How to unbind() .hover() but not .click()?

Question

I'm creating a site using Bootstrap 3, and also using a script that makes the dropdown-menu appear on hover using the .hover() function. I'm trying to prevent this on small devices by using enquire.js. I'm trying to unbind the .hover() event on the element using this code:

$('.dropdown').unbind('mouseenter mouseleave');

This unbinds the .hover of that script but apparently it also removes the .click() event(or whatever bootstrap uses), and now when I hover or click on the element, nothing happens.

So I just want to how I can remove the .hover() on that element, that is originating from that script, but not change anything else.

Would really appreciate any help.

Thanks!

Edit: Here is how I'm calling the handlers for the hover functions:

$('.dropdown').hover(handlerIn, handlerOut);

function handlerIn(){
   // mouseenter code
}
function hideMenu() {
   // mouseleave code
}

I'm trying to unbind them with this code.

$('.dropdown').unbind('mouseenter', showMenu);
$('.dropdown').unbind('mouseleave', hideMenu);

But its not working.

Please help!

**Edit2: ** Based on the answer of Tieson T.:

function dropdownOnHover(){
  if (window.matchMedia("(min-width: 800px)").matches) {
    /* the view port is at least 800 pixels wide */
    $('.dropdown').hover(handlerIn, handlerOut);

    function handlerIn(){
       // mouseenter code
    }
    function hideMenu() {
       // mouseleave code
    }
  }
}

$(window).load(function() {
  dropdownOnHover();
});

$(window).resize(function() {
  dropdownOnHover();
});

The code that Tieson T. provided worked the best; however, when I resize the window, until I reach the breakpoint from any direction, the effect doesn't change. That is, if the window is loaded above 800px, the hover effect will be there, but if I make the window smaller it still remains. I tried to invoke the functions with window.load and window.resize but it is still the same.

Edit 3: I'm actually trying to create Bootstrap dropdown on hover instead of click. Here is the updated jsFiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/CR2Lw/2/

Please note: In the jsFiddle example, I could use css :hover property and set the dropdow-menu to display:block. But because the way I need to style the dropdown, there needs to be some space between the link and the dropdown (it is a must), and so I have to find a javascript solution. or a very tricky css solution, in which the there is abot 50px space between the link and the dropdown, when when the user has hovered over the link and the dropdown has appeared, the dropdown shouldn't disappear when the user tries to reach it. Hope it makes sense and thanks.

Edit 4 - First possible solution: http://jsfiddle.net/g9JJk/6/

Answer 1

Might be easier to selectively apply the hover, rather than try to remove it later. You can use window.matchMedia and only apply your script if the browser has a screen size that implies a desktop browser (or a largish tablet):

if (window.matchMedia("(min-width: 800px)").matches) {
    /* the view port is at least 800 pixels wide */
    $('.dropdown').on({
        mouseenter: function () {
            //stuff to do on mouse enter
        },
        mouseleave: function () {
            //stuff to do on mouse leave
        }
    });
}
else{
    $('.dropdown').off('mouseenter, mouseleave');
}

Since it's not 100% supported, you'd want to add a polyfill for those browsers without native support: https://github.com/paulirish/matchMedia.js/

If you're using Moderizr, that polyfill is included in that library already, so you're good-to-go.

Answer 2

I still don't understand how you intend to "dismiss" the dropdown-menu once it is displayed upon mousing over the dropdown element partly because there's not enough code in your question, but that's sort of irrelevant to this answer.

I think a much easier way to approach the mousenter event handling portion is not by using off()/on() to unbind/bind events at a specific breakpoints, but rather to do just do a simple check when the event is triggered. In other words, something like this:

$('.dropdown').on('mouseenter', function() {
    if($('.navbar-toggle').css('display') == 'none') {
       $(this).children('.dropdown-menu').show();
    };
});

$('.dropdown-menu').on('click', function() {
    $(this).hide();
});

Here's a working fiddle: http://jsfiddle.net/jme11/g9JJk/

Basically, in the mouseenter event I'm checking if the menu toggle is displayed, but you can check window.width() at that point instead if you prefer. In my mind, the toggle element's display value is easier to follow and it also ensures that if you change your media query breakpoints for the "collapsed" menu, the code will remain in sync without having to update the hardcoded values (eg 768px).

The on click to dismiss the menu doesn't need a check, as it has no detrimental effects that I can see when triggered on the "collapsed" menu dropdown.

I still don't like this from a UX perspective. I would much rather have to click to open a menu than click to close a menu that's being opened on a hover event, but maybe you have some magic plan for some other way of triggering the hide method. Maybe you are planning to register a mousemove event that checks if the mouse is anywhere within the bounds of the .dropdown + 50px + .dropdown-menu or something like that... I would really like to know how you intend to do this (curiosity is sort of killing me). Maybe you can update your code to show the final result.

EDIT: Thanks for posting your solution!