Trying to accomplish something simple with jquery ui autocomplete

Question

I want to use the users entered value into the input being affected by autocomplete's widget, hope the following is self-explanatory of what I want to achieve:

source: $(this).val()

I think $(this).val() won't work because source expects an object?

I'm new to JavaScript, thanks.

$(".myinput").autocomplete({
    source:$(this).val()
});

That all depends on exactly what object $(this) represents in this snippet. — Lix
– Lix, Commented Nov 12, 2012 at 17:39
could you add more context to what your problem is. What is "source" part of? — O'Mutt
– O'Mutt, Commented Nov 12, 2012 at 17:39
"hope the following is self-explanatory"... It's not :) Please add some more details. — Lix
– Lix, Commented Nov 12, 2012 at 17:39

KLee1 · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-12 18:41:13Z

1

I think you are using the source argument incorrectly for jQuery UI's autocomplete. $(this).val() will get the current value out of the $(this) DOM object (assuming that's what it's pointing to).

Instead the source argument is supposed to be pointing to a source of possible completions for the input. As an example from the jQuery UI website

$(function() {
    var availableTags = ["ActionScript", "AppleScript", "Asp", "BASIC",
        "C", "C++", "Clojure", "COBOL", "ColdFusion", "Erlang"];
    $( "#tags" ).autocomplete({
        source: availableTags
    });
});

As you can see from this example, source points to an array of possible tag values that will be autocompleted when the user starts typing.

To address my new understanding of the OP's question:

To add the user's current entry into the autocomplete, you could use code like the following:

$( "#tags" ).autocomplete("option","source",
    availableTags.concat($("#tags").val()));

This would need to be called every time the input changes (using the keypress event might be helpful for this.)

edited Nov 12, 2012 at 18:41

answered Nov 12, 2012 at 18:23

KLee1

6,1984 gold badges32 silver badges42 bronze badges

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

1 Comment

lbennet Over a year ago

But how to return an array as the source with the user's input value? I have seen this on facebook - on the location fields , they show you " just use "user's value" " - they are retrieving from a remote source plus adding to the autocomplete that they use the input's value, I want to do exactly that. Due to the speed of the response I don't think it's on the remote response the user's input value, but rather it is being grabbed and used in the source, then the remote response with the result set is being prepended to the user's value which I want to use as on option.

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

Trying to accomplish something simple with jquery ui autocomplete

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

1 Answer 1

1 Comment

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related