JavaScript 16: The TextArea Tag

The TEXTAREA is the last input type we shall encounter which can be placed on a form. The TEXTAREA is used for capturing a larger amount of text than is feasible from a TEXT INPUT tag because it can be defined to extend over a number of rows and a number of columns and extends in size almost as far as the user wishes. This example creates a TEXTAREA of 10 rows and 40 columns but with the facility to add as much text as you wish.

<TEXTAREA ROWS=10 COLS= 40>

You cannot output to a TEXTAREA as you can to an INPUT TEXT field but anything you write between the TEXTAREA and /TEXTAREA tags will be placed in the area on screen.

Other tags used with TEXTAREA are:

• NAME - to give a name to the TEXTAREA item
• ROWS -
• COLS -
• WRAP - to determine how text flows:
  • OFF - no text wrap
  • VIRTUAL - text wraps to next line but is submitted as one line without new lines
  • PHYSICAL - text wraps on screen and has new lines as created by the user

The following example prompts the user to enter a 'mini saga' in less than 50 words, a challenging exercise of invention and concise expression. The JavaScript code counts the number of spaces to determine whether the entry passes the 50 word test.