Range: selectNodeContents() method

The Range.selectNodeContents() method sets the Range to contain the contents of a Node.

The parent Node of the start and end of the Range will be the reference node. The startOffset is 0, and the endOffset is the number of child Nodes or number of characters contained in the reference node.

Syntax

selectNodeContents(referenceNode)

Parameters

• referenceNode
  • : The Node whose contents will be selected within a Range.

Return value

None (undefined).

Examples

const range = document.createRange();
const referenceNode = document.querySelector("div");
range.selectNodeContents(referenceNode);

Live sample

This example lets the user select and deselect a paragraph with buttons. createRange(), Range.selectNodeContents(), and addRange() are used to select the content. getSelection() and removeAllRanges() are used to deselect it.

HTML

<p id="p">
  <strong>Use the buttons below</strong> to select or deselect the contents of
  this paragraph.
</p>
<button id="select-button">Select paragraph</button>
<button id="deselect-button">Deselect paragraph</button>

JavaScript

const p = document.getElementById("p");
const selectButton = document.getElementById("select-button");
const deselectButton = document.getElementById("deselect-button");

selectButton.addEventListener("click", (e) => {
  // Clear any current selection
  const selection = window.getSelection();
  selection.removeAllRanges();

  // Select paragraph
  const range = document.createRange();
  range.selectNodeContents(p);
  selection.addRange(range);
});

deselectButton.addEventListener("click", (e) => {
  const selection = window.getSelection();
  selection.removeAllRanges();
});

Result

Specifications

Browser compatibility

See also

• The DOM interfaces index