Drag and Drop is a very interactive and user-friendly concept that makes it easier to move an object to a different location by grabbing it. This allows the user to click and hold the mouse button over an element, drag it to another location, and release the mouse button to drop the element there.
Table of Content
In HTML5 Drag and Drop are much easier to code and any element in it is draggable.
Drag and Drop Events
|
Events |
Description |
|---|---|
|
It is used to use when the element or text selection is being dragged in HTML. |
|
|
It is used to call a function, drag(event), that specifies what data to be dragged |
|
|
It is used to determine whether or not the drop target is to accept the drop. If the drop is to be accepted, then this event has to be canceled. |
|
|
It occurs when the mouse leaves an element before a valid drop target while the drag is occurring. |
|
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It specifies where the dragged data can be dropped. |
|
|
It specifies where the drop has occurred at the end of the drag operation. |
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It occurs when the user has finished dragging an element. |
The Data Transfer Object
The data transfer property is used when the whole process of Drag and Drop happens. It is used to hold the dragged data from the source and drop it to the desired location. These are the properties associated with it:
|
Property |
Description |
|---|---|
|
dataTransfer.setData(format, data) |
Sets the data to be dragged. |
|
dataTransfer.clearData(format) |
Clears data, if a format is specified, it removes only that specific data. |
|
dataTransfer.getData(format) |
Returns data of the specified format; returns an empty string if no data. |
|
dataTransfer.types |
Returns an array of all formats set during dragstart. |
|
dataTransfer.files |
Returns all files to be dropped. |
|
dataTransfer.setDragImage(element, x, y) |
Displays an existing image during drag, with coordinates for drop location |
|
dataTransfer.addElement(element) |
Adds the specified element as a drag feedback image. |
|
dataTransfer.effectAllowed(value) |
Specifies allowed operations for the user: none, copy, link, move, etc. |
|
dataTransfer.dropEffect(value) |
Controls feedback during dragenter/dragover events, indicating operation type: none, copy, link, move. |
Approach for Drag and Drop in HTML
-
Set an element as draggable with the
draggableattribute:<img draggable="true">. -
Specify the drag behavior using the
ondragstartattribute, calling a function (drag(event)) to define the data to be dragged withevent.dataTransfer.setData(). -
Utilize the
ondragoverevent to determine where the data can be dropped. Prevent default behavior withevent.preventDefault()to enable the drop. -
Implement the
ondropevent to perform the actual drop action.
Examples Showing Drag and Drop in HTML
1. Drag and Drop of Image in HTML:
Example: This example shows the drag & drop of an image in HTML.
<!DOCTYPE HTML><html>
<head>
<style>
#getData {
width: 250px;
height: 200px;
padding: 10px;
border: 1px solid #4f4d4d;
}
</style>
<script>
function allowDrop(even) {
even.preventDefault();
}
function drag(even) {
even.dataTransfer.setData("text", even.target.id);
}
function drop(even) {
even.preventDefault();
var fetchData = even.dataTransfer.getData("text");
even.target.appendChild(document.getElementById(fetchData));
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<h3>Drag the GeekforGeeks image into the rectangle:</h3>
<div id="getData"
ondrop="drop(event)"
ondragover="allowDrop(event)">
</div>
<br>
<img id="dragData"
src="gfg.png"
draggable="true"
ondragstart="drag(event)"
width="250"
height="200">
</body>
</html>
|
Output:
Dragging the image into the box
2. Implementation of Draggable Property:
Example: This example shows the drag & drop of an image in HTML.
<!DOCTYPE HTML><html>
<head>
<title>Drag and Drop box</title>
<script>
function allowDrop(ev) {
ev.preventDefault();
}
function dragStart(ev) {
ev.dataTransfer.setData("text", ev.target.id);
}
function dragDrop(ev) {
ev.preventDefault();
let data = ev.dataTransfer.getData("text");
ev.target.appendChild(document.getElementById(data));
}
</script>
<style>
#box {
margin: auto;
width: 50%;
height: 200px;
border: 3px solid green;
padding: 10px;
}
#box1,
#box2,
#box3 {
float: left;
margin: 5px;
padding: 10px;
}
#box1 {
width: 50px;
height: 50px;
background-color: #F5B5C5;
}
#box2 {
width: 100px;
height: 100px;
background-color: #B5D5F5;
}
#box3 {
width: 150px;
height: 150px;
background-color: #BEA7CC;
}
p {
font-size: 20px;
font-weight: bold;
text-align: center;
}
.gfg {
font-size: 40px;
color: #009900;
font-weight: bold;
text-align: center;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="gfg">GeeksforGeeks</div>
<p>Drag and drop of boxes</p>
<div id="box">
<div id="box1" draggable="true"
ondragstart="dragStart(event)">
</div>
<div id="box2" draggable="true"
ondragstart="dragStart(event)">
</div>
<div id="box3" ondrop="dragDrop(event)"
ondragover="allowDrop(event)">
</div>
</div>
</body>
</html>
|
Output:
3. Using Image Drag and Drop:
Example: Implementation of Drop and Drop in HTMl using the Images.
<!DOCTYPE HTML><html>
<head>
<script>
function allowDrop(ev) {
ev.preventDefault();
}
function dragStart(ev) {
ev.dataTransfer.setData("text", ev.target.id);
}
function dragDrop(ev) {
ev.preventDefault();
var data = ev.dataTransfer.getData("text");
ev.target.appendChild(document.getElementById(data));
}
</script>
<style>
.div1 {
width: 240px;
height: 75px;
padding: 10px;
border: 1px solid black;
background-color: #F5F5F5;
}
p {
font-size: 20px;
font-weight: bold;
}
.gfg {
font-size: 40px;
color: #009900;
font-weight: bold;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<div class="gfg">GeeksforGeeks</div>
<p>Image Drag and Drop in boxes</p>
<div class="div1"
ondrop="dragDrop(event)"
ondragover="allowDrop(event)">
<img id="drag1"
src=
draggable="true"
ondragstart="dragStart(event)"
width="220"
height="70">
</div>
<br>
<div class="div1"
ondrop="dragDrop(event)"
ondragover="allowDrop(event)">
</div>
</body>
</html>
|
Output:
Dragging the image into another box
4. Dragging Using Text in Rectangular Box:
Example: Implementation of dragging the text in the rectangular box.
<!DOCTYPE HTML><html>
<head>
<title>Draggable Text</title>
<style>
.dropbox {
width: 350px;
height: 40px;
padding: 15px;
border: 1px solid #292828;
}
h1 {
color: green;
}
</style>
<script>
function droppoint(event) {
var data = event.dataTransfer.getData("Text");
event.target.appendChild(document.getElementById(data));
event.preventDefault();
}
function allowDropOption(event) {
event.preventDefault();
}
function dragpoint(event) {
event.dataTransfer.setData("Text", event.target.id);
}
</script>
</head>
<body>
<center>
<h1>GeeksforGeeks</h1>
<h3>Drag the text in the rectangle</h3>
<div class="dropbox"
ondrop="droppoint(event)"
ondragover="allowDropOption(event)">
</div>
<p id="drag1"
draggable="true"
ondragstart="dragpoint(event)">
GeeksforGeeks: A computer science portal for geeks.
</p>
</center>
</body>
</html>
|
Output:
Dragging the text into the box
Supported Browser:
- Google Chrome 4.0
- Microsoft Edge 9.0
- Firefox 3.5
- Opera 6.0
- Safari 12.0