calling $(this).attr('children') returns blank list

[longears]

I have an element: <button class="delete" children="6">delete</button>

I have a click listener on the button: $('button.delete').live('click', deleteTask);

In my deleteTask() method I am unable to access the "children" attribute of my button: $(this).attr('children')

When Output $(this).attr('children') to the console it gives me this: []

This is the same behavior as if I were to try to output an attribute that doesn't exist.

[jitter]

This bug is invalid IMHO.

The reason for your problem has two main causes:

• children is no valid html/xhtml attribute for button

• children is (although not defined by any standard but available in all current browsers) a DOM attribute of the button element and holds all child element nodes of the button.

So when you call $(this).attr('children') jQuery accesses the DOM attribute and not the (invalid) HTML attribute and you get back an empty HTMLCollection.

If I may give you an advise don't use invalid attributes or at least choose a name which doesn't collide with existing DOM attributes.

Your are better off using jQuery data() to store custom data on element  http://api.jquery.com/data/