object element | object object

Inserts an object into the HTML page.

Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 HTML Specification, Section 1.6.5

HTML information

Closing Tag	required
CSS Display	inline

DOM Information

Inheritance Hierarchy

Node

Element

HTMLElement

object

Members

The object object has these types of members:

Events
Methods
Properties

Events

The object object has these events.

Event	Description
click	Fires when the user clicks the left mouse button on the object. Note Starting with IE11, this event fires a MSPointerEvent object instead of MouseEvent. You can use the MouseEvent.pointerType property to determine the type of contact that the click originated from (touch, mouse, or pen).
abort	Fires when the user aborts the download.
activate	Fires when the object is set as the active element.
afterupdate	Fires on a databound object after successfully updating the associated data in the data source object.
beforecopy	Fires on the source object before the selection is copied to the system clipboard.
beforeeditfocus	Fires before an object contained in an editable element enters a UI Activation state or when an editable container object is control selection.
beforeupdate	Fires on a databound object before updating the associated data in the data source object.
blur	Fires when the object loses the input focus.
cellchange	Fires when data changes in the data provider.
change	Fires when the contents of the object or selection have changed.
controlselect	Fires when the user is about to make a control selection of the object.
dataavailable	Fires periodically as data arrives from data source objects that asynchronously transmit their data.
datasetchanged	Fires when the data set exposed by a data source object changes.
dblclick	Fires when the user double-clicks the object. Note Starting with IE11, this event fires a MSPointerEvent object instead of a MouseEvent. You can use the MouseEvent.pointerType property to determine the type of contact that the click originated from (touch, mouse, or pen).
deactivate	Fires when the activeElement is changed from the current object to another object in the parent document.
drag	Fires on the source object continuously during a drag operation.
dragend	Fires on the source object when the user releases the mouse at the close of a drag operation.
dragenter	Fires on the target element when the user drags the object to a valid drop target.
dragleave	Fires on the target object when the user moves the mouse out of a valid drop target during a drag operation.
dragover	Fires on the target element continuously while the user drags the object over a valid drop target.
dragstart	Fires on the source object when the user starts to drag a text selection or selected object.
drop	Fires on the target object when the mouse button is released during a drag-and-drop operation.
error	Fires when an error occurs during object loading.
errorupdate	Fires on a databound object when an error occurs while updating the associated data in the data source object.
filterchange	Fires when a visual filter changes state or completes a transition.
focus	Fires when the object receives focus.
input	Occurs when the text content of an element is changed through the user interface.
keydown	Fires when the user presses a key.
keypress	Fires when the user presses an alphanumeric key.
layoutcomplete	Fires when the print or print preview layout process finishes filling the current LayoutRect object with content from the source document.
load	Fires immediately after the client loads the object.
losecapture	Fires when the object loses the mouse capture.
mousedown	Fires when the user clicks the object with either mouse button.
mousemove	Fires when the user moves the mouse over the object.
mouseout	Fires when the user moves the mouse pointer outside the boundaries of the object.
mouseover	Fires when the user moves the mouse pointer into the object.
mouseup	Fires when the user releases a mouse button while the mouse is over the object.
mousewheel	Fires when the wheel button is rotated.
move	Fires when the object moves.
moveend	Fires when the object stops moving.
movestart	Fires when the object starts to move.
onbeforedeactivate	Fires immediately before the activeElement is changed from the current object to another object in the parent document.
ondatasetcomplete	Fires to indicate that all data is available from the data source object.
onkeyup	Fires when the user releases a key.
onselect	Fires when the current selection changes.
propertychange	Fires when a property changes on the object. Note The onpropertychange event is only supported in conjunction with the legacy attachEvent IE-only event registration model, which has deprecated since Internet Explorer 9 in favor of the W3C standard "addEventListener" event model.
readystatechange	Fires when the state of the object has changed.
reset	Fires when the user resets a form.
resize	Fires when the size of the object is about to change.
resizeend	Fires when the user finishes changing the dimensions of the object in a control selection.
resizestart	Fires when the user begins to change the dimensions of the object in a control selection.
rowenter	Fires to indicate that the current row has changed in the data source and new data values are available on the object.
rowexit	Fires just before the data source control changes the current row in the object.
rowsdelete	Fires when rows are about to be deleted from the recordset.
rowsinserted	Fires just after new rows are inserted in the current recordset.
scroll	Fires when the user repositions the scroll box in the scroll bar on the object.
selectstart	Fires when the object is being selected.

Methods

The object object has these methods.

Method	Description
addBehavior	Attaches a behavior to the element.
applyElement	Makes the element either a child or parent of another element.
attachEvent	Note attachEvent is no longer supported. Starting with IE11, use addEventListener. For info, see Compatibility changes. Binds the specified function to an event, so that the function gets called whenever the event fires on the object.
blur	Causes the element to lose focus and fires the onblur event.
clearAttributes	Removes all attributes and values from the object.
click	Simulates a click by causing the onclick event to fire.
cloneNode	Copies a reference to the object from the document hierarchy.
compareDocumentPosition	Compares the position of two nodes in a document.
componentFromPoint	Returns the component located at the specified coordinates via certain events.
contains	Checks whether the given element is contained within the object.
detachEvent	Unbinds the specified function from the event, so that the function stops receiving notifications when the event fires.
doScroll	Note doScroll is no longer supported. Starting with IE11, use scrollLeft or scrollTop. For info, see Compatibility changes. Simulates a click on a scroll bar component.
dragDrop	Initiates a drag event.
fireEvent	Fires a specified event on the object.
focus	Causes the element to receive the focus and executes the code specified by the onfocus event.
getAdjacentText	Returns the adjacent text string.
getAttribute	Retrieves the value of the specified attribute.
getAttributeNode	Retrieves an attribute object referenced by the attribute.name property.
getAttributeNodeNS	Gets an attribute object that matches the specified namespace and name.
getAttributeNS	Gets the value of the specified attribute within the specified namespace.
getBoundingClientRect	Retrieves an object that specifies the bounds of a collection of TextRectangle objects.
getClientRects	Retrieves a collection of rectangles that describes the layout of the contents of an object or range within the client. Each rectangle describes a single line.
getElementsByClassName	Gets a collection of objects that are based on the value of the class attribute.
getElementsByTagNameNS	Gets a collection of objects that are based on the specified element names within a specified namespace.
getSVGDocument	Gets Document object for the referenced document, or null if there is no document.
hasAttribute	Determines whether an attribute with the specified name exists.
hasAttributeNS	Determines whether an attribute that has the specified namespace and name exists.
hasAttributes	Determines whether one or more attributes exist for the object.
insertAdjacentElement	Inserts an element at the specified location.
insertAdjacentHTML	Inserts the given HTML text into the element at the location.
insertAdjacentText	Inserts the given text into the element at the specified location.
insertBefore	Inserts an element into the document hierarchy as a child node of a parent object.
isDefaultNamespace	Indicates whether or not a namespace is the default namespace for a document.
isEqualNode	Determines if two nodes are equal.
isSameNode	Determines if two node references refer to the same node.
isSupported	Returns a value indicating whether or not the object supports a specific DOM standard.
lookupNamespaceURI	Gets the URI of the namespace associated with a namespace prefix, if any.
lookupPrefix	Gets the namespace prefix associated with a URI, if any.
mergeAttributes	Copies all read/write attributes to the specified element.
msMatchesSelector	Determines whether an object matches the specified selector.
namedRecordset	Retrieves the recordset object corresponding to the named data member from a DSO.
normalize	Merges adjacent DOM objects to produce a normalized document object model.
releaseCapture	Removes mouse capture from the object in the current document.
removeAttribute	Removes an attribute from an object.
removeAttributeNode	Removes an attribute object from the object.
removeAttributeNS	Removes the specified attribute from the object.
removeBehavior	Detaches a behavior from the element.
removeNode	Removes the object from the document hierarchy.
replaceAdjacentText	Replaces the text adjacent to the element.
replaceNode	Replaces the object with another element.
scrollIntoView	Causes the object to scroll into view, aligning it either at the top or bottom of the window.
setActive	Sets the object as active without setting focus to the object.
setAttribute	Sets the value of the specified attribute.
setAttributeNode	Sets an attribute object node as part of the object.
setAttributeNodeNS	Sets an attribute object as part of the object.
setAttributeNS	Sets the value of the specified attribute within the specified namespace.
setCapture	Sets the mouse capture to the object that belongs to the current document.
swapNode	Exchanges the location of two objects in the document hierarchy.

Properties

The object object has these properties.

Property	Access type	Description
accessKey		Sets or retrieves the access key for the object.
align		Sets or retrieves how the object is aligned with adjacent text.
alt		Sets or retrieves a text alternative to the graphic.
altHtml		Gets or sets the optional alternative HTML script to execute if the object fails to load.
animation	Read/write	Specifies shorthand values that define animation properties for object properties identified in the @keyframes at-rule of the animations-name property.
animationDelay	Read/write	Specifies the offset within an animation cycle (the amount of time from the start of a cycle) before the animation is displayed for a set of corresponding object properties identified in the CSS @keyframes at-rule specified by the animation-name property.
animationDirection	Read/write	Specifies the direction of play for an animation cycle.
animationDuration	Read/write	Specifies the length of time to complete one cycle of the animation.
animationFillMode	Read/write	Specifies whether the effects of an animation are visible before or after it plays.
animationIterationCount	Read/write	Specifies the number of times an animation cycle is played.
animationName	Read/write	Identifies one or more animation names. An animation name selects a CSS @keyframes at-rule.
animationPlayState	Read/write	Specifies whether an animation is playing or paused.
animationTimingFunction	Read/write	Specifies the intermediate property values to be used during a single cycle of an animation on a set of corresponding object properties identified in the CSS @keyframes at-rule specified by the animation-name property.
archive		Sets or retrieves a character string that can be used to implement your own archive functionality for the object.
attributes		Retrieves a collection of attributes of the object.
backfaceVisibility	Read/write	Gets or sets a value that specifies whether the back face (reverse side) of an object is visible.
BaseHref		Retrieves a string of the URL where the object tag can be found. This is often the href of the document that the object is in, or the value set by a base element.
breakAfter	Read/write	Gets or sets the column-break behavior that follows a content block in a multi-column element.
breakBefore	Read/write	Gets or sets the column-break behavior that precedes a content block in a multi-column element.
breakInside	Read/write	Gets or sets the column-break behavior that occurs within a content block in a multi-column element.
canHaveChildren		Gets a value indicating whether the object can contain child objects.
canHaveHTML		Retrieves the value indicating whether the object can contain rich HTML markup.
classid		Sets or retrieves the class identifier for the object.
className		Sets or retrieves the class of the object.
clientHeight		Retrieves the height of the object including padding, but not including margin, border, or scroll bar.
clientLeft		Retrieves the distance between the offsetLeft property and the true left side of the client area.
clientTop		Retrieves the distance between the offsetTop property and the true top of the client area.
clientWidth		Retrieves the width of the object including padding, but not including margin, border, or scroll bar.
code		Sets or retrieves the URL of the file containing the compiled Java class.
codeBase		Sets or retrieves the URL of the component.
codeType		Sets or retrieves the Internet media type for the code associated with the object.
columnCount	Read/write	Gets or sets the optimal number of columns in a multi-column element.
columnFill	Read/write	Gets or sets a value that indicates how the column lengths in a multi-column element are affected by the content flow.
columnGap	Read/write	Gets or sets the width of the gap between columns in a multi-column element.
columnRule	Read/write	Gets or sets a shorthand value that specifies values for the columnRuleWidth, columnRuleStyle, and the columnRuleColor of a multi-column element.
columnRuleColor	Read/write	Gets or sets the color for all column rules in a multi-column element.
columnRuleStyle	Read/write	Gets or sets the style for all column rules in a multi-column element.
columnRuleWidth	Read/write	Gets or sets the width of all column rules in a multi-column element.
columnSpan	Read/write	Gets or sets the number of columns that a content block spans in a multi-column element.
columnWidth	Read/write	Gets or sets the optimal width of the columns in a multi-column element.
constructor		Returns a reference to the constructor of an object.
contentDocument		Retrieves the document object of the page or frame.
data		Sets or retrieves the URL that references the data of the object.
dataFld		Sets or retrieves a field of a given data source, as specified by the dataSrc property, to bind to the specified object.
dataFormatAs		Sets or retrieves the rendering format for the data supplied to the object.
dataSrc		Sets or retrieves the source of the data for data binding.
declare		Sets or retrieves a character string that can be used to implement your own declare functionality for the object.
dir		Sets or retrieves the reading order of the object.
form		Retrieves a reference to the form that the object is embedded in.
height		Sets or retrieves the height of the object.
hideFocus		Sets or gets the value that indicates whether the object visibly shows that it has focus.
hspace		Sets or retrieves the horizontal margin for the object.
id		Sets or retrieves the string identifying the object.
innerHTML		Sets or retrieves the HTML between the start and end tags of the object.
innerText		Sets or retrieves the text between the start and end tags of the object.
isContentEditable		Gets the value that indicates whether the user can edit the contents of the object.
isDisabled		Gets the value that indicates whether the user can interact with the object.
isMultiLine		Retrieves the value indicating whether the content of the object contains one or more lines.
isTextEdit		Retrieves whether a TextRange object can be created using the object.
lang		Sets or retrieves the language to use.
language		Sets or retrieves the language in which the current script is written. Note This has been superceded by the type attribute for the script element. If you are using javascript alone, you don't need to specify a type or language with the script element.
localName		Retrieves the local name of the fully qualified XML declaration for a node.
msGridColumn	Read/write	Gets or sets a value that specifies in which column of the grid to place the object.
msGridColumnAlign	Read/write	Gets or sets a value that specifies the horizontal alignment of the object within the grid column.
msGridColumns	Read/write	Gets or sets one or more values that specify the width of each grid column within the object.
msGridColumnSpan	Read-only	Gets or sets a value that specifies the number of columns of the grid that the object spans.
msGridRow	Read/write	Gets or sets a value that specifies in which row of the grid to place the object.
msGridRowAlign	Read/write	Gets or sets a value that specifies the vertical alignment of the object within the grid row.
msGridRows	Read/write	Gets or sets one or more values that specify the height of each grid row within the object.
msGridRowSpan	Read/write	Gets or sets a value that specifies the number of rows of the grid that the object spans.
name		Sets or retrieves the name of the object.
namespaceURI		Retrieves the namespace URI of the fully qualified XML declaration for a node.
nextSibling		Retrieves a reference to the next child of the parent for the object.
nodeName		Gets the name of a particular type of node.
nodeType		Retrieves the type of the requested node.
nodeValue		Gets or sets the value of a node.
object		Retrieves the contained object.
offsetHeight		Retrieves the height of the object relative to the layout or coordinate parent, as specified by the offsetParent property.
offsetLeft		Retrieves the calculated left position of the object relative to the layout or coordinate parent, as specified by the offsetParent property.
offsetParent		Retrieves a reference to the container object that defines the offsetTop and offsetLeft properties of the object.
offsetTop		Retrieves the calculated top position of the object relative to the layout or coordinate parent, as specified by the offsetParent property.
offsetWidth		Retrieves the width of the object relative to the layout or coordinate parent, as specified by the offsetParent property.
outerHTML		Sets or retrieves the object and its content in HTML.
outerText		Sets or retrieves the text of the object.
parentElement		Retrieves the parent object in the object hierarchy.
parentNode		Retrieves the parent object in the document hierarchy.
parentTextEdit		Retrieves the container object in the document hierarchy that can be used to create a TextRange containing the original object.
perspective	Read/write	Gets or sets a value that represents the perspective from which all child elements of the object are viewed.
perspectiveOrigin	Read/write	Gets or sets one or two values that represent the origin (the vanishing point for the 3-D space) of an object with an perspective property declaration.
prefix		Retrieves the local name of the fully qualified XML declaration for a node.
previousSibling		Gets a reference to the previous child of the parent for the object.
readyState		Retrieves the current state of the object.
recordNumber		Retrieves the ordinal record from the data set that generated the object.
recordset		Sets or retrieves from a data source object a reference to the default record set.
role		Sets or retrieves the role for this element.
scopeName		Gets the namespace defined for the element. This property is not supported for Windows Store apps using JavaScript.
scrollHeight		Retrieves the scrolling height of the object.
scrollLeft		Sets or retrieves the distance between the left edge of the object and the leftmost portion of the content currently visible in the window.
scrollTop		Sets or retrieves the distance between the top of the object and the topmost portion of the content currently visible in the window.
scrollWidth		Retrieves the scrolling width of the object.
sourceIndex		Retrieves the ordinal position of the object, in source order, as the object appears in the document's all collection.
standby		Sets or retrieves a message to be displayed while an object is loading.
style		Sets an inline style for the element.
tabIndex		Sets or retrieves the index that defines the tab order for the object.
tagName		Retrieves the tag name of the object.
tagUrn		Sets or gets the URN specified in the namespace declaration. This property is not supported for Windows Store apps using JavaScript.
textContent		Sets or retrieves the text content of an object and any child objects.
title		Sets or retrieves advisory information (a ToolTip) for the object.
transformStyle	Read/write	Gets or sets a value that specifies how child elements of the object are rendered in 3-D space.
transition	Read/write	Gets or sets one or more shorthand values that specify the transition properties for a set of corresponding object properties identified in the transition-property property.
transitionDelay	Read/write	Gets or sets one or more values that specify the offset within a transition (the amount of time from the start of a transition) before the transition is displayed for a set of corresponding object properties identified in the transition property.
transitionDuration	Read/write	Gets or sets one or more values that specify the durations of transitions on a set of corresponding object properties identified in the transition-property property.
transitionProperty	Read/write	Gets or sets a value that identifies the CSS property name or names to which the transition effect (defined by the transition-duration, transition-timing-function, and transition-delay properties) is applied when a new property value is specified.
transitionTimingFunction	Read/write	Gets or sets one or more values that specify the intermediate property values to be used during a transition on a set of corresponding object properties identified in the transition-property property.
type		Sets or retrieves the MIME type of the object.
uniqueID		Retrieves an autogenerated, unique identifier for the object.
uniqueNumber		Retrieves the element's unique number.
useMap		Sets or retrieves the URL, often with a bookmark extension (#name), to use as a client-side image map.
vspace		Sets or retrieves the vertical margin for the object.
width		Sets or retrieves the width of the object.
x-ms-format-detection		Determines whether data formats within content are automatically detected and (if found) converted to clickable links.

Standards information

Document Object Model (DOM) Level 2 HTML Specification, Section 1.6.5
HTML 4.01 Specification, Section 13.3

Remarks

An object element can be a child of the head or the body element of a document.

Possible return values (those generated by Dynamic HTML (DHTML) Object Model properties) on the object element depend on the implementation of the object. For example, the readyState property returns null or error if the object does not implement a readyState property. DHTML Object Model properties available for an object depend on the content of the object. For information about supported properties, see the documentation for the individual object.

Events are sent directly to the object element. If the event is returned by the embedded object, it bubbles accordingly. If the event is not returned, it does not bubble.

Note You can use the object property for the object element to reconcile DHTML Object Model members that are duplicated by the object element's implementation and by DHTML. For instance, if the object implements an item method and DHTML implements an item method, use document.all.objectID.object.item() to access the one defined for the object.

Internet Explorer 9. In IE9 Standards mode, the object element is allowed to load content from other domains. In IE8 Standards mode, however, this is not allowed.

Windows Internet Explorer 8 and later. IE8 mode enables several enhancements to the object element that are not available when pages are displayed in earlier document modes.

Images are supported as native object types.
The values of the codeBase and data attributes depend on the current document compatibility mode.
Object fallback is supported when an object fails to load for communication or cross-domain security failures.

Note Object fallback does not occur when the contentEditable property of the document object is set to true.
The title attribute is preferred over the alt attribute when specified as a pop-up tooltip.
When the value of the data attribute specifies the data URI protocol, the value is not passed to Microsoft ActiveX controls upon instantiation. This preserves compatibility with older ActiveX controls that do not support the data URI protocol.

Examples

The following example uses the script element to define event handlers on the object element.

JavaScript


<script>
  document.getElementById('oObject').addEventListener('click', anEventHandler, false);
  document.getElementById('oObject').addEventListener('change', anotherEventHandler, false);
    .
    .
    .
</script>

<object id="oObject" classid="xyz.abc">
</ojbect>

The following example illustrates that when an object fails to instantiate for any reason, the HTML inside the object element is rendered. This provides a convenient way to inform the user that the object failed to load.