Get the duration of a touch in javascript

Question

Is it possible to get the duration of a touch using javascript on ios devices (and others if possible)? I would like to differentiate a long press from a short "click" press on an iphone webapp.

Thank you for your help!

Solution 1

$('#element').each(function() {

   var timeout,
       longtouch;

   $(this).bind('touchstart', function() {
      timeout = setTimeout(function() {
          longtouch = true;
      }, 1000);
   }).bind('touchend', function() {
       if (longtouch) {
          // It was a long touch.
       }
       longtouch = false;
       clearTimeout(timeout);
   });

});

jsFiddle.

The fiddle works with a long click.

Solution 2

Take a look at jQuery mobile http://jquerymobile.com/demos/1.0a4.1/#docs/api/events.html

It has tap, and taphold events, which sounds like it might fit your needs.

Comments

[Scott Harwell]

I'm not sure whether this can happen, but you may find some answers by looking at some jQuery touch options. Most of all, I would check out Apple's Safari dev center for answers. If it can happen natively, it will tell you how to do so there.

[Admin]

the relevant w3c docs for touch events: dvcs.w3.org/hg/webevents/raw-file/tip/touchevents.html

[cmplieger]

hey thanks! with ontouchstart and ontouchend i can make this into touch events I guess :). Let me try.

[Alxandr]

Well, then, here's how jQuery do it: pastie.org/1919250, shouldn't be too hard to decode. It seems they are using vmousedown-events, which might be a virtual-mouse-down event supported by smartphones, or something else altogether (customely made by jQuery, what do I know), but it should be enough to get you started at least.

[Alxandr]

This does not work on FF on android at least. I get "short-touch" every time, no-matter how long I press...

[RobG]

@SnippetSpace - touchstart and touchend are touch events. As Alex shows, start a timeout when you get a touchstart, then when you get a touchend event see how long it took. Note that you will also get a click and possibly other events related to the same gesture.