JavaScript Implementation of Search Box Autocomplete Functionality
Category Programming Technology
In this section, we will learn how to implement search box autocomplete functionality using JS/CSS.
First, take a look at the effect:
View the live example: https://c.tutorialpro.org/codedemo/6190
Basic HTML Code
Example
<!-- autocomplete="off" ensures the form has autocomplete functionality turned off: -->
<form autocomplete="off" action="/index.php">
<div class="autocomplete" style="width:300px;">
<input id="myInput" type="text" name="s" placeholder="Please enter search content">
</div>
<input type="submit">
</form>
Next, prepare the basic search test data, which is a JavaScript array:
var sites = ["Google","Taobao","tutorialpro","Wiki","Zhihu","Baidu","Sina","Tmall","JD","Alibaba","QQ","Weixin"];
Here is the style for the search box and autocomplete menu:
Example
* { box-sizing: border-box; }
body {
font: 16px Arial;
}
.autocomplete {
/* Set container position to relative: */
position: relative;
display: inline-block;
}
input {
border: 1px solid transparent;
background-color: #f1f1f1;
padding: 10px;
font-size: 16px;
}
input[type=text] {
background-color: #f1f1f1;
width: 100%;
}
input[type=submit] {
background-color: DodgerBlue;
color: #fff;
}
.autocomplete-items {
position: absolute;
border: 1px solid #d4d4d4;
border-bottom: none;
border-top: none;
z-index: 99;
/* Set autocomplete items width to match the container */
top: 100%;
left: 0;
right: 0;
}
.autocomplete-items div {
padding: 10px;
cursor: pointer;
background-color: #fff;
border-bottom: 1px solid #d4d4d4;
}
.autocomplete-items div:hover {
/* Background color for autocomplete items when hovered */
background-color: #e9e9e9;
}
.autocomplete-active {
/* Background color for autocomplete items when navigating with arrow keys */
background-color: DodgerBlue !important;
color: #ffffff;
}
Here is the JavaScript code for the search box and autocomplete menu:
Example
function autocomplete(inp, arr) {
/* The autocomplete function takes two arguments, the text field element and an array of possible autocompleted values: */
var currentFocus;
/* Execute a function when someone writes in the text field: */
inp.addEventListener("input", function(e) {
var a, b, i, val = this.value;
/* Close any already open lists of autocompleted values */
closeAllLists();
if (!val) { return false;}
currentFocus = -1;
/* Create a DIV element that will contain the items (values): */
a = document.createElement("DIV");
a.setAttribute("id", this.id + "autocomplete-list");
a.setAttribute("class", "autocomplete-items");
/* Append the DIV element as a child of the autocomplete container: */
this.parentNode.appendChild(a);
/* For each item in the array... */
for (i = 0; i < arr.length; i++) {
/* Check if the item starts with the same letters as the text field value: */
if (arr[i].substr(0, val.length).toUpperCase() == val.toUpperCase()) {
/* Create a DIV element for each matching element: */
b = document.createElement("DIV");
/* Make the matching letters bold: */
b.innerHTML = "<strong>" + arr[i].substr(0, val.length) + "</strong>";
b.innerHTML += arr[i].substr(val.length);
/* Insert a input field that will hold the current array item's value: */
b.innerHTML += "<input type='hidden' value='" + arr[i] + "'>";
/* Execute a function when someone clicks on the item value (DIV element): */
b.addEventListener("click", function(e) {
/* Insert the value for the autocomplete text field: */
inp.value = this.getElementsByTagName("input")[0].value;
/* Close the list of autocompleted values, (or any other open lists of autocompleted values: */
closeAllLists();
});
a.appendChild(b);
}
}
});
/* Execute a function presses a key on the keyboard: */
inp.addEventListener("keydown", function(e) {
var x = document.getElementById(this.id + "autocomplete-list");
if (x) x = x.getElementsByTagName("div");
if (e.keyCode == 40) {
/* If the arrow DOWN key is pressed, increase the currentFocus variable: */
currentFocus++;
/* And make the current item more visible: */
addActive(x);
} else if (e.keyCode == 38) { //up
/* If the arrow UP key is pressed, decrease the currentFocus variable: */
currentFocus--;
/* And make the current item more visible: */
addActive(x);
} else if (e.keyCode == 13) {
/* If the ENTER key is pressed, prevent the form from being submitted, */
e.preventDefault();
if (currentFocus > -1) {
/* and simulate a click on the "active" item: */
if (x) x[currentFocus].click();
}
}
});
function addActive(x) {
/* A function to classify an item as "active": */
if (!x) return false;
/* Start by removing the "active" class on all items: */
removeActive(x);
if (currentFocus >= x.length) currentFocus = 0;
if (currentFocus < 0) currentFocus = (x.length - 1);
/* Add class "autocomplete-active": */
x[currentFocus].classList.add("autocomplete-active");
}
function removeActive(x) {
/* A function to remove the "active" class from all autocomplete items: */
for (var i = 0; i < x.length; i++) {
x[i].classList.remove("autocomplete-active");
}
}
function closeAllLists(elmnt) {
/* Close all autocomplete lists in the document, except the one passed as an argument: */
var x = document.getElementsByClassName("autocomplete-items");
for (var i = 0; i < x.length; i++) {
if (elmnt != x[i] && elmnt != inp) {
x[i].parentNode.removeChild(x[i]);
}
}
}
/* Execute a function when someone clicks in the document: */
document.addEventListener("click", function (e) {
closeAllLists(e.target);
});
}
Finally, we use the above JavaScript code on the input field with id myInput
:
Example
autocomplete(document.getElementById("myInput"), countries);
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