I have a node that I'm note sure is an element (from calling node.previousSibling). However I am having trouble finding out the cross browser javascript way to access the Node constants shown on the MDC.

In all browsers but IE Node.ELEMENT_NODE is defined. I tried using a specific instance of node, e.g.:

e=$("#element_id")[0];
alert("ELEMENT_NODE: " + ELEMENT_NODE);

This does not work in IE either. So whats the IE way to do this? Do I just have to define the node constants myself?

I have a node that I'm note sure is an element (from calling node.previousSibling). However I am having trouble finding out the cross browser javascript way to access the Node constants shown on the MDC.

In all browsers but IE Node.ELEMENT_NODE is defined. I tried using a specific instance of node, e.g.:

e=$("#element_id")[0];
alert("ELEMENT_NODE: " + ELEMENT_NODE);

This does not work in IE either. So whats the IE way to do this? Do I just have to define the node constants myself?

• javascript
• dom

3 Answers 3

Internet Explorer 8 and earlier don't define the node type constants, so you would have to define them yourself. Additionally, Internet Explorer 7 and earlier only support types 1 and 3.

The cleanest way to define the Node Constants [when they don't exist] is by catching the exception generated when attempting to access them.

try {
    if (Node.ELEMENT_NODE != 1) {
        throw true;
    }
}
catch(e) {
    document.Node = Node || {};
    Node.ELEMENT_NODE   = 1;
    Node.ATTRIBUTE_NODE = 2;
    Node.TEXT_NODE      = 3;
}

The throw true line only executes when Node exists, but Node.ELEMENT_NODE is not the expected value.

alert(oNode.nodeType)

and you'll get:

"1" for ELEMENT_NODE  
"2" for ATTRIBUTE_NODE  
"3" for TEXT_NODE   
"4" for CDATA_SECTION_NODE  
"5" for ENTITY_REFERENCE_NODE   
"6" for ENTITY_NODE

etc...