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Get original parent ID if JQuery sortable element is moved from one parent to another

November 14, 2021

I am using the JQuery UI sortable plugin, using the "connect with" functionality to allow LI elements to be moved between two different parent lists.

I am trying to produce an alert showing the ID of the original list from which the LI element was contained when a list item is moved from either #sortable1 to #sortable2 or visa versa.

The Jquery I am trying to use this as follows:

$( function() {
$( "#sortable1, #sortable2" ).sortable({
  connectWith: ".connectedSortable", 
  receive: function(e, ui) {
  alert(ui.originalPosition.id);
 }
}).disableSelection();
});

Currently this produced a undefined output, rather than #sortable1 to #sortable2.

I have included below a sample script recreating the issue I am having.

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>jQuery UI Sortable - Connect lists</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="//code.jquery.com/ui/1.13.0/themes/base/jquery-ui.css">
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="/resources/demos/style.css">
  <style>
  #sortable1, #sortable2 {
    border: 1px solid #eee;
    width: 142px;
    min-height: 20px;
    list-style-type: none;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 5px 0 0 0;
    float: left;
    margin-right: 10px;
  }
  #sortable1 li, #sortable2 li {
    margin: 0 5px 5px 5px;
    padding: 5px;
    font-size: 1.2em;
    width: 120px;
  }
  </style>
  <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.6.0.js"></script>
  <script src="https://code.jquery.com/ui/1.13.0/jquery-ui.js"></script>
  <script>
  $( function() {
    $( "#sortable1, #sortable2" ).sortable({
      connectWith: ".connectedSortable", 
      receive: function(e, ui) {
      alert(ui.originalPosition.id);
     }
    }).disableSelection();
  } );
  </script>
</head>
<body>
 
<ul id="sortable1" class="connectedSortable">
  <li class="ui-state-default">Item 1</li>
  <li class="ui-state-default">Item 2</li>
  <li class="ui-state-default">Item 3</li>
  <li class="ui-state-default">Item 4</li>
  <li class="ui-state-default">Item 5</li>
</ul>
 
<ul id="sortable2" class="connectedSortable">
  <li class="ui-state-highlight">Item 1</li>
  <li class="ui-state-highlight">Item 2</li>
  <li class="ui-state-highlight">Item 3</li>
  <li class="ui-state-highlight">Item 4</li>
  <li class="ui-state-highlight">Item 5</li>
</ul>
 
 
</body>
</html>

>Solution :

The ui object (Sortable) has a sender jQuery object that has as the originating element.

Set your alert to this: ui.sender[0].id and you’ll have it.

<!doctype html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
  <meta charset="utf-8">
  <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">
  <title>jQuery UI Sortable - Connect lists</title>
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="//code.jquery.com/ui/1.13.0/themes/base/jquery-ui.css">
  <link rel="stylesheet" href="/resources/demos/style.css">
  <style>
  #sortable1, #sortable2 {
    border: 1px solid #eee;
    width: 142px;
    min-height: 20px;
    list-style-type: none;
    margin: 0;
    padding: 5px 0 0 0;
    float: left;
    margin-right: 10px;
  }
  #sortable1 li, #sortable2 li {
    margin: 0 5px 5px 5px;
    padding: 5px;
    font-size: 1.2em;
    width: 120px;
  }
  </style>
  <script src="https://code.jquery.com/jquery-3.6.0.js"></script>
  <script src="https://code.jquery.com/ui/1.13.0/jquery-ui.js"></script>
  <script>
  $( function() {
    $( "#sortable1, #sortable2" ).sortable({
      connectWith: ".connectedSortable", 
      receive: function(e, ui) {
      alert(ui.sender[0].id);
     }
    }).disableSelection();
  } );
  </script>
</head>
<body>
 
<ul id="sortable1" class="connectedSortable">
  <li class="ui-state-default">Item 1</li>
  <li class="ui-state-default">Item 2</li>
  <li class="ui-state-default">Item 3</li>
  <li class="ui-state-default">Item 4</li>
  <li class="ui-state-default">Item 5</li>
</ul>
 
<ul id="sortable2" class="connectedSortable">
  <li class="ui-state-highlight">Item 1</li>
  <li class="ui-state-highlight">Item 2</li>
  <li class="ui-state-highlight">Item 3</li>
  <li class="ui-state-highlight">Item 4</li>
  <li class="ui-state-highlight">Item 5</li>
</ul>
 
 
</body>
</html>