CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascripthtml
user2247061
user2247061

Reputation: 313

Populate an array from <textarea> in JavaScript

How would I populate an array from text in a <textarea> input?

My end goal is to take a list of names and then insert it into an array to perform some operations. The names would be separated by lines, like this:

bob 
tim 
sally

and then added to the array. To be honest, I don't know where to start other than adding the <textarea> and creating a blank array. I was reading other posts, but they were in jQuery or some other language that I don't know yet. My understanding is that I have to split the content somehow?

Upvotes: 3

Views: 6200

Answers (4)

kamyl
kamyl

Reputation: 6386

It's pretty straightforward:

var textarea = document.querySelector('textarea#names');
var textareaValue = textarea.value; // 'bob\ntim\nsally';
var arr = textareValue.split('\n');

split() takes string and cuts it into an array every given character (or string).

\n is new line character.

Edit: Answer to questions asked in comment below:

var names = [];
var textarea = document.querySelector('textarea#names');

function saveNames() {
    names = textarea.value.split('\n');
}

textarea.addEventListener('blur', saveNames, false);
// or this:
// textarea.addEventListener('keyup', saveNames, false);

You use events. You can use blur event or even keyup event. Basically you listen for (events) something to happen (like textarea loose focus or user press keyboard button), and then do something (read textarea value and save names to array).

This is of course pure js, but if you want to use jquery, then you need to go to jquery reference and see how to use events with jquery.

Upvotes: 5

Rodren Samillano Gil
Rodren Samillano Gil

Reputation: 1

try this:

<html>
<body>

<textarea id="textArea"></textarea>

<button onclick="textToArray()">to array</button>

<!--show array result-->
<p id="result"></p>

</body>
</html>
<script>
function textToArray() {
    //assign value of textarea to mytext
    var myText = document.getElementById("textArea").value;

    //split mytext by nextline = "\n" 
    var myArray = myText.split("\n");

    //to check the result
    var result = '';
    for(i=0;i<myArray.length;i++)
    {
        result += myArray[i]+"<br>";
    }

    document.getElementById("result").innerHTML = result;
}
</script>

Upvotes: 0

Jarek Kulikowski
Jarek Kulikowski

Reputation: 1389

Let's assume you have a textarea and after typing each name you hit return. This should get you started:

<textarea id="textToArray" style="width:300px; height:120px;"></textarea>
<button onclick="toArray()">To Array</button>
<div id="arrayOutput"><div/>

<script type="text/javascript">
    function toArray( ) {
        var textAreaElement = document.getElementById('textToArray');
        var namesArray = textAreaElement.value.trim().split('\n');
        console.log( namesArray );
        document.getElementById('arrayOutput').innerText = JSON.stringify(namesArray);
    }
</script>

Upvotes: 2

AlphaG33k
AlphaG33k

Reputation: 1678

If your words are s Here you go:

<textarea name="example" id="example" cols="30" rows="10">
    bob 
    tim 
    sally
</textarea>

const textareaContent = document.getElementById('example').value.split('\n');

demo

https://codepen.io/nicholasabrams/pen/weZaOj

Upvotes: 0

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