show cursor position of selected text

selected text

Try both selecting text and typing.<br>

<textarea onselect="updateInfo(this)" onmousedown="updateInfo(this)" onkeydown="updateInfo(this)"></textarea><br><span id="info"></span>

<script>
function updateInfo(ele) {
	var start = ele.selectionStart;
  var end = ele.selectionEnd;
  if (start!=end) {
 	  document.getElementById("info").innerHTML = "The selection is between "+start+" and "+end+".";
  }
  else {
  	document.getElementById("info").innerHTML = "The caret is at "+start+".";
  }
}
</script>

Alternative version

function GetSelectedText() {

    if (document.getSelection) {    // all browsers, except IE before version 9
	var sel = document.getSelection();
	    // sel is a selectionRange object in all browsers except IE before version 9
	    // the alert method displays the result of the toString method of the passed object
	alert(sel);
    } 
    else {
	if (document.selection) {   // Internet Explorer before version 9
	    var textRange = document.selection.createRange();
	    alert(textRange.text);
	}
    }
}