Should I be concerned about including a non-existent CSS class?

When it comes to using jQuery and finding the values of text fields, adding classes seems like a common practice. However, I am concerned about how this may impact page loading. Is it efficient for the browser to search for all these classes? In the past, I have been advised to minimize the number of classes used on controls.

I have around 12 controls that require unique classes to access their values. Because I am using asp.net, I cannot use the id attribute. Additionally, I am unable to utilize the ClientID due to the controls being within a table (with only one set of controls visible at a time).

For example:

<asp:TextBox ID="txtValue1" runat="server" CssClass="value1" Text='value1' />
<asp:TextBox ID="txtValue2" runat="server" CssClass="value2" Text='value2' />
<asp:TextBox ID="txtValue3" runat="server" CssClass="value3" Text='value3' />
...

var value1 = $('.value1').val();
var value2 = $('.value2').val();
var value3 = $('.value3').val();

It's worth noting that none of these class names will be defined in CSS.

Thank you

Edit:

While I understand that this method works, my concern lies with its impact on page loading. An answer (which appears to be deleted now) mentioned that the HTML parser disregards the classes, and the CSS parser only looks at defined classes. This implies that the classes would be completely ignored and have no effect on page load. Can someone confirm if this is accurate?

Answer №1

Using a non-existent CSS class is permissible, however, if uniqueness is key, it's advisable to utilize an id instead of a class.

Answer №2

When working with ASP.Net, it may seem like you can't use the ID parameter in JQuery, but you actually can. By using the following code snippet, you can easily retrieve controls:

var value1 = $('[ID$=yourID]').val();

To learn more about JQuery Selectors, visit: JQuery Selectors and Attribute Ends With Selector

The selector mentioned above specifically targets IDs that end with "yourID," disregarding any additional text from master pages. It's important to ensure these IDs are unique to avoid conflicts, such as having "HSBC" and "SBC" which could both be targeted by the selector for "SBC."

Answer №3

In my experience, non-existent classes or IDs have caused issues only in rare cases. One instance that comes to mind is when I referenced an onclick event to an ID that was not present, leading to disruptions. Apart from such isolated incidents, classes generally do not pose a threat. However, it would be intriguing to explore further insights on this matter.

Do you have any additional perspectives to share?

Answer №4

What version of asp.net are you currently utilizing? In asp.net 4.0, there is an option to use unmangled ids. One simple solution would be setting ClientIDMode="Static" for all textboxes and then referencing them by id. Alternatively, I have also created non-existent classes for referencing purposes in the past.

Edit: (responding to your query about page load impact)

Your question regarding having unused extra classes within a div is actually interesting from a theoretical standpoint. I am not entirely certain about the exact effect, but I believe it is negligible. When following best practices for writing HTML, you typically structure the HTML with its classes before writing the CSS. This means that when you write the CSS, some classes may go unused initially. After styling the fundamental tags like body, h1, a, etc., you may realize that certain classes are unnecessary for a specific design. However, they might come in handy for future designs. CSS technology seems to account for such scenarios, and countless websites likely follow this practice, especially if they utilize tools like Modernizr which adds classes to the html element based on the browser's capabilities. Even if you don't end up needing those classes, they are available should the need arise.

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