jQuery to trim() a text input field's value attribute?

Question

In this jQuery, I'm able to bind the paste event to validate the form field, but my method inside the function is apparently wrong. I'm not getting an alert at all.

I just want to trim the text that's input and return that as the value of the form input text field #adsense_client_id.

$("#adsense_client_id").bind('paste', function(e) {
    $(this).attr('value') = $.trim(this).val();
    alert($(this).val()); //why no alert?
});

Possible duplicate: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/686995/jquery-catch-paste-input — a'r, Jul 07 '11 at 16:15

MacMac · Accepted Answer · 2011-07-07T16:40:17.423

16

The $.trim is a function which needs a variable/string inside it, since you did not wrap $(this).val() with $.trim in order for it to work.

As you need a timeout for the paste to be caught, do it like this:

$("#adsense_client_id").bind('paste', function(e) {
    var clientId = $(this);
    setTimeout(function(){
        clientId.val($.trim(clientId.val()));
        alert(clientId.val());
    });
});

Demo.

edited Jul 07 '11 at 16:40

answered Jul 07 '11 at 16:15

MacMac

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Makes sense, but I copied and pasted your code, and still no alert :-( Does not trim the empty spaces either. I'm stuck. – Scott B Jul 07 '11 at 16:25
1

I can get an alert('pasted') if its the only statement in the bind function, so its definitely binding, even without a timeout, just not doing the trim. – Scott B Jul 07 '11 at 16:27
you cant use $(this) inside setTimeout – Christian Smorra Jul 07 '11 at 16:33

score 4 · Answer 2 · edited May 23 '17 at 11:46

check out this response Catch paste input

apparently you need to set a small settimeout to catch the pasted input value

this should do the trick:

("#adsense_client_id").bind('paste', function(e) {
    $(this).attr('value') = $.trim($(this).val());
    var el = $(this);
    setTimeout(function()
    {
        var text = $(el).val();
        alert($.trim(text)); //why no alert?
    }, 500);
});

score 3 · Answer 3 · edited Nov 19 '13 at 03:41

3

$(this).val($(this).val().trim());
alert($(this).val());

edited Nov 19 '13 at 03:41

user222758

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answered Nov 19 '13 at 03:19

Espiral

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score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 15 '13 at 13:16

I know this is a very old question but this is pretty obvious...

The only poblem with your code is with this line:

$(this).attr('value') = $.trim(this).val();

Which is incorrect in JavaScript. I think you meant this:

$(this).attr('value', $.trim(this).val());

And the resulting code works perfectly:

$("#adsense_client_id").bind('paste', function(e) {
    $(this).attr('value', $.trim(this).val());
    alert($(this).val()); 
});

jQuery to trim() a text input field's value attribute?

4 Answers4