Title: Simple javascript in page not working
Last modified: August 21, 2016

---

# Simple javascript in page not working

 *  Resolved [cmercier](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cmercier/)
 * (@cmercier)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/simple-javascript-in-page-not-working/)
 * I’m trying to implement a simple javascript inside a particular page of my WordPress
   site. The code works perfectly in a standalone html file, but once I put the 
   exact same code in the “text” section of my “edit page”, update and refresh my
   page, the script does not execute. Here is the code :
 *     ```
       <script type="text/javascript">
       function dropdownSelected()
       {
       document.getElementById("myTable").innerHTML="";
       // Some table manipulations depending on "mySelect" will happen here.
       var newTable = new String("<h2>Fine.</h2>");
       document.getElementById("myTable").innerHTML=newTable;
       }
       </script>
   
       <select id="mySelect" onchange="dropdownSelected()">
         <option value="" disabled selected style="display:none;">Pick option</option>
         <option value="1">test1</option>
         <option value="2">test2</option>
         <option value="3">test3</option>
       </select>
   
       <table id="myTable" border="1">
       <tr>
       <th>Header 1</th>
       <th>Header 2</th>
       </tr>
       <tr>
       <td>row 1, cell 1</td>
       <td>row 1, cell 2</td>
       </tr>
       <tr>
       <td>row 2, cell 1</td>
       <td>row 2, cell 2</td>
       </tr>
       <tr>
       <td>row 3, cell 1</td>
       <td>row 3, cell 2</td>
       </tr>
       </table>
       ```
   
 * It can’t get any simpler, yet it doesn’t work in WP. What am I doing wrong? I
   noticed that removing the <h2></h2> tags in my newTable string lets the script
   execute. As far as I know, I should be able to put whatever I want in this string
   though!
 * I simply want to adjust the content of an html table according the the user’s
   choice in a dropdown list. The easiest should be to work on a custom string containing
   the table’s html code and then put it in the table’s innerHTML… I just wish it
   worked in WP as it does in a normal html file.

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

 *  [wpismypuppet](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wordpressismypuppet/)
 * (@wordpressismypuppet)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/simple-javascript-in-page-not-working/#post-4241028)
 * The reason it won’t work in the “text” section of the “edit page” is because 
   PHP is executed on that area to help “format” the content in proper HTML format.
   It doesn’t really like JavaScript (or can’t interpret it as well). Most likely
   the format that’s taking place is probably converting the quotes or something
   silly.
 * Your best bet is to place your JavaScript in an external file. In your functions.
   php file, you should use [wp_register_script()](http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/wp_register_script)
   and [wp_enqueue_script()](http://codex.wordpress.org/Function_Reference/wp_enqueue_script)
   to include your external JavaScript. Then, you can do a check:
 *     ```
       if( document.getElementById("myTable").length > 0 ) {
           dropdownSelected();
       }
       ```
   
 * This code will check to see if that table exists on the page, and then execute
   your function. This way you’ll only run the JavaScript on the page that contains
   the proper element.
 *  Thread Starter [cmercier](https://wordpress.org/support/users/cmercier/)
 * (@cmercier)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/simple-javascript-in-page-not-working/#post-4241115)
 * Thanks for the tip, I think you were indeed right. It’s really a shame that WordPress
   doesn’t provide real HTML support out of the box.
 * After messing around for a while, I finally found a simple and effective way 
   to add the javascript to the right pages by using the nice plugin “CSS & Javascript
   Toolbox”.
 *  [wpismypuppet](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wordpressismypuppet/)
 * (@wordpressismypuppet)
 * [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/simple-javascript-in-page-not-working/#post-4241116)
 * Don’t be so hard on WordPress… think about what WordPress was developed to be:
   originally just a blog platform, and now a content management system, for the
   non-programmer. It’s suppose to be an easy way for anyone to update their website
   content without the need to know JavaScript, PHP, HTML or CSS. So technically
   the content editor is doing exactly what it should be doing.
 * We as programmers/developers know a little more about the world wide web and 
   it’s many languages, so WordPress developers have given us many “hooks” to tap
   into the power of WordPress. Hooks such as the wp_enqueue_script(). This way 
   we can still do absolutely anything we can think of. But for the average Joe…
   the out-of-the box solution is simply perfect!

Viewing 3 replies - 1 through 3 (of 3 total)

The topic ‘Simple javascript in page not working’ is closed to new replies.

## Tags

 * [innerHTML](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/innerhtml/)
 * [javascript](https://wordpress.org/support/topic-tag/javascript/)

 * In: [Fixing WordPress](https://wordpress.org/support/forum/how-to-and-troubleshooting/)
 * 3 replies
 * 2 participants
 * Last reply from: [wpismypuppet](https://wordpress.org/support/users/wordpressismypuppet/)
 * Last activity: [12 years, 6 months ago](https://wordpress.org/support/topic/simple-javascript-in-page-not-working/#post-4241116)
 * Status: resolved

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