I'd like to get data from ajax response, but this code not working:

var request = new XMLHttpRequest();
request.open("GET", "http://localhost/test/test.php", true);
request.send(null);
request.onreadystatechange = function() {
    if (request.readyState == 4) {
        alert(request.responseText.document.getElementById('div1').innerHTML);
    }   
}

The console shows this error:

Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'getElementById' of undefined.

Any ideas what's causing this?

I'd like to get data from ajax response, but this code not working:

var request = new XMLHttpRequest();
request.open("GET", "http://localhost/test/test.php", true);
request.send(null);
request.onreadystatechange = function() {
    if (request.readyState == 4) {
        alert(request.responseText.document.getElementById('div1').innerHTML);
    }   
}

The console shows this error:

Uncaught TypeError: Cannot read property 'getElementById' of undefined.

Any ideas what's causing this?

• javascript
• ajax

2 Answers 2

You can use DOMParser to convert html string to document fragment

var request = new XMLHttpRequest();
request.open("GET", "http://localhost/test/test.php", true);
request.send(null);
request.onreadystatechange = function() {
  if (request.readyState == 4) {
    var parser = new DOMParser();
    var doc = parser.parseFromString(request.responseText, "text/html");
    var elem = doc.getElementById("div1");
    alert(elem.innerHTML);
  }
}

alternatively, you can set the responseType to document

var request = new XMLHttpRequest();
request.open("GET", "file.html", true);
request.responseType = "document";
request.send(null);
request.onreadystatechange = function() {
  if (request.readyState == 4) {
    var doc = request.response;
    var elem = doc.getElementById("div1");
    alert(elem.innerHTML);
  }
}

plnkr http://plnkr.co/edit/lkpveDD31fYY1gmflK9W?p=preview

Request object isn't a DOM element nor does it have the methods that the native DOM has.

Fix your code with:

            var request = new XMLHttpRequest();
            request.open("GET", "http://localhost/test/test.php", true);
            request.send(null);
            request.onreadystatechange = function() {

              if (request.readyState == 4) {
                  alert(request.responseText);
              }


            }