OMG I HATE Javascript, JQuery to the Rescue! Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:22:24 -0400

Okay so as web developers we often run into issues. Okay lets call it like it is, we have to deal with IE. Well today I was working on the dreaded issue with making a menu that will close when you click or focus anywhere else on the page. This one is special because I have a text input field in the menu that is used in conjunction with AJAX to resort/filter the menu items by what is being typed. This would be relatively easy with jquery and an UNDERSTANDING browser.


function openMenu() {
    $('#menu').toggleOn();
    $(document).one('focus', function() {
        $('#menu').toggleOff();
    });
}

See how simple that is? It amazes myself, but that really is all it takes. Then you introduce IE, which only adheres focus to form elements. But aha! I found a way around it, this technique could be duplicated in other frameworks like MooTools, Prototype and plain jane Javascript.


function openMenu() {
    $('#menu').toggleOn();
    $('#menuFilter').one('blur', function() {
        $('#menu').toggleOff(150);
    }
    $('#menuFilter').focus();
}

The 150 timeout on the toggleOff gives time for any events, such as an anchor clicked to process.

  • About The Author

  • This is the definitive blog for the musings of Brian Smith. I've been a programmer / sys admin for most of my life. I don't have much to say, I work, I enjoy my family, and every once in awhile I'll dump a little something I want to keep track of here.

    Currently I am the CTO of DNS.com where we provide geolocation based authoritative DNS services for the masses. I also have been working on drafts that are submitted to the IETF to the dnsext working group.

    In the past I have been involved with organizing various user groups, including an off and on again 2600 group. Also I have been involved with the development of Seclude, an open source secure instant messaging platform as well as Sliker, a project that later developed into plasma for the KDE desktop environment.

    Additionally I am an avid home brewer making my own beer. Everything else should be below or to the left.

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  • I'm a Linux and BSD user, and lean heavily toward the use of OSS vs certain other commercial solutions.

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