jQuery get element with current focus

Share this article

jQuery code snippet to get element with current focus and perform AJAX auto save once it looses focus.

//get active element of focus using js
$(document.activeElement)
//change focus when tabbed across into new item
$('.item :input').live('focus', function()
{
  var thisItem = $(this).parents('.item');
  var thisId = thisItem.attr('id');
  $('.item').removeClass('item-selected'); //remove all focus
  thisItem.addClass('item-selected');  //add focus to current item

  //save those items that have changed
  $.each($('.item-changed'), function(i,v)
  {
      var currItemId = $(this).attr('id');
      //exclude current item
      if (!_this.helpers.itemHasFocus(currItemId))
      {
         console.log('saving '+currItemId);
         _this.save.item(currItemId); /* AJAX auto save */
         $(this).removeClass('item-changed');
      }
  });
});

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about jQuery Element Current Focus

How can I determine which element currently has focus using jQuery?

To determine which element currently has focus using jQuery, you can use the :focus selector. This selector allows you to select the HTML element that currently has focus on the webpage. Here’s a simple example:

$(document).ready(function(){
var focusedElement = $(':focus');
console.log(focusedElement);
});
In this code, :focus selects the element that currently has focus, and console.log(focusedElement); prints the focused element to the console.

Can I set focus on a specific element using jQuery?

Yes, you can set focus on a specific element using jQuery. The focus() method is used to set focus on a specific element. Here’s an example:

$("#myElement").focus();
In this code, #myElement is the id of the element you want to set focus on.

How can I remove focus from an element using jQuery?

To remove focus from an element, you can use the blur() method in jQuery. Here’s an example:

$("#myElement").blur();
In this code, #myElement is the id of the element you want to remove focus from.

Can I trigger an event when an element gains focus?

Yes, you can trigger an event when an element gains focus using the focus() method in jQuery. Here’s an example:

$("#myElement").focus(function(){
alert("Element has gained focus");
});
In this code, an alert is triggered when #myElement gains focus.

Can I trigger an event when an element loses focus?

Yes, you can trigger an event when an element loses focus using the blur() method in jQuery. Here’s an example:

$("#myElement").blur(function(){
alert("Element has lost focus");
});
In this code, an alert is triggered when #myElement loses focus.

How can I check if an element has focus using jQuery?

To check if an element has focus, you can use the is(":focus") method in jQuery. Here’s an example:

if($("#myElement").is(":focus")){
console.log("Element has focus");
} else {
console.log("Element does not have focus");
}
In this code, a message is printed to the console depending on whether #myElement has focus or not.

Can I set focus on an element when the page loads?

Yes, you can set focus on an element when the page loads using the focus() method inside the $(document).ready() function. Here’s an example:

$(document).ready(function(){
$("#myElement").focus();
});
In this code, #myElement gains focus when the page loads.

Can I use jQuery to focus on form inputs?

Yes, you can use jQuery to focus on form inputs. The focus() method can be used to set focus on form inputs. Here’s an example:

$("input").focus();
In this code, the first input element in the DOM gains focus.

How can I use jQuery to focus on the next input field when the enter key is pressed?

You can use the keypress() method in jQuery to detect when the enter key is pressed, and the next() method to focus on the next input field. Here’s an example:

$("input").keypress(function(e){
if(e.which == 13){
$(this).next().focus();
}
});
In this code, when the enter key is pressed in an input field, focus is set on the next input field.

Can I use jQuery to focus on a link (anchor tag)?

Yes, you can use jQuery to focus on a link. The focus() method can be used to set focus on a link. Here’s an example:

$("a").focus();
In this code, the first link in the DOM gains focus.

Sam DeeringSam Deering
View Author

Sam Deering has 15+ years of programming and website development experience. He was a website consultant at Console, ABC News, Flight Centre, Sapient Nitro, and the QLD Government and runs a tech blog with over 1 million views per month. Currently, Sam is the Founder of Crypto News, Australia.

implementing AJAX auto save on itemsjQuery
Share this article
Read Next
Get the freshest news and resources for developers, designers and digital creators in your inbox each week
Loading form