How can I get Knockout JS to data-bind on keypress instead of lost-focus?
Javascriptknockout.jsJavascript Problem Overview
This example of knockout js works so when you edit a field and press TAB, the viewmodel data and hence the text below the fields is updated.
How can I change this code so that the viewmodel data is updated every keypress?
<!doctype html>
<html>
<title>knockout js</title>
<head>
<script type="text/javascript" src="js/knockout-1.1.1.debug.js"></script>
<script type="text/javascript">
window.onload= function() {
var viewModel = {
firstName : ko.observable("Jim"),
lastName : ko.observable("Smith")
};
viewModel.fullName = ko.dependentObservable(function () {
return viewModel.firstName() + " " + viewModel.lastName();
});
ko.applyBindings(viewModel);
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<p>First name: <input data-bind="value: firstName" /></p>
<p>Last name: <input data-bind="value: lastName" /></p>
<h2>Hello, <span data-bind="text: fullName"> </span>!</h2>
</body>
</html>
Javascript Solutions
Solution 1 - Javascript
<body>
<p>First name: <input data-bind="value: firstName, valueUpdate: 'afterkeydown'" /></p>
<p>Last name: <input data-bind="value: lastName, valueUpdate: 'afterkeydown'" /></p>
<h2>Hello, <span data-bind="text: fullName"> </span>!</h2>
</body>
From the documentation
> Additional parameters > --------------------- > > - valueUpdate > > If your binding also includes a parameter called valueUpdate, this > defines which browser event KO should use to detect changes. The > following string values are the most commonly useful choices: > > - "change" (default) - updates your view model when the user > moves the focus to a different control, or in the case of
Solution 2 - Javascript
In version 3.2 you can simply use textinput binding.:
<input data-bind="textInput: userName" />
It does two important things:
- make immediate updates
- handles browser differences for cut, drag, autocomplete ...
So no need for additional modules, custom controls and other things.
Solution 3 - Javascript
If you want it to do updates on afterkeydown "by default," you could inject the valueUpdate binding in the value binding handler. Just supply a new allBindingsAccessor for the handler to use that includes afterkeydown.
(function () {
var valueHandler = ko.bindingHandlers.value;
var getInjectValueUpdate = function (allBindingsAccessor) {
var AFTERKEYDOWN = 'afterkeydown';
return function () {
var allBindings = ko.utils.extend({}, allBindingsAccessor()),
valueUpdate = allBindings.valueUpdate;
if (valueUpdate === undefined) {
return ko.utils.extend(allBindings, { valueUpdate: AFTERKEYDOWN });
} else if (typeof valueUpdate === 'string' && valueUpdate !== AFTERKEYDOWN) {
return ko.utils.extend(allBindings, { valueUpdate: [valueUpdate, AFTERKEYDOWN] });
} else if (typeof valueUpdate === 'array' && ko.utils.arrayIndexOf(valueUpdate, AFTERKEYDOWN) === -1) {
valueUpdate = ko.utils.arrayPushAll([AFTERKEYDOWN], valueUpdate);
return ko.utils.extend(allBindings, {valueUpdate: valueUpdate});
}
return allBindings;
};
};
ko.bindingHandlers.value = {
// only needed for init
'init': function (element, valueAccessor, allBindingsAccessor) {
allBindingsAccessor = getInjectValueUpdate(allBindingsAccessor);
return valueHandler.init(element, valueAccessor, allBindingsAccessor);
},
'update': valueHandler.update
};
} ());
If you're not comfortable "overriding" the value binding, you could give the overriding custom binding a different name and use that binding handler.
ko.bindingHandlers.realtimeValue = { 'init':..., 'update':... };
A solution like this would be suitable for Knockout version 2.x. The Knockout team has fleshed out a more complete binding for text-like inputs through the textInput binding in Knockout version 3 and up. It was designed to handle all text input methods for text inputs and textarea. It will even handle real time updating which effectively renders this approach obsolete.
Solution 4 - Javascript
Jeff Mercado's answer is fantastic, but unfortunately broken with Knockout 3.
But I found the answer suggested by the ko devs while working through Knockout 3 changes. See the bottom comments at https://github.com/knockout/knockout/pull/932. Their code:
//automatically add valueUpdate="afterkeydown" on every value binding
(function () {
var getInjectValueUpdate = function (allBindings) {
return {
has: function (bindingKey) {
return (bindingKey == 'valueUpdate') || allBindings.has(bindingKey);
},
get: function (bindingKey) {
var binding = allBindings.get(bindingKey);
if (bindingKey == 'valueUpdate') {
binding = binding ? [].concat(binding, 'afterkeydown') : 'afterkeydown';
}
return binding;
}
};
};
var valueInitHandler = ko.bindingHandlers.value.init;
ko.bindingHandlers.value.init = function (element, valueAccessor, allBindings, viewModel, bindingContext) {
return valueInitHandler(element, valueAccessor, getInjectValueUpdate(allBindings), viewModel, bindingContext);
};
}());
http://jsfiddle.net/mbest/GKJnt/
Edit Ko 3.2.0 now has a more complete solution with the new "textInput" binding. See SalvidorDali's answer