CustomEvent

Constructor

CustomEvent()

Creates a CustomEvent.

Properties

CustomEvent.detail Read only

Any data passed when initializing the event.

This interface inherits properties from its parent, Event:

Event()

Creates an Event object.

Properties

This interface doesn't inherit any property.

Event.bubbles Read only

A boolean indicating whether the event bubbles up through the DOM or not.

Event.cancelBubble

A nonstandard alternative to Event.stopPropagation().

Event.cancelable Read only

A boolean indicating whether the event is cancelable.

Event.currentTarget Read only

A reference to the currently registered target for the event.

Event.defaultPrevented Read only

Indicates whether or not event.preventDefault() has been called on the event.

Event.eventPhase Read only

Indicates which phase of the event flow is being processed.

Event.explicitOriginalTarget Read only

The explicit original target of the event (Mozilla-specific).

Event.originalTarget Read only

The original target of the event, before any retargetings (Mozilla-specific).

Event.returnValue

A nonstandard alternative to Event.preventDefault() and Event.defaultPrevented. (old Internet Explorer-specific)

Event.srcElement

A nonstandard alias for Event.target. (old Internet Explorer-specific)

Event.target Read only

A reference to the target to which the event was originally dispatched.

Event.timeStamp Read only

The time that the event was created.

Event.type Read only

The name of the event (case-insensitive).

Event.isTrusted Read only

Indicates whether or not the event was initiated by the browser (after a user click for instance) or by a script (using an event creation method, like event.initEvent)

Methods

CustomEvent.initCustomEvent()

Initializes a CustomEvent object. If the event has already being dispatched, this method does nothing.

This interface inherits methods from its parent, Event:

This interface doesn't inherit any method.

Event.initEvent()

Initializes the value of an Event created. If the event has already being dispatched, this method does nothing.

Event.preventBubble() Obsolete since Gecko 24

Prevents the event from bubbling. Obsolete, use event.stopPropagation instead.

Event.preventCapture() Obsolete since Gecko 24

Obsolete, use event.stopPropagation instead.

Event.preventDefault()

Cancels the event (if it is cancelable).

Event.stopImmediatePropagation()

For this particular event, no other listener will be called. Neither those attached on the same element, nor those attached on elements which will be traversed later (in capture phase, for instance)

Event.stopPropagation()

Stops the propagation of events further along in the DOM.

Event.getPreventDefault()

Non-standard. Returns the value of Event.defaultPrevented. Use Event.defaultPrevented instead.

Specifications

Browser compatibility

Firing from privileged code to non-privileged code

When firing a CustomEvent from privileged code (i.e. an extension) to non-privileged code (i.e. a webpage), security issues should be considered. Firefox and other Gecko applications restrict an object created in one context from being directly used for another, which will automatically prevent security holes, but these restrictions may also prevent your code from running as expected.

While creating a CustomEvent object, you must create the object from the same window. The detail attribute of your CustomEvent will be subjected to the same restrictions. String and Array values will be readable by the content without restrictions, but custom Objects will not. While using a custom Object, you will need to define the attributes of that object that are readable from the content script using Components.utils.cloneInto().

// doc is a reference to the content document
function dispatchCustomEvent(doc) {
  var eventDetail = Components.utils.cloneInto({foo: 'bar'}, doc.defaultView);
  var myEvent = doc.defaultView.CustomEvent("mytype", eventDetail);
  doc.dispatchEvent(myEvent);
}

But one needs to keep in mind that exposing a function will allow the content script to run it with chrome privileges, which can open a security vulnerability.

See also

• Interaction between privileged and non-privileged pages
• Window.postMessage
• Creating and triggering events