Find the index of the element that was clicked by utilizing pure JavaScript

I am struggling to find the index of the element that was clicked. Can anyone help me with this?

for (i = 0; i < document.getElementById('my_div').children.length; i++) {
    document.getElementById('my_div').children[i].onclick = function(){'ALERT POSITION OF CLICKED CHILD'};
}

Is it possible to use this.index to achieve what I need?

An example similar to what I am attempting (but it only returns 6):

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="utf-8" />
<title>Untitled Document</title>
<style type="text/css">
body{margin:0;}
#container div{height:50px;line-height:50px; text-align:center}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div id="container">
<div>1</div>
<div>2</div>
<div>3</div>
<div>4</div>
<div>5</div>
<div>6</div>
</div>
<script>
for (i = 0; i < document.getElementById('container').children.length; i++) {
document.getElementById('container').children[i].onclick = function(){alert('Number ' + i + ' was clicked')};
}
</script>
</body>
</html>

Answer №1

Utilizing ES6 destructuring allows for the following:

const position = [...el.parentNode.children].indexOf(el)

Alternatively, you can use:

const position = Array.from(el.parentNode.children).indexOf(el)

Another option is the ES5 version:

var position = Array.prototype.slice.call(el.parentNode.children).indexOf(el)

Answer №2

Discover a snippet of code that will assist you in obtaining the index of the clicked element within a for loop. You simply need to create a new context:

var g = document.getElementById('my_div');
for (var i = 0, len = g.children.length; i < len; i++)
{

    (function(index){
        g.children[i].onclick = function(){
              alert(index)  ;
        }    
    })(i);

}

Edit 1: Integrating feedback from user Felix Kling into the solution.

The event handler is already acting as a closure.

Edit 2: Fiddle link has been updated.

Answer №3

It seems that the recommended answer (by Ashwin Krishnamurthy) is not as efficient as it could be.

An alternative approach could be:

const g = document.getElementById('my_div');
for (let i = 0, len = g.children.length; i < len; i++)
{
    g.children[i].onclick = function(){
        alert(index)  ;
    }
}

By avoiding unnecessary closures with this method, you can improve efficiency. However, creating multiple DOM event handlers may still not be optimal when each div requires its own handler just to retrieve a single value.

A more effective solution would involve utilizing event delegation by attaching a single click event listener to the parent element. Then, you can identify the clicked element's index through the technique mentioned earlier and referenced above in this discussion on Stack Overflow.

Answer №4

I came across a similar issue where I needed to iterate through an array and find the index number of the clicked item.

Here is how I tackled the problem...

// assign array to a variable
let elements = [...document.querySelectorAll('.elements')];

// use forEach method to loop through the array
elements.forEach((element, index) => {
    element.addEventListener('click', () => console.log(index));
});

This code will display the index number of the clicked item in the console.

I hope this solution helps clarify any doubts.

Answer №5

I created a custom function to locate the position.

function findElementPosition(element) {
  return [...element.parentElement.children].indexOf(element);
}

Usage example:

const position = findElementPosition(targetElement);

Answer №6

When it comes to table cell elements, they have a unique cellIndex property that sets them apart. However, for other elements, the process is not as straightforward. Here are some approaches you can take:

  • One option is to create a closure to preserve the value of i.
  • You could also dynamically count the number of previousSiblings.
  • Alternatively, you can add an index property in your for-loop and reference that (without modifying host objects).

The simplest method might be using a closure. It's essential to have a solid understanding of how closures function - there are plenty of resources online to help clarify this if needed.

function makeAlertNumber(element, i) {
    element.addEventListener('click', function() {
       alert('Number ' + i + ' was clicked');
    }, false);
}
[].slice.call(document.getElementById('container').children).forEach(makeAlertNumber); // task: find a way to adapt this for older browsers :-)

Answer №7

What exactly is the index referring to?

If we are talking about the index within the current HTML collection, then the index would simply be represented by your i counter variable.

A word of caution: Because HTMLCollections are "Live", you should never rely on them to determine the .length within a loop. If elements are added or removed during the loop, it can lead to unexpected and potentially harmful outcomes. It's better to cache the .length value before entering the loop instead.

Answer №8

const elements = document.querySelectorAll(".child");
elements.forEach((element, index) => {
    element.addEventListener("click", function() {
        console.log(index);
    });
});

Answer №9

findIndexOfElement: function(element){
            var index = 1;
            while(element.previousElementSibling != null){
                index++
            }
            return index;
        }

This custom function is designed to find and return the index of a specified element within its parent container.

Answer №10

retrieveNodeIndex = function(element){
    var indexValue = 1;
    while(element.previousElementSibling != null){
      element = element.previousElementSibling;
        indexValue++
    }
    return indexValue;
} 

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