jQuery replace DIV to INPUT and vice versa

Question

I am implementing an inline edit kind of functionality.

So initially a date label (say 05/01/1999) will be displayed and on click of it, it would be replaced with an input box with the same value (05/01/1999). Now user can select any date using the jQuery UI date picker and on select of any date (say 05/01/2005), I would again show a label (05/01/2005)

Currently I am using the below code;

$(document).on("click",".editableDateTxt", function () {
    var currElmModelAttr = $(this).attr('data-model-attr');
    var input = $('<input />', {'type': 'text','name':currElmModelAttr, 'style':'width:100px','class':'datePicker', 'value': $(this).html()});
    var parent = $(this).parent();
    parent.append(input);
    $(this).remove();
    input.datepicker().focus();
});

What is the best way to implement the same?

Now here is the crucial point: I am using jQuery UI datepicker, which uses the jQuery data() internally. So I do not want to loose it while jumping from div > input and vice versa.

How can I modify the above code to consider that the jQuery data() info stays?

Updated code

 var MyView = BaseModalView.extend({
            el: "#myModalContainer",
            initialize: function() {
                var self = this;
            
            },

render: function() {
                var self = this,
                    $el = $(self.el);
                
                $el.find(".datePicker").datepicker();
                self.initEventListeners();
            },

initEventListeners: function() {
                var self = this, 
                    $el = $(self.el);

        var $this;
$(document).on("click", ".editableDateTxt", function () {
    var currElmModelId = $(this).attr('data-model-id');
    var currElmModelAttr = $(this).attr('data-model-attr');
    $this = $(this);
    var input = $('<input />', {
            'type': 'text',
            'name': currElmModelAttr,
            'data-model-id': currElmModelId, 
            'data-model-attr': currElmModelAttr,
            'style': 'width:100px',
            'class': 'datePicker',
            'value': $(this).text()
    });
    $(this).replaceWith(input);
    input.datepicker({
        onSelect: function (date) {
            $this.text(date);
            input.replaceWith($this);
            // input.blur();
        }
    }).focus();
    $(document).on("blur change", "input", function () {
        setTimeout(function () {
            var value = input.val();
            $this.text(value);
            input.replaceWith($this);
        }, 100);

    });

});

}

Answer 1

You can do that better swapping with replaceWith()

$(document).on("click", ".editableDateTxt", function () {
    var currElmModelAttr = $(this).attr('data-model-attr');
    var $this = $(this);
    var input = $('<input />', {
        'type': 'text',
        'name': currElmModelAttr,
        'style': 'width:100px',
        'class': 'datePicker',
        'value': $(this).text()
    });
    $(this).replaceWith(input);
    input.datepicker({
        onSelect: function (date) {
            $this.text(date);
            input.replaceWith($this);
            console.log(date);
        }
    })

});

Updated Demo

Also, I suggest, you hide/show the elements, which would be better in this case, instead of creating and swapping elements every time.