" type="radio" value="46">
I want to be able to access them through javascript to disable them;

forms.myform.2[0].disabled=true;

etc.
however I get a javascript error when I try to do this (something about a
missing semicolon).
My javascript skills are fine and I have other elements being disabled OK,
so I assume that this is a problem with the way that the elements were
named.

Unfortunately I don't have the option of renaming the elements. Is there
another way to access these elements?
I have tried:

var temp=forms.myfo rm.2;
temp[0].disabled=true;

But I get the same missing semicolon error on the "var temp=..." line

Any thoughts appreciated!

Cheers,

Ben

[Erwin Moller]

Jon Hoowes wrote:

Hi,

I have inherited some code that has some form elements (radio buttons)
that are called "1", "2" etc.

for example:

<input name="2" type="radio" value="45">
<input name="2" type="radio" value="46">
I want to be able to access them through javascript to disable them;

forms.myform.2[0].disabled=true;

etc.
however I get a javascript error when I try to do this (something about a
missing semicolon).
My javascript skills are fine and I have other elements being disabled OK,
so I assume that this is a problem with the way that the elements were
named.

Unfortunately I don't have the option of renaming the elements. Is there
another way to access these elements?
I have tried:

var temp=forms.myfo rm.2;
temp[0].disabled=true;

But I get the same missing semicolon error on the "var temp=..." line

Any thoughts appreciated!

Cheers,

Ben

Hi Ben,

Maybe stringnotation helps? (not sure)

var temp=forms.myfo rm["2"];
temp[0].disabled=true;

If not, try debugging by using alert.
Like:
var temp=forms.myfo rm["2"];
alert (tmp);
temp[0].disabled=true;

is tmp pointing to a radio-object?

And yes: Strange design to name your elements like that. :-/

Regards,
Erwin Moller

[Erwin Moller]

Hi Ben,

Maybe stringnotation helps? (not sure)

var temp=forms.myfo rm["2"];
temp[0].disabled=true;

If not, try debugging by using alert.
Like:
var temp=forms.myfo rm["2"];
alert (tmp);
temp[0].disabled=true;

is tmp pointing to a radio-object?

And yes: Strange design to name your elements like that. :-/

Regards,
Erwin Moller

One more thing, I always use document too before adressing elements.
So:
var temp=document.f orms.myform["2"];

Regards,
Erwin Moller

[Jon Hoowes]

Maybe stringnotation helps? (not sure)

var temp=forms.myfo rm["2"];
temp[0].disabled=true;
This works, but doesn't allow me to access the elements by their "name"
And yes: Strange design to name your elements like that. :-/

It's a system that builds a form based on database information. The
primary key, which is a number, determines the name of the element.

This is also why the suggestion you made is not suitable - it works, but I
cannot guarantee the order of each element within the form :(

Cheers anyway!

Jon

[Matt Kruse]

Jon Hoowes wrote:

I have inherited some code that has some form elements (radio buttons)
that are called "1", "2" etc.

The core problem is the fact that form element names cannot begin with a
number.
It's invalid HTML.
Therefore, your javascript cannot be expected to work.

You must rename the form elements.

--
Matt Kruse
http://www.JavascriptToolbox.com
http://www.AjaxToolbox.com

[Zoe Brown]

"Jon Hoowes" <ju*****@hotmai l.com> wrote in message
news:pa******** *************** *****@hotmail.c om...

Maybe stringnotation helps? (not sure)

var temp=forms.myfo rm["2"];
temp[0].disabled=true;

This works, but doesn't allow me to access the elements by their "name"

And yes: Strange design to name your elements like that. :-/

It's a system that builds a form based on database information. The
primary key, which is a number, determines the name of the element.

make the name of the element up using a string AND the primary key. ie

"element" + primaryKey...

[David Dorward]

Matt Kruse wrote:

The core problem is the fact that form element names cannot begin with a
number.

NAME tokens cannot start with a number, but the value of the name attribute
is not a NAME token. Form control names may begin with a number.

--
David Dorward <http://blog.dorward.me .uk/> <http://dorward.me.uk/>
Home is where the ~/.bashrc is

[Lee]

Jon Hoowes said:

Maybe stringnotation helps? (not sure)

var temp=forms.myfo rm["2"];
temp[0].disabled=true;

This works, but doesn't allow me to access the elements by their "name"

And yes: Strange design to name your elements like that. :-/

It's a system that builds a form based on database information. The
primary key, which is a number, determines the name of the element.

It would be fine to allow the numeric key to *determine* the name
of the element, but it was a bad decision to allow the numeric key
to *be* the name of the element. Surely your developers can figure
out how to translate the key "2" into "element_2" , or some other
valid name.

[RobG]

David Dorward wrote:

Matt Kruse wrote:

The core problem is the fact that form element names cannot begin with a
number.

NAME tokens cannot start with a number, but the value of the name attribute
is not a NAME token. Form control names may begin with a number.

Yes, the value of an HTML name attribute is CDATA. The ID attribute is
a NAME token and can't start with a number - easily confused!

Name:
<URL:http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/interact/forms.html#adef-name-INPUT>

ID:
<URL:http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/struct/global.html#ade f-id>

--
Rob

[Jon Hoowes]

> It would be fine to allow the numeric key to *determine* the name

of the element, but it was a bad decision to allow the numeric key
to *be* the name of the element. Surely your developers can figure
out how to translate the key "2" into "element_2" , or some other
valid name.

I agree 100%, but I don't have any way to update the code that takes the
script - it is on a separate system and although I have asked them to
change it, I don't think they want to, hence wondering if there is anyway
to access the element without changing the element name...

Cheers,

Jon