Jquery sortable 'change' event element position

Is there way to get current position of helper being dragged on over new position ?

$("#sortable").sortable({
        start: function (event, ui) {
            var currPos1 = ui.item.index();
        },
        change:  function (event, ui) {
            var currPos2 = ui.item.index();
        }
});

It seems that currPos1 and currPos2 have same value when actual change happens !

What I need to achieve is highlight to user all positions between 'start drag element' to 'currently replaced element'. Once user releases mouse button update happens and only then I get new position, but I need it before mouse release.

UPDATED: 26/08/2016 ^{to use the latest jquery and jquery ui version plus bootstrap to style it.}

• demo: http://so.lucafilosofi.com/jquery-sortable-change-event-element-position/

$(function() {
    $('#sortable').sortable({
        start: function(event, ui) {
            var start_pos = ui.item.index();
            ui.item.data('start_pos', start_pos);
        },
        change: function(event, ui) {
            var start_pos = ui.item.data('start_pos');
            var index = ui.placeholder.index();
            if (start_pos < index) {
                $('#sortable li:nth-child(' + index + ')').addClass('highlights');
            } else {
                $('#sortable li:eq(' + (index + 1) + ')').addClass('highlights');
            }
        },
        update: function(event, ui) {
            $('#sortable li').removeClass('highlights');
        }
    });
});

This works for me:

start: function(event, ui) {
        var start_pos = ui.item.index();
        ui.item.data('start_pos', start_pos);
    },
update: function (event, ui) {
        var start_pos = ui.item.data('start_pos');
        var end_pos = ui.item.index();
        //$('#sortable li').removeClass('highlights');
    }

Use update, stop and receive events, check it over here

Jquery Sortable Update Event can called only one time?

If anyone is interested in a sortable list with a changing index per listitem (1st, 2nd, 3th etc...:

http://jsfiddle.net/aph0c1rL/1/

$(".sortable").sortable(
{
  handle:         '.handle'
, placeholder:    'sort-placeholder'
, forcePlaceholderSize: true
, start: function( e, ui )
{
    ui.item.data( 'start-pos', ui.item.index()+1 );
}
, change: function( e, ui )
  {
      var seq
      , startPos = ui.item.data( 'start-pos' )
      , $index
      , correction
      ;

      // if startPos < placeholder pos, we go from top to bottom
      // else startPos > placeholder pos, we go from bottom to top and we need to correct the index with +1
      //
      correction = startPos <= ui.placeholder.index() ? 0 : 1;

      ui.item.parent().find( 'li.prize').each( function( idx, el )
      {
        var $this = $( el )
        , $index = $this.index()
        ;

        // correction 0 means moving top to bottom, correction 1 means bottom to top
        //
        if ( ( $index+1 >= startPos && correction === 0) || ($index+1 <= startPos && correction === 1 ) )
        {
          $index = $index + correction;
          $this.find( '.ordinal-position').text( $index + ordinalSuffix( $index ) );
        }

      });

      // handle dragged item separatelly
      seq = ui.item.parent().find( 'li.sort-placeholder').index() + correction;
      ui.item.find( '.ordinal-position' ).text( seq + ordinalSuffix( seq ) );
} );

// this function adds the correct ordinal suffix to the provide number
function ordinalSuffix( number )
{
  var suffix = '';

  if ( number / 10 % 10 === 1 )
  {
    suffix = "th";
  }
  else if ( number > 0 )
  {

    switch( number % 10 )
    {
      case 1:
        suffix = "st";
        break;
      case 2:
        suffix = "nd";
        break;
      case 3:
        suffix = "rd";
        break;
      default:
        suffix = "th";
        break;
    }
  }
  return suffix;
}

Your markup can look like this:

<ul class="sortable ">
<li >        
    <div>
        <span class="ordinal-position">1st</span>
         A header
    </div>
    <div>
        <span class="icon-button handle"><i class="fa fa-arrows"></i></span>
    </div>
    <div class="bpdy" >
        Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
    </div>
</li>
 <li >        
    <div>
        <span class="ordinal-position">2nd</span>
         A header
    </div>
    <div>
        <span class="icon-button handle"><i class="fa fa-arrows"></i></span>
    </div>
    <div class="bpdy" >
        Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod
    </div>
</li>
etc....
</ul>