B
Bruno
How do you set the focus on a certain text field so that as soon as the page
loads up that particular text input box is in focus?
loads up that particular text input box is in focus?
G
GD
Bruno said:
With Javascript.
If the form name is 'tree' and the element name is 'apple' then in the
HEAD element of your page add:
<script type="text/javascript">
onload=function() {
document.tree.apple.focus()
}
</script>
There are other ways to target form elements. This would target the first
element in the first form on your page:
document.forms[0].elements[0].focus()
This is a shortcut version of the above:
document.forms[0][0].focus()
Search Google for a tutorial about Javascript and DOM!
P
Paul Furman
GD said:
Hmm, yeah, I just found something similar and didn't even have to state
that it was javascript:
<BODY onLoad="document.forms.mail.subject.focus()">
It worked just fine, I guess it wouldn't if the visitor had java script
turned off. Have I done something wrong? Any harm in this?
L
Leif K-Brooks
Bruno said:
Don't do that. If I've already started typing, my cursor will go to the
beginning of the box. If I'm a keyboard user who doesn't wants to use
something above that box, I'll have to tab my way all the way up.
P
Paul Furman
Won't it already be there before you start typing though? I've visited
pages where I start typing but the cursor isn't in a box and it drives
me nuts.
pages where I start typing but the cursor isn't in a box and it drives
me nuts.
L
Leif K-Brooks
Paul Furman wrote:
Top-posting fixed. Don't do that.
Yes, because I put it there with my tab key or my mouse. If you can't
figure out how to put your cursor in a box, then you need to learn how
to use your browser.
Top-posting fixed. Don't do that.
Yes, because I put it there with my tab key or my mouse. If you can't
figure out how to put your cursor in a box, then you need to learn how
to use your browser.
P
Paul Furman
What else would you want to do? alt keys still work for menu tasks.
I don't see the problem. The script loads when the page loads so when
the page loads, your cursor is in the first box. A tab would move to the
second box, a mouse click would go to wherever you clicked unless you
can tab or click faster than java can calculate. I can understand a
larger page with multiple forms if you moved someone to an unexpected
box at the bottom. I don't use tab on web pages unless I'm in a form, I
see now that one tab takes me to the address bar, is this what you are
talking about? When I go to a page with a form, I expect to be able to
start typing and it annoys me to have to move my mouse (after wasting
time typing into nothingness) or tab twice. This seems common sense but
maybe I'm missing something.
I don't see the problem. The script loads when the page loads so when
the page loads, your cursor is in the first box. A tab would move to the
second box, a mouse click would go to wherever you clicked unless you
can tab or click faster than java can calculate. I can understand a
larger page with multiple forms if you moved someone to an unexpected
box at the bottom. I don't use tab on web pages unless I'm in a form, I
see now that one tab takes me to the address bar, is this what you are
talking about? When I go to a page with a form, I expect to be able to
start typing and it annoys me to have to move my mouse (after wasting
time typing into nothingness) or tab twice. This seems common sense but
maybe I'm missing something.
T
Toby A Inkster
Bruno said:
Google will tell you. Don't search for anything. Just view source on their
front page.
B
Bruno
Paul Furman said:
Agreed. That's exactly what's annoying about the page. It's a simple login
page with username and password fields and if your session has expired you
get thrown back to it so it's a pain if you have to pull the mouse pointer
down and click in the username box before you can start typing in your
username.
B
Bruno
GD said:
Thanks but I was aware of a javascript method, just wondered if it was
possible in HTML.
See above. This being a newsgroup on HTML, I was looking for an HTML method
so that it would still work for those with javascript turned off.
L
Leif K-Brooks
Paul said:
Tab my way _down_ from the top of the page.
What if I had my cursor somewhere else before the page was fully loaded?
No, I'm talking about tabbing my way to links, form boxes, and
everything else focusable.
G
GD
Bruno said:
Nope, HTML is just a markup language. It doesn't 'do' anything or
understand events, it just tells the browser what each piece of text is.
Given that all you're doing is focusing on a field when the page loads
it doesn't really matter if Javascript is enabled or not - It's not
going to break the page or affect accessibility when it doesn't work.
But, as you've seen in other replies, some people don't like things like
this
P
Paul Furman
OK I understand now that on a complex page with other links and
navigation, it will mess some people up (not many though <g>) but on a
simple form page, it makes sense to me and is what most people expect.
navigation, it will mess some people up (not many though <g>) but on a
simple form page, it makes sense to me and is what most people expect.
M
Michael Wilcox
Bruno said:
As others have mentioned, it's entirely possible to do so in JavaScript (not
HTML) but I wouldn't recommend it. If I'm already typing in the box (or
another box) before the page finishes loading, my entered text will be
selected and overwritten without me knowing it, or my typing will end up in
the wrong box.
M
Mark Parnell
Yes. It won't happen until the page is finished loading, so if the user
is on a slow connection, or is a fast typist, they may have already
filled that field in, and be on to the next field.
This is especially a problem with login pages, when the user has already
entered their username, and is in the process of entering their
password, when suddenly the focus goes back to the username field.
L
Leif K-Brooks
Paul Furman wrote (talking about putting focus in a form element when
the page loads):
What if I'm already typing in another form box and then you suddenly
switch focus back to another?
the page loads):
What if I'm already typing in another form box and then you suddenly
switch focus back to another?
E
Eric Bohlman
A *really* simple form page. For example, Google's main search page has
only one input field, and the page isn't image-heavy. But consider a page
with a lot of fields and lots of images. The onLoad event doesn't happen
until the last image (or, if you've sold your soul to the devil, background
sound) has loaded. And that means that someone might well be in the middle
of filling out a form by the time the event occurs, at which point he'll
suddenly find himself overwriting something he typed before (especially if
the script doesn't just change the focus, but selects the content of the
field switched to, meaning that the first character typed will erase the
entire previous contents).