How to set jQuery this when calling a function?

Question

Using jQuery, I set a link tag's click handler like this:

$('#lnk').click(handleClick);

handleClick does something like this:

function handleClick() {
    var $this = $(this);
    ...
}

Now I have a need to directly call handleClick() outside of #lnk being clicked. Is there a way for me to set this when calling handleClick?

score 26 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 15 '10 at 19:09

26

handleClick.call(theElementThatShouldBeThis);

But of course theElementThatShouldBeThis must be a DOM element or something that is accepted as input for jQuery().

And it becomes more tricky if you are accessing the event element inside handleClick. But I will just assume you don't ;)

You can also always execute the event handler in the context of #lnk by calling $('#lnk').click() (which simulates a click).

answered Oct 15 '10 at 19:09

Felix Kling

I don't see those in the jQuery API. Are those plugins? Have any links? – slolife Oct 15 '10 at 19:11
5

Those are built into javascript – Karim Oct 15 '10 at 19:13
@slolife: I linked to the corresponding documentation. These are methods of every function. – Felix Kling Oct 15 '10 at 19:13
Yep, momentary lapse of sanity there. I had hoped I'd be able to delete that comment before it was noticed, but, nope. – ShZ Oct 15 '10 at 19:30
`call()` will call the function in that moment, the event is bound to the element and not when i click... any sugestions? – Mephiztopheles Nov 13 '14 at 09:24
@Mephiztopheles: don't use call and just bind the handler? – Felix Kling Nov 13 '14 at 14:21
but i need other parameters. I am programming with classes. called as `new FancyScroll()` e.g. and when i want to bind a click to an element and give as parameters the FancyScroll-Class, it doesn't work – Mephiztopheles Nov 13 '14 at 14:45

score 5 · Answer 2 · edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

5

I think you're looking for "call" or "apply":

var result = fun.apply(thisArg, [argsArray]);

or

var result = fun.call(thisArg[, arg1[, arg2[, ...]]]);

edited Jun 20 '20 at 09:12

Community

answered Oct 15 '10 at 19:10

Karim

score 0 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 15 '10 at 19:14

0

Use Function.apply and pass in the DOM element returned by the query.

handleClick.apply($('#lnk')[0]);

Or better yet, let jQuery simulate a click on the element (Assuming you've already attached the click event handler).

$('#lnk').click();

answered Oct 15 '10 at 19:14

Roy Tinker

3 Answers3