simple script not working why?

**mbriggs** · Apr 12, 2008 08:07

Why will this not work? This is crazy.

HTML Code:

<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE> New Document </TITLE>
<META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="EditPlus">
<META NAME="Author" CONTENT="">
<META NAME="Keywords" CONTENT="">
<META NAME="Description" CONTENT="">
<SCRIPT type="text/javascript">


var target = document.getElementById("berenger");
alert(target.nodeName);



</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>

<BODY>

<h1>
	Sniper
</h1>
<p> 
In this Cinema masterpiece, <A id="berenger" HREF="">Tom Berenger </A> plays a us soldier workin in jungle.
</p>



</BODY>
</HTML>

**Pepejeria** · Apr 12, 2008 08:13

Doesn't work because you are accessing an element before it has loaded.

**JimmyP** · Apr 12, 2008 08:17

Like pepjeria said, you are trying to access an element which has not loaded. Just put it in a function onload:

Code:

window.onload = function() {
  var target = document.getElementById("berenger");
  alert(target.nodeName);
}

**mbriggs** · Apr 12, 2008 08:51

Thanks guys

**paul_wilkins** · Apr 12, 2008 15:27

Come on guys, we should stop using the window.onload technique.
Our Javascript Guru list features an excellent unobtrusive javascript about how frontloading from the head is a bad idea and takes you through some backloading techniques instead.

That's where you place the script at the bottom of the body, so that it can immediately access the page elements.

Code html4strict:

<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
...
<script>
var target = document.getElementById("berenger");
alert(target.nodeName);
</script>
</body>
</html>

**JimmyP** · Apr 12, 2008 15:46

Originally Posted by pmw57

That's where you place the script at the bottom of the body, so that it can immediately access the page elements.

I'm just too lazy to scroll down to the </body>

**paul_wilkins** · Apr 12, 2008 16:23

In many cases the mouse is slower than the keyboard.

Ctrl+End

**Pepejeria** · Apr 12, 2008 17:28

Originally Posted by pmw57

Come on guys, we should stop using the window.onload technique.

There is nothing wrong with adding the functionality with window.onload. My opinion is that it is better to include JavaScript funtionality in an external file (which is cached and keeps functionality outside the markup code) instead of adding this to the end of the body of the HTML.

The article you point to is somebody's opinion that is not agreed with everybody.

Unobtrusive JavaScript !== adding JavaScript in the bottom of the body

**paul_wilkins** · Apr 12, 2008 19:26

Spot on, an external file is how it should be done in the first place. As you may be fully well aware, some things are left out for the sake of clarity.

Code javascript:

<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
...
<script src="myscript.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

myscript.js

Code javascript:

var target = document.getElementById("berenger");
alert(target.nodeName);

Peter's Blog does an excellent job of taking you through the many and varied techniques relating to the window.onload problem

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