Got a question tonight asking how to check a value in jQuery, and if it is null or blank use a default value. Enter the “default operator”, or the OR (||) operator. In the example below the variable value will be assigned the value from the text box named textBox if it isn’t “false”, or empty. If it is we then use the string “Default baby!”.

<input type="text" name="textBox" id="textBox" value="" />
<input type="button" name="btn" id="btn" value="Click Me" />

<script type="text/javascript">

   $(document).ready(function() {

      $("#btn").click(function() {
         var value = ($("#textBox").val() || "Default baby!");
         alert(value);
      });   

   });

</script>

Happy coding!