Question

I have an input type="text" that I want converted to an input type="button". I have tried attr(), but that does not work:

HTML:

<input type="text"></input>

JavaScript:

$('input').attr('type', 'button');

What’s wrong?

Answer 1

You can’t change the type attribute with jQuery. This is from the jQuery source:

// We can't allow the type property to be changed (since it causes problems in IE)
if ( rtype.test( elem.nodeName ) && elem.parentNode ) {
    jQuery.error( "type property can't be changed" );
}

The reason, according to the comment, is that it causes problems in IE. Since jQuery is designed to reduce complications that arise due to differences between browsers, it would go against that idea if it worked in other browsers. I’m assuming that’s why the jQuery team have simply removed that ability.

As has already been mentioned, your best option will probably be to replace the input element in question with a new one.