MouseEvent.initMouseEvent()

The MouseEvent.initMouseEvent() method initializes the value of a mouse event once it's been created (normally using the Document.createEvent() method).

Events initialized in this way must have been created with the Document.createEvent() method. This method must be called to set the event before it is dispatched, using EventTarget.dispatchEvent(). Once dispatched, it doesn't do anything anymore.

SyntaxSection

event.initMouseEvent(type, canBubble, cancelable, view,
                     detail, screenX, screenY, clientX, clientY,
                     ctrlKey, altKey, shiftKey, metaKey,
                     button, relatedTarget);

ParametersSection

type

the string to set the event's type to. Possible types for mouse events include: click, mousedown, mouseup, mouseover, mousemove, mouseout.

canBubble

whether or not the event can bubble. Sets the value of Event.bubbles.

cancelable

whether or not the event's default action can be prevented. Sets the value of Event.cancelable.

view

the event's AbstractView. You should pass the window object here. Sets the value of UIEvent.view.

detail

the event's mouse click count. Sets the value of UIEvent.detail.

screenX

the event's screen x coordinate. Sets the value of MouseEvent.screenX.

screenY

the event's screen y coordinate. Sets the value of MouseEvent.screenY.

clientX

the event's client x coordinate. Sets the value of MouseEvent.clientX.

clientY

the event's client y coordinate. Sets the value of MouseEvent.clientY.

ctrlKey

whether or not control key was depressed during the Event. Sets the value of MouseEvent.ctrlKey.

altKey

whether or not alt key was depressed during the Event. Sets the value of MouseEvent.altKey.

shiftKey

whether or not shift key was depressed during the Event. Sets the value of MouseEvent.shiftKey.

metaKey

whether or not meta key was depressed during the Event. Sets the value of MouseEvent.metaKey.

button

the event's mouse button.

relatedTarget

the event's related EventTarget. Only used with some event types (e.g., mouseover and mouseout). In other cases, pass null.

ExampleSection

HTMLSection

<div style="background:red; width:180px; padding:10px;">
  <div id="out"></div>
  <input type="text">
</div>

JavaScriptSection

document.body.onclick = function(){
  e = arguments[0];
  var dt = e.target,stag = dt.tagName.toLowerCase();
  document.getElementById("out").innerHTML = stag;
};

var simulateClick = function(){
  var evt = document.createEvent("MouseEvents");
  evt.initMouseEvent("click", true, true, window, 0, 0, 0, 80, 20, false, false, false, false, 0, null);
  document.body.dispatchEvent(evt);
}

simulateClick();

ResultSection

SpecificationsSection

Browser compatibilitySection

See alsoSection

• MouseEvent() constructor, the modern standard way of creating a MouseEvent
• Event.initEvent() is a simpler method serving a similar purpose. It is also obsolete and shouldn't be used any more.