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HTML textarea tag

Note: If you don't know what a tag is and/or how you must use it we recommend you to read our HTML tags and attributes tutorial that you can find in our HTML tutorials section.

Table of contents

 

Description

The HTML textarea tag creates a control for text input. This control provides a rectangular field that accept multi-line text input (use HTML input tag for single line input). This tag is mostly used in forms (HTML form tag).

Attributes

id (name)

The "id" attribute assigns an identifier to the associated element. This identifier must be unique in the document and can be used to refer to that element.

Example:

Code begin <p id="paragraph1">This is the first paragraph named as paragraph1. To dynamically change its properties use this identifier.</p>Code end
 
 

class (cdata)

The "class" attribute assigns a class name (or a list of class names separated by spaces) to the container element. It's used with style sheets and tells the browser the class to which the element is associated with. A class gives visual attributes to elements.

Example:

Code begin <p class="references">This article is based on the book "Wind in the trees" by Jhon L. Brooks</p>

<p class="references important">This article is based on the book "Wind in the trees" by Jhon L. Brooks... and is more important than the one before.</p>Code end
 
 

style (style)

Defines a visual style of this element. Is a better practice to define styles attributes in external style sheets grouping them in classes. Attributes in the "style" parameter must preserve this order "name : value" and be separated by a semi-colon.

If you're writing XHTML code it's recommended not to use this attribute and try style sheet classes (with the "class" attribute).

Example:

Code begin <p style="color: #0000FF; font-size: 12pt">This is a paragraph with a defined style</p>
<p>And this is another text without style.</p>Code end
 
 

title (text)

Indicates a title for the element. Used to give a short description about the element that is usually shown as a "tool tip" when the user put the mouse pointer over the element.

Example:

Code View
<a title="HTMLQuick.com" href="http://www.htmlquick.com">HTML code</a> HTML code
 

lang (langcode)

Specifies the language of an element's content. The default value in "unknown".

When writing XHTML code the syntax "xml:lang" represents a preferred alternative in XHTML 1.0 and a replacement in XHTML 1.1 (e.g., xml:lang="en").

Example:

Code begin <p lang="en">This is a paragraph in english.</p>
<p lang="es">Este es un p&aacute;rrafo en espa&ntilde;ol.</p>Code end
 
 

dir

Specifies the text direction of the element's contents and attribute values, as well as tables directionality. It has two possible values that are case insensitive:
  • RTL: Right to left.
  • LTR: Left to right.
Example:

Code begin <q lang="he" dir="rtl">...a Hebrew quotation...</q>Code end
 
 

name (cdata)

Assigns a control name to the element.
 

rows (number)

Specifies the number of lines that will be visible at the same time in the text field. Note that the control may contain more lines than those that are visible.
 

cols (number)

Specifies the number of rows in average character width (i.e., the number of characters that will be visible at the same time per line). Note that for font styles where characters doesn't have the same width, this may not be exact.
 

disabled

When this attribute is set, the control is disabled, this means than it cannot get the focus, it's value cannot be changed and it will not be submitted with the form. Dependign on the browser, disabled element may be shown different.

Example:

Code View
<form action="example.php">
<div>
<input name="firstbutton" type="button" value="This is not disabled" /><br /><br />
<input name="secondbutton" type="button" value="This is disabled" disabled="disabled" /><br /><br />
<input name="secondtext" type="text" value="This is not disabled" /><br /><br />
<input name="firsttext" type="text" value="This is disabled" disabled="disabled" />
</div>
</form>






 

readonly

When this boolean attribute is set, the user won't be able to make changes to the control. Read-only controls don't receive the focus and aren't submitted with the form.

Remember that boolean attributes must be defined as attr_name="attr_name" to be XHTML code compliant.

Example:

Code View
<form action="example.php">
<div>
<input name="firstname" type="text" value="Jhon" readonly="readonly" />
</div>
</form>
 

tabindex (number)

Specifies the position of this element in the tabbing order. The tabbing order defines the sequence with all the elements than can receive the focus. Users can navigate this sequence via keyboard (usually with the "tab" key).
 


Events

  • onfocus
  • onblur
  • onselect
  • onchange
  • onclick
  • ondblclick
  • onmousedown
  • onmouseup
  • onmouseover
  • onmousemove
  • onmouseout
  • onkeypress
  • onkeydown
  • onkeyup
See complete list and information about events in HTML


Examples

Simple contact form.

Code View
<form action="eg.php">
<div>
<fieldset>
<legend>Personal information</legend>
<label for="idname">Complete name:</label> <input type="text" name="completename" id="idname" value="-" /><br />
<label for="idemail">Email address:</label> <input type="text" name="email" id="idemail" value="-" />
</fieldset>
<fieldset>
<legend>Comments</legend>
<textarea name="comments" rows="10" cols="30">...Your comments here...</textarea>
</fieldset>
<input type="button" name="submitbutton" value="Send comments" />
</div>
</form>
Personal information
Comments

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