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javascriptjquerykeypresspreventdefault

Why doesn't preventDefault() stop focus change after a Tab-keypress?

I was fiddling with preventDefault() and must be doing something wrong.

$("#input").bind("keypress", function(event) {
    if(event.which == 9) {
    event.preventDefault();
    alert("You pressed tab.");
    }
});

The tab functionality isn't prevented. What's wrong with this?

Solution

  • The keypress event is simply not fired when the Tab is pressed - this also explains why there is no alert, independent of what preventing the default may do.

    Changing the code to use keydown allows the Tab to be caught and prevents the default focus-change (in Chrome1, anyway).

    $("#input").bind("keydown", function(event) {
    if(event.which == 9) {
        event.preventDefault();
    }
});

    1 I tested the above in Chrome 35 with jQuery 1.6-2.1; it does not work under the KO 3.0 library.