How do I use javascript to replace hash tags with links from a jquery data-attribute

Question

I'm effectively trying to do the same as in this question Change #hash tag to link on page load But I think because I'm getting the string from a jquery objects data-caption attribute something isn't working correctly. I have a DOM element like this ```

``` It's basically a thumbnail that is loaded into a modal then i'm trying to grab the attribute caption and create links out of any hash tags ``` var caption = anchor.attr('data-caption') ? anchor.attr('data-caption') : null; console.log(caption); ``` where the variable anchor is a jquery object representative of the link I can see there is a caption if i check the log it prints "#drink from somewhere #fun" So now throwing that in a regex replace fn ``` caption.replace(/#(\S*)/g,'$1

Accepted Answer

If you code in your question is posted exactly as you use it, you need to assign the result of the `caption.replace()`. Just calling `.replace()` won't change `caption`. Assuming all you are doing is this: ``` caption.replace(/#(\S*)/g,'$1'); ``` Try using it like this: ``` caption = caption.replace(/#(\S*)/g,'$1'); ``` As per documentation for `Replace`: Returns a new string with some or all matches of a pattern replaced by a replacement. The pattern can be a string or a RegExp, and the replacement can be a string or a function to be called for each match. Off course, if you already have been doing it and you simply didn't post that than the issue is something else. Let me know if that is the case and I will remove my answer as it then obviously does not apply.

How do I use javascript to replace hash tags with links from a jquery data-attribute

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