DataTransferItemList: clear() method

Baseline Widely available

This feature is well established and works across many devices and browser versions. It’s been available across browsers since July 2015.

The DataTransferItemList method clear() removes all DataTransferItem objects from the drag data items list, leaving the list empty.

The drag data store in which this list is kept is only writable while handling the dragstart event. While handling drop, the drag data store is in read-only mode, and this method silently does nothing. No exception is thrown.

Syntax

clear()

Parameters

None.

Return value

None (undefined).

Examples

This example shows the use of the clear() method.

HTML

html

<div>
  <p
    id="source"
    ondragstart="dragstartHandler(event);"
    ondragend="dragendHandler(event);"
    draggable="true">
    Select this element, drag it to the Drop Zone and then release the selection
    to move the element.
  </p>
</div>
<div
  id="target"
  ondrop="dropHandler(event);"
  ondragover="dragoverHandler(event);">
  Drop Zone
</div>

CSS

css

div {
  margin: 0em;
  padding: 2em;
}
#source {
  color: blue;
  border: 1px solid black;
}
#target {
  border: 1px solid black;
}

JavaScript

function dragstartHandler(ev) {
  console.log("dragStart");

  // Add this element's id to the drag payload so the drop handler will
  // know which element to add to its tree
  const dataList = ev.dataTransfer.items;
  dataList.add(ev.target.id, "text/plain");
}

function dropHandler(ev) {
  console.log("Drop");
  ev.preventDefault();

  // Loop through the dropped items and log their data
  for (const item of ev.dataTransfer.items) {
    if (item.kind === "string" && item.type.match(/^text\/plain/)) {
      // This item is the target node
      item.getAsString((s) => {
        ev.target.appendChild(document.getElementById(s));
      });
    } else if (item.kind === "string" && item.type.match(/^text\/html/)) {
      // Drag data item is HTML
      item.getAsString((s) => {
        console.log(`… Drop: HTML = ${s}`);
      });
    } else if (item.kind === "string" && item.type.match(/^text\/uri-list/)) {
      // Drag data item is URI
      item.getAsString((s) => {
        console.log(`… Drop: URI = ${s}`);
      });
    }
  }
}

function dragoverHandler(ev) {
  console.log("dragOver");
  ev.preventDefault();

  // Set the dropEffect to move
  ev.dataTransfer.dropEffect = "move";
}

function dragendHandler(ev) {
  console.log("dragEnd");
  const dataList = ev.dataTransfer.items;

  // Clear any remaining drag data
  dataList.clear();
}

Result

Specifications

Specification
HTML Standard # dom-datatransferitemlist-clear-dev

Browser compatibility

BCD tables only load in the browser