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JavaScript JavaScript and the DOM (Retiring) Getting a Handle on the DOM Selecting by Id

Shadrach Thomas
PLUS
Shadrach Thomas
Courses Plus Student 8,915 Points
Posted by Shadrach Thomas
Shadrach Thomas
Courses Plus Student 8,915 Points

please i need help here

please i need a very good explanation to how to get this right cause i don't think i'm doing anything wrong here

js/app.js 
let button; document.getElementById('sayPhrase');
let input;

button.addEventListener('click', () => {
  alert(input.value);
});
index.html 
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
  <head>
    <title>Phrase Sayer</title>
  </head>
  <body>
    <p><input type="text" id="phraseText"></p>
    <p><button id="sayPhrase">Say Phrase</button></p>
    <script src="js/app.js"></script>
  </body>
</html>

2 Answers

Jason Anders
MOD
Jason Anders
Treehouse Moderator 145,860 Points
Jason Anders
Jason Anders
Treehouse Moderator 145,860 Points

Hey Shadrach,

You're setting the reference correctly, but you still have a semicolon after the variable name. In JavaScript, a semicolon ends a statement, so the reference is not being assigned to the variable. To assign a variable, you use the equal (=) sign.

So, you just need to delete the semicolon and put in an equal sign.

Keep Coding! :dizzy: :)

Alexander La Bianca
Alexander La Bianca
15,959 Points
Alexander La Bianca
Alexander La Bianca
15,959 Points

Hi,

You are not properly assigning the values to your variables. You js does not know yet what 'button' or 'input' are supposed to be. Right now they are just variables with no values assigned. The correct code would be something like this

//what you have
//let button; documment.getElementById('sayPhrase');

//what it should be -> you get the button and assign it to the constant button  
let button = document.getElementById('sayPhrase');

//what you have
//let input;

//what it should be -> right now input is just a constant, but you need to tell js what input should refer to
let input = document.getElementById('phraseText');

//now your button refers to your input button with id sayPhrase
//now your input refers to the input text box with id phraseText

button.addEventListener('click', () => {
  alert(input.value);
});