jquery convert element to an xpath query

Question

I have an html element which I want to use as a bookmark but I cannot modify the html document. I would like to store this element somewhere else and keep it as an Xpath query.

Is there a way to convert an html element to an xpath query pointing on it?

Yes, I have a Dom element and would like to store it as an XPath query — AP., Feb 13 '13 at 07:25

score 1 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 10:32

Here is a method from a simular question to receive such a DOM-Path:

function createXPathFromElement(elm) { 
    var allNodes = document.getElementsByTagName('*'); 
    for (segs = []; elm && elm.nodeType == 1; elm = elm.parentNode) 
    { 
        if (elm.hasAttribute('id')) { 
                var uniqueIdCount = 0; 
                for (var n=0;n < allNodes.length;n++) { 
                    if (allNodes[n].hasAttribute('id') && allNodes[n].id == elm.id) uniqueIdCount++; 
                    if (uniqueIdCount > 1) break; 
                }; 
                if ( uniqueIdCount == 1) { 
                    segs.unshift('id("' + elm.getAttribute('id') + '")'); 
                    return segs.join('/'); 
                } else { 
                    segs.unshift(elm.localName.toLowerCase() + '[@id="' + elm.getAttribute('id') + '"]'); 
                } 
        } else if (elm.hasAttribute('class')) { 
            segs.unshift(elm.localName.toLowerCase() + '[@class="' + elm.getAttribute('class') + '"]'); 
        } else { 
            for (i = 1, sib = elm.previousSibling; sib; sib = sib.previousSibling) { 
                if (sib.localName == elm.localName)  i++; }; 
                segs.unshift(elm.localName.toLowerCase() + '[' + i + ']'); 
        }; 
    }; 
    return segs.length ? '/' + segs.join('/') : null; 
};

And a fiddle for testing (path is shown in the console).

jquery convert element to an xpath query

1 Answers1