[javascript] jQuery check if <input> exists and has a value

I have the following example:

<input type="text" class="input1" value="bla"/>

Is there a way to check if this element exists and has a value in one statement? Or, at least, anything shorter then

if($('.input1').length > 0 && $('input1').val() != '')

Just getting frustrated here with mile-long conditions.

This question is related to javascript jquery

The answer is


You can create your own custom selector :hasValue and then use that to find, filter, or test any other jQuery elements.

jQuery.expr[':'].hasValue = function(el,index,match) {
  return el.value != "";
};

Then you can find elements like this:

var data = $("form input:hasValue").serialize();

Or test the current element with .is()

var elHasValue = $("#name").is(":hasValue");

_x000D_
_x000D_
jQuery.expr[':'].hasValue = function(el) {_x000D_
  return el.value != "";_x000D_
};_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_
var data = $("form input:hasValue").serialize();_x000D_
console.log(data)_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_
var elHasValue = $("[name='LastName']").is(":hasValue");_x000D_
console.log(elHasValue)
_x000D_
label { display: block; margin-top:10px; }
_x000D_
<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>_x000D_
_x000D_
<form>_x000D_
  <label>_x000D_
    First Name:_x000D_
    <input type="text" name="FirstName" value="Frida" />_x000D_
  </label>_x000D_
_x000D_
  <label>_x000D_
    Last Name:_x000D_
    <input type="text" name="LastName" />_x000D_
  </label>_x000D_
</form>
_x000D_
_x000D_
_x000D_

Further Reading:


I would do something like this: $('input[value]').something . This finds all inputs that have value and operates something onto them.


if($('#user_inp').length > 0 && $('#user_inp').val() != '')
{

    $('#user_inp').css({"font-size":"18px"});
    $('#user_line').css({"background-color":"#4cae4c","transition":"0.5s","height":"2px"});
    $('#username').css({"color":"#4cae4c","transition":"0.5s","font-size":"18px"});

}

You could do:

if($('.input1').length && $('.input1').val().length)

length evaluates to false in a condition, when the value is 0.


You can do something like this:

jQuery.fn.existsWithValue = function() { 
    return this.length && this.val().length; 
}

if ($(selector).existsWithValue()) {
        // Do something
}

Just for the heck of it, I tracked this down in the jQuery code. The .val() function currently starts at line 165 of attributes.js. Here's the relevant section, with my annotations:

val: function( value ) {
    var hooks, ret, isFunction,
        elem = this[0];

        /// NO ARGUMENTS, BECAUSE NOT SETTING VALUE
    if ( !arguments.length ) {

        /// IF NOT DEFINED, THIS BLOCK IS NOT ENTERED. HENCE 'UNDEFINED'
        if ( elem ) {
            hooks = jQuery.valHooks[ elem.type ] || jQuery.valHooks[ elem.nodeName.toLowerCase() ];

            if ( hooks && "get" in hooks && (ret = hooks.get( elem, "value" )) !== undefined ) {
                return ret;
            }

            ret = elem.value;

            /// IF IS DEFINED, JQUERY WILL CHECK TYPE AND RETURN APPROPRIATE 'EMPTY' VALUE
            return typeof ret === "string" ?
                // handle most common string cases
                ret.replace(rreturn, "") :
                // handle cases where value is null/undef or number
                ret == null ? "" : ret;
        }

        return;
    }

So, you'll either get undefined or "" or null -- all of which evaluate as false in if statements.