jQuery .attr('value') returns undefined for text area

Question

I have a page which dynamically brings in a form via ajax and displays it in a modal div (one that sits above an overlay div that covers the entire page). This is to let them save certain data before a window closes. Everything works great except one thing.

$('#save_close_form').find('*[name]').each(function(index, form_element) {
    var cfe = (form_element.jquery == undefined ? $(form_element) : form_element);
    console.log(cfe.attr('name') + " => " + cfe.attr('value'));
    if (cfe.attr('name').match(/data\[/)) {
        if (cfe.attr('type') == 'checkbox') {
            if (cfe.attr('checked')) {
                map[cfe.attr('name')] = 'on';
            }
            else {
                map[cfe.attr('name')] = '';
            }
        }
        else if (cfe.attr('type') == 'radio') {
            // only get checked radio buttons
            if (cfe.attr('checked')) {
                map[cfe.attr('name')] = cfe.attr('value');
            }
        }
        else {
            map[cfe.attr('name')] = cfe.attr('value');
        }
    }
});

The part in the else {} clause at the end triggers for TextArea and input type="text" elements, but for some reason it always sees cfe.attr('value'); as undefined for the TextArea. I'm using FF6.0 with jQuery 1.6 for this.

Answer 1

Try .val() instead of .attr('value').

<textarea> doesn't have a value attribute (the text is between the tags, not in value="") however I believe .val() will retrieve it.

Answer 2

For textareas use :

 $("#textareaid").val() or $("#textareaid").html()

instead.

jQuery get textarea text

Set value of textarea in jQuery

Answer 3

TextArea does not have an attribute called value...try using val

map[cfe.attr('name')] = cfe.val();

Answer 4

textarea does not have a value attribute by default. You should use cfe.val() or cfe.html() to get its content.

Answer 5

It's because a textarea doesn't have a value attribute.

Use .val() instead.

Answer 6

Ok, so the reason is that jQuery 1.6 makes a distinction between the attribute at creation and your current property value. You've created the textarea without a value attribute more than likely; thus, the initial value is undefined. When you want to pull the defined value, you need to either use .prop('value'), or call the more helpful .val() method.