.serialize()
.serialize() Returns: String
Description: Encode a set of form elements as a string for submission.
version added: 1.0.serialize()
The .serialize() method creates a text string in standard URL-encoded notation. It operates on a jQuery object representing a set of form elements. The form elements can be of several types:
<form>
<div><input type="text" name="a" value="1" id="a" /></div>
<div><input type="text" name="b" value="2" id="b" /></div>
<div><input type="hidden" name="c" value="3" id="c" /></div>
<div>
<textarea name="d" rows="8" cols="40">4</textarea>
</div>
<div><select name="e">
<option value="5" selected="selected">5</option>
<option value="6">6</option>
<option value="7">7</option>
</select></div>
<div>
<input type="checkbox" name="f" value="8" id="f" />
</div>
<div>
<input type="submit" name="g" value="Submit" id="g" />
</div>
</form>
The .serialize() method can act on a jQuery object that has selected individual form elements, such as <input>, <textarea>, and <select>. However, it is typically easier to select the <form> tag itself for serialization:
$('form').submit(function() {
alert($(this).serialize());
return false;
});
This produces a standard-looking query string:
a=1&b=2&c=3&d=4&e=5
Warning: selecting both the form and its children will cause duplicates in the serialized string.
Note: Only "successful controls" are serialized to the string. No submit button value is serialized since the form was not submitted using a button. For a form element's value to be included in the serialized string, the element must have a name attribute. Values from checkboxes and radio buttons (inputs of type "radio" or "checkbox") are included only if they are checked. Data from file select elements is not serialized.
Example:
Serialize a form to a query string, that could be sent to a server in an Ajax request.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<style>
body, select { font-size:12px; }
form { margin:5px; }
p { color:red; margin:5px; font-size:14px; }
b { color:blue; }
</style>
<script src="http://code.jquery.com/jquery-latest.js"></script>
</head>
<body>
<form>
<select name="single">
<option>Single</option>
<option>Single2</option>
</select>
<br />
<select name="multiple" multiple="multiple">
<option selected="selected">Multiple</option>
<option>Multiple2</option>
<option selected="selected">Multiple3</option>
</select>
<br/>
<input type="checkbox" name="check" value="check1" id="ch1"/>
<label for="ch1">check1</label>
<input type="checkbox" name="check" value="check2" checked="checked" id="ch2"/>
<label for="ch2">check2</label>
<br />
<input type="radio" name="radio" value="radio1" checked="checked" id="r1"/>
<label for="r1">radio1</label>
<input type="radio" name="radio" value="radio2" id="r2"/>
<label for="r2">radio2</label>
</form>
<p><tt id="results"></tt></p>
<script>
function showValues() {
var str = $("form").serialize();
$("#results").text(str);
}
$(":checkbox, :radio").click(showValues);
$("select").change(showValues);
showValues();
</script>
</body>
</html>