[Javascript] setAttribute or not?

[liorean]

On 28/11/2007, Michael Borchers <list at tridemail.de> wrote:
> var select = document.createElement('select');
> select.name    = 'foo';
>
> OR
>
> select.setAttribute('name', 'foo');

As a general rule, I would say you should use the property bindings.
Why? Because setAttribute is broken in iew, and compatibility is much
better when it comes to the property bindings.

> Any (dis-)advantages between those two?

Between these two in particular, the difference is not important. However:
- Most bindings are string bindings like this, and both alternatives
are relatively safe to use.
- Some property bindings are special. The select.style binding is a
CSSStyleDeclaration, not a string. The select.multiple binding is a
boolean, not a string. The select.tabIndex binding is a long, not a
string.
- Some properties have different names in setAttribute and in the
property bindings, for example 'class' vs. className.
- In iew, you need to use the (case sensitive) property name, not the
(case insensitive) attribute name.
- In iew, getAttribute returns the type of the property binding and
not always a string as the DOM specifies.
- In iew, setAttribute excepts the type of the property binding and
not a string as the DOM specifies.
- You cannot rely on setAttribute if you want to set one of the
attributes that have special handling/parsing such as event handler
attributes, the style attribute etc.

> Can I set an event with the first method, like select.onchange = ...,
> or does it only work with setAttribute?

You could use the DOM0 (select.onevent=function(){}) way OR the
DOM2Events way (addEventListener) together with the iew way
(attachEvent). Never try to use setAttribute for event handlers,
though.
-- 
David "liorean" Andersson