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JavaScript DOM Scripting By Example Editing and Filtering Names Fix DOM Manipulation Code

There are three list items in the index.html file. We want to be able to enter a 0, 1 or 2 in the text field to embolden

There are three list items in the index.html file. We want to be able to enter a 0, 1 or 2 in the text field to embolden the list item with the corresponding index. Can you figure out what condition to put into the if statement to make this code work?

app.js
const laws = document.getElementsByTagName('li');
const indexText = document.getElementById('boldIndex');
const button = document.getElementById('embolden');

button.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
    const index = parseInt(indexText.value, 10);

    for (let i = 0; i < laws.length; i += 1) {
       let law = laws[i];

       // replace 'false' with a correct test condition on the line below
       if (law.textContent ) {

           law.style.fontWeight = 'bold';
       } else {
           law.style.fontWeight = 'normal';
       }
    }
});
index.html
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
  <title>Newton's Laws</title>
</head>
<body>
  <h1>Newton's Laws of Motion</h1>
  <ul>
    <li>An object in motion tends to stay in motion, unless acted on by an outside force.</li>
    <li>Acceleration is dependent on the forces acting upon an object and the mass of the object.</li>
    <li>For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.</li>
  </ul>
  <input type="text" id="boldIndex">
  <button id="embolden">Embolden</button>
  <script src="app.js"></script>
</body>
</html>

8 Answers

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,269 Points

:point_right: Don't over-think this one, it's quite simple.

You already asked this question, but I'll repeat my answer here:

All you need to do here is compare the current loop index with the value that the user has placed in the input box. And to make it easy, the challenge has already created a variable named index and assigned it with the numeric value produced by converting the input field.

You just need to test if the loop index is equal to the user's "index".

Luis Rabines
Luis Rabines
20,308 Points

Steven Parker Can you explain the answer with code please. That would be very helpful thank you

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,269 Points

The code that would test if the loop index is equal to the user's "index" is:

       if (i == index) {
Michael Williams
Michael Williams
Courses Plus Student 8,059 Points

Steven Parker, why must it be:

if (i == index) {

and not:

if (law == index) {
Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,269 Points

Both "i" and "index" are numeric values that can be compared, but "law" is a reference to an HTML element.

I do not see where you state '''the challenge has already created a variable named index and assigned it with the numeric value produced by converting the input field.'''

where exactly is this? i do not see that anywhere in this challenge. I understand i as being the counter in the loop but what exactly is index? for it is not referenced anywhere in the code?

I was thinking more down the line of what's below to be correct,

if (i == indexText.value) {

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,269 Points

Hi silva, it's the first line of the listener code that creates and assigns "index":

    const index = parseInt(indexText.value, 10);

It's available for you to use in your comparison expression, as in the example I gave luis and then further explained for Michael.

By itself, "indexText.value" is a string, and should be converted into a number to compare with "i". It's better to do this explicitly than to rely on implicit type coercion. That's why the challenge used "parseInt" to create "index" for you.

How come only one of the laws are highlighted, shouldn't all the laws highlight when I put (index == i) into my if statement test condition because the law equals all of the children of the laws which is every list element.

Oliver Sewell
Oliver Sewell
16,425 Points

luis rabines

            const laws = document.getElementsByTagName('li');
            const indexText = document.getElementById('boldIndex');
            const button = document.getElementById('embolden');

            button.addEventListener('click', (e) => {
                const index = parseInt(indexText.value, 10);

                for (let i = 0; i < laws.length; i += 1) {
                  //i is a counter each time the loop runs 
                   let law = laws[i];
                  // first time the loop runs laws[0] === first list item
                  // second time the loop runs laws[1] === second list item

                  //We enter 1 into the input the value is stored in const index.
                       //first time the loop runs i is 0 does that match our input? no. (fontWeight = 'normal').
                       //second time the loop runs i is 1 does that match our input? yes! (fontWeight = 'bold').
                      // third time the loop runs i is 2 does that match our input? no. (fontWeight = 'normal').
                   if (i == index) {
                       //update the laws[1] stored in let law to bold
                       law.style.fontWeight = 'bold';
                   } else {
                       law.style.fontWeight = 'normal';
                   }
                }
            });
Luis Rabines
Luis Rabines
20,308 Points

Guil Hernandez hello I am also stuck in this problem can you maybe explain with code the why and how of the answer please. thank you

Abinet Kenore
Abinet Kenore
10,082 Points

change if(false) to if(i == index) // line 12

Mihail Mitrevski
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree
Mihail Mitrevski
Full Stack JavaScript Techdegree Student 8,430 Points

I tried (index=== law) becase law is assignet to the list items index (let law=laws[i])..why is not working?...what is the diffrence between (i===index) and (index===law)?..why this is not the same code?..as i see law and i are quite the same.

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,269 Points

No, "i" represents a number, (0, 1, or 2), but "law" represents an element (one of the list items).

Hi steven,

I can not believe i overlooked that. I was looking at the variables at the top and not in the function itself. Totally makes sense. Please dismiss my question.

Thank you for the feedback.

Piotr Manczak
seal-mask
.a{fill-rule:evenodd;}techdegree seal-36
Piotr Manczak
Front End Web Development Techdegree Graduate 29,363 Points

I had this same problem. I think part of it is the fact that we've been given that line: const law = laws[i]; and everyone assumed that it had to be somehow used, hence ( law == index).

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,269 Points

The provided code uses "law" to access the font weight setting, but it's a reference to an element and the comparison is between two integers.

Steven Parker
Steven Parker
231,269 Points

Its the conversion radix used for parsing. If you leave it off, 10 (decimal system) is assumed by default.

See the MDN page for parseInt for more information.

I knew the basic concept of what needed to be done but I kept comparing law to index lol.