How can I get the javascript event object inside a event handler?

Question

I have a div with onclick param:

<div onclick="some_function()"></div>

How can I access the event object inside the function? I need it to get event.target

function some_function() 
{
event = event || window.event;
var target = event.target || event.srcElement;
//does not work in IE and Firefox, but works in chrome
}

Answer 1

This way:

<div onclick="some_function(event)"></div>

function some_function(evt) 
{
    // do something with evt (the event passed in the function call)
}

Note that the argument name MUST be event in the function call. In the event handler you can use the name you want.

A live example: http://jsfiddle.net/davidbuzatto/KHyAb/

Answer 2

Use the event to get to the target. Beware of target vs currentTarget issues:

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/Event/currentTarget

   <div onclick="some_function(event)"></div>

   function some_function(event) 
   {
       // event.target is the DOM element that triggered the event
   }

Answer 3

Using event and this, both

 document.querySelector("div").addEventListener("click", function(event) { some_function(event, this); }, false); function some_function(currentEvent, currentObject) { alert("Object is: " + currentObject.nodeName); alert("Event is: " + currentEvent.type); }; 

 <div>Click Me</div> 

Answer 4

<div onclick="some_function(this, event)"></div>
function some_function(elem, e) 
{
    //You have both: html element (elem), and object event (e)
    //elem is not always equal to e.target
}

<div onclick="alert(this === event.target);">click here <span>then here</span></div>

Answer 5

If we work with event listeners, then you have in 'this' the html element and in 'event' the event object.

<a id="mya" href="#">Link</a>
var myA= document.querySelector("#mya");
myA.addEventListener("click", some_function);
function some_funtion() {
  //Here the html element is: this
  //Here the event object is: event
  //event.target is not always equal to this
}
<div id="mydiv">click here <span>then here</span></div>
var myDiv = document.querySelector("#mydiv");
myDiv.addEventListener("click", other_function);
function other_function() {
    alert(this === event.target);
}