Question

Why does this not work?

var me = $('#'+id);
var content = $(me).find('input').val().serialize();

I get TypeError: $(me).find("input").val().serialize is not a function

Answer 1

Because $(me).find('input').val() is a string and not a jQuery object, it doesn’t have the serialize function.

If you want to serialize the input (with its value), use $(me).find('input').serialize();

But be sure to really need it : this function is rarely useful for just one input (we generally use it for forms). If you just want the value, use $(me).find('input').val() and if you’re debugging and want to inspect the element, use console.log($(me)) and open the console of your browser.