Tech Info - DOM-2 nodeValue attribute

W3C Core Reference. Part of the Node Interface

nodeType attribute

Returns the value, if any, for the node (see list below). Typically used to read and/or update node text.

Syntax

string = object.nodeValue;

Related Commands

nodeName attribute, nodeType attribute.

Values

nodeValue returns a value determined by the nodeType as follows:

nodeType	Value
ELEMENT_NODE = 1	Null
ATTRIBUTE_NODE = 2	Value of Attribute
TEXT_NODE = 3	Text of node
CDATA_SECTION_NODE = 4	Contents of CDATA section
ENTITY_REFERENCE_NODE = 5	Null
ENTITY_REFERENCE_NODE = 5	Null
ENTITY_NODE = 6	Null
PROCESSING_INSTRUCTION_NODE = 7	Entire content excluding target
COMMENT_NODE = 8	Contents of comment
DOCUMENT_NODE = 9	Null
DOCUMENT_TYPE_NODE = 10	Null
DOCUMENT_FRAGMENT_NODE = 11	Null
NOTATION_NODE = 12	Null

Examples

<!-- HTML FRAGMENT -->
<p id="one">Test Text</p>

// read text value
// assumes a single child node for the paragraph - risky
txt = document.getElementById("one").firstChild.nodeValue;
// txt = Test Text
// update contents of text node
document.getElementById("one").firstChild.nodeValue = "Kilroy was here";

// safer code to find text node
cnodes = document.getElementById("one").childNodes;
for(i = 0; i < cnodes.length; i++)
{
  if(cnodes[i].nodeType == 3)
  {
   // do something if this is an text node
  }
}

Notes:

1. Text nodes are childNodes of the paragraph node.

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