jquery to check when a someone starts typing in to a field

Question

$(\'a#next\').click(function() {
    var tags = $(\'input[name=tags]\');

    if(tags.val()==\'\'){

    tags.addClass(\'hightlight\');  
    return false; 
    }else{
          


        

Answer 1

You want the focus event.

  $('a#next').focus(function() {
      $('#formcont').fadeIn('slow');
  });

Answer 2

input#tags is redundant and wasteful.

$('#tags').keypress(function() {

    $('#formcont').fadeIn('slow');
    $('#next').hide('slow');
    $(this).focus();
});

Answer 3

Sounds like the fade is moving your focus, hence the cursor no longer being there. Try this

$('input#tags').keypress(function() {

    $('#formcont').fadeIn('slow');
    $('#next').hide('slow');
    $(this).focus();
});