DataTransfer: dropEffect property
=================================

 The **`DataTransfer.dropEffect`** property controls the
 feedback (typically visual) the user is given during a drag and drop operation. It will
 affect which cursor is displayed while dragging. For example, when the user hovers over
 a target drop element, the browser's cursor may indicate which type of operation will
 occur.

 When the `DataTransfer` object is created, `dropEffect` is set
 to a string value. On getting, it returns its current value. On setting, if the new
 value is one of the values listed below, then the property's current value will be set
 to the new value and other values will be ignored.

 For the `dragenter` and `dragover` events,
 `dropEffect` will be initialized based on what action the user is requesting.
 How this is determined is platform specific, but typically the user can press modifier
 keys such as the alt key to adjust the desired action. Within event handlers for
 `dragenter` and `dragover` events, `dropEffect` should
 be modified if a different action is desired than the action that the user is
 requesting.

 For the `drop` and `dragend` events, `dropEffect` will
 be set to the action that was desired, which will be the value `dropEffect`
 had after the last `dragenter` or `dragover` event. In a
 `dragend` event, for instance, if the desired dropEffect is "move", then the
 data being dragged should be removed from the source.

Value
-----

 A string representing the drag operation effect. The possible values
 are:

`copy`

A copy of the source item is made at the new location.

`move`

An item is moved to a new location.

`link`

A link is established to the source at the new location.

`none`

The item may not be dropped.


 Assigning any other value to `dropEffect` has no effect and the old value is
 retained.

Example
-------

 This example shows the use of the `dropEffect` and
 `effectAllowed` properties.

### HTML


```html
<div>
  <p id="source" ondragstart="dragstart\_handler(event);" draggable="true">
    Select this element, drag it to the Drop Zone and then release the selection
    to move the element.
  </p>
</div>
<div
 id="target"
 ondrop="drop\_handler(event);"
 ondragover="dragover\_handler(event);">
  Drop Zone
</div>
```

### CSS


```css
div {
  margin: 0em;
  padding: 2em;
}

#source {
  color: blue;
  border: 1px solid black;
}

#target {
  border: 1px solid black;
}
```

### JavaScript


```js
function dragstart\_handler(ev) {
  console.log(
    `dragStart: dropEffect = ${ev.dataTransfer.dropEffect} ; effectAllowed = ${ev.dataTransfer.effectAllowed}`,
  );

  // Add this element's id to the drag payload so the drop handler will
  // know which element to add to its tree
  ev.dataTransfer.setData("text", ev.target.id);
  ev.dataTransfer.effectAllowed = "move";
}

function drop\_handler(ev) {
  console.log(
    `drop: dropEffect = ${ev.dataTransfer.dropEffect} ; effectAllowed = ${ev.dataTransfer.effectAllowed}`,
  );
  ev.preventDefault();

  // Get the id of the target and add the moved element to the target's DOM
  const data = ev.dataTransfer.getData("text");
  ev.target.appendChild(document.getElementById(data));
}

function dragover\_handler(ev) {
  console.log(
    `dragOver: dropEffect = ${ev.dataTransfer.dropEffect} ; effectAllowed = ${ev.dataTransfer.effectAllowed}`,
  );
  ev.preventDefault();
  // Set the dropEffect to move
  ev.dataTransfer.dropEffect = "move";
}
```

Specifications
--------------

| Specification |
| --- |
| HTML Standard # dom-datatransfer-dropeffect-dev |

Browser compatibility
---------------------

BCD tables only load in the browser with JavaScript enabled. Enable JavaScript to view data.

See also
--------

* Drag and drop
* Drag Operations
* Recommended Drag Types
* DataTransfer test - Paste or Drag