[javascript] Equivalent of jQuery .hide() to set visibility: hidden

In jQuery, there are .hide() and .show() methods which sets the CSS display: none setting.

Is there an equivalent function which would set the visibility: hidden setting?

I know I can use .css() but I prefer some function like .hide() or so. Thanks.

An even simpler way to do this is to use jQuery's toggleClass() method

CSS

.newClass{visibility: hidden}

HTML

<a href="#" class=trigger>Trigger Element </a>
<div class="hidden_element">Some Content</div>

JS

$(document).ready(function(){
    $(".trigger").click(function(){
        $(".hidden_element").toggleClass("newClass");
    });
});

Here's one implementation, what works like $.prop(name[,value]) or $.attr(name[,value]) function. If b variable is filled, visibility is set according to that, and this is returned (allowing to continue with other properties), otherwise it returns visibility value.

jQuery.fn.visible = function (b) {
    if(b === undefined)
        return this.css('visibility')=="visible";
    else {
        this.css('visibility', b? 'visible' : 'hidden');
        return this;
    }
}

Example:

$("#result").visible(true).on('click',someFunction);
if($("#result").visible())
    do_something;

There isn't one built in but you could write your own quite easily:

(function($) {
    $.fn.invisible = function() {
        return this.each(function() {
            $(this).css("visibility", "hidden");
        });
    };
    $.fn.visible = function() {
        return this.each(function() {
            $(this).css("visibility", "visible");
        });
    };
}(jQuery));

You can then call this like so:

$("#someElem").invisible();
$("#someOther").visible();

Here's a working example.

Pure JS equivalent for jQuery hide()/show() :

function hide(el) {
    el.style.visibility = 'hidden';    
    return el;
}

function show(el) {
    el.style.visibility = 'visible';    
    return el;
}

hide(document.querySelector(".test"));
// hide($('.test')[0])   // usage with jQuery

We use return el due to satisfy fluent interface "desing pattern".

Here is working example.

Below I also provide HIGHLY unrecommended alternative, which is however probably more "close to question" answer:

HTMLElement.prototype.hide = function() {
    this.style.visibility = 'hidden';  
    return this;
}

HTMLElement.prototype.show = function() {
    this.style.visibility = 'visible';  
    return this;
}

document.querySelector(".test1").hide();
// $('.test1')[0].hide();   // usage with jQuery

of course this not implement jQuery 'each' (given in @JamesAllardice answer) because we use pure js here.

Working example is here.

If you only need the standard functionality of hide only with visibility:hidden to keep the current layout you can use the callback function of hide to alter the css in the tag. Hide docs in jquery

An example :

$('#subs_selection_box').fadeOut('slow', function() {
      $(this).css({"visibility":"hidden"});
      $(this).css({"display":"block"});
});

This will use the normal cool animation to hide the div, but after the animation finish you set the visibility to hidden and display to block.

An example : http://jsfiddle.net/bTkKG/1/

I know you didnt want the $("#aa").css() solution, but you did not specify if it was because using only the css() method you lose the animation.