CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascripthtmlfocus
Olaseni
Olaseni

Reputation: 7916

Can multiple HTML elements receive focus at the same time?

I'm a coding a JavaScript reporting component, that requires multiple LI's i.e. lists to be selected collectively as a bunch with visual feedback.

I'm thinking of adapting the onfocus event. Is it possible for multiple HTML elements to receive focus at the same time?

Not inputs, but DIVs, so I don't need the cursor. I just want several DIVs to be "selected" separately from others, colored differently to simulate multiple item selection.

Upvotes: 28

Views: 38065

Answers (5)

Shimi
Shimi

Reputation: 1218

No. An extensive answer from an accessibility point of view is that the Focus enables screen readers to identify and announce dynamic website features, conveying to users what is happening on the screen. If a webpage were to permit more than one focus at a time, it could disrupt the persistence of keyboard navigation and voice-over behavior, and your application would not comply with accessibility standards.

Upvotes: 1

unomi
unomi

Reputation: 2672

As the other answers state, only 1 element can have focus at any given time. What you could do instead is add a class to each of the 'selected' elements.

A simple example (using yui) would be:

 <style type="text/css">
     .selectedItem{border: 2px dashed #c0ffee;}
 </style>
...
<ul class='listContainer'>
     <li> ... </li>
     <li> ... </li>
     <li> ... </li>
</ul>
...
<script type="text/javascript">
     Y.one('.listContainer').delegate(
         'click', 
         function(e){ e.currentTarget.toggleClass('selectedItem');}, 
         'li'
     );
</script>

Upvotes: 5

nebkat
nebkat

Reputation: 8565

No. The whole point of focus is that one element is selected(as in a "spotlight" for it). But if you want double writing text boxes then use this

<input type="text" name="firstbox" onchange="firstbox.value = secondbox.value; return true;">
<input type="text" name="secondbox">

Upvotes: 4

Babiker
Babiker

Reputation: 18798

No, you can only focus on one element at a time.

Upvotes: 41

liquidleaf
liquidleaf

Reputation: 388

I don't believe so. If two text fields had focus at the same time, which would receive the input? You can "simulate" this (one field has focus and code "duplicates" the values), but only one item at a time can be "the focus".

Upvotes: 2

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