---
title: "Javascript Timeline Multi-Select & Bulk Event Actions Example | Mobiscroll"
component: "Timeline"
framework: "JavaScript"
library_version: "6.1.5"
url: "https://demo.mobiscroll.com/javascript/timeline/event-bulk-actions-edit-delete-update"
---

# Multi-Select & Bulk Event Actions - JavaScript Timeline demo

Select multiple events on a Javascript Timeline by keyboard shortcut or button, then apply bulk delete or update — a side panel tracks the selection. Plain JavaScript API.

- [Live demo](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/javascript/timeline/event-bulk-actions-edit-delete-update)
- [View code on GitHub](https://github.com/acidb/mobiscroll-demos-javascript/tree/main/src/demos/eventcalendar/timeline/event-bulk-actions-edit-delete-update)
- This demo in other frameworks: [jQuery](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/jquery/timeline/event-bulk-actions-edit-delete-update.md), [Angular](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/angular/timeline/event-bulk-actions-edit-delete-update.md), [React](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/react/timeline/event-bulk-actions-edit-delete-update.md), [Vue](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/vue/timeline/event-bulk-actions-edit-delete-update.md)

## Description

Multiple event selection can be turned on with the [`selectMultipleEvents`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#opt-selectMultipleEvents) option. Selecting multiple events can be done through user interaction with `CTRL`/`SHIFT`/`CMD` + click or programmatically eg. click of a button or 'select all' checkbox.

Bulk operations like delete, update can be applied the selected events. Things like deleting with the `backspace` or `delete` buttons work out of the box but custom actions can be also applied. The selection can be easily retrieved and updated with the [`getSelectedEvents`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#method-getSelectedEvents) and [`setSelectedEvents`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#method-setSelectedEvents) method.

Custom actions can be performed with external buttons or with context menu activated on right-click.

## What this demo shows

- A desktop weekly timeline where days are arranged horizontally and resources are listed as rows on the left.
- **Header navigation** The month and year label opens date navigation, while the previous and next arrows move between weeks, and the Today button returns to the current date.
- **Week view** The strip below the header shows the selected week from Sunday to Saturday, with the current date highlighted.
- **Time grid** The timeline displays hourly columns from 12 AM to 12 PM.
- **Resources** Multiple resources are shown as separate timeline rows.
- **Current time** A vertical blue line with a time label marks the current time.
- **Hover behavior** Hovering over the time grid shows a time indicator that follows the cursor in 15-minute increments.
- **Bulk action panel** A side panel next to the timeline contains `Select all from view`, `Reset selection`, and `Update selected` actions.
- **Select all from view** Clicking this action selects all events currently visible, highlights their titles in the week view, and shows a bottom-centered toast message: `All events selected from the view`.
- **Reset selection** Clicking this action clears the current selection and shows a bottom-centered toast message: `Selection cleared`.
- **Update selected** Clicking this action changes the color of all selected events to orange and shows a bottom-centered toast message: `All selected event's color changed to orange`.
- **Currently selected** The side panel includes a `Currently selected` section that is empty by default and lists the titles of all selected events when one or more events are selected.
- **Multi-selection** Users can select multiple events with `CTRL`/`SHIFT`/`CMD` + click.
- **Context menu** Right-clicking an event opens a small popup with `Update` and `Delete` actions for that event.
- **Event cards** Events appear as colored cards with a colored stripe on the left, the event title in bold, and the exact start and end time displayed below the title.
- **Variable event height** Timeline events grow to fit their custom event content instead of forcing every event into the same fixed height.
- **Resource row height** Resource rows adjust dynamically based on the height of the events they contain.
- **Date positioning** Events are positioned by their assigned resource and exact date range.
- **Event interaction** Events highlight on hover and show drag and resize handles for repositioning or changing duration.
- **Event selection** Clicking an event selects and highlights it.
- **Event creation** New events can be created by double-clicking the timeline or by clicking and dragging across a time range.
- **Scrolling** The timeline supports horizontal and vertical scrolling for navigating through time and resources.

## Best for

- **Bulk schedule updates** Selecting several events and applying the same change, such as updating the color or status of multiple scheduled items at once.
- **Resource planning workflows** Managing schedules where events are grouped by resource and users need to act on several assignments in the same timeline view.
- **Operational cleanup** Reviewing a week of visible events and clearing, updating, or deleting selected items without editing each event individually.
- **Multi-event review** Tracking the current selection in a side panel so users can confirm which events will be affected before running a bulk action.
- **Context-specific actions** Giving users quick access to update and delete actions from a right-click menu while still supporting toolbar-style bulk actions.

## API used in this demo

- [`theme`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#opt-theme) - option
- [`themeVariant`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#opt-themeVariant) - option
- [`getSelectedEvents`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#method-getSelectedEvents) - method
- [`updateEvent`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#method-updateEvent) - method
- [`removeEvent`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#method-removeEvent) - method
- [`setSelectedEvents`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#method-setSelectedEvents) - method
- [`addEvent`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#method-addEvent) - method
- [`clickToCreate`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#opt-clickToCreate) - option
- [`dragToCreate`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#opt-dragToCreate) - option
- [`dragToMove`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#opt-dragToMove) - option
- [`dragToResize`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#opt-dragToResize) - option
- [`eventDelete`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#opt-eventDelete) - option
- [`selectMultipleEvents`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#opt-selectMultipleEvents) - option
- [`view`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#opt-view) - option
- [`resources`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#opt-resources) - option
- [`onEventUpdate`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#event-onEventUpdate) - event
- [`onEventDelete`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#event-onEventDelete) - event
- [`onPageLoading`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#event-onPageLoading) - event
- [`onEventRightClick`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#event-onEventRightClick) - event
- [`setOptions`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/select/api#method-setOptions) - method
- [`anchor`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/select/api#opt-anchor) - option
- [`open`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/select/api#method-open) - method
- [`touchUi`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/select/api#opt-touchUi) - option
- [`display`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/select/api#opt-display) - option
- [`buttons`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/select/api#opt-buttons) - option
- [`inputElement`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/select/api#opt-inputElement) - option
- [`onChange`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/select/api#event-onChange) - event
- [`onClose`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/select/api#event-onClose) - event
- [`setVal`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/select/api#method-setVal) - method
- [`getEvents`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#method-getEvents) - method
- [`setEvents`](https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/eventcalendar/api#method-setEvents) - method

## Code

### JS

```js
mobiscroll.setOptions({
  theme: 'ios',
  themeVariant: 'light'
});

var confirmOpen;
var firstDay;
var lastDay;
var selectedEvent;
var formatDate = mobiscroll.formatDate;
var listElm = document.createElement('ul');
document.getElementById('selected-event-list').append(listElm);

function getSelectedEventTitles(events) {
  var eventTitles = [];
  for (var i = 0; i < events.length; ++i) {
    eventTitles.push(events[i].title);
  }
  return eventTitles;
}

function deleteSelectedEvents() {
  var selectedEvents = calendar.getSelectedEvents();
  var events = selectedEvents.length == 0 && selectedEvent ? [selectedEvent] : selectedEvents;

  confirmOpen = true;

  mobiscroll.confirm({
    title: 'Are you sure you want to delete the following events?',
    message: getSelectedEventTitles(events).join(', '),
    okText: 'Delete',
    callback: function (result) {
      if (result) {
        var eventsToDelete = [];
        var eventsToUpdate = [];

        for (var i = 0; i < events.length; ++i) {
          var event = events[i];
          if (event.recurring) {
            var origEvent = event.original;
            var exc = origEvent.recurringException || [];
            exc.push(event.start);
            origEvent.recurringException = exc;
            eventsToUpdate.push(origEvent);
          } else {
            eventsToDelete.push(event);
          }
        }
        calendar.updateEvent(eventsToUpdate);
        calendar.removeEvent(eventsToDelete);
        calendar.setSelectedEvents([]);
        mobiscroll.toast({
          message: 'Deleted',
        });
      }
      confirmOpen = false;
    },
  });
}

function updateSelectedEvents() {
  var selectedEvents = calendar.getSelectedEvents();
  var events = selectedEvents.length == 0 && selectedEvent ? [selectedEvent] : selectedEvents;
  var eventsToUpdate = [];
  var newEvents = [];

  for (var i = 0; i < events.length; ++i) {
    var event = events[i];
    if (event.recurring) {
      var origEvent = event.original;
      var exc = origEvent.recurringException || [];
      var newEvent = event;

      newEvent.recurring = undefined;
      newEvent.color = 'orange';
      newEvent.id += '_' + formatDate('YYYY-MM-DD', event.start);
      newEvents.push(newEvent);

      exc.push(event.start);
      origEvent.recurringException = exc;
      eventsToUpdate.push(origEvent);
    } else {
      event.color = 'orange';
      eventsToUpdate.push(event);
    }
  }
  calendar.updateEvent(eventsToUpdate);
  calendar.addEvent(newEvents);
  calendar.setSelectedEvents([]);

  mobiscroll.toast({
    message: "All selected event's color changed to orange",
  });
}

var calendar = mobiscroll.eventcalendar('#demo-multiple-event-selection', {
  clickToCreate: true,
  dragToCreate: true,
  dragToMove: true,
  dragToResize: true,
  eventDelete: true,
  selectMultipleEvents: true,
  view: {
    timeline: {
      type: 'week',
    },
  },
  resources: [
    {
      id: 1,
      name: 'Ryan',
      color: '#fdf500',
    },
    {
      id: 2,
      name: 'Kate',
      color: '#ff4600',
    },
    {
      id: 3,
      name: 'John',
      color: '#ff0101',
    },
    {
      id: 4,
      name: 'Mark',
      color: '#239a21',
    },
    {
      id: 5,
      name: 'Sharon',
      color: '#8f1ed6',
    },
    {
      id: 6,
      name: 'Ashley',
      color: '#01adff',
    },
  ],
  onEventUpdate: function (args) {
    if (args.isDelete) {
      if (!confirmOpen) {
        deleteSelectedEvents();
      }
      return false;
    }
  },
  onEventDelete: function () {
    if (!confirmOpen) {
      deleteSelectedEvents();
      return false;
    }
  },
  onPageLoading: function (args) {
    firstDay = args.firstDay;
    lastDay = args.lastDay;
  },
  onEventRightClick: function (args) {
    selectedEvent = args.event;
    args.domEvent.preventDefault();
    menu.setOptions({
      anchor: args.domEvent.target,
    });
    setTimeout(function () {
      menu.open();
    });
  },
});

var menu = mobiscroll.select('#demo-context-menu', {
  touchUi: false,
  display: 'anchored',
  buttons: [],
  inputElement: document.getElementById('context-menu-input'),
  onChange: function (args) {
    if (args.value === 'update') {
      updateSelectedEvents();
    } else if (args.value === 'delete') {
      deleteSelectedEvents();
    }
  },
  onClose: function () {
    // Clear selection
    menu.setVal();
  },
});

document.getElementById('select-all-events').addEventListener('click', function () {
  calendar.setSelectedEvents(calendar.getEvents(firstDay, lastDay));
  mobiscroll.toast({
    message: 'All events selected from view',
  });
});

document.getElementById('reset-selection').addEventListener('click', function () {
  calendar.setSelectedEvents([]);
  mobiscroll.toast({
    message: 'Selection cleared',
  });
});

document.querySelector('.md-bulk-operations').addEventListener('keydown', function (ev) {
  if (!confirmOpen && (ev.keyCode === 8 || ev.keyCode === 46)) {
    deleteSelectedEvents();
  }
});

document.getElementById('update-selected').addEventListener('click', function () {
  updateSelectedEvents();
});

mobiscroll.getJson(
  'https://trial.mobiscroll.com/timeline-events/',
  function (events) {
    calendar.setEvents(events);
  },
  'jsonp',
);
```

### HTML

```html
<div mbsc-page class="md-bulk-operations">
    <div class="mbsc-grid mbsc-no-padding">
        <div class="mbsc-row">
            <div class="mbsc-col-sm-9 mbsc-push-sm-3">
                <div id="demo-multiple-event-selection" class="md-bulk-operations-border"></div>
                <input id="context-menu-input" type="hidden" />
                <select id="demo-context-menu">
                    <option value="update">Update</option>
                    <option value="delete">Delete</option>
                </select>
            </div>
            <div class="mbsc-col-sm-3 mbsc-pull-sm-9">
                <div class="mbsc-form-group">
                    <div class="mbsc-button-group-block">
                        <button id="select-all-events" mbsc-button>Select all from view</button>
                        <button id="reset-selection" mbsc-button>Reset selection</button>
                        <button id="update-selected" mbsc-button>Update selected</button>
                    </div>
                </div>
                <div class="mbsc-form-group-title">Currently selected</div>
                <div id="selected-event-list" class="mbsc-padding md-selected-event-list"></div>
            </div>
        </div>
    </div>
</div>
```

### CSS

```css
.md-bulk-operations-border {
    border-left: 1px solid #ccc;
}

.md-selected-event-list {
    height: 500px;
    overflow: auto;
    padding-top: 0;
    padding-bottom: 0;
}
```

## Implementation notes

- Use `timeline: { type: 'week' }` - a weekly view.
- Set `selectMultipleEvents: true` to enable Ctrl/Shift/Cmd+click multi-selection.
- Define 6 named resources (Ryan, Kate, John, Mark, Sharon, Ashley) each with `id`, `name`, and `color`.
- Load events asynchronously from `https://trial.mobiscroll.com/timeline-events/` via JSONP; set them on the calendar after load.
- Use a two-column layout: the calendar occupies 9/12 columns (pushed right), the sidebar 3/12 (pulled left). The sidebar contains three action buttons ("Select all from view", "Reset selection", "Update selected") and a scrollable list of currently selected event titles.
- Track `firstDay` and `lastDay` via `onPageLoading` (`args.firstDay` / `args.lastDay`). These are used by "Select all from view".
- `onSelectedEventsChange` → update the current selection and refresh the displayed titles list. React/Angular/Vue: the selection is tracked via the bound `selectedEvents` prop/binding (two-way); this handler just mirrors it into local state for the titles list.
- **"Select all from view"** → call `calendar.getEvents(firstDay, lastDay)` to get the visible events, then update the selection and the titles list. React/Angular/Vue: assign the result to the state/binding feeding the `selectedEvents` prop. JS/jQuery: pass the result to `calendar.setSelectedEvents()`. Shows toast "All events selected from view".
- **"Reset selection"** → clear the selection and the titles list. React/Angular/Vue: set the `selectedEvents` state/binding to `[]`. JS/jQuery: call `calendar.setSelectedEvents([])`. Shows toast "Selection cleared".
- **"Update selected"** → `updateSelectedEvents()`: get the currently selected events - React/Angular/Vue: read them from the bound `selectedEvents` state/binding; JS/jQuery: call `calendar.getSelectedEvents()` - then iterate and change color to orange. For **recurring occurrences**: detach the occurrence - set `recurring = undefined`, assign a new `id` by appending `_` + `formatDate('YYYY-MM-DD', event.start)`, add the occurrence's start to `origEvent.recurringException`. React/Angular/Vue: replace `origEvent` in place and append `newEvent` in the array bound to `data`. JS/jQuery: call `calendar.updateEvent(origEvent)` and `calendar.addEvent(newEvent)`. For **non-recurring**: set `color = 'orange'`. React/Angular/Vue: replace the event in place in the array bound to `data`. JS/jQuery: call `calendar.updateEvent(event)`. After: clear the selection (React/Angular/Vue: set the `selectedEvents` state/binding to `[]`; JS/jQuery: call `calendar.setSelectedEvents([])`), show toast "All selected event's color changed to orange".
- **`deleteSelectedEvents()`** → set `confirmOpen = true`, show a confirm dialog ("Are you sure you want to delete the following events?") with the selected event titles joined as the message and "Delete" as the ok button. On confirm: for **recurring** events, push `event.start` into `origEvent.recurringException` - React/Angular/Vue: replace `origEvent` in place in the array bound to `data`; JS/jQuery: call `calendar.updateEvent(origEvent)`. For **non-recurring**, collect them, then remove them - React/Angular/Vue: filter `eventsToDelete` out of the array bound to `data`; JS/jQuery: call `calendar.removeEvent(eventsToDelete)`. After: clear the selection (React/Angular/Vue: set the `selectedEvents` state/binding to `[]`; JS/jQuery: call `calendar.setSelectedEvents([])`), show toast "Deleted", set `confirmOpen = false`.
- Three entry points trigger `deleteSelectedEvents()`: (1) **`onEventDelete`** - fired by the Delete/Backspace key; use the `confirmOpen` flag to prevent double-triggering, then `return false`; (2) **`onEventUpdate` with `args.isDelete === true`** - fired when Mobiscroll attempts a keyboard delete on a multi-selection; same guard and `return false`; (3) **context menu "Delete" option**.
- **Right-click context menu**: `onEventRightClick` → store `selectedEvent = args.event` as a fallback (used if no events are selected), `args.domEvent.preventDefault()`, set the menu anchor to `args.domEvent.target`, open an anchored `Select` popup (`display: 'anchored'`, `touchUi: false`, no buttons) with two options ("Update" / "Delete"). On selection dispatch to `updateSelectedEvents()` or `deleteSelectedEvents()`; `updateSelectedEvents` / `deleteSelectedEvents` fall back to `[selectedEvent]` when the current selection is empty (React/Angular/Vue: the bound `selectedEvents` state/binding; JS/jQuery: `getSelectedEvents()`). On menu close, clear the selected value.
- **Keyboard delete**: attach a `keydown` listener on the `.md-bulk-operations` container; if Delete or Backspace is pressed and no confirm dialog is open, call `deleteSelectedEvents()`.

## Run it in your project

1. If not signed up yet, or don't own a license, you can [start a free trial](https://mobiscroll.com/starttrial).

2. Clone the repository:

   ```
   git clone https://github.com/acidb/mobiscroll-demos-javascript.git
   ```

3. If not installed yet, install the Mobiscroll CLI from NPM:

   ```
   npm install -g @mobiscroll/cli
   ```

4. Config Mobiscroll - open a terminal window in the root directory and run:

   ```
   mobiscroll config javascript
   ```

5. Install dependencies - open a terminal window in the root directory and run:

   ```
   npm install
   ```

6. Run the project:

   ```
   npm run dev
   ```

On a trial, add `--trial` to the config command: `mobiscroll config javascript --trial`.

Running a demo locally requires a Mobiscroll trial or a license; setup is per framework at https://mobiscroll.com/docs/javascript/getting-started/installation

## Related demos

- Previous: [Block Past Event Creation](https://demo.mobiscroll.com/javascript/timeline/disallow-past-event-creation.md) - Keep past dates read-only on a Javascript resource timeline — block creation, moving, and resizing, and show a toast for blocked actions.