Maxtext V1.2 (cross-browser Textarea Maxlength Script)

<script language="javascript" type="text/javascript">
<!--
/*********************
Maxtext v1.2
© 2002 Robert K. Davis
**********************/
function textlen(x,y){
var thelength = x.value.length;
window.status=thelength+' of '+y+' maximum characters.'
}

function maxtext(x,y){
tempstr = x.value
if(tempstr.length>y){
x.value = tempstr.substring(0,y);
}
textlen(x,y);
}
/*********************/
// -->
</script>

<form name="myform">
<textarea name="mytextarea"
cols="45"
rows="3"
wrap="virtual"
onkeypress="return(this.value.length<20)"
onkeydown="textlen(this,20)"
onkeyup="textlen(this,20)"
onblur="maxtext(this,20)"
></textarea>
</form>


I know that's a lot of onkeystuff ;)

The ideal solution would be not to use a script and just use:

onkeypress="return(this.value.length<20)"

However, that only works in IE and Netscape - Opera completely ignores it.

To keep it simple and work in all browsers (at least the ones I have, that is!), that was the easiest solution I could come up with. This script was tested in Opera 6, Netscape 4.x, IE 4-6 on PC, and IE 4(I think) on MAC. If you have the opportunity to test it out in another browser, please let me know the results (good or bad).

In Opera, it will not limit the textarea until the onblur() kicks in. In Opera AND Netscape, you can paste past the maxlength of the textarea, which is corrected when the onblur() kicks in.

Every single other script of its type that I've tried will produce unexpected and sometimes very amusing results (like typing backwards) in those browsers.