Find element in which regex matches using jquery?

Question

Is there a way to find element using regex to search in its text. So for example, if element p has word kobra in it then jquery selector returns the list of those elements optionally wrapping matched words in span element.

I need it to create search functionality. Basically there is a li based list. User enters a term, then all elements are gotten using that regex to element selector, then upon clicking next user is scrolled to that position.

`$('element:contains(kobra)')` http://api.jquery.com/contains-selector/ Watch out with the word kobra. GI:JOE will come. — Mouser, Mar 18 '15 at 16:33
i found somethin similar http://stackoverflow.com/questions/22929862/jquery-containsregex — Muhammad Umer, Mar 18 '15 at 16:38

Mouser · Answer 1 · 2015-03-18T16:41:09.070

3

If nothing fancy is needed, based upon your question, user enters a search term, search term is displayed: use jQuery's contains selector, no regex is needed:

http://api.jquery.com/contains-selector/

 $('element:contains(kobra)')

edited Mar 18 '15 at 16:41

answered Mar 18 '15 at 16:35

Mouser

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This will probably suit this particular person's need, but won't work for regex. – Hayden Schiff Mar 18 '15 at 16:40
Yes i dont think i need regex afterall – Muhammad Umer Mar 18 '15 at 16:42

score 1 · Answer 2 · answered Mar 18 '15 at 16:35

1

Use a jQuery selector that matches all the elements you want to search in, then run your regex query on each of them. Here's some rough pseudocode:

$('.myParagraphs').each(function() {
  var obj = $(this);
  if (obj.text().matches(myRegexp)) {
    //code to scroll to that element
  }
});

answered Mar 18 '15 at 16:35

Hayden Schiff

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will this work, aren't you searching regex in jquery element not in its text value – Muhammad Umer Mar 18 '15 at 16:36
Ah sorry, forgot .text(). Fixed it – Hayden Schiff Mar 18 '15 at 16:38
but this code will result in page being scrolled to last matched element, as over each iteration of loop it will be scrolled to element that matches. – Muhammad Umer Mar 18 '15 at 16:41
If you add a break; inside of that if statement, then the loop will stop executing after the first match. – Hayden Schiff Mar 18 '15 at 16:42

Find element in which regex matches using jquery?

2 Answers2