JavaScript how to convert object document.createElement to string

Question

it is impossible to get a string of createElement that you would assign to a variable

var h1 = document.createElement("h1")
h1.innerHTML = "hello world"
alert(h1)
return "[object HTMLHeadingElement]"

when i use appendChild is work but i must use alert or other method

Why can't you just `alert(h1.innerHTML)`? – elclanrs Aug 31 '13 at 07:46 — elclanrs, Aug 31 '13 at 07:46
may be `h1.toString()` ? – Ivan Chernykh Aug 31 '13 at 07:49 — Ivan Chernykh, Aug 31 '13 at 07:49

score 21 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 31 '13 at 07:50

21

var h1 = document.createElement("h1")
h1.innerHTML = "hello world"
alert(h1.outerHTML)

answered Aug 31 '13 at 07:50

Arun P Johny

3

I always forget about that. I think I'm still stuck at FF 4 ;) – Felix Kling Aug 31 '13 at 07:51

score 0 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 31 '13 at 07:49

0

It seems like you want to convert a DOM element to its HTML representation. Put it in a temporary container and access its .innerHTML property:

var div = document.createElement('div');
div.appendChild(h1);
var html = div.innerHTML;

answered Aug 31 '13 at 07:49

Felix Kling

2 Answers2