CODEWITHSUNDEEP
javascripthtml
TorNato
TorNato

Reputation: 305

Why a function named “clear” cannot be invoked from an HTML event attribute?

I'm making a simple data url maker and I'm wondering why the code for my clear button isn't working, when other sections with the exact same code are working.

function go() {
  var string = document.getElementById("input").value;
  var encodedString = btoa(string);
  document.getElementById("output").value = "data:text/html;base64," + encodedString;
}

function copy() {
  var copyText = document.getElementById("output");
  copyText.select();
  copyText.setSelectionRange(0, 99999)
  document.execCommand("copy");
}

function clear() {
  document.getElementById("output").value = "";
  document.getElementById("input").value = "";
}

var input = document.getElementById("input");
input.addEventListener("keyup", function(event) {
  if (event.keyCode === 13) {
    event.preventDefault();
    document.getElementById("go").click();
  }
});
<p>
<input id="input" type="text" placeholder="HTML here" value="">
<button onclick="clear()">&#x1f7aa;</button>
<button id="go" onclick="go()">Convert</button>
<p>
<input type="text" placeholder="Output here" id="output">
<button onclick="copy()">Copy text</button>

Near the bottom, the function called 'clear' isn't working. When I hit the button which calls that function, nothing happens.

However, I'm using the exact same code in the function 'go', which is working.

Upvotes: 2

Views: 73

Answers (2)

user3842413
user3842413

Reputation: 176

As a solution, you can change the function name "clear" to something else. It may be mistaken with default functions of JavaScript with the same name, e.g. document.clear

Upvotes: 2

CertainPerformance
CertainPerformance

Reputation: 370689

When you use an inline handler, the handler is wrapped inside two with statements: one for the element the handler is on, and one for the document. Your code is doing something like:

with (document) {
  with (button) {
    clear();
  }
}

But clear exists on the document:

console.log(document.clear);

So, when you reference an identifier named clear, it never gets out of the withs, so the function that you called clear never runs.

Use a different variable name, like clearInputAndOutput:

function go() {
  var string = document.getElementById("input").value;
  var encodedString = btoa(string);
  document.getElementById("output").value = "data:text/html;base64," + encodedString;
}

function copy() {
  var copyText = document.getElementById("output");
  copyText.select();
  copyText.setSelectionRange(0, 99999)
  document.execCommand("copy");
}

function clearInputAndOutput() {
  document.getElementById("output").value = "";
  document.getElementById("input").value = "";
}
var input = document.getElementById("input");
input.addEventListener("keyup", function(event) {
  if (event.keyCode === 13) {
    event.preventDefault();
    document.getElementById("go").click();
  }
});
button {
  font-family: 'Baloo 2', cursive;
  background-color: lightgrey;
}

input {
  font-family: 'Baloo 2', cursive;
}
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Baloo+2&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
<input id="input" type="text" size="160" placeholder="HTML here" value="">
<button onclick="clearInputAndOutput()">&#x1f7aa;</button>
<button id="go" onclick="go()">Convert</button>
<br><br>
<input type="text" placeholder="Output here" id="output" size="160">
<button onclick="copy()">Copy text</button>

But it would be far better to attach the event handler properly using Javascript. Inline handlers have too many scoping and escaping problems, and are best avoided. Use addEventListener instead, and you won't have to worry about name collisions or global variable problems:

const [clearBtn, goBtn, copyBtn] = document.querySelectorAll('button');
clearBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
  document.getElementById("output").value = "";
  document.getElementById("input").value = "";
});
goBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
  var string = document.getElementById("input").value;
  var encodedString = btoa(string);
  document.getElementById("output").value = "data:text/html;base64," + encodedString;
});
copyBtn.addEventListener('click', () => {
  var copyText = document.getElementById("output");
  copyText.select();
  copyText.setSelectionRange(0, 99999)
  document.execCommand("copy");
});

var input = document.getElementById("input");
input.addEventListener("keyup", function(event) {
  if (event.keyCode === 13) {
    event.preventDefault();
    document.getElementById("go").click();
  }
});
button {
  font-family: 'Baloo 2', cursive;
  background-color: lightgrey;
}

input {
  font-family: 'Baloo 2', cursive;
}
<link href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Baloo+2&display=swap" rel="stylesheet">
<input id="input" type="text" size="160" placeholder="HTML here" value="">
<button>&#x1f7aa;</button>
<button id="go">Convert</button>
<br><br>
<input type="text" placeholder="Output here" id="output" size="160">
<button>Copy text</button>

Upvotes: 3

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