document.forms is not a function

Posted February 18th, 2007, 11:20 am

I get that error message from the error console. It only happens in Scottrade, if I use IE it works. Simply clicking on a javascript link to see the next set of results but I get nothing. Have the latest version of java installed, have no idea how to fix this.

Posted February 18th, 2007, 11:22 am

Isn't document.forms IE-only code? Also, JavaScript and Java are not related.

Posted February 18th, 2007, 11:25 am

According to scottrade tech support the site is compatible with Firefox 2.0. Didn't know that about javascript.

Posted February 18th, 2007, 12:02 pm

Does the site work correctly in Firefox? Because if it does, then you can safely ignore the error message.

Posted February 18th, 2007, 12:24 pm

Example? Or is it confidential?

According to my doc documents.forms is an array not a function.

Posted February 18th, 2007, 3:55 pm

Yes the site works in Firefox just not that javascript link, this is whats from the error console:

html>
<head>
<title>Object reference not set to an instance of an object.</title>
<style>
body {font-family:"Verdana";font-weight:normal;font-size: .7em;color:black;}
p {font-family:"Verdana";font-weight:normal;color:black;margin-top: -5px}
b {font-family:"Verdana";font-weight:bold;color:black;margin-top: -5px}
H1 { font-family:"Verdana";font-weight:normal;font-size:18pt;color:red }
H2 { font-family:"Verdana";font-weight:normal;font-size:14pt;color:maroon }
pre {font-family:"Lucida Console";font-size: .9em}
.marker {font-weight: bold; color: black;text-decoration: none;}
.version {color: gray;}
.error {margin-bottom: 10px;}
.expandable { text-decoration:underline; font-weight:bold; color:navy; cursor:hand; }
</style>
</head>

<body>

<span><H1>Server Error in '/custom/scottrade-com/mfunds' Application.<hr></H1>

<h2> <i>Object reference not set to an instance of an object.</i> </h2></span>

<font>

<b> Description: </b>An unhandled exception occurred during the execution of the current web request. Please review the stack trace for more information about the error and where it originated in the code.

<br><br>

<b> Exception Details: </b>System.NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.<br><br>

<b>Source Error:</b> <br><br>

<table>
<tr>
<td>
<code>

An unhandled exception was generated during the execution of the current web request. Information regarding the origin and location of the exception can be identified using the exception stack trace below.</code>

</td>
</tr>
</table>

<br>

<b>Stack Trace:</b> <br><br>

<table>

<tr>
<td>
<code><pre>

[NullReferenceException: Object reference not set to an instance of an object.]
MarketWatch.Products.FundCenter.QuickScreener.screenerresults.CreateDataSource() +72
MarketWatch.Products.FundCenter.QuickScreener.screenerresults.Page_Load(Object sender, EventArgs e) +394
System.Web.UI.Control.OnLoad(EventArgs e) +67
System.Web.UI.Control.LoadRecursive() +35
System.Web.UI.Page.ProcessRequestMain() +750
</pre></code>

</td>
</tr>
</table>

<br>

<hr>

<b>Version Information:</b> Microsoft .NET Framework Version:1.1.4322.2032; ASP.NET Version:1.1.4322.2032

</font>

</body>
</html>
<NullReferenceException><This>

Posted February 18th, 2007, 4:42 pm

That's a server error. There's nothing you can do about it.

Posted February 18th, 2007, 4:49 pm

Try:
Clear the cookies ('trouble' site(s) only): Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: "Show Cookies"
Clear the cache: Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Cache: "Clear Cache Now"

Posted February 18th, 2007, 4:51 pm

Try:
Clear the cookies ('trouble' site(s) only): Tools > Options > Privacy > Cookies: "Show Cookies"
Clear the cache: Tools > Options > Advanced > Network > Cache: "Clear Cache Now"

But:
Server Error in '/custom/scottrade-com/mfunds' Application

They're probably just having some temporary problems that should be resolved momentarily.

Posted February 18th, 2007, 5:18 pm

Besides the other errors on the page, the "document.forms is not a function" error is usually caused by bad javascript that is trying to index a page containing multiple forms. They try to use the incorrect document.forms(0).submit; for instance, instead of document.forms[0].submit; The parenthesized version looks like a function call, thus the "not a function" error.

If you need to use the site, report the errors to the site's webmaster.

Posted February 18th, 2007, 5:51 pm

Don't see how it can be a server error if it works in IE and I've been trying to use firefox for a week now. I have been in contact with their technical support, but once I told them I could get it to work with IE their fix was simply to re-install firefox. I don't think thats necessary. Thanks for all the input thus far.

Posted February 18th, 2007, 6:28 pm

Reinstalling Fx won't fix problems caused by a broken profile.
You can try the Standard_Diagnostic_(KB) instead.

Posted February 19th, 2007, 7:42 pm

Created new profile, same result. This is getting really annoying.

Posted February 19th, 2007, 7:45 pm

It only happens in Scottrade

They need to fix their site. Go **** at them.

Posted February 19th, 2007, 8:11 pm

flanagan is correct. The correct way to access a particular element of the forms object:
document.forms[x]

If a site produces an error that document.forms is not a function, it can only mean that parentheses were used. Open your error console and try these javascript links. The first should produce an alert. The second will produce an error.

<a href="javascript:alert(document.forms[0]);">document.forms[0]</a>
<a href="javascript:alert(document.forms(0));">document.forms(0)</a>

http://www.quirksmode.org/js/forms.html

document.forms is not a function

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