Javascript: Clicking a wrapper element but not a child element

Question

I am writing some javascript (jQuery) that enables a div wrapped around a checkbox, when clicked, will toggle the checkbox element. However, the problem I'm running into is that when you click on the checkbox, it doesn't work because it's being toggled twice (at least I think that's what's happening).

Here's a demo.

Here's the code:

$('.checkbox-wrapper').click(function(){
    var $checkbox = $(this).find('input[type="checkbox"]');
    if ($checkbox.is(':checked')) {
        $checkbox.attr('checked', false);
    } else {
        $checkbox.attr('checked', true);
    }
});

How can I make it so that clicking the checkbox works as normal, but if you click in the surrounding area, it toggles the checkbox?

Solution:

Thanks to jAndy's comment for showing how this can be done by checking the event.target property:

$('.checkbox-wrapper').click(function(e){
    if( e.target.nodeName === 'INPUT' ) {
        e.stopPropagation();
        return;
    }
    
    var $checkbox = $(this).find('input[type="checkbox"]');
    if ($checkbox.is(':checked')) {
        $checkbox.attr('checked', false);
    } else {
        $checkbox.attr('checked', true);
    }
});

And as others have pointed out, this may not be the best example since you get the same functionality (without needing javascript) by wrapping the checkbox with a label tag instead of a div tag. Demo

score 5 · Accepted Answer · answered Aug 03 '11 at 17:34

5

Check the event.target property.

The target property can be the element that registered for the event or a descendant of it. It is often useful to compare event.target to this in order to determine if the event is being handled due to event bubbling.

answered Aug 03 '11 at 17:34

Matt Ball

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4

That said - any particular reason you're not using a `` wrapped around the checkbox? – Matt Ball Aug 03 '11 at 17:35

score 2 · Answer 2 · answered Aug 03 '11 at 17:37

Try this

$('.checkbox-wrapper').click(function(e){
   if(!$(e.target).is(":checkbox")){
     var $checkbox = $(this).find('input[type="checkbox"]');
     if ($checkbox.is(':checked')) {
         $checkbox.attr('checked', false);
     } else {
         $checkbox.attr('checked', true);
     }
   }
});

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Aug 03 '11 at 17:58

1

Try just wrapping a <label> around it.

answered Aug 03 '11 at 17:58

Justin Long

84
2

score 0 · Answer 4 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:24

0

it sounds like you've not stopped the event bubbling up to the parent elements

How to stop event bubbling on checkbox click

edited May 23 '17 at 12:24

Community

1
1

answered Aug 03 '11 at 17:39

Antony Scott

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Javascript: Clicking a wrapper element but not a child element

Solution:

4 Answers4