JQuery Script Load Timing

Question

If I have a button that sets off a jquery script is there a way to make sure the button is inactive until the script completes?

Answer 1

This is one area where I like to extend jQuery:

$.fn.disable = function() {
    return this.each(function() {
        if (typeof this.disabled != "undefined") this.disabled = true;
    });
}

$.fn.enable = function() {
    return this.each(function() {
        if (typeof this.disabled != "undefined") this.disabled = false;
    });
}

and then you can do:

$("#button").disable();
$("#button").enable();

I find myself disabling/enabling controls a lot.

Answer 2

Somewhere at the beginning of your script (probably on the button's click event), set the button's disabled attribute to true:

$("#mybutton").attr("disabled", true);

Then, when complete, remove that attribute:

$("#mybutton").removeAttr("disabled");

EDIT:

If you want to get (slightly) fancy, change the text of the button while you're doing the work. If it's an image button, you can change the src to a friendly "please wait" message. Here's an example of the button text version:

$("#mybutton").click(function() {
  var origVal = $(this).attr("value");

  $(this).attr("value", "Please wait...");
  $(this).attr("disabled", true);

  //Do your processing.

  $(this).removeAttr("disabled");
  $(this).attr("value", origVal);
});