Javascript character counter help

Question

I have some code that I am using to count characters in an input/textarea and display a countdown on my page. My problem is that I want the ability to define which div I want the counter displayed in.

How can I add a variable to this code in which I can define which div I want the counter to appear in????

Help me geniuses!!!

(function($) {

    $.fn.charCount = function(options){

        // default configuration properties
        var defaults = {    
            allowed: 150,       
            warning: 25,
            css: 'counter',
            counterElement: 'span',
            cssWarning: 'warning',
            cssExceeded: 'exceeded',
            counterText: ''
        }; 

        var options = $.extend(defaults, options); 

        function calculate(obj){
            var count = $(obj).val().length;
            var available = options.allowed - count;
            if(available <= options.warning && available >= 0){
                $(obj).next().addClass(options.cssWarning);
            } else {
                $(obj).next().removeClass(options.cssWarning);
            }
            if(available < 0){
                $(obj).next().addClass(options.cssExceeded);
            } else {
                $(obj).next().removeClass(options.cssExceeded);
            }
            $(obj).next().html(options.counterText + available);
        };

        this.each(function() {              
            $(this).after('<'+ options.counterElement +' class="' + options.css + '">'+ options.counterText +'</'+ options.counterElement +'>');
            calculate(this);
            $(this).keyup(function(){calculate(this)});
            $(this).change(function(){calculate(this)});
        });

    };

})(jQuery);

Answer 1

mayby special jquery plugins can help in your case to reduce the code as they calculate the number of chars automatically:

http://plugins.jquery.com/taxonomy/term/360 http://plugins.jquery.com/project/apTextCounter

Answer 2

Try this. Really only useful to call this against a single input element. Different inputs would require different containers passed in.

http://jsfiddle.net/GEJ29/

Usage:

  // Pass in a selector string for the container
$('input').charCount({container:'#container'});

Plugin:

(function($) {
    $.fn.charCount = function(options){
        // default configuration properties
        var defaults = {    
            allowed: 150,       
            warning: 25,
            css: 'counter',
            counterElement: 'span',
            cssWarning: 'warning',
            cssExceeded: 'exceeded',
            counterText: '',
            container: undefined // New option, accepts a selector string
        }; 

        var options = $.extend(defaults, options); 

        function calculate(obj,$cont) {
              // $cont is the container, now passed in instead.
            var count = $(obj).val().length;
            var available = options.allowed - count;
            if(available <= options.warning && available >= 0){
                $cont.addClass(options.cssWarning);
            } else {
                $cont.removeClass(options.cssWarning);
            }
            if(available < 0){
                $cont.addClass(options.cssExceeded);
            } else {
                $cont.removeClass(options.cssExceeded);
            }
            $cont.html(options.counterText + available);
        };

        this.each(function() {
         // $container is the passed selector, or create the default container
            var $container = (options.container)
                    ? $(options.container)
                        .text(options.counterText)
                        .addClass(options.css)
                    : $('<'+ options.counterElement +' class="' + options.css + '">'+ options.counterText +'</'+ options.counterElement +'>').insertAfter(this);
            calculate(this,$container);
            $(this).keyup(function(){calculate(this,$container)});
            $(this).change(function(){calculate(this,$container)});
        });

    };
})(jQuery);