129609 - Cannot change image ALT tag contents with JavaScript

Status: RESOLVED WORKSFORME

(Core :: DOM: Core & HTML, defect)

Description

[Edward Kuns]

I'm scripting a collapsable menu system.  Part of this involves an image that
changes from a right pointing arrow (for a collapsed menu where you just see the
title) to a down pointing arrow (for an expanded menu).  While changing the the
image, I would also like to change the ALT tag contents to reflect the current
status of the menu.  IE 5.5 supports modifying the ALT tag contents, but Mozilla
0.9.8 does not seem to.

That is, my JavaScript does the following inside a function called from an "A" tag:

          var thisImg = document.images[_ImgName];
          thisImg.src = collapsedImg.src;
          thisImg.alt = "Collapsed";

Modifying thisImg.src works perfectly, but I don't see changes in the ALT
attribute.  When one is changing an image, it only makes sense to also update
the ALT tag to update those using lynx or other folks not seeing the images.

Comment 1

[Phil Schwartau]

Browser, not engine ---> DOM Level 0. Edward, could you attach a reduced 
testcase to this bug via the "Create a New Attachment" link above?

Thanks, that will speed things along -

Comment 2

[Edward Kuns]

Sadly, I cannot reproduce this bug.  This is what I get for waiting several days
before going to Bugzilla.  My idiocy.  I've changed too many things since then
to know what could have caused this.  Might as well change this to WORKSFORME
and if I can somehow recreate this issue I'll open a new bug.

In case you're interested, the failed case is an IMG tag wrapped inside an A
tag. The IMG tag did not have any JavaScript in it.  The A tag had href=
referencing the pseudo protocal javascript: to call a function to do the work of
changing things.  It also has onMouseOver and onMouseOut.  I struggled with
referencing the image by ID, Name, whatever, finally settled on what you see in
my first post.  (The stuff I'm coding has to work in IE5+ and NS6+ including
Mozilla.  One of these -- I forget which one -- wouldn't find the image when the
image tag had 'id="myimageid"' and no 'name="myimageid"' tag and when I was
using document.getElementById("myimageid"))

Still, I cannot reproduce the problem now.  My bad for not going to Bugzilla
immediately.

Comment 3

[Phil Schwartau]

Edward: not to worry, the same thing has happened to me many times.
It's maddening to try and recreate a failure that no longer happens!

As you suggested, I'm going to mark this WORKSFORME for now.
If the scenario reappears, please reopen this bug and attach a
reduced testcase; thanks -