Develop Reference

Change the selected list element in a navigation list using plain JavaScript

I have trouble in writing a script to change the appearance of the clicked tab in a webpage navigation list. In other words, I want to make the clicked tab appear as the selected (in code). I tried to do that by changing its id to selected_link and restoring the id of the previously selected tab.
EDIT: Following jamespaned's suggestion, I replaced element IDs with classes.
My tabs appear like in this picture:
So, when I click to "bio", I want it to appear as "home" and "home" to appear as the other tabs.
As I'm a newbie in JavaScript coding, I didn't managed to accomplish that. Here is what I've done:
The HTML code for the (inline) navigation list:
<nav>
<ul id="navlist">
<li class="selected"> home </li>
<li class=""> bio </li>
<li class=""> publications </li>
<li class=""> software </li>
<li class=""> contact </li>
</ul>
</nav>
its respective CSS:
nav ul {
list-style:none;
padding:0;
margin:0;
}
nav li {
background-color:black;
display:inline;
border:solid;
border-width:1px 1px 0 1px;
margin:0 5px 0 0;
}
nav li a {
color:white;
padding:0 10px;
}
.selected {
background-color:white;
padding-bottom: 1px;
}
.selected_link{
color:blue;
}
and the JavaScript which I've designed to accomplish this task, but it didn't worked:
function changeSelected(clickedId)
{
var ulist = document.getElementById("navlist");
var elems = ulist.getElementsByTagName("class");
for (var i = 0; i < elems.length - 1; i++)
{
var sel = elems[i].getAttribute("class");
if (sel == selected)
{
var selli = elems[i];
break;
}
}
selli.setAttribute("class", "");
selli.lastElementChild.setAttribute("class", "");
var clicked = document.getElementById(clickedId);
clicked.setAttribute("class", "selected_link");
clicked.parentNode.setAttribute("class", "selected");
}
How could I do that using only plain JavaScript?

This Javascript will do what you want:
function changeSelected(clickedId)
{
var selli = document.getElementById("selected");
var sela = document.getElementById("selected_link");
sela.setAttribute("id", "");
selli.setAttribute("id", "");
var clicked = document.getElementById(clickedId);
clicked.setAttribute("id", "selected_link");
clicked.parentNode.setAttribute("id", "selected");
}
That said, here are some ideas that might help your Javascript education:
You are using Javascript to set your IDs, but the Javascript won't work on the next page after you've clicked on one of the links. You'll probably need to do some backend (PHP/Ruby, etc) coding to get your styles to change.
IDs are normally used to refer to a unique element on the page that doesn't change, such as a #header or #sidebar_banner. You might want to use a class instead, such as ".selected_link".
You don't need both #selected_link and #selected. You could do ".selected" and ".selected a" to change the CSS so you only need to change one element.
Hope that helps!

Change Active Menu Item on Page Scroll?

I want to activate the menu item when I get to it's corresponding section. I got inspired by this previous SO question: Change Active Menu Item on Page Scroll? .
but the difference is that in my menu I have a little image over each menu item, that shows only if I hover the menu item, and hides when don't.
HTML
<nav>
<ul id="pics">
<li id="text-what"><img src="images/what.png" id="pic-what" class="vishid"><p>item1</p></li>
<li id="text-training"><img src="images/training.png" id="pic-training" class="vishid"><p>item2</p></li>
<li id="text-testi"><img src="images/trait.png" id="pic-testi" class="vishid"><p>item3</p></li>
<li id="text-contact"><img src="images/contact.gif" id="pic-contact" class="vishid"><p>item4</p></li>
</ul>
</nav>
CSS
.vishid{
visibility: hidden;
}
.visvis{
visibility:visible;
}
JAVASCRIPT (to show and hide images when hovering items)
$(document).ready(function(){
$("#text-what").hover(function(){
$("#pic-what").addClass('visvis');
},function(){
$("#pic-what").removeClass('visvis');
});
$("#text-training").hover(function(){
$("#pic-training").addClass('visvis');
},function(){
$("#pic-training").removeClass('visvis');
});
$("#text-testi").hover(function(){
$("#pic-testi").addClass('visvis');
},function(){
$("#pic-testi").removeClass('visvis');
});
$("#text-contact").hover(function(){
$("#pic-contact").addClass('visvis');
},function(){
$("#pic-contact").removeClass('visvis');
});
});
I want to show the image when I am at it's corresponding section. How can I do that with javascript?

There is a lot going on here. Your HTML should technically be corrected. href's should not encapsulte LI's. Instead your href should be set to block - width and height 100% - within the LI. Let's also move the class of .vishid to the parent LI. That way if you want it to effect anything else - besides just the images - in the future, it would be easy to add. So that would look like:
<nav>
<ul id="pics">
<li id="text-what" class="vishid"><img src="images/what.png" id="pic-what"><p>item1</p></li>
<li id="text-training" class="vishid"><img src="images/training.png" id="pic-training"><p>item2</p></li>
<li id="text-testi" class="vishid"><img src="images/trait.png" id="pic-testi"><p>item3</p></li>
<li id="text-contact" class="vishid"><img src="images/contact.gif" id="pic-contact"><p>item4</p></li><
</ul>
</nav>
Then you need to adjust your CSS to correct for the "non-block" level href.
#pics li a {
display: block;
width: 100%;
height: 100%;
}
.vishid img {
visibility: hidden;
}
.visvis img {
visibility: visible;
}
Finally, I am going to assume that you are using "articles" in your HTML for the sections. Doesn't have to be, but that is what my example will assume.
var clickScroll = false,
triggerHighlight = 80; // distance from the top to trigger action
$(window).scroll(function () {
var y = $(this).scrollTop(),
yCatch = y + triggerHighlight;
// Let's wrap in a variable check. Set this to tru is clicking on navigation
// false if simply scrolling
if (!clickScroll) {
$('article').each(function (i) {
var whichArticle = $(this).attr('id');
if ($(this).position().top < yCatch) {
var currentArticle = "#" + whichArticle;
adjustSubNav(currentArticle);
}
});
}
});
function adjustSubNav(l) {
$('#pics a').each(function (i) {
if ($(this).attr('href') == l) { // Add active class to the corresponding menu item
$(this).parent('li').removeClass('vishid').addClass('visvis');
} else {
$(this).parent('li').removeClass('visvis').addClass('vishid');
}
});
}

Issue Unhiding div Using Javascript

Have successfully setup a menu which cycles between multiple tabs using Javascript. The issue is I'm using SiteLevel as a search for this site. I want the search box to be a part of the hide/unhide menu but the script (I've also tried the html code for the search box, but still no fix)
I've paired it down to the simplest form of this concept to ensure that it's not some other css or script that's conflicting, but it still opens to a blank box here's the code.
I've pumped it into http://jsfiddle.net/Split98/A3DVa/
Software
Hardware
Supplies
Contact
Search
<div id="nav">
<div id="software">Hello!</div>
<div id="hardware">Yes!</div>
<div id="supplies">Yeee Haw!</div>
<div id="contact">Bingo!</div>
<div id="search"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.sitelevel.com/javabox?crid=ze32uipb"></script></div>
</div>
CSS:
#nav div {
display: none;
background-color: red;
height: 200px;
}
jQuery:
$(function(){
var divs = $('#nav div'),
links = $('a');
links.click(function () {
$(this.hash).toggle().siblings().hide();
return false;
});
})
Thanks in advance guys!

LIVE DEMO
Simply use #nav > div in your CSS
Will target only the immediate childrens.Otherwise all DIV elements will be hidden (your search tool)
#nav > div {
display: none;
background-color: red;
height: 200px;
}
edited jQuery
$(function () {
var divs = $('#nav div'),
links = $('a');
divs.eq(0).show(); // if you need it.....
links.click(function ( e ) { // e = event
e.preventDefault(); // instead of return false;
$(this.hash).toggle().siblings().hide();
});
});

During hover on parent element, show child (dropdown nav)

I'm trying to make a stupid horizontal nav bar with a drop-down on some of the items. The way I decided to do it is just by putting the drop-down in a div tag. This is easily changeable, i just don't like to go heavy on the html side.
Basically I just want my drop down to work when you hover over the parent element. Additional css is going to be used to make it pretty and positioned better.
Here's my js:
var dropdown = $('.dropdown');
var parent = dropdown.parent();
$(parent).hover(
function () {
dropdown.css('display', 'block');
}
);
Here's my css:
div.nav {
text-align: center;
}
div.nav > ul > li {
margin-top: 15px;
text-align: center;
font-size: 1.25em;
}
div.nav > ul > li {
display: inline-block;
list-style-type: none;
}
div.nav a {
padding: 1em;
}
div.dropdown {
display: none;
background-color: black;
position: absolute;
}
Here's my html:
<div class="nav">
<ul>
<li>Home</li>
<li>
Sample Game
<div class="dropdown">
About it
<br>
Game
</div>
</li>
<li>TP Solutions</li>
<li>Projects</li>
<li>Contact Me</li>
</ul>
<div class="clear"></div>

You should not be using "parent" as a variable name, as it's a reserved word.
$(document).ready(function() {
var $dropdown = $('.dropdown'),
$parent = $dropdown.parent();
$parent.on("mouseover",
function () {
$dropdown.css('display', 'block');
}
);
$parent.on("mouseout",
function () {
$dropdown.css('display', 'none');
}
);
});

According to the oreder this has to be done:
add a jQuery plugin first
Then add your script
so the order will be like this:
<script src='https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.9.0/jquery.min.js'>
</script>
<script>
$(function(){
var dropdown = $('.dropdown');
var parent = dropdown.parent();
$(parent).hover(function () {
dropdown.css('display', 'block');
});
});
</script>

Please try the below code.
$(".nav").on("mouseenter","li",function(){
$(this).find(".dropdown").show();
});
$(".nav").on("mouseleave","li",function(){
$(this).find(".dropdown").hide();
});
In your code " dropdown.parent(); " -> this will refer all the parents which have child dropdown and will show the menu. we need to refer current hover parent. Please check the working example in below link.
http://jsfiddle.net/renjith/wX48f/

There are so many good solutions to use jQuery and CSS to show a drop down menus. So you don't need to reinvent the wheel. Here are some examples that you might be able to find one to fit your need.

Jquery UL Scroll

I'm trying to use Jquery to have scroll on a UL list, with two span to move up and down.
it works for one li child, but how for an ul filled dynamically ?
thank you, i'm totally lost
$('span.scrollDown').click(function () {
$('.liste-grostitres li:first-child').css('margin-top', 0 - $('.liste-grostitres li').outerHeight());
$('.liste-grostitres').css('overflow', 'hidden');
});
$('span.scrollUp').click(function () {
$('.liste-grostitres li:first-child').css('margin-top', 0);
$('.liste-grostitres').css('overflow', 'visible');
});
<div id="grostitres">
<div class="gInner">
<span class="scrollUp"></span>
<span class="scrollDown"></span>
<div class="scrollable" id="divlist" runat="server">
<ul>
<li></li>
<li></li>
...
</ul>
</div>
</div>

heres a fiddle with slidetoggle:
http://jsfiddle.net/RMQLM/
also the working code example:
HTML:
<div id="up">up</div>
<div id="list">
<ul>
<li>foo1</li>
<li>bar1</li>
<li>foo2</li>
<li>bar2</li>
<li>foo3</li>
<li>bar3</li>
<li>foo4</li>
<li>bar4</li>
<li>foo5</li>
</ul>
</div>
<div id="down">down</div>
CSS:
div#list {
height: 93px;
overflow: hidden;
border: 1px solid red;
}
jQuery:
var listcount = $('li').size();
var cli = 1;
$('#down').click(function() {
if (cli < listcount) {
$('li:nth-child(' + cli + ')').slideToggle();
cli++;
}
});
$('#up').click(function() {
if (cli > 1) {
cli--;
$('li:nth-child(' + cli + ')').slideToggle();
}
});

Set your UL to be position: relative; and have top: 0;.
Add a function to handle the animation:
var scroll_ul = function(offset) {
// Target the UL to scroll
var to_scroll = $('#divlist').find('ul');
// Store the distance to scroll (assumes LIs are all equal height)
var scroll_distance = $('#divlist').find('li').outerHeight(true);
// Animate
to_scroll.stop().animate({ top: '-=' + (offset * scroll_distance) });
};
Then change your click handlers to be something like this:
$('span.scrollDown').click(function() {
scroll_ul(1);
});
$('span.scrollUp').click(function() {
scroll_ul(-1);
});
You may experience strange scroll distances if you hammer the scrollDown/scrollUp buttons. That's when you should look into jQuery's .one() function.

I think it would be more efficient to animate the whole UL instead of individual LIs. You already wrap the UL in a DIV, so why not animate the UL relative to the wrapper? That would work the same way as animating a single LI inside UL, so you don't need to reinvent the wheel.