Temporary Onmouseover

Question

Css "hover" selector applys a temporary style to an element, but it isn't definitive:

div:hover {
 background-color: red;
}

I can do the same thing with javascript but it is a bit complicate and impossible for several elements:

var elem = document.getElementsByTagName ("div")[0];

elem.onmouseover = function () {
 this.style.backgroundColor = "red";
}

elem.onmouseout = function () {
 this.style.backgroundColor = "transparent";
}

Is there a better way ? Something like this:

document.getElementsByTagName ("div")[0].ontemporarymouseover = function () { // LoL
 this.style.backgroundColor = "red";
}

Thanks

Answer 1

No, there is no way to apply styles that go away by themselves.

Eventhough the CSS contains only one definition, it actually corresponds to the two state changes that triggers onmouseover and onmouseout. When the pointer enters the element, the :hover pseudo class is added to it making the CSS rule apply. When the pointer leaves the element, the :hover pseudo class is removed making the CSS rule no longer apply.