Fixing Form Submission to Change HTML Elements in JavaScript

Learn how to update HTML table data via form submission in JavaScript without page refresh.
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How to Change HTML Elements via Form Submission in JavaScript

Creating dynamic web applications is exciting, especially when user input can alter the displayed content. However, when working with JavaScript, beginners often encounter issues like changes not being reflected on the page after form submission. Let's unravel this problem using a practical example, where we will learn to update an HTML table based on user inputs through a form.

The Problem: Form Submission Not Updating the Table

Imagine you have a simple web page with a table displaying information about a bus route, as shown below:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

You also have a form that allows users to input new data for this table:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

When you submit the form, your intention is to replace the values in the table with those provided by the user. However, upon submission, the form returns to the default behavior, which is to refresh the page, thus preventing any visible changes.

The Solution: Preventing Default Form Submission Behavior

To ensure that the data updates correctly without refreshing the page, we need to return false from the process() function to stop the form from submitting. Here’s how you can achieve that:

Step-by-Step Example

Update the JavaScript Function: Modify your JavaScript function as follows:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Ensure the Form Calls the JavaScript Function: Make sure your form is correctly set up to call this function on submission, as shown in the HTML code above.

Complete Code Example

Here is the complete HTML and JavaScript code to achieve this:

[[See Video to Reveal this Text or Code Snippet]]

Conclusion

With this adjustment of returning false in the process() function, we prevent the form submission from refreshing the page, allowing the changes to be reflected immediately in the HTML table. This solution not only enhances user experience but also empowers you with a fundamental understanding of how JavaScript interacts with HTML through the Document Object Model (DOM).

Remember, effective learning of JavaScript involves practice and experimentation, so don't hesitate to tweak the values and see the results!