jQuery to serialize only elements within a div

Question

I would like to get the same effect as jQuery.serialize() but I would like to return only the child elments of a given div.

Sample

Answer 1

If those elements have a common class name, one may also use this:

$('#your_div .your_classname').serialize()

This way you can avoid selection of buttons, which will be selected using the jQuery selector :input. Though this can also be avoided by using $('#your_div :input:not(:button)').serialize();

Answer 2

What about my solution:

function serializeDiv( $div, serialize_method )
{
    // Accepts 'serialize', 'serializeArray'; Implicit 'serialize'
    serialize_method = serialize_method || 'serialize';

    // Unique selector for wrapper forms
    var inner_wrapper_class = 'any_unique_class_for_wrapped_content';

    // Wrap content with a form
    $div.wrapInner( "<form class='"+inner_wrapper_class+"'></form>" );

    // Serialize inputs
    var result = $('.'+inner_wrapper_class, $div)[serialize_method]();

    // Eliminate newly created form
    $('.script_wrap_inner_div_form', $div).contents().unwrap();

    // Return result
    return result;
}

/* USE: */

// For: $('#div').serialize()
serializeDiv($('#div')); /* or */ serializeDiv($('#div'), 'serialize');

// For: $('#div').serializeArray()
serializeDiv($('#div'), 'serializeArray');

function serializeDiv( $div, serialize_method )
{
	// Accepts 'serialize', 'serializeArray'; Implicit 'serialize'
	serialize_method = serialize_method || 'serialize';

	// Unique selector for wrapper forms
	var inner_wrapper_class = 'any_unique_class_for_wrapped_content';

	// Wrap content with a form
	$div.wrapInner( "<form class='"+inner_wrapper_class+"'></form>" );

	// Serialize inputs
	var result = $('.'+inner_wrapper_class, $div)[serialize_method]();

	// Eliminate newly created form
	$('.script_wrap_inner_div_form', $div).contents().unwrap();

	// Return result
	return result;
}

/* USE: */

var r = serializeDiv($('#div')); /* or serializeDiv($('#div'), 'serialize'); */
console.log("For: $('#div').serialize()");
console.log(r);

var r = serializeDiv($('#div'), 'serializeArray');
console.log("For: $('#div').serializeArray()");
console.log(r);

<script src="https://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/2.1.1/jquery.min.js"></script>
<div id="div">
  <input name="input1" value="input1_value">
  <textarea name="textarea1">textarea_value</textarea>
</div>