Write elements into a child iframe using Javascript or jQuery

Asked 15/6, 2009 at 19:43 Answered 14/4, 2014 at 13:42

I have something like this:

<!doctype html>
<html>
  <body>
     <iframe id="someFrame"></iframe>
  </body>
</html>

And I would like to use jQuery to write elements such that the full equivalent HTML would be like this:

<!doctype html>
<html>
  <body>
    <iframe id="someFrame">
      <!-- inside the iframe's content -->
      <!-- <html><body>  -->
      <div>A</div>
      <div>B</div>
      <div>C</div>
      <!-- </body></html> -->
    </iframe>
  </body>
</html>

Alternatively, any plain-old-Javascript would be fine.

Thanks.

Edit: After a little more research, it seems I am looking for an IE-equivalent of the contentDocument property of an iframe. "contentDocument" is a W3C standard which FF supports, but IE does not. (surprise surprise)

Landry answered 15/6, 2009 at 19:43 Comment(0)

You can do both, you just have to target differently:

var ifrm = document.getElementById('myIframe');
ifrm = ifrm.contentWindow || ifrm.contentDocument.document || ifrm.contentDocument;
ifrm.document.open();
ifrm.document.write('Hello World!');
ifrm.document.close();

Etz answered 15/6, 2009 at 20:37 Comment(6)

aha - contentWindow. I actually found that open and close are necessary to start using jquery... – Landry 15/6, 2009 at 20:47

this method no longer works. I get js error that says Unsafe JavaScript attempt to access frame with URL "URL1" from frame with URL "URL2". Domains, protocols and ports must match. The bridge approach given bellow does work fine. – Platinum 25/8, 2012 at 22:21

I know this an old thread but in what case would you ever have ifrm.contentDocument.document.document? – Andradite 18/9, 2013 at 15:35

Why is it not possible to write directly into body of an iframe but only with this hack? – Gazpacho 24/1, 2018 at 11:17

without close() statement all following JS are not executed, so it make sense to use try finally block. thanks. this answer helped me to figure out what is wrong with my page – Decalogue 23/3, 2018 at 13:52

This doesn't seem to work in Firefox – Backfire 21/11, 2021 at 19:39

After some research, and a corroborating answer from Mike, I've found this is a solution:

  var d = $("#someFrame")[0].contentWindow.document; // contentWindow works in IE7 and FF
  d.open(); d.close(); // must open and close document object to start using it!

  // now start doing normal jQuery:
  $("body", d).append("<div>A</div><div>B</div><div>C</div>");

Landry answered 15/6, 2009 at 20:52 Comment(2)

Interesting. Do you know why you have to do the open and close? – Furnivall 16/6, 2009 at 4:15

This is a perfect solution to an issue I was having with codemirrors editor.getValue()! – Costanza 8/8, 2019 at 21:58

HTMLIFrameElement: srcdoc property

The srcdoc property of the HTMLIFrameElement specifies the content of the page.

document.querySelector("button").addEventListener("click", function() {
  document.querySelector("iframe").srcdoc = "Hello, world!";
});

<iframe></iframe>
<button>Write</button>

Tatyanatau answered 13/1, 2014 at 8:51 Comment(0)

I am going out on a limb here and suggest that the answers proposed so far are not possible.

If this iframe actually has a src="somepage.html" (which you ought to have indicated, and if not, what is the point of using iframe?), then I do not think Jquery can directly manipulate html across frames in all browsers. Based on my experience with this kind of thing, the containing page cannot directly call functions from or make any sort of Javascript contact with the iframe page.

Your "somepage.html" (the page that loads in the iframe) needs to do two things:

Pass some kind of object to the containing page that can be used as a bridge
Have a function to set the HTML as you desired

So for example, somepage.html might look like this:

<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<script src="jquery.js">
</script>
<script language=JavaScript>
<!--//
    var bridge={
        setHtml:function(htm) {
            document.body.innerHTML=htm;
        }
    }

    $(function() { parent.setBridge(bridge); });

//--></script>
</head>
<body></body>
</html>

and the containing page might look like this:

<!doctype html>
<html>
<head>
<script src="jquery.js">
</script>
<script language=JavaScript>
<!--//
var bridge;
var setBridge=function(br) {
    bridge=br;
    bridge.setHtml("<div>A</div><div>B</div><div>C</div>");
    }
//-->
</script>
</head>
<body><iframe src="somepage.html"></iframe></body>
</html>

This may appear a bit convoluted but it can be adapted in a number of directions and should work in at least IE, FF, Chrome, and probably Safari and Opera...

Tabby answered 15/6, 2009 at 20:4 Comment(3)

Thanks for your answer - but I want to use this iframe to compose HTML like a rich text editor. I don't set the src attribute since it will be cleared out and re-composed from the "top" window. Also - I think it must be possible to reach into the child's DOM - see my edit in the OP. – Landry 15/6, 2009 at 20:22

Is there any reason you need to use an iframe and not a div? seems like the div would be easier and less likely to break across browsers. – Iolenta 15/6, 2009 at 21:44

Turns out, there is a reason. You need to place external javascript and don't want it to damage your page. But you also need the referer to match your top-level domain. This is the most common method of placing ads on a page: <iframe></iframe> + document.write('<script tags go here>') – Anodic 10/12, 2015 at 19:52

I have found this to be cross-browser compatible... a little crossing of previous answers and a bit of trial & error of my own. :)

I'm using this for a download of a report, or, if an error (message) occurs, it's displayed in the iFrame. Most of the users will probably have the iFrame hidden, I'm using it multi-functional.

The thing is I have to clear the contents of the iFrame every time I click the report download button - the user can change parameters and it happens there are no results which then is displayed in the iFrame as a message. If there are results, the iFrame remains empty - because the code below has cleared it and the window.open(...) method generates a Content-Disposition: attachment;filename=... document.

var $frm = $("#reportIFrame");
var $doc = $frm[0].contentWindow ? $frm[0].contentWindow.document : $frm[0].contentDocument;
var $body = $($doc.body);
$body.html(''); // clear iFrame contents <- I'm using this...
$body.append('<i>Writing into the iFrame...</i>'); // use this to write something into the iFrame
window.open(Module.PATH + 'php/getReport.php' + Report.queryData, 'reportIFrame');

I do not have a browser that supports contentDocument but I've coded it this way so I'm leaving it. Maybe someone has older browsers and can post compatibility confirmation/issues?

Zonnya answered 14/4, 2014 at 13:42 Comment(0)

HTMLIFrameElement: srcdoc property

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