Cursor Placement Between Selectable Nodes

placing cursor between nodes html css
10 November 2024

Introduction to the Topic

Selecting and placing the cursor within text on web pages is one of the interesting and functional possibilities that most websites utilize in their user experience. For example, it can be done by allowing users to select text or move the cursor between different text characters by clicking at different points. This topic is significant because it allows the user to interact with the existing text or information on the page.

How to Implement

Despite the fact that the languages HTML and CSS do not provide native tools for controlling the cursor, you can implement this control by using JavaScript. Essentially, we should utilize JavaScript events to manage user clicks and handle them accordingly.

Requirements

It is necessary to have a basic understanding of HTML and CSS. If you haven't worked with JavaScript yet, don't worry, the code provided below is relatively simple. Also, if you haven’t used JavaScript for a while, this topic may provide a good opportunity for you to practice.

A Look at the Code

Now we will look at the specific code that implements this capability, so let’s take a look. Make sure that the code being used is applicable and usable.

    <!DOCTYPE html>.
<html lang="fa">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0">
<title>Placing Cursor Between Nodes - mini-learn</title>
<style>
.selectable-area {
width: 300px;
border: 1px solid #ccc;
padding: 10px;
cursor: text;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="selectable-area" contenteditable="true">
<p>This is a text area where you can click to place the cursor!</p>
</div>
<script>
document.querySelector('.selectable-area').addEventListener('click', function(event) {
const range = document.createRange();
const sel = window.getSelection();
range.setStart(event.target, 1);
range.collapse(true);
sel.removeAllRanges();
sel.addRange(range);
});
</script>
</body>
</html>

Line-by-Line Code Explanation

<!DOCTYPE html>
This line defines the document as an HTML5 document.
<html lang="fa">
The html element is defined with the Persian language.
<meta charset="UTF-8">
Specifies the character encoding as UTF-8 for all character representations.
<style> ... </style>
In this section, the visual style of the selectable area is defined.
<div class="selectable-area" contenteditable="true">
A div is defined with editable text capabilities, allowing the user to click on it and place the cursor.
<script> ... </script>
The JavaScript script manages the user's clicks and places the cursor accordingly.

FAQ

?

How can I create an editable area for text on the web page?

?

Are there limitations in using JavaScript for user interaction?