Question

//HTML Code
<div id="navigation1">
<ul>
<li><a href="#"><input type="submit" value="Next" 
       onClick="return checkfhname()" /></a></li>
</ul>
</div>

My Javascript checkfhname() is returning false, at same time <li> tag navigating to next tab form, so I want to stop this navigation if Javascript returns false.

Answer 1

Explanation

Hmm, your question is a bit… for the lack of a better word, “iffy”. However, I understand what you want to do.

First of all, there is no need to put an input element inside the link when the link also responds to true/false. Second of all, you should NEVER put an input element inside a link.
It’s just bad practice.

When you return false via Javascript to a link, the link will not navigate you further, just like the input element wont send you further when you return false from a submit.

This should suffice

<a href="#" onClick="return checkfhname()">Next</a>

If you’d rather want a button, just change it to a button, add a parameter for url, and use window.location = url if you want it to navigate

<script>
    function checkNavigate(url){
        //check some conditions, conditions = false/true
        if(typeof url == "undefined" || !conditions) 
            return false;

        window.location = url;
        return true;
    }
</script>
<button onClick="checkNavigate('url')">Next</button>

---

Solution

Here’s a JSFiddle example.

HTML

<div id="navigation">
    <ul>
        <li>
            <a href="#link_clicked" onClick='return checkfhName();'>Link</a>
        </li>
    </ul>
</div>

Javascript

function checkfhName(){
    //check your conditions, conditions = false/true
    //for the purposes of this example: conditions = false
    checkConditions = false;
    if(checkConditions){
        return true;
    }
    return false;
}

Additional information; good to know

• Here’s a great article about what you should do instead of return false;
• Some documentation on form validation
• Here’s a similar question
• Here’s another question, asking about the reason for return