jqueryui / autocomplete: search for term if enter is pressed without using autocomplete tag

Question

I'm using jqueryui's autocomplete widget (ui v1.8.4) as a helping tool for a sitesearch. Without autocomplete the user types in his query, presses enter or search-button and get the results on result-page.

Autocomplete should work as addition while the user types. ... but if i type in a searchterm, i get the list from autocomplete. but now i have to choose one item of it instead of just hitting enter to get to the results page, as i have done without autocomplete.

$("#searchForm input").autocomplete({ source: "/suche", minLength: 3, delay: 100 });

Answer 1

I have jQuery UI autocomplete for a similar usecase: quick results as you type, full result page if you press enter.

You could probably change your code like so:

$("#searchForm input").autocomplete({ source: "/suche", minLength: 3, delay: 100 }).keydown(function(e){
    if (e.keyCode === 13) {
        $(this).closest('form').trigger('submit');
    }
});

Which will submit the parent form of your search box. But obviously you could place any kind of custom logic in there.