javascript:void(0) in <a> is breaking the placeholder

[alexandrejobin]

When you click on a link that use javascript:void(0) as the href, the placeholder disapear in IE7 & IE8 (maybe others too)

<a href="javascript:void(0)" onClick="doSomething()">

[rafalbromirski]

Same situation here. I've found only one solution:

<a href="#">...</a>

$("a").on("click", function(e)
{
   e.preventDefault();
   doSomething();
});

[Sangdol]

Why is this issue happens? Is it unfixable? I prefer to use javascript:void(0) because of this reason.

[tysonnero]

I'm seeing the same thing.

[dashdots]

I'v got same problem: focus the textbox and hit twice ESC or click the anchor that href prop is set with 'javascript:void(0);', that will clear all of the placeholder.

[roeycohen]

hi, anyone succeeded in working this out??
this also happens in ie 9 and 10!

[youryss]

Its 2014 and the issue still happing! :/

[amerikan]

Why not just use a <button> instead? If you want to make it look like an anchor, just style it that way. Something like:

.button-link {
    background: transparent;
    border: 0;
    color: blue;
    padding: 5px;
    text-decoration: underline;
}

<button type="button" onClick="doSomething()" class="button-link">test</button>

😃

Edit: also there's a PR #170 that claims to solve this. I haven't tried it myself, but maybe you guys can try it out and see if it solves your issue? If so, let me know.

[antoinebrault]

Maybe something along the lines of :

var last_clicked;
$("body").on('click', 'a', function() {
    last_clicked = this;
});

// Clear placeholder values upon page reload
$(window).bind('beforeunload.placeholder', function(e) {
    if (last_clicked && last_clicked.href !== 'javascript:void(0)') {
        $('.'+settings.customClass).each(function() {
            this.value = '';
        });
    }
});

might work...

[rRudeBoy]

I can confirm this behavior is still occurring in IE9, Aug 2015. Regarding the link Sangdol posted giving a positive reason for using javascript:void(0), deeper in that answer it's suggested that best practice is to simply not have an href attribute, which I found to be a workable solution.

[RASMiranda]

Still happening on IE9.
Can confirm that @Paranoida simple workaround prevents the behavior.

[amerikan]

Using <a href="javascript:void(0);" >Click</a> in IE will trigger a beforeunload event. Currently the plugin will clear input values for beforeunload events. So I think @antoinebrault is in the right track.

[amerikan]

I've fixed this in this commit: 891fa63

Full file is here:
https://github.com/mathiasbynens/jquery-placeholder/blob/gh-pages/jquery.placeholder.js

I tested it myself and with this, it is fixed. Can any of you test the fix to confirm it?

[RASMiranda]

Not working, some behavior happening with v2.2.0

[amerikan]

@RASMiranda the fix is not in v2.2.0 yet. Try including this https://github.com/mathiasbynens/jquery-placeholder/blob/gh-pages/jquery.placeholder.js in your script. I'm waiting to fully confirm before releasing the fix in a future release.

[RASMiranda]

@amerikan Ha didn't realised it was not realeased, tried with https://github.com/mathiasbynens/jquery-placeholder/blob/gh-pages/jquery.placeholder.js same behavior :-/
But maybe my case is not the best. It has some other plugins that might be messing up and some other stuff that I don't know off.
I'll have to live with the workaround for now, don't have much time to test it further.