Neither if nor else is triggering

Question

Here is my statement:

$(document).ready(function() {
    $('#search_option').change(function() {
        alert('changed');
        if( $('#search_option').val() == "wiki" ) {
            $('#search_form').setAttribute('action', "http://www.wikipedia.org/search-redirect.php");
            $('#search_bar').setAttribute('name', "search");
            alert('Got inside wiki');
        } else {
            $('#search_form').setAttribute('action', "http://www.google.com/search");
            $('#search_bar').setAttribute('name', "q");
            alert('Got inside google');
        }
    });
});

Neither of the 'got inside' alerts are triggering, meaning that neither of them are running, correct? I can not seem to figure out why neither parts of the if statement are running, at least one should be

Answer 1

setAttribute is a dom element node method use .attr() thats the jQuery method

$(document).ready(function() {
    $('#search_option').change(function() {
        alert('changed');
        if( $('#search_option').val() == "wiki" ) {
            $('#search_form').attr('action', "http://www.wikipedia.org/search-redirect.php");
            $('#search_bar').attr('name', "search");
            alert('Got inside wiki');
        } else {
            $('#search_form').attr('action', "http://www.google.com/search");
            $('#search_bar').attr('name', "q");
            alert('Got inside google');
        }
    });
});

Since setAttribute is not a method of the jQuery object an error is produced and the code stops execution therefore it never reaches the alerts.

Answer 2

.setAttribute() isn't a valid jQuery method. Use .attr().

$(document).ready(function() {
    $('#search_option').change(function() {
        alert('changed');
        if( $('#search_option').val() == "wiki" ) {
            $('#search_form').attr('action', "http://www.wikipedia.org/search-redirect.php");
            $('#search_bar').attr('name', "search");
            alert('Got inside wiki');
        } else {
            $('#search_form').attr('action', "http://www.google.com/search");
            $('#search_bar').attr('name', "q");
            alert('Got inside google');
        }
    });
});​