JQuery selector problem - 'Syntax error, unrecognized expression' fix

Thu, 12 Mar 2009 15:55:00 +0100

I just spent a little time wrestling with an annoying JQuery error when trying to select a form element by name.

I was using the following code to simply grab the contents of a hidden field named 'required':

{code}

var req = $("input[@name=required]").val();

{/code}

I got this syntax from a quick google search and found it referenced on a number of web guides about JQuery.

However, when I used it I got the following error in Firefox:

{code}

'Syntax error, unrecognized expression: [@name=required]' when calling method: ..... '

{/code}

Well after some head scratching and then some more searching I found the answer. The @ syntax is no longer supported in JQuery 1.3+.

So the simple fix is to just remove the @ and it'll work as expected:

{code}

var req = $("input[name=required]").val();

{/code}

Hopefully this will help someone who, like me, hit's Google when looking for a quick fix to a problem.. :)

James Allen's Coldfusion and Internet Technology Blog - JQuery