January 28, 2001 - The Attribute Object

January 28, 2001 The Attribute Node Tips: January 2001 Yehuda Shiran, Ph.D. Doc JavaScript

attObj = document.createAttribute("foo");

The attribute node is very unique. It is not anyone's child, and it does not belong to the document object. It is a depository for an attribute value. You change the attribute value via:

attObj.value = newValue;

You can query the attribute name and its value with attObj.name and attObj.value, respectively. We put the following lines in the header of this tip:

if (document.createAttribute) {
   attObj = document.createAttribute("A JavaScript Reference");
   attObj.value = "Doc JavaScript";
}

Click the following buttons to detect the attribute name and value in any of the browsers mentioned above. Click them in other browsers and you will receive an error message or nothing at all will happen:

<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" 
       onClick="alert(attObj.name)" 
       VALUE="Print Attribute Name">
</FORM>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" 
       onClick="alert(attObj.value)" 
       VALUE="Print Attribute Value">
</FORM>