Javascript not recognizing "this" object

Question

Please see this fiddle:

HTML:

<div id="papa" onclick="anything(this);">Blabla</div>

JS:

function anything(theObj){
    window.alert(theObj.innerHTML);
}

I do not understand why the function "anything" gets as not reconized. (using prototype)

check the <script> tag if your js file is declared on the page header. if you're using jquery, try window.alert($(theObj).innerHTML); — GiantHornet
– GiantHornet, Commented Nov 21, 2012 at 9:30

Jamiec · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-21 09:36:54Z

6

It is not that it doesnt recognide this - it does not recognise the method anything because of a setting you've made in jsfiddle - to scope the javascript into onLoad. If you would have chosen no wrap (head) it would work fine: http://jsfiddle.net/GSHsH/11/

A bit more detail. The way you set it up, this is what gets injected into the output frame in jsfiddle:

Event.observe(window, "load", function(){

function anything(theObj){
    window.alert(theObj.innerHTML);
}

});

Note that the method anything is not in global (window) scope, it is in the scope of a particular function. This means its not visible to the element on the page.

The way I set it up you get this:

function anything(theObj){
    window.alert(theObj.innerHTML);
}

Which is just a plain old function defined in the head of the page - now accesible from an element on the page.

edited Nov 21, 2012 at 9:36

answered Nov 21, 2012 at 9:29

Jamiec

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2 Comments

Octavian Over a year ago

Thanks, this helped me to fix a bigger problem in one of my projects. I called a function using <a href="javascript:thefunction(this)"> and I wasn't able to use the <a> object. Instead the window object was passed.

Jamiec Over a year ago

Glad to have helped @Octavian

jrharshath · Accepted Answer · 2012-11-21 09:35:29Z

1

Its because jsfiddle generates your code like this:

Event.observe(window, "load", function(){
    function anything (theObj){
        window.alert(theObj.innerHTML);
    }
});

so your "anything" function is not in global scope. this will work:

window.anything = function (theObj){
    window.alert(theObj.innerHTML);
}

answered Nov 21, 2012 at 9:35

jrharshath

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