Why is document.write missing in custom document objects?

Question

Create custom document object:

var doc = document.implementation.createDocument(
  'http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml',
  'html',
  //Inherit current doctype
  document.doctype
);

Try to write in it:

//Throws error - TypeError: doc.write is not a function
doc.write(document.documentElement.innerHTML);

Same goes for .close and .open. What the hell? Is this a bug? Probably not - all browsers do it:

Chrome (most helful error ever, Chrome must be fun to debug in):

Uncaught TypeError: undefined is not a function

Opera:

TypeError: Object #<Document> has no method 'write'

Firefox:

TypeError: document.implementation.createDocument(...).write is not a function

Why are the methods open, write and close missing for custom documents?

My guess would be because .write, .open and .close are horrible methods and should not be used? — Niet the Dark Absol
– Niet the Dark Absol, Commented Dec 11, 2014 at 13:21
@NiettheDarkAbsol Why are they horrible? Do you propose better solution to the whole problem? — Tomáš Zato
– Tomáš Zato, Commented Dec 11, 2014 at 14:20
@Cerbrus I'm loading HTML dynamically, then copying certain node values to the loaded window.document. I'm trying to load next and previous comics using AJAX and preload them so that I don't have to wait... :) — Tomáš Zato
– Tomáš Zato, Commented Dec 11, 2014 at 14:25

Cerbrus · Accepted Answer · 2014-12-11 14:18:29Z

3

document.implementation.createDocument returns a XMLDocument.
However, .write is a function document inherits from HTMLDocument.

Basically, XMLDocuments don't have that function.
You're probably looking for createHTMLDocument

edited Dec 11, 2014 at 14:18

answered Dec 11, 2014 at 13:28

Cerbrus

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4 Comments

Tomáš Zato Over a year ago

I'd really like to create HTMLDocument then.

Cerbrus Over a year ago

Have a look at createHTMLDocument

Tomáš Zato Over a year ago

According to MDN, XMLDocument inherits from Document which has the .write and other.

Cerbrus Over a year ago

@TomášZato: "It inherits from the generic Document and does not add any specific methods or properties to it" "This interface doesn't inherit any method."

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