Thread: replace \

I have a JS function that seems to be working fine until a value is added to a hidden text box. The function causes no problems until a value is added to the txt_filepath textbox, which has visibility:hidden style added to it.

I think the problem is linked to the fact that the value in the textbox is in the form of \1\randomletters. I think it's the \'s that are causing the problem. How would I do a replace on them in JS?

The error I get in Firefox is AddTask is not defined.

The JS function is as follows:-

Code:

function AddTask(){
var tr_box = document.getElementById('tr_box_start1');
//alert(tr_box);
if(tr_box!=null){
document.getElementById('tr_box_start1').style.display='none';
document.getElementById('tr_box_start2').style.display='none';
}
document.getElementById('ctl00_main_content_update_progress').style.display='';
document.getElementById('update_text').innerHTML='Adding Task....';
var pcuser = document.getElementById('ctl00_hdn_pcuser').value;
var defaulttask = document.getElementById('ctl00_main_content_ddl_defaulttask').value;
if(defaulttask=='') defaulttask=0;
var visitorref = document.getElementById('ctl00_main_content_ddl_visitorref').value;
if(visitorref=='') visitorref=0;
var introref = document.getElementById('ctl00_main_content_ddl_introref').value;
if(introref=='') introref=0;
var cat = document.getElementById('ctl00_main_content_ddl_category').value;
var sendto = document.getElementById('ctl00_main_content_ddl_sendto').value;
var dtDue = document.getElementById('ctl00_main_content_txt_datedue').value;
var tmSpent = document.getElementById('ctl00_main_content_txt_timespent').value;
var title = document.getElementById('ctl00_main_content_txt_subject').value;
//alert(title);
var filepath = document.getElementById('ctl00_main_content_txt_filepath').value;
filepath=escape(filepath);
alert('filepath: '+filepath);
var note=FTB_API['ctl00_main_content_ftb_mess'].GetHtml();
//alert(note);
//return false;
TaskAdd.AddTask(pcuser,defaulttask,visitorref,introref,cat,sendto,dtDue,tmSpent,title,filepath,note,OnAddTaskComplete,OnError,OnTimeout);
}

Any ideas?

The backslash is an escape character in JS, so that could possible be causing the problem.

Here's how to replace in JS: JavaScript replace() Method

To keep the backslash in the string, simply replace it with two backslashes.

That's what I think J, but the problem is getting the syntax right on the replace function.
This gives an error of unterminated regular expression literal

Code:

document.write(str.replace(/\/,"\\"));

If I try this:-

Code:

var str="Visit \Microsoft!";
document.write(str.replace(/\\/,\\\\)

It just returns "Visit Microsoft!" when I would expect it to return "Visit \\Microsoft!"

Try this:

Code:

document.write(str.replace(/\\/g, "\\\\");

Nope. It doesn't work if the original string just has a single \ in it.

So, this:-

Code:

var str="Visit \\1\\Microsoft!";
document.write(str)

gives Visit \1\Microsoft!

If I do:-

Code:

var str="Visit \\1\\Microsoft!";
document.write(str.replace(/\\/g,"\\\\"));

it gives Visit \\1\\Microsoft!

If it starts with:-

Code:

var str="Visit \1\Microsoft!"

then it doesn't do a replace.

Any other ideas?

What about this:

Code:

document.write(str.replace('\\', '\\\\');

Nope. Still doesn't work.

There must be a way of doing this, surely?

If the original string just has a single \ then it just gets rid of it.

This is very annoying..

From what I've found it seems it's not possible to do this with Javascript.

The original string must have double slashes to do a replace.

I think I'm getting closer, R...but still getting weird results:

Code:

<script type="text/javascript"><!--

var esc = {"\\":/\\/g, n: /\n/g, t: /\t/g, r: /\r/g, b: /\x08/g, s: /\x73/g}
    var Str= "\1\randomletters";
var newStr = Str;
for(e in esc){
  newStr = newStr.replace(esc[e], "\\"+e);
}
    alert(newStr);
//-->
</script>

Hey R,

Maybe if you convert to forward slashes first:

Code:

        function back2forward(dataStr) {
            return dataStr.replace(/\\/g, "/");
        }

Then, handle the string how you need to...then when you're done, convert it back:

Code:

        function forward2back(dataStr) {
            return dataStr.replace(/\//g, "\\");
        }

I'm running out of ideas on this one..