jQuery to find all previous elements that match an expression

Question

Using jQuery, how do you match elements that are prior to the current element in the DOM tree? Using prevAll() only matches previous siblings.<

Answer 1

edit: this solution works for both your original problem, the problem you mention in your first comment, and the problem you detail in the comment after that.

$('.myLinks').click(function() {
    var findMe = '';

    $(this).parents().each(function() {
        var a = $(this).find('.findme').is('.findme');
        var b = $(this).find('.myLinks').is('.myLinks');
        if (a && b) {                             // look for first parent that
                                                  // contains .findme and .myLinks
            $(this).find('*').each(function() {
                var name = $(this).attr('class');
                if ( name == 'findme') {
                    findMe = $(this);             // set element to last matching
                                                  // .findme
                }
                if ( name == 'myLinks')    {
                    return false;                 // exit from the mess once we find
                                                  // .myLinks
                }
            });
            return false;
        }   
    });
    alert(findMe.text() );               // alerts "find this one"
});

this works for your example in the OP as well as a modified example as explained in the comments:

  

    
don't find this one
  
  

    
find this one
  
  

    
find the previous .findme
  
  

    
don't find this one
  

as well as this test case which you added:

  

    
don't find this one
  
  

    
don't find this one
  
  

    
find this one
  


find the previous .findme