Getting elements using Javascript

I have a bunch of input elements that have a particular substring in their IDs. Using javascript, is there a way to get these elements as an array? I wouldn't know the full ID - only the substring.

Is this any simpler if I use JQuery?

From stackoverflow

• Quite easy with jQuery. Example:

  $("li[id^='comment']")
  

  Select all "li" where id starts with "comment".

  EDIT

  To get those into an array:

  var myArray = new Array;
  
  $("li[id^='comment']").each(function() {
      var thisId = $(this).attr("id");
      myArray.push(thisId);
  });
  

  mkoryak : i believe the correct syntax in 1.3.1 is $(li[id^=comment])

  Gumbo : Don’t forget the quotes.

  J-P : Or you could just use -> $("li[id^='comment']").get() // Gets an array of elements..

  yoavf : JimmyP - wasn't aware of that! thanks.

• its simpler if you use jquery, otherwise you will have to start from document body, get its children, parse their ids, select matching elements, and continue down the tree.

• jquery is definitely a good way to go.

  Check out the attribute filters at jquery.com

• Selectors API runs.

  document.querySelectorAll("input[id*='yoursubstring']")
  

  Works in IE8+, WebKit (Google Chrome, Safari), seems will work in next Opera and FF.

• How about a non-jQuery answer...hmmm!?

  function getAndFilter(elems, filter) {
      var length = elems.length,
          ret = [];
      while (length--) {
          if(filter(elems[length])) {
              ret[ret.length] = elems[length];
          }
      }
      return ret;
  }
  
  getAndFilter(document.getElementsByTagName('input'), function(input) {
      // Your custom logic/rule goes here:
      return input.id.substr(0,5) === 'HELLO';
  });