title: jQuery find $.find('selector') versus $('selector') difference
body: <p>I've got a question why these two code snippets are different.</p>
  
  <pre><code>$('#ctl00_DDMenu1_HyperLink1')  
  //jQuery(a#ctl00_DDMenu1_HyperLink1 Default.aspx) Console output
  $('#ctl00_DDMenu1_HyperLink1').text()
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>The code above returns : <code>Some link text</code></p>
  
  <p>But</p>
  
  <pre><code>$.find('#ctl00_DDMenu1_HyperLink1')  
  //[a#ctl00_DDMenu1_HyperLink1 Default.aspx] Consolee output
  $.find('#ctl00_DDMenu1_HyperLink1').text()
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Returns</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>TypeError: <code>$.find("#ctl00_DDMenu1_HyperLink1").text</code> is not a function</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Does this mean that <strong><code>$.find</code></strong> return Array object <code>[]</code> and jQuery functions are not accessible?</p>
  
  <h2>//EDIT</h2>
  
  <p>I've used jQuery 1.4.2 &amp; used Firebug Console.</p>
  
  <h2>//Answer found by practise</h2>
  
  <p>This code will return <strong>jQuery object reference</strong> and all jQuery function are accessible.</p>
  
  <p><code>$('any_selector')<br>
      //jQuery(item1),jQuery(item2),...,jQuery(item-N) Console output
      $('any_selector').text()</code></p>
  
  <p>This code return <strong>JavaScript Array object</strong> so any function of jQuery cannot be applied to resultset. Even when resultset seems to be identical.</p>
  
  <p><code>$.find('any_selector')<br>
      //[item1,item2,...,item-N] Consolee output<br>
      $.find('any_selector').text()</code></p>
  
  <p>But we can do trick (weird trick) to wrapp js Array into jQuery selector:</p>
  
  <p><code>$($.find('any_selector_as_inner_select')).val()</code></p>
  
  <p><strong>//Thanks for help guys!</strong></p>