Question

is there simple expression to access iframe body using jquery.
assume iframe’s id is theframe.

I want to give event handler to iframe.
for example,

$("#theframe").contents().find("body").click(function() {
    alert("hello, you touched me~");
});

but, this code doesn’t work in IE.

any alternative idea
help me~

Answer 1

Give a name property for the iframe element. Now you can reference it like this:

window.name_of_iframe

Your iframe may not have jQuery so, using standard traversing is a safer way

iframe_body = window.name_of_iframe.document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0];

This will be the body element in the iframe. This is however usable by jQuery on the host page, so:

$(window.name_of_iframe.document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]);

is your jQuery wrapper for the iframe’s body element.

Be careful to do this only if the iframe is loaded:

$("iframe[name=name_of_iframe]").load(function() {
    var iframe_body = window.name_of_iframe.document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0];
    $(iframe_body).click(function() {
        alert("hello, you touched me~");
    });
});

---

UPDATE: tested it in IE, and there is a rather starnge behaviour with it. In firefox you have to wrap it inside a document ready event, but in IE, it has to be outside, right after the iframe element. This version works in IE and Firefox too.

<iframe name="ifr" src="?if=1"></iframe>
<script type="text/javascript">
var ifr_loaded = false;
$("iframe").load(function() {
    $(window.ifr.document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).click(function() { alert("s"); });
    ifr_loaded = true;
});
$(function() {
    if (!ifr_loaded)
    {
        $("iframe").load(function() {
            $(window.ifr.document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).click(function() { alert("d"); });
        });
    }
});
</script>

---

UPDATE 2: a shorter version, but it has its drawback, that you have to specify the source of the iframe in the javascript, but it works in all browsers I tried.

<iframe name="ifr"></iframe>
<script type="text/javascript">
$(function() {
    $("iframe").load(function() {
        $(window.ifr.document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).click(function() { alert("d"); });
    }).attr("src","/teszt/v/index.php?if=1");
});
</script>

---

UPDATE 3: And an even simpler way for the end:

<script type="text/javascript">
function init_iframe(obj) {
    $(obj.document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0]).click(function() { alert("d"); });
}
</script>
<iframe name="ifr" src="?if=1" onload="init_iframe(window.ifr);"></iframe>