This will work. (note: with quotes it's at 8 else at 7)
$("#tf").on('keyup', function(){
console.log($(this).val().indexOf('*'));
});
http://jsfiddle.net/Vandeplas/hc6ZH/
UPDATE: solution with multiple *
$("#tf").on('keyup', function(){
var pos = [],
lastOc = 0,
p = $(this).val().indexOf('*',lastOc);
while( p !== -1){
pos.push(p);
lastOc = p +1;
p = $(this).val().indexOf('*',lastOc);
}
console.log(pos);
});
http://jsfiddle.net/Vandeplas/hc6ZH/1/
UPDATE: giving only the position of the * char you just typed
(function ($, undefined) {
$.fn.getCursorPosition = function() {
var el = $(this).get(0);
var pos = 0;
if('selectionStart' in el) {
pos = el.selectionStart;
} else if('selection' in document) {
el.focus();
var Sel = document.selection.createRange();
var SelLength = document.selection.createRange().text.length;
Sel.moveStart('character', -el.value.length);
pos = Sel.text.length - SelLength;
}
return pos;
}
})(jQuery);
$("#tf").on('keypress', function(e){
var key = String.fromCharCode(e.which);
if(key === '*') {
var position = $(this).getCursorPosition();
console.log(position);
} else {
return false;
}
});
http://jsfiddle.net/Vandeplas/esDTj/1/