Parse string as a html in javascript

Question

I have a HTML tag as a string comes from controller.. I need to parse it in html..The code is like ,

var str = '<span id="c.s.y"></span> Y <span id="c.s.m"></span> M';
var parsed = $.parseHTML(str);

This parsed string into html.. but I have to append some text before each seperate tag..I fetch each tag as,

$.each( parsed , function( i, el ) { console.log("asd" + el + "asd"); });

I cann't append text in each tag here it shows [object HTMLSpanElement] [object Text] .. how to append text here.. I want output as a asd <span id="c.s.y"></span> asd asd Y asd asd <span id="c.s.m"></span> asd asd N asd

• Rory McCrossan: Could you please give an example of the output you're expecting to see
• Dhara: @RoryMcCrossan updated the question
• x13: Add .toString()?
• Dhara: tried but it shows [object HTMLSpanElement] @ThisNameBetterBeAvailable
• Denis Sheremet: What exactly you want to do? console.log element or work with this element?

Answer 1

For HTML elements you could use outerHTML property

$.each(parsed, function(i, el) {
var $el = $(el);
if ($el.prop('outerHTML'))
 console.log("asd" + $el.prop('outerHTML') + "asd"); 
else
 console.log("asd" + $el.text() + "asd");
});

• mic4ael: yeah, but does it matter? are you gonna process it later on?

Answer 2

To get your html into something you can work with, use this:

$("<div/>").html(txt);

eg, in your case:

var str = '<span id="c.s.y"></span> Y <span id="c.s.m"></span> M';
var parsed = $("<div/>").html(str);

you then have 'parsed' as a 'normal' jquery object which you can manipulate as required, eg:

parsed.find("*").wrap("<span>");
parsed.contents().wrap("<span>");
$("#myid").append(parsed);

As .wrap() applies tags, in your case, you'll need to use .append and .prepend, something like:

parsed.find("*").andSelf().append(" asd ").prepend(" asd ");

• Dhara: It doesn't wrap text in html
• fdomn-m: Not sure what you mean by "wrap text in html". If you want the text elements, use .contents(). Manipulate as required - the question was how to parse a string as html and append some text before each seperate tag - nothing about wrapping text.