HTML JavaScript onChange Handler is not called when updated programatically

Question

I have found an odd anomaly with HTML text boxes and JavaScript that I have narrowed down to being a html/javascript peculiarity and I'm hoping someone can educate me on.

I have downloaded and implemented a calendar plug-in that creates a simple layer with a calendar and on selection, passes the selected date back to the text box.

What I want to do is catch when the text box changes (using onchange) and then call an Ajax function to update the database...

The problem is, onchange never gets called... I have been able to prove it with this very simple code below... When the button is clicked it changes the value which should then trigger the onchange and display an alert box...

<input type="button" name="setValue" id="setValue" value="setValue" onClick="document.getElementById('textinput').value='Updated'">&nbsp;
<input type="button" name="clearValue" id="clearValue" value="clearValue" onClick="document.getElementById('textinput').value=''"><br>
<input type="text" name="textinput" id="textinput" onChange="alert(this.name)">

Is this standard? Is there a workaround?

Answer 1

The onchange event is not triggered by a programmatic change of the value of the textinput. You have to call the code you want to execute after you change the value yourself.