Setting multiple attributes for an element at once with JavaScript

You could make a helper function:

function setAttributes(el, attrs) {
  for(var key in attrs) {
    el.setAttribute(key, attrs[key]);
  }
}

Call it like this:

setAttributes(elem, {"src": "http://example.com/something.jpeg", "height": "100%", ...});

You might be able to use Object.assign(...) to apply your properties to the created element. Although some "properties (elem.height etc.) are read-only, i.e. accessors with only a getter (undefined setter)."

Keep in mind that height and width attributes are defined in pixels, not percents. You'll have to use CSS to make it fluid.

var elem = document.createElement('img')
Object.assign(elem, {
  className: 'my-image-class',
  src: 'https://dummyimage.com/320x240/ccc/fff.jpg',
  height: 120, // pixels
  width: 160, // pixels
  onclick: function () {
    alert('Clicked!')
  }
})
document.body.appendChild(elem)

// One-liner:
// document.body.appendChild(Object.assign(document.createElement(...), {...}))

.my-image-class {
  height: 100%;
  width: 100%;
  border: solid 5px transparent;
  box-sizing: border-box
}

.my-image-class:hover {
  cursor: pointer;
  border-color: red
}

body { margin:0 }

If you wanted a framework-esq syntax (Note: IE 8+ support only), you could extend the Element prototype and add your own setAttributes function:

Element.prototype.setAttributes = function (attrs) {
    for (var idx in attrs) {
        if ((idx === 'styles' || idx === 'style') && typeof attrs[idx] === 'object') {
            for (var prop in attrs[idx]){this.style[prop] = attrs[idx][prop];}
        } else if (idx === 'html') {
            this.innerHTML = attrs[idx];
        } else {
            this.setAttribute(idx, attrs[idx]);
        }
    }
};

This lets you use syntax like this:

var d = document.createElement('div');
d.setAttributes({
    'id':'my_div',
    'class':'my_class',
    'styles':{
        'backgroundColor':'blue',
        'color':'red'
    },
    'html':'lol'
});

Try it: http://jsfiddle.net/ywrXX/1/

If you don't like extending a host object (some are opposed) or need to support IE7-, just use it as a function

Note that setAttribute will not work for style in IE, or event handlers (you shouldn't anyway). The code above handles style, but not events.

Documentation

• Object prototypes on MDN - https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/JavaScript/Reference/Global_Objects/Object/prototype
• setAttribute on MDN - https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/DOM/element.setAttribute

You could code an ES5.1 helper function:

function setAttributes(el, attrs) {
    Object.keys(attrs).forEach(key => el.setAttribute(key, attrs[key]));
}

Call it like this:

setAttributes(elem, { src: 'http://example.com/something.jpeg', height: '100%' });

You can create a function that takes a variable number of arguments:

function setAttributes(elem /* attribute, value pairs go here */) {
    for (var i = 1; i < arguments.length; i+=2) {
        elem.setAttribute(arguments[i], arguments[i+1]);
    }
}

setAttributes(elem, 
    "src", "http://example.com/something.jpeg",
    "height", "100%",
    "width", "100%");

Or, you pass the attribute/value pairs in on an object:

 function setAttributes(elem, obj) {
     for (var prop in obj) {
         if (obj.hasOwnProperty(prop)) {
             elem[prop] = obj[prop];
         }
     }
 }

setAttributes(elem, {
    src: "http://example.com/something.jpeg",
    height: "100%",
    width: "100%"
});

You could also make your own chainable object wrapper/method:

function $$(elem) {
    return(new $$.init(elem));
}

$$.init = function(elem) {
    if (typeof elem === "string") {
        elem = document.getElementById(elem);
    }
    this.elem = elem;
}

$$.init.prototype = {
    set: function(prop, value) {
        this.elem[prop] = value;
        return(this);
    }
};

$$(elem).set("src", "http://example.com/something.jpeg").set("height", "100%").set("width", "100%");

Working example: http://jsfiddle.net/jfriend00/qncEz/