README.md

jQuery Value

A jQuery plugin that generalizes the .val() method.

Value Methods

Add a value method for any element using .valMethod().

$('#special').valMethod(function(data) {
  if (arguments.length == 0) {
    // Return value of `this`.
  }
  else {
    // Set value of `this`.
  }
});

When .val() is called, jQuery will dispatch to your method to get or set the element's value.

// Get the special value
console.log('special value:', $('#special').val());

// Set the special value
$('#special').val(['fancy', 'value', 'here']);

jQuery Templates

This plugin works with jQuery templates. If a template is bound and added to the DOM like this:

$("#myTemplate").tmpl(myData).appendTo("#target");

The .val() method can get the data:

// data is equal to myData
var data = $("#target").children(':last-child').val();

Or it can be used to set the data. This automatically uses the template to update the DOM.

$('#target').children(':last-child').val(newValue);

Forms

A .formData() method converts an entire form into an object. This is handy for making JSON requests.

var obj = $('#myForm').formData();

It can also be used to set all the values of a form at once:

$('#myForm').formData({ name: 'value', ... });

API

.val()

Get the value of the first element in the matched set.

.val(data)

Set the value of all elements in the matched set to be data.

.valMethod(fn)

Bind the value method fn to elements in the matched set. Whenever .val() is called on these methods, it dispatches to fn.

.formData()

Get all the values of a form as an object.

.formData(data)

Set all the values of a form using an object.