jQuery - Return all objects in an array that contain a text string

Question

Is it possible to search an array for a string of text, then return the contents of the objects which contain it?

For example:

<script>
    var itemsArray = ["2Bedroom Ensuite 2Bathroom", "1Bedroom Ensuite 1Bathroom", "3Bedroom 2Bathroom"];
    var searchTerm = 'ensuite';
    var results = $.searchThing('itemsArray', searchTerm);
    document.write(results);
</script>

The above hypothetical script (where 'searchThing' is the method - if it exists) should write

2Bedroom Ensuite 2Bathroom
2Bedroom Ensuite 2Bathroom

Does this exist? How can it be done?

Thanks

May I ask you why you're trying to do in jQuery something that could be easily made with vanilla javascript? — Ragnarokkr
– Ragnarokkr, Commented Feb 21, 2014 at 20:49

Ram · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-21 20:54:49Z

10

You can use the ES5 Array.prototype.filter method:

var results = itemsArray.filter(function (elem) {
    return elem.toLowerCase().indexOf(searchTerm) > -1;
});

Note that older browsers don't support the .filter() method. For supporting those browsers you can use a polyfill.

edit: You can also use the jQuery $.grep() utility function:

var results = $.grep(itemsArray, function(elem) {
    return elem.toLowerCase().indexOf(searchTerm) > -1;
});

edited Feb 21, 2014 at 20:54

answered Feb 21, 2014 at 20:49

Ram

145k16 gold badges174 silver badges201 bronze badges

Sign up to request clarification or add additional context in comments.

3 Comments

Keith Over a year ago

Absolutely correct and the way to go. Use jQuery for manipulating the DOM, but javascript for manipulating variables.

georg Over a year ago

well, there's $.grep - basically, an alias to filter, but works in iE8

Ram Over a year ago

@thg435 Yes, thanks for mentioning that. I had forgotten the $.grep() method.

aebabis · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-21 20:54:46Z

1

This is possible to do in jQuery (sort of), but it isn't necessary to use jQuery. Here's a jQuery solution anyway

var itemsArray = ['asdf','1234'];
var searchTerm = 'asdf';
var results=[];
$.each(itemsArray, function(i,e){
    if(e.indexOf('asdf') > -1)
        results.push(e);
});

I would prefer undefined's solution personally.

answered Feb 21, 2014 at 20:54

aebabis

3,7053 gold badges27 silver badges40 bronze badges

1 Comment

Eatsam ul haq Over a year ago

.indexOf is not applicable if you want to search for an exact word. For example if searchTerm = 'as' the above code will still work. What should be used if we want an exact match.

Salman Arshad · Accepted Answer · 2014-02-21 20:55:58Z

1

try this

var searchTerm = 'ensuite';
var itemsArray = ["2Bedroom Ensuite 2Bathroom", "1Bedroom Ensuite 1Bathroom", "3Bedroom 2Bathroom"];
for(var i=0;i<itemsArray.length;i++){
 var str=itemsArray[i];
  if(str.indexOf(searchTerm ) >= 0){
   //it contains searchterm do something with it.
  }
}

edited Feb 21, 2014 at 20:55

Salman Arshad

274k85 gold badges450 silver badges540 bronze badges

answered Feb 21, 2014 at 20:52

Aftab Ahmed

1,73711 silver badges15 bronze badges

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

jQuery - Return all objects in an array that contain a text string

3 Answers 3

3 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Hot Network Questions

Collectives™ on Stack Overflow

3 Answers 3

3 Comments

1 Comment

Comments

Your Answer

Sign up or log in

Post as a guest

Related