jQuery change event on <select> not firing in IE

I've got a page with a variable number of <select> elements (which explains why I'm using event delegation here). When the user changes the selected option, I want to hide/show different content areas on the page. Here's the code I have:

$(document).ready(function() {
  $('#container').change(function(e) {
    var changed = $(e.target);

    if (changed.is('select[name="mySelectName"]')) {
      // Test the selected option and hide/show different content areas.
    }
  });
});

This works in Firefox and Safari, but in IE the change event doesn't fire. Anyone know why?

The change event does not bubble in IE (See here and here). You cannot use event delegation in tandem with it.

In fact, it is because of this IE bug that jQuery live had to officially exclude change from the list of supported events (FYI the DOM spec states change should bubble).^[1]

With respect to your question, you can bind directly to each select:

$('#container select').change(/*...*/)

If you really want event delegation you might find some success trying what this person did and bind to click in IE only, which does bubble:

$('#container').bind($.browser.msie ? 'click' : 'change', function(event) {
    /* test event.type and event.target 
     * to capture only select control changes
     */
})

But this browser detection feels really wrong. I'd really try working with the former example (binding directly to the drop downs). Unless you have hundreds of <select> boxes, event delegation wouldn't buy you much here anyway.

---

_{[1] Note: jQuery >= 1.4 now simulates a bubbling change event in IE via live()/on().}

Idea that might help:

$(document).ready(function() {
  $('#container select[name="mySelectName"]').change(function(e) {
    var s = $(e.target);
    if (s.val()=='1') //hide/show something;
  });
});

If you are using AJAX, try live() function:

 $(document).ready(function() {
       $('#container select[name="mySelectName"]').live('change', function(e) {
        var s = $(e.target);
        if (s.val()=='1') //hide/show something;
      });
    });

If I recall correctly you will need to call blur() to have jQuery invoke change() on IE machines. Try something like:

$("select[name=mySelectName]").click(function() {
    $(this).blur();
});

using jquery 1.4.4 (and i think 1.4.3) seems to be all good now.... the change event works consistently in my limited testing.

Add this lines to your page head, Sit back and relax! :)

$(document).ready(function(){$('select').bind('onChange',function(){$(this).blur()});});

onchange=doAction will work in IE and Firefox, but its not supported in Chrome.

You need to use jQuery's .change event to handle this.

I'm trying to understand why you need to double check the name of the select after receiving an event to it.

Do you by any chance have multiple elements with the same id ? Did you actually mean to say "#container select" instead of "#container" ?

I'm simply building upon the example set by "Crescent Flesh" for a cross-platform solution that will survive even if loading this SELECT inside #container via an AJAX call.

$('#container').bind($.browser.msie ? 'click' : 'change', function(event) {
  if ((event.type == 'click') || (event.type == 'change')) {
    if (event.target.toString().indexOf('Select') != -1) {
      var sWhich = $('#container SELECT').val();
      handleSelectionChange(sWhich);
    }
  }
});

Now you simply build the handleSelectionChange() function, renaming it whatever you want.

IE requires change event to be placed inside document ready. This seems to bind the change event to the associated element. Hope it helps.

:D:D Wow, I was finding solution... Why think so complicated? Simply:
<select onchange="doAction">