JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, Fourth Edition

Name

Input.blur( ) — remove keyboard focus from a form element

Availability

JavaScript 1.0

Synopsis

                  input.blur(  )

Description

The blur( ) method of a form element removes keyboard focus from that element without invoking the onblur event handler; it is essentially the opposite of the focus( ) method. The blur( ) method does not transfer keyboard focus anywhere, however, so the only time that it is actually useful to call this method right before you transfer keyboard focus elsewhere with the focus( ) method, when you don’t want to trigger the onblur event handler. That is, by removing focus explicitly from the element, you won’t be notified when it is removed implicitly by a focus( ) call on another element.

All form elements other than Hidden support the blur( ) method. Unfortunately, not all platforms support keyboard navigation equally well. In Netscape 2 and 3 for Unix platforms, the blur( ) method is functional only for those form elements that display text: Text, Textarea, Password, and FileUpload.