my custom jQuery code does not work, why??

[tlyczko]

I have this generated code in zencart which is emplaced by one of the shopping cart files into the shopping cart display (rows):

<span class="btn btn-primary">
Check Out
</span>

btn-primary class sets the button background color to blue

I want to use javascript/jQuery to give this button a different background color.
Please do not tell me change the css, I already know how to do that, it will not do what I need.

I have this jQuery code in /modules/pages/shopping_cart/jscript_buttons.js:

("span.btn.btn-primary:contains('Check Out')").css("background-color", "purple");

Nothing happens to the check out button, can anyone suggest why??
I've tried several variations on the span part...

span.btn.btn-primary corresponds to the styles, contains means it has the phrase 'Check Out', so it SHOULD work but it does not, why???

Thank you, Tom

[DrByte]

Don't jQuery statements need to start with $ or jQuery?

[tlyczko]

Don't jQuery statements need to start with $ or jQuery?

Yes, I accidentally dropped the $ when I copy/pasted the line, I cannot now fix it in my original post.

The statement actually reads as shown below, it is the only line in the js file, I've checked the syntax against jQuery docs.

$("span:contains('Check Out')").css("background-color", "purple");

Maybe I am declaring the javascript wrong?? I know the zen cart code itself creates the span...

Thank you, Tom

[gjh42]

You say the button text has a class tag, which looks like it should be specific enough to identify and control with CSS. Can we see the site? Maybe we can suggest a way to apply styling to it... there are lots of tricky methods that can be used.

[tlyczko]

You say the button text has a class tag, which looks like it should be specific enough to identify and control with CSS. Can we see the site? Maybe we can suggest a way to apply styling to it... there are lots of tricky methods that can be used.

It is not a live site.
The span class example given above is real html/css code created and applied by ZEN CART APPLICATION CODE, which as many of you know has quite a convoluted route to generating the html/css used by the browser.
I get no errors telling me why the jQuery code does not work.
Thank you, Tom

[gjh42]

The characteristics of the files that create the HTML output are irrelevant to this question. If the site is not live, then posting a good snippet of the HTML page source output for the element in question (showing the container elements for the text, out far enough to identify the location) could help us help you.

On the off chance that the jQuery you want to use really is needed, telling us more about how you implemented it (and set up jQuery) may be useful.