README

`selection-serializer`

Lightweight helper function to serialize selection for wysiwyg editors.

https://github.com/ancientec/selection-serializer

Features

Typescript ready
Save and restore
supports direction
Slim output to keep the variable small

Install

> npm install @ancientec/selection-serializer

Develop & Unit Test

> git clone https://github.com/ancientec/selection-serializer
> cd selection-serializer
> npm install
> npm run build

#open tests/index.htm to see test result

CDN

https://unpkg.com/@ancientec/selection-serializer@1.1.1/dist/selection_serializer.min.js

https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/@ancientec/selection-serializer@1.1.1/dist/selection_serializer.min.js

Result

Selection	Slim Version	Example Value	Format
startContainer	s	[]	number[]
startOffset	so	0	number
endContainer	e	[]	number[]
endOffset	eo	0	number
direction	d	'none' or 'n', 'forward' or 'f', backward or 'b'	string

startContainer(or s) & endContainer(or e) contain the index values for the element relative to container element, default empty array to the container element. direction value none is collasped selection, backward selection means the caret (and focusNode) should be startContainer rather than endContainer.

Usage & Example

<!--quick start in html:-->
<script src="selection_serializer.min.js"></script>
<script>
      var containerDomElement = document.getElementById("contentEditableContainer");
      var selection = SelectionSerializer.save(containerDomElement);
      /*
      normal version:
      {"startContainer":[],"startOffset":0,"endContainer":[],"endOffset":0,"direction":"none"}
      */

      var selectionSlim = SelectionSerializer.save(containerDomElement, true);
      /*
      slim version(reduce characters) for better memory usage & storage:
      {"s":[],"so":0,"e":[],"eo":0,"d":"n"}
      */
      va selectionSlim2 = SelectionSerializer.saveSlim(containerDomElement);
      /*
      slim version(reduce characters) for better memory usage & storage:
      {"s":[],"so":0,"e":[],"eo":0,"d":"n"}
      */

      SelectionSerializer.restore(containerDomElement, selection);
</script>

More Examples

Please see tests/test.js for more details.

<h4>before editable container</h4>
    <div id="container" contenteditable="true" style="width:200px;height:200px">start of doc<p>1st paragraph, <span style="color:red">hightlighted text</span>end of doc</p></div>
    <div>after editable container</div>


import SelectionSerializer, {SelectionState, SelectionSlimState} from '@ancientec/selection-serializer';

const el = document.getElementById("container");
const selection = window.SelectionSerializer.save(el);
//selection is empty or not in container scope, default to beginning of container:
//{"startContainer":[],"startOffset":0,"endContainer":[],"endOffset":0,"direction":"none"}
const selectionSlim = window.SelectionSerializer.save(el, true);
//or:
const selectionSlim2 = window.SelectionSerializer.saveSlim(el);
//{"s":[0],"so":0,"e":[0],"eo":0,"d":"n"}


//forward selection:
{"startContainer":[0],"startOffset":5,"endContainer":[2,1],"endOffset":6,"direction":"forward"}
{"s":[0],"so":5,"e":[2,1],"eo":6,"d":"f"}

//backward selection:
{"startContainer":[0],"startOffset":5,"endContainer":[2,1],"endOffset":6,"direction":"backward"}
{"s":[0],"so":5,"e":[2,1],"eo":6,"d":"b"}

//for selection outside of container, return collasped selection at the end of container
{"startContainer":[],"startOffset":2,"endContainer":[],"endOffset":2,"direction":"none"}
{"s":[],"so":2,"e":[],"eo":2,"d":"n"}

//for selection overlaps and contains container, it will retrict selection only within container, this result is relative to the html above
{"startContainer":[0],"startOffset":0,"endContainer":[1],"endOffset":3,"direction":"forward"}
{"s":[0],"so":0,"e":[1],"eo":3,"d":"f"}


//for selection partial intersect container, this does not happen in real browser, but just in case if it does:
//beginning of container to somewhere in container:
{"startContainer":[0],"startOffset":0,"endContainer":[0,1],"endOffset":5,"direction":"forward"}
//somewhere in container to end of container:
{"startContainer":[0],"startOffset":3,"endContainer":[1],"endOffset":3,"direction":"forward"}

License

MIT

Usage no npm install needed!