.val()

.val() Returns: String, Array

Description: Get the current value of the first element in the set of matched elements.

  • version added: 1.0.val()

The .val() method is primarily used to get the values of form elements. In the case of <select multiple="multiple"> elements, the .val() method returns an array containing each selected option.

For selects and checkboxes, you can also use the :selected and :checked selectors to get at values, for example:

$('select.foo option:selected').val();    // get the value from a dropdown select
$('select.foo').val();                    // get the value from a dropdown select even easier
$('input:checkbox:checked').val();        // get the value from a checked checkbox
$('input:radio[name=bar]:checked').val(); // get the value from a set of radio buttons

Examples:

Example: Get the single value from a single select and an array of values from a multiple select and display their values. 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>
  p { color:red; margin:4px; }
  b { color:blue; }
  </style>
  <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-latest.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
	<p></p>
  <select id="single">
    <option>Single</option>
    <option>Single2</option>

  </select>
  <select id="multiple" multiple="multiple">
    <option selected="selected">Multiple</option>
    <option>Multiple2</option>

    <option selected="selected">Multiple3</option>
  </select>
<script>
    function displayVals() {
      var singleValues = $("#single").val();
      var multipleValues = $("#multiple").val() || [];
      $("p").html("<b>Single:</b> " +
                  singleValues +
                  " <b>Multiple:</b> " +
                  multipleValues.join(", "));
    }

    $("select").change(displayVals);
    displayVals();

</script>
</body>
</html>

Demo:

Example: Find the value of an input box. 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>

  p { color:blue; margin:8px; }
  </style>
  <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-latest.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
	<input type="text" value="some text"/>
  <p></p>
<script>
    $("input").keyup(function () {
      var value = $(this).val();
      $("p").text(value);
    }).keyup();
</script>
</body>
</html>

Demo:

.val( value ) Returns: jQuery

Description: Set the value of each element in the set of matched elements.

  • version added: 1.0.val( value )

    valueA string of text or an array of strings to set as the value property of each matched element.

  • version added: 1.4.val( function(index, value) )

    function(index, value)A function returning the value to set.

This method is typically used to set the values of form fields. For <select multiple="multiple"> elements, multiple <option>s can be selected by passing in an array.

The .val() method allows us to set the value by passing in a function. As of jQuery 1.4, the function is passed two arguments, the current element's index and its current value: 

$('input:text.items').val(function(index, value) {
  return value + ' ' + this.className;
});

This example appends the string " items" to the text inputs' values.

Examples:

Example: Set the value of an input box. 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>
  button { margin:4px; cursor:pointer; }
  input { margin:4px; color:blue; }
  </style>
  <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-latest.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
	<div>
    <button>Feed</button>
    <button>the</button>

    <button>Input</button>
  </div>
  <input type="text" value="click a button" />
<script>
    $("button").click(function () {
      var text = $(this).text();
      $("input").val(text);
    });
</script>
</body>
</html>

Demo:

Example: Set a single select and a multiple select . 

<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <style>
  body { color:blue; }
  </style>
  <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-latest.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
	<select id="single">
    <option>Single</option>
    <option>Single2</option>
  </select>

  <select id="multiple" multiple="multiple">
    <option selected="selected">Multiple</option>
    <option>Multiple2</option>

    <option selected="selected">Multiple3</option>
  </select><br/>
  <input type="checkbox" name="checkboxname" value="check1"/> check1
  <input type="checkbox" name="checkboxname" value="check2"/> check2
  <input type="radio"  name="r" value="radio1"/> radio1
  <input type="radio"  name="r" value="radio2"/> radio2
<script>

    $("#single").val("Single2");
    $("#multiple").val(["Multiple2", "Multiple3"]);
    $("input").val(["check1","check2", "radio1" ]);

</script>
</body>
</html>

Demo: