How do I read an attribute of a HTML tag using JavaScript?

Question

I have a <span> element that I am reading with JavaScript. The element is like the following one:

<span key="789">
  <input id="ctl00_cphBody_gvContact_ctl09_cbox" type="checkbox" name="ctl00$cphBody$gvContact$ctl09$cbox">
</span>

I need to get the value for the "key" attribute. If I try to get the inner HTML of the HTML element, it returns the HTML of the inner checkbox.

@David Wolever - As silly at it seems, I don't think it is too localized. The OP does not know how to access a custom DOM property. The weird number and example HTML are irrelevant, IMO. — karim79
– karim79, Commented Aug 6, 2011 at 5:20
You're right — the general question is fine (as evidenced by the myriad of similar questions the Google search I linked to shows). However, the specific wording of this question (“how to read key in span”) is what makes it too localized, in my opinion. — David Wolever
– David Wolever, Commented Aug 6, 2011 at 5:29
@David, if you have this opinion why not simply you edit the question and make it correct. — user576510
– user576510, Commented Aug 6, 2011 at 5:43
Two reasons: that would make it an exact duplicate (so I'd have to close “exact duplicate”) and it wouldn't help you, OP, understand the types of questions Stack Overflow is trying to encourage. — David Wolever
– David Wolever, Commented Aug 6, 2011 at 5:54
Note that there is nothing “wrong”, per se, with having a question closed — it's simply an indication that the question in its current form isn't right for Stack Overflow (as opposed to a down vote, which means “this is a low quality question”). — David Wolever
– David Wolever, Commented Aug 6, 2011 at 5:57

Jose Adrian · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-06 05:09:22Z

9

Using jQuery:

$('span').attr('key').

Using pure javascript

document.getElementsByTagName('span')[0].getAttribute('key')

answered Aug 6, 2011 at 5:09

Jose Adrian

1,2371 gold badge17 silver badges32 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

1 Comment

Levi Morrison Over a year ago

In addition to this, I'd like to say that you should really store the key as data-key='789'. This is the new HTML5 specification and does not hurt to begin using it immediately. In newer versions of jQuery, you would access this with $('span').data('key')

pepsi · Accepted Answer · 2011-08-06 10:02:38Z

1

JQuery makes it really easy. See the .attr method

You'll probably want to assign an id or class to that span so that you can select it specifically:

<span id="idOfSpan" key="blah">...</span>

var spanKey = $('#idOfSpan').attr('key')

edited Aug 6, 2011 at 10:02

answered Aug 6, 2011 at 5:13

pepsi

6,8757 gold badges46 silver badges75 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

How do I read an attribute of a HTML tag using JavaScript?

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Linked

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

2 Answers 2

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Linked

Related