Rick, as far as I can tell there is something wrong with two of the code examples you provided.
var mySet = '$(mySet)'; ...this sets the mySet variable to a string that *looks* like a jQuery selector, but your quotes make it into a useless string. $('mySet').find(':text')... ...this selector looks for a "mySet" HTML object (which does not exist), again, because of the way you have the quotes. It doesn't use the mySet variable reference at all. To answer GGerri's question.. var mySet = $('tr>td:nth-child(2n)'); ...assigns a jQuery object to the mySet variable. mySet.find(':text') ...takes your jQuery object & applies find() to it. $(mySet).find(':text') ...takes your jQuery object, runs it through the jQuery selector engine again, & applies find(). Both ways work okay, but the 2nd way isn't the best because running a jQuery object through the selector engine again serves no purpose that I'm aware of. Normally you'd use the 2nd example only if mySet was a DOM object reference, not a jQuery object reference. Regarding GGerri's question about the "this" variable - in jQuery, "this" refers to a DOM object so you always need to wrap it with the jQuery $(...) selector if you're going to use jQuery methods on it. A useful variable naming convention I've seen is to prefix any jQuery object variables with a dollar sign. It's an easy reminder that the variable is already a jQuery object. In other words: var $mySet = $('div h1 a'); ...."$mySet" becomes a jQuery object $mySet.show(300,function() { $(this).fadeIn(); ..."this" is a DOM object, so you need to wrap it with the jQuery selector }); Hope that helps! -Wick http://www.CarComplaints.com On Mar 5, 7:58 am, "Rick Faircloth" <r...@whitestonemedia.com> wrote: > Hi, Rayn :handshake: :o) > > I think, for shorthand notation (some say for readability, but I think > otherwise), > some set var's (variables) to represent pieces of code, for instance: > > var mySet = '$(mySet)' > > and then use it as: > > mySet.find(':text')... > > Written in "longhand", it would be: > > $('mySet').find(':text')... > > When trying to read someone else's code, where this shorthand is use > extensively, > I just find it hard to decipher, since I have to trace all the var's down to > find > out what they stand for... > > Someone please correct me if I'm wrong... > > Rick > > -----Original Message----- > From: jquery-en@googlegroups.com [mailto:jquery...@googlegroups.com] On > Behalf Of ggerri > Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 7:31 AM > To: jquery-en@googlegroups.com > Subject: [jQuery] Re: Simple one: difference between varXy.find(':text') and > $(varXy).find(':text') > > Thanks Ryan :handshake: > > so mySet.find(':text').each(...) would be right and > $(mySet).find(':text').each(...) not? :confused: > > In examples I often see (within an each function): $(this).something but also > this.something > > Still dont get the difference of use :,( > > G > > ryan.joyce...@googlemail.com wrote: > > > mySet is an object or variable, $(mySet) will try to get an element > > using the contents of mySet as the selector. > > > On Mar 5, 10:04 am, ggerri <gerald.ressm...@ewz.ch> wrote: > >> Hi there > > >> thats an easy one for you ;-) > > >> if i do: > > >> var mySet = $('tr>td:nth-child(2n)'); > > >> how do I use mySet? What's the difference between > > >> mySet.find(':text') > > >> and > > >> $(mySet).find(':text') > > >> Thanks :-)) > >> GGerri > > >> -- > >> View this message in > >> context:http://www.nabble.com/Simple-one%3A-difference-between-varXy.find%28%... > >> Sent from the jQuery General Discussion mailing list archive at > >> Nabble.com. > > -- > View this message in > context:http://www.nabble.com/Simple-one%3A-difference-between-varXy.find%28%... > Sent from the jQuery General Discussion mailing list archive at Nabble.com.