Advanced

JavaScript ™

Third Edition

Chuck Easttom

Wordware Publishing, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Easttom, Chuck.
Advanced JavaScript / by Chuck Easttom. -- 3rd ed.
p. cm.
Includes index.
ISBN-13: 978-1-59822-033-9 (pbk.)
ISBN-10: 1-59822-033-0
1. JavaScript (Computer program language). I. Title.
QA76.73.J39E37 2007
005.13'3--dc22 2007012641
CIP

© 2008, Wordware Publishing, Inc.

All Rights Reserved
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Plano, Texas 75074

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by

any means without permission in writing from
Wordware Publishing, Inc.

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN-10: 1-59822-033-0
ISBN-13: 978-1-59822-033-9
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
0708

JavaScript is a trademark of Sun Microsystems, Inc. in the United States and other countries.
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 Contents Summary n iii

Contents Summary

Chapter 1 Introduction to JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

Chapter 2 Getting Started with JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Chapter 3 JavaScript Fundamentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Chapter 4 Object-Oriented Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Chapter 5 Functions and Variable Scope. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Chapter 6 Utilizing JavaScript Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Chapter 7 Events in JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Chapter 8 Building and Extending Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Chapter 9 Arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Chapter 10 Time and Date in JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Chapter 11 JavaScript Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Chapter 12 Handling Strings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Chapter 13 The Document Object Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233
Chapter 14 The Document Object Model (Continued) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 240
Chapter 15 Utilizing the Status Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
Chapter 16 URLs and JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
Chapter 17 The Document Object and the History List . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Chapter 18 Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
Chapter 19 Links, Anchors, and Image Maps . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Chapter 20 Implementing Cookies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Chapter 21 Images and Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
Chapter 22 Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Chapter 23 Evaluation and Compilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508
Chapter 24 JavaScript Authoring Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516
Chapter 25 Plug-ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521
Chapter 26 Style Sheets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532
Chapter 27 Security Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
Chapter 28 Debugging Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545
iv n Contents Summary

Appendix A HTML Primer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554

Appendix B JavaScript Object Specification Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 560
Appendix C ASCII Character Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 578
Appendix D Online Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 584
 Contents n v

Contents

Acknowledgments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxi
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . xxii

Chapter 1 Introduction to JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

The World Wide Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Competition on the Web . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Extending HTML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Plug-ins, Applets, and ASP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Plug-ins. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Java Applets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
ASP and ASP.Net . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
What Is JavaScript? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Who Can Benefit from JavaScript? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
The History of JavaScript. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
JavaScript in a Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Client-side JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Browser Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
What Can JavaScript Do? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
Image Effects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Games . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Banners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Form Validation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Miscellaneous . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
JavaScript and Java. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
JavaScript Resembles Java. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
JavaScript Differs from Java . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

Chapter 2 Getting Started with JavaScript. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Essential Authoring Tools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Choosing a Text Editor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Choosing a Browser . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Basic JavaScript Structure . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
The <SCRIPT> Tag. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
Internal Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
External Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Short Statements. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Hiding the Script for Old Browsers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Important Notes about JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
vi n Contents

Chapter 3 JavaScript Fundamentals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

“Building” a Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
Data Types in JavaScript. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20
The Value Null . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Identifiers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Naming Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Variable Declaration . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
JavaScript Entities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24
Type Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25
Mixing Strings and Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Literals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Integer Literals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Decimal Integers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Octal Integers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
Hexadecimal Integers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Converting from Decimal to Other Bases . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28
Converting from a Specified Base to Decimal . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Referring to Octal and Hexadecimal Integers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Floating-Point Literals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
Boolean Literals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
String Literals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30
Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32
Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Multiple Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
Nested Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Evaluating Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34
Testing Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Function Definition. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35
Calling Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37
Control Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Dialog Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Alert Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Confirm Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38
Prompt Boxes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
Conditional Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39
if Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40
else Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42
Nested if-else Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43
Loop Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
for Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44
while Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

Chapter 4 Object-Oriented Programming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47
Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48
Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50
Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Using the Array Notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
 Contents n vii

Object Oriented vs. Object Based . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52

Chapter 5 Functions and Variable Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53

Variable Scope and Storage Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Variable Scope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 53
Variable Storage Class . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Function Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56
What Are Functions? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Defining and Calling Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Function Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 60
Using the arguments Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Creating Functions with Default Arguments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62
Returning a Value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63
Recursion. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Chapter 6 Utilizing JavaScript Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67

Operator Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Mathematical Operators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67
Addition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Subtraction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Multiplication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Division . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Modulus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
The Nonexistent Integral Division Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 69
Increment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
Decrement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Negation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
String Concatenation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
Bitwise Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74
Bitwise AND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75
Bitwise OR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Bitwise XOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76
Bitwise NOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Shift Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Left Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77
Right Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 78
Zero-fill Right Shift . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Assignment Operators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79
Relational Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 81
Equality and Inequality . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82
Short-Circuit Logical Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Logical OR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 83
Logical AND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Logical NOT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 84
Testing Equality for Floating-Point Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
More Logical Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Conditional Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85
Comma Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Data Type Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86
Void Operator . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 87
Operator Precedence . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
viii n Contents

Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 88
Side Effects. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

Chapter 7 Events in JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91

Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93
onLoad and onUnload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
onError . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96
Emulating Events via Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100
Calling Event Handlers Explicitly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101
Canceling Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103

Chapter 8 Building and Extending Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104

Creating Instances . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104
Constructor Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Defining Object Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 106
Nested Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 108
Defining Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 111
Creating Objects—An Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 113
Prototype and Object Extensions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 115
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 117

Chapter 9 Arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

What Is an Array? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Some History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118
Creating Simple Arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119
Referring to an Array’s Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 120
Creating Dense Arrays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Array Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122
Array Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 125
Array Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126
chop() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
grep() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 127
join() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 128
pop() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 129
push() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 130
reverse() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
shift() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 131
sort() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 132
splice() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 135
split(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 138
unshift() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 139
The arguments Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 140
Multidimensional Arrays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 142
Creation with a Single Constructor Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 144
Creation without a Constructor Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 145
Associative Arrays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 146
Populating an Associative Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 147
Splitting a String into an Associative Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 148
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 149
 Contents n ix

Chapter 10 Time and Date in JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150

The Date Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Creating a Date Instance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 150
Parameters of the Date Constructor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 151
Date Numeric Conventions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
Date Method Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 152
The get Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
getYear() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 153
getMonth() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 154
getDate() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 155
getDay() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
getHours() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
getMinutes() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 157
getSeconds() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
getTimezoneOffset() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 158
getTime() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
The set Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
setYear() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 159
setMonth() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
setDate(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
setHours() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
setMinutes(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
setSeconds(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 160
setTime() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
The to Methods. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
toGMTString() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 161
toLocaleString(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
The parse Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
parse() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 162
UTC() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
Time-Related Methods of Other Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
setTimeout() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 163
clearTimeout() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 165
Time and Date Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
A Simple Digital Clock . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 166
Monthly Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 170
getTime(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
leapYear(year) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
getDays(month, year) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 174
getMonthName(month) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
setCal() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 175
drawCal(firstDay, lastDate, date, monthName, year) . . . . . . . . . . . . 176
Random Quotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 179
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 181

Chapter 11 JavaScript Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182

Math in JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
The Math Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 182
Constants . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 183
LN2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
LN10 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
LOG2E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 184
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LOG10E . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
PI. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
SQRT1_2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 185
SQRT2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Math Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
Arithmetic Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
abs() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 186
ceil() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
exp() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 187
floor() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
log(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
max(), min() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
pow() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 188
random() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
round() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
sqrt() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 189
Trigonometric Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
cos() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
acos() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
sin(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
asin() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
tan(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 190
atan() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
atan2() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 191
The Number Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
Number Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
MAX_VALUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 192
MIN_VALUE. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
NaN. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
NEGATIVE_INFINITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
POSITIVE_INFINITY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 193
Number Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
Math-Related Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
parseInt(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
parseFloat() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 194
eval() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Math Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
Creating a Curve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 195
drawBlank(num) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
drawDot() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 198
getRadian(deg) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
getSpot(deg) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
get3DigitNum(num) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 199
printDeg(deg) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
drawLine(deg) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 200
drawCurve(lastDeg, jump) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 201
Global Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
General Plotting Utility. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 202
root(a, b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
logab(a, b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
factorial(a) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
startWizard() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 208
drawBlank(num) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
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drawDot(x, y) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
replaceSpecialSequence(str) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 210
splitFunc(func) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 211
getInput(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 212
yVal(xVal). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
makeArray(min, max, dif) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 213
printUnit(num) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
drawCurve() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 214
main(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Global Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 215
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 216

Chapter 12 Handling Strings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217

Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 217
Creating Strings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
String Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 218
HTML Formatting Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 219
General String Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
charAt() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 220
indexOf(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
lastIndexOf() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 221
substring() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 222
escape() and unescape() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 223
Number-to-String Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
Empty String Concatenation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 224
String Instance Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
The toString() Method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 225
String-to-Number Conversion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 226
parseInt() and parseFloat() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 227
Determining if a Value is a Number or Not . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
Evaluating Text Expressions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 228
String Handling Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
String Enciphering . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229
encipher() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 231
encode(str, key) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

Chapter 13 The Document Object Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

The window Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 234
The navigator Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
The document Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 235
The history Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 238
The location Object. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 239

Chapter 14 The Document Object Model (Continued) . . . . . . . . 240

Accessing a Document’s Structure with the DOM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 242
Using the Document Object Model . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 243
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 246

Chapter 15 Utilizing the Status Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247

The Status Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 247
xii n Contents

Writing to the Status Bar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 248

Setting a Default Value to the Status Bar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 250
Banners . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
T-banner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 251
Global Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
stopBanner() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 253
startBanner(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
showBanner() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 254
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
R-banner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 255
Global Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
clearState() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 258
stopBanner() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
startBanner(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
clearState() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
getRandom(max). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
getString() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259
showBanner() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 260
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
N-banner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 261
scrollBanner(seed). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 264

Chapter 16 URLs and JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265

A Crash Course in URLs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
General URL Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265
The URL Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 266
File Transfer Protocol (FTP) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Gopher Protocol (Gopher). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Electronic Mail (Mailto) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Usenet News (News) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 267
Host-Specific Filenames (File) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
JavaScript Statements (javascript) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
Other Schemes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
The location Object. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 268
location Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
href. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269
hash . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272
host . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
hostname . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 275
pathname . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
port. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
protocol . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 276
search . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 277
location Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
reload . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 281
replace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 282
Another Location—document.location (document.URL) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283
Search Utilities . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 284
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 288
 Contents n xiii

Chapter 17 The Document Object and the History List . . . . . . . 289

The document Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
The title Property. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 289
Colors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 291
bgColor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 292
Global Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 294
display(triplet) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
drawCell(red, green, blue). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
drawRow(red, blue) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 295
drawTable(blue) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
drawCube(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 296
toHex(dec) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 298
setbgColor(red, green, blue) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
fade(sred, sgreen, sblue, ered, egreen, eblue, step) . . . . . . . . . . . . . 299
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
fgColor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
alinkColor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
linkColor. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
vlinkColor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 300
Output Methods and Streams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
write and writeln . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
Data Streams . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 301
What Is a History List?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
The history Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
History List Length . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 303
History List Entry Indexing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
history Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
back . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 304
forward. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
go. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 305
Security Aspects of the history Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 306

Chapter 18 Forms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307

What Are HTML Forms? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
JavaScript Form Reference . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 307
forms Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
Form Name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 308
form Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
HTML Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 309
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
onSubmit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 310
onReset. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
submit() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 312
reset() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
action . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 313
elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 314
encoding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
method . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
target . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 317
xiv n Contents

Element Types . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 318

Using this with Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 319
Utilizing the form Property . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 322
text Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
HTML Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
JavaScript Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 324
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
onBlur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
onChange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 325
onFocus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 326
onSelect . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 328
Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
blur() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
focus() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 329
select() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 330
Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
defaultValue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 331
name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 332
value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
password Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
HTML Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 335
JavaScript Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
Properties and Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
textarea Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
HTML Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336
JavaScript Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 337
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Properties and Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Inserting New Line Characters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338
Handling textareas by Line. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
hidden Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
HTML Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339
JavaScript Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
Properties and Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
button, submit, and reset Objects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
HTML Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 340
JavaScript Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
onClick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341
Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
click() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 343
checkbox Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
HTML Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 346
JavaScript Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
onClick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
click() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 347
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Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
checked. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 348
defaultChecked. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 351
radio Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
HTML Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 352
JavaScript Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
onClick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
click() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 354
Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
checked. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
defaultChecked. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 356
value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
select Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
HTML Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 357
JavaScript Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 358
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
onBlur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
onChange. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
onFocus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
blur, focus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 359
Properties (select Object) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
length. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 360
options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
selectedIndex . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 361
Properties (options Array) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
defaultSelected. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
length. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
selected . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 363
text . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 365
value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 367
The Option Object—Adding Options Using the Option Constructor . . . . . 367
fileUpload Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
HTML Syntax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
JavaScript Access . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Event Handlers and Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
value . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 370

Chapter 19 Links, Anchors, and Image Maps. . . . . . . . . . . . . 372

Defining a Link . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 372
Defining an Anchor . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
Defining an Image Map Area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 373
links Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374
xvi n Contents

anchors Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 374

Link and Area Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
Calling Event Handlers Explicitly . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
onClick. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 375
onMouseOver . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 376
onMouseOut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 377
Link and Area Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
Location-Equivalent Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 379
target. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Referring Documents . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 380
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 381

Chapter 20 Implementing Cookies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382

Maintaining a State . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 382
Cookies and HTTP . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Setting an HTTP Cookie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 383
Getting an HTTP Cookie. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 384
Notes and Limitations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
First Transaction Sequence Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 385
Second Transaction Sequence Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Cookies and JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
Cookie Functions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 386
getInput(num, monthName) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
initCookie(monthName) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 400
getSpecificReminder(num, monthName) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
setSpecificReminder(num, monthName, newValue) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 401
Outliner . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 402
item(parent, text, depth) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
makeArray(length) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
makeDatabase() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 408
setStates() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 409
setImages() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 410
toggle(num) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 411
setStorage() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Global Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 412
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 413

Chapter 21 Images and Graphics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414

Defining Images in HTML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 414
The image Object. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 415
The images Array . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 416
Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
border . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
complete . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
height. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 419
hspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
lowsrc . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 421
name . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
src . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 422
vspace . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
width . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
 Contents n xvii

onAbort. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 423
onError . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
onLoad . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 424
Demonstration 1: Updating Digital Clock. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 425
Global Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 428
setClock() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 429
update() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
stopClock() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 430
getHour(place) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
getMinute(place) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
getAmpm() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 431
getPath(url) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
Demonstration 2: LED Sign . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 432
Global Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 441
letterArray(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
drawBlank() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
setLight(state, x, y) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 443
drawLetter(letter, startX) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
drawSpace(startX) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 444
computeIndex() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
floodBoard(startX) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
drawMessage(num) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 445
startSign() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 446
stopSign() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
More Global Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 447
Demonstration 3: Netris Deluxe . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 448
Global Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 465
drawScreen() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
computeIndex(x, y) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
state(x, y) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 467
setSquare(x, y, state) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
clearActive(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 468
checkMoveX(step) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 469
checkMoveY() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470
moveX(step). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 470
smartX(x, y, step) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471
moveY() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 472
smartY(x, y) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
shapeMap() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 473
getRandom() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 474
insertShape() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475
complexWarp() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 475
checkWarp(startX, startY, endX, endY) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476
rotate(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476
flood(state) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 476
noActive() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477
isLine(y) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 477
warp(startX, startY, endX, endY) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
start() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 478
dropLines() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 479
play() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 480
characteristics(x, y) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481
fullMap() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481
xviii n Contents

pause() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481
Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 482

Chapter 22 Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483

What Are Frames? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Creating Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 483
Targeting Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 486
Nested Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 487
JavaScript and Frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
self . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
parent . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 489
top . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490
frames . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 490
An Example: The Color Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491
The Frame-setting Window . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491
display(r, g, b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
makeAttribute(r, g, b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
Global Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 496
select(r, g, b) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
curAttribute() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 497
bodyDefinition() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498
update(). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 498
save() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499
load() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 499
HTML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 500
The “control” Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 501
display() . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502
Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502
The “swatches” Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 502
The “main” Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504
Frames, Events, and Event Handlers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504
Using Event Handlers in a Frame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504
Using Event Handlers in a Frame-Setting Document . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505
onFocus and onBlur . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 505
Emulating Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506
Targeting Multiple Frames. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 506
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 507

Chapter 23 Evaluation and Compilation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508

Evaluating a String . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 508
Function References and Calls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 510
Compiling Code as a Function . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511
Specifying the Function’s Body . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 511
Using the function Object with a Variable . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513
Specifying Arguments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 513
Using the function Object with an Event Handler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514
Properties of the function Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 514
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 515

Chapter 24 JavaScript Authoring Tools. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516
ScrypTik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 516
 Contents n xix

Komodo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 518
1st JavaScript Editor Pro. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 519
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 520

Chapter 25 Plug-ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521

Embedding a Plug-in Object in HTML . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 521
Referencing Plug-ins in JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522
Determining Installed Plug-ins with JavaScript . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 522
Properties of the mimeTypes Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523
Properties of the plugins Object . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525
LiveAudio and LiveVideo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526
LiveAudio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 526
LiveVideo . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 530
Other Plug-ins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 531

Chapter 26 Style Sheets. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 532
Content Layout . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Font Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Text Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Inheritance of Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533
Creating Style Sheets and Assigning Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 534
Defining Styles with the <STYLE> Tag in the Header . . . . . . . . . . . . 535
Specifying Styles for Individual Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535
Defining Classes of Styles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 535
Format Properties . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536
Box Math . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536
Replaced Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 536
Setting Margins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537
Setting Border Width . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 537
Setting the Padding Size . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 538

Chapter 27 Security Issues . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539

History . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 539
URL to URL Access Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540
The Concept of Tainting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 540
Enabling Data Tainting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 541
Specific Tainting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 542
Window Taint Accumulator. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 544

Chapter 28 Debugging Scripts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545

Types of Errors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 545
Error Messages. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 546
“string is not defined” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 547
“string is not a function” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
“unterminated string literal”. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
“missing } after function body” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
“string is not a number” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
“string has no property named property” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548
xx n Contents

“string has no property indexed by [i]” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 548

“string cannot be set by assignment” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549
“test for equality (==) mistyped as assignment (=)? Assuming
equality test” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549
“function does not always return a value” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549
“access disallowed from scripts at URL_1 to documents at URL_2” . . . . . 549
“Lengthy JavaScript still running. Continue?” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549
“syntax error” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549
Manual Debugging Techniques . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 549
Match Those Tag Pairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
View the Intermediate HTML Source. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Reopen the File . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Print Messages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Comment Out Statements . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 550
Watching and Tracing Variables . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
Getting It Right the First Time . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
Build the Script’s Skeleton First . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 551
Keep Testing While Developing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552
Evaluate Expressions Outside Your Source. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552
Test Your Functions Outside Your Source. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 552
Testing Your Script . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553
Summary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 553

Appendix A HTML Primer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 554

Appendix B JavaScript Object Specification Syntax . . . . . . . . . 560

Appendix C ASCII Character Set . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 578

Appendix D Online Resources . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 582

Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 584
 Acknowledgments n xxi

Acknowledgments

This book was a wonderful project and one I was eager to do for some time.
The first two editions of Advanced JavaScript had been well received, but it
was time for an update. I would like to take the time to thank several people
who were indispensable in making this project happen:
Tim McEvoy and the wonderful people at Wordware Publishing who
labored through this with me.
And of course my wife, Misty, who did not complain at all when I was
spending hours in my den typing away.
xxii n Introduction

Introduction

The Third Edition

Several things have been updated in this book. First, the text in general has
been updated due to changes in the Internet and web development since the
last edition. I have also dropped a few items that are outdated (such as hid-
ing scripts from older browsers) and expanded coverage of topics like the
Document Object Model. I think this book is even better than the last edi-
tion, and it is my hope it will help take your JavaScript to a new level.

Prerequisites
JavaScript is a scripting language designed to be used within HTML docu-
ments. For this reason a basic working knowledge of HTML is required
before you can learn or use JavaScript. For those readers either lacking this
basic knowledge or requiring a refresher course, Appendix A is a basic
HTML primer that will teach you all of the skills you will need.

How to Read This Book

As the title suggests, this book focuses on advanced JavaScript programming
and has the experienced JavaScript programmer in mind. However, the first
few chapters and Appendix A do provide basic primers on both HTML and
JavaScript. Those with limited JavaScript experience should carefully study
the first few chapters, while more experienced programmers may want to
skim these chapters or skip them entirely.

The Structure of This Book

It’s important to understand how the book is structured so you can plan your
learning experience in the best possible way. The table of contents lists the
chapters by name. If you are an experienced JavaScript programmer just
looking for a reference on a particular subject, feel free to skip directly to the
relevant chapter.
 Introduction n xxiii

JavaScript is a viable scripting language for both Netscape and Internet

Explorer, so I will use examples from both browsers and will point out any
differences. If you have the latest version of either Netscape or Internet
Explorer, then virtually all the examples should work fine for you. Older ver-
sions of both browsers, particularly 3.0 and earlier, lacked support for some
JavaScript features.

Programming Style
As both an aid to the reader and to illustrate good programming practices, I
use a uniform style throughout this entire text and in all the sample code
you will find in the companion files (available at www.wordware.com/files/
java0330). For example, all variables are in Hungarian notation, meaning the
variable is preceded by one to three letters designating the type of variable
it is. That is, an integer being used as a loop counter might be named
intcounter, and a float that holds an account balance might be named
fltbalance. I also have a tendency to comment very heavily; some would
say too much. This comes from teaching and creating code samples for stu-
dents. I hope you will find this helpful:
for (var intcounter = 0; intcounter < 10; ++intcounter)
{
[JavaScript statements]
}// end of for loop

Some JavaScript scripters prefer to use a different style:

for (var num = 0; num < 10; ++num)
{
[JavaScript statements]
}

A lot of my style preferences are just that—preferences. It is hard to call one

style right and another wrong. However, I strongly suggest that when you
are writing code you consider the fact that other programmers will probably
need to read your code at some point. They will have absolutely no idea
what you were thinking when you wrote your code. I try to write code in
such a way that even a novice programmer with no prior knowledge of the
project at hand could easily deduce the intended purpose of the code.

Reading Examples
It seems obvious but read the examples thoroughly. Make sure you have a
firm understanding of how and why they work. It is also helpful to actually
run them. If you don’t wish to run them, at least read them thoroughly and
make certain that you fully understand every line of code and what it does.
xxiv n Introduction

Encouragement for Nonprogrammers

Learning a scripting language is a lot easier than learning a full programming
language such as Java or C++. Fortunately, JavaScript is enough like Java
that you will find it relatively easy to leverage your JavaScript skills into Java
programming as well. Just remember that computers do exactly what we tell
them to do, which may not always be exactly what we intended them to do.
Most programming errors (called “bugs”) stem from simple mistakes. I have
an axiom that I believe is true: “Any error that takes more than 15 minutes
to find will turn out to be something simple.” In my experience, complex or
fundamental errors are easy to find, though they may be quite hard to fix.
Errors that take a long time to find are almost invariably simple mistakes.

Warning for Programmers

If your programming experience has been in strictly procedural languages
such as C and Pascal, hold on tight. JavaScript, like Java, is object oriented.
This will be a whole new approach to programming for you. But not to
worry—this book will walk you through it step by step. However, if you are
an experienced object-oriented programmer, especially a C++ or Java pro-
grammer, then this book should be a pretty easy read for you.
 Introduction to JavaScript n 1

Chapter 1

Introduction to JavaScript

The World Wide Web

With each passing year the Internet becomes a more integral part of our
lives, and web pages (along with e-mail) are probably the most common way
we use the Internet. Twenty years ago there were few web pages, and not
many people using them. Most of those web pages were very plain, simple
text with an occasional inserted image, all done with simple HTML. As more
and more end users discovered the Internet, however, web page developers
found those users had quite an appetite for expanded graphics and
functionality.
Simple, plain HTML web pages were no longer attractive to end users.
New technologies emerged to help enhance web pages, and JavaScript has
been, for the past decade, one of the most common enhancements to HTML
web pages. With JavaScript you can take a static HTML page and make it
dynamic and interactive. You can add real functionality, calculations, and
even some interesting image effects.

Competition on the Web

With the explosion in the number of web sites available, competition for visi-
tors is every bit as intense as the competition among television networks,
radio stations, and other media. Since on any given topic there are a plethora
of sites vying for your attention, simply having a web site is not enough.
Having a popular web site is the goal now.
Site popularity is usually measured by the number of visits, or “hits,” a
web site receives. Major sites such as www.yahoo.com can receive tens of
thousands of hits per day. Less popular sites may only receive a few hundred
hits a day, while personal web pages may only receive a few hits per week or
month. The competition to get visitors to sites is becoming quite fierce. In
fact, advertising dollars are now pouring in to sites that can attract a signifi-
cant number of visitors. Entire businesses are now based entirely on the
web. Book sellers like www.amazon.com, search engines like
www.google.com, and informative pages like www.kbb.com (Kelly Blue
2 n Chapter 1

Book) are all conducting business entirely online. Without traffic, they have
no business at all. Even those businesses that do not entirely conduct their
business online are often dependent upon the web for at least some of their
customers.
The obvious way to get visitors to a site is to add content, both informa-
tional/functional and purely decorative. By informational content, I mean
content that provides some valuable information to the visitor. Information is
the reason people go to the web, and for your site to be popular it must con-
tain usable, easily searchable information. Even without large advertising
budgets, robust content and “word of mouth” can drive traffic to your web
site. This is an area for which JavaScript is ideally suited. Your web site is
truly useless if people do not visit it. There are several ways to attract read-
ers to a site:
n Advertising. You can advertise your web site on pages that belong to
other companies or individuals by placing some text or images on their
page. For example, the user sees a banner at the top of the page; when
he or she clicks the banner, the advertiser’s site is loaded. Many large
companies also tend to advertise via traditional methods such as news-
papers, magazines, television, and radio. Although this method is some-
what less efficient, it works surprisingly well for well-established
companies and has become a quite common practice. Web sites with
high traffic (like www.yahoo.com) make substantial revenue via adver-
tising other sites.
n Submission. Once you have a web site, people should know that it
exists. Most people and small businesses do not have enough resources
to advertise via banners that can cost up to tens of thousands of dollars a
month. The most common free promotion method is to submit the URL
and description of a web page to search engines and directories. Those
services provide an easy way of retrieving desired web pages. For exam-
ple, a search engine returns URLs of pages that are related to a specific
topic that the user searched for. Google and Lycos are just some exam-
ples of such search engines; there are hundreds available on the web.
Directories such as Yahoo! gather web pages by subject so the user can
find pages related to a given subject.
n Attractive site. The most important way to attract users to your site is
by creating an engaging site. Most readers tend to stick to sites that
they have visited before and where they have found interesting, new
material every visit. The most “effective” way to deter people from
revisiting your site is by allowing it to become stale. Consider retail
businesses. They all work hard to have the exterior of the business as
attractive and convenient for their target customers as possible. You
should use the same philosophy in your web sites.
 Introduction to JavaScript n 3

Extending HTML

Chapter 1
HTML is the heart of all web programming, but it is a somewhat limited
document-formatting language. It is based on tags, which instruct the
browser how to display a chunk of text or an image. As such, the HTML is
limited to a static, one-way interaction with the user. The web page can be
as sophisticated and attractive to the surfer’s eyes as it can possibly be, but
the user cannot interact with the page. Put another way, HTML simply lays
there, much like a newspaper or book. The author has produced content and
that content will be the same no matter how many times you read it, and it
will be the same for all readers.
Interactive or dynamic web sites bring more enriched content and per-
sonalization to the web. Interaction cannot be static—it requires constructs
such as if statements and for loops, which are not part of the HTML syntax.
These missing constructs needed to make interactive web pages are
found in JavaScript. This object-oriented language provides web page
authors with the power to reach a very high level of interaction between the
user and the document. The power of the language is best shown by its long
tenure in the arena of web development tools. JavaScript has been a stan-
dard in web developers’ toolboxes for over ten years, and most web
development jobs today still require a strong working knowledge of
JavaScript. Some technologies come and go before we even realize what
they were (Jazz drives and Virtual Reality Modeling Language come to
mind), but JavaScript has earned a cornerstone place in web development. It
is truly difficult to imaging a competent web developer who is not well
versed in JavaScript.

Plug-ins, Applets, and ASP

Web page authoring consists of applying various techniques and technolo-
gies. This is often conceptualized as developing the web site in layers. The
more powerful the layer, the more complex it is to program. The most funda-
mental layer is HTML. HTML is used to create the basic web page. Most
other web technologies are used to enhance and expand that basic HTML
page. As we explained earlier, JavaScript extends HTML to a dynamic
user/page interaction. Plug-ins and applets extend JavaScript’s capabilities
even more.

Plug-ins
Another way to extend browser capabilities is by plugging an application into
it. You have already seen plug-ins if you have ever visited a web page that
had a Flash animation or video in it. We will discuss plug-ins in depth in
Chapter 25, which is dedicated to these mechanisms and their powerful con-
nections with JavaScript.
4 n Chapter 1

Java Applets
There are cases where one may find plug-ins just not up to the task. Let’s
say you want to place a rotating globe on your page. Sun Microsystems
answered this need with the Java programming language. While Java can
certainly be used for other tasks, Java applets are a common application of
the Java language. Programmers can use Java to build small applications
(applets) that are downloaded to the browser upon hitting the appropriate
page and then automatically discarded from memory when a new page is
loaded. The applet concept is similar to the image file concept. Like the way
a .gif file is loaded upon hitting a page that calls the appropriate image, an
applet is loaded upon the browser’s request. The applet, though, is more
than a static combination of pixels; it is an independent program that exe-
cutes when the page loads and is automatically terminated when the page
unloads. The applet is a self-sustained, independent module, without any
possibilities for user interaction during its execution.
One classic example of an applet is a scrolling LED banner, similar to
the scrolling sign at Times Square. This is a common method used to inform
your visitors about changes you have made to your page. You can change
your banner whenever you want to bring new items to the user’s attention.
This touch of animation can bring your page to life and create the perception
of a dynamic, up-to-date site.
For a browser company to support Java applets, it needs to license the
technology from Sun and build the proper hooks in the browser. The first
one to do so was Sun itself, with its HotJava browser. Netscape incorporated
it later, as did Microsoft. More recently Mozilla Firefox supports Java
applets. In recent years Microsoft has quit supporting Java directly; how-
ever, Microsoft does provide links to external web sites where one can get
Java. The following web sites also contain Java downloads:
http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/java/ and http://www.java.com/en/down-
load/index.jsp.

þ Note: You have probably asked yourself about the origin of Java. The Java
language is derived from C and C++ and is targeted for more experienced
programmers. Therefore, many web page authors and casual programmers
cannot adopt the language as easily as they have adopted HTML or Visual
Basic. JavaScript was created to answer this exact need; however, you will find
the syntax of JavaScript very much like that of Java or C.

ASP and ASP.Net

There are some tasks that cannot be accomplished by the browser on the
client side. Tasks such as building a common database for an engineering
department must rely on a server accepting data and requests from all users
and storing it for future access and processing. Such applications were for-
merly written almost exclusively in Common Gateway Interface; however,
 Introduction to JavaScript n 5

more web sites today use ASP or ASP .NET for such tasks. ASP is a

Chapter 1
Microsoft technology that must run on a Microsoft Internet Information
Server (IIS) web server, but can be viewed from any browser on any plat-
form (Windows, Linux, Mac, etc.). ASP stands for Active Server Pages. The
name itself tells you something about how it works. The ASP pages are on
the server side, not the client, and they are active and dynamic. If your goal
is professional web development, then at some point you should consider
learning ASP/ASP .NET. Unfortunately, ASP and ASP .NET are far beyond
the scope of this book. There are other technologies in use such as Ruby on
Rails and JavaServer pages. But as of this writing, JavaScript is the most
commonly used client-side scripting language and ASP/ASP.Net have
become the most commonly used server-side tools.

What Is JavaScript?
We have talked about the various major web development technologies and
given you an idea of where JavaScript fits in, but what exactly is JavaScript?
JavaScript is an easy-to-use object-oriented scripting language designed for
creating dynamic online applications that link together objects and resources
on both clients and servers. While Java is used by programmers to create
new objects and applets, JavaScript is designed for use by HTML page
authors and enterprise application developers to dynamically script the
behavior of objects running on either the client or the server. JavaScript’s
design and concepts represent the next generation of software for the
Internet. JavaScript is:
n Designed for creating network-centric applications
n Complementary to and integrated with Java
n Complementary to and integrated with HTML
n Open and cross-platform

This means that JavaScript works hand in hand with HTML, and will work
on any platform (Windows, Linux, Mac, etc.). It is also important to note that
you don’t need any special tools to use JavaScript. You can simply write
scripts in any text editor, as we will do throughout most of this book. We
will, in a much later chapter, look at editors that make writing JavaScript
much easier; however, you can certainly write JavaScript without the use of
such editors.
With JavaScript, an HTML page might contain a form that processes
data on the client side. A server-side JavaScript might pull data out of a rela-
tional database and format it in HTML on the fly. A page might contain
JavaScript scripts that run on both the client and the server.
6 n Chapter 1

Who Can Benefit from JavaScript?

Generally speaking, the people who visit your web site benefit most from
JavaScript, because they have the opportunity to enjoy the language’s capa-
bilities in the form of games, animation, interaction, and so forth. Netscape
Communications benefited from JavaScript early on, because it gave them a
competitive advantage over other web browsers. And of course you, the web
developer, benefit since you can create more dynamic web content.

The History of JavaScript

JavaScript was originated by Netscape as LiveScript, developed in parallel
with LiveWire server software. LiveScript was developed for several appli-
cations—we’ll discuss two of them here. The first application is to enhance
web pages in a way that HTML cannot. The classic example is verifying a
user’s form entries. Instead of sending the data as is to the server and vali-
dating the data types there, the client handles all the validation and only
then sends the data to the server for further processing. Another application
for LiveScript (JavaScript) is as the communication glue between HTML
documents and Java applets. A scrolling banner, for example, can use infor-
mation from the user’s customized settings, sent to the applet by LiveScript.
This data exchange is transparent to the server and, since there is no
server-client communication, there is no response time penalty.
In December 1995, Sun Microsystems took over LiveScript develop-
ment and changed its name to JavaScript. On the one hand, JavaScript is
related to Java in its C++ object flavor. On the other hand, JavaScript’s ver-
nacular is much reduced compared to Java, in order to make it suitable for
less experienced programmers and scripters. JavaScript’s first and foremost
advantage is in its ease of learning. Additionally, its features and capabilities
are important for web page interactivity as well as for customizing solutions
around prewritten applets.
In 1996 Microsoft introduced its first JavaScript-enabled browser,
Internet Explorer 3.0. Netscape followed up a week later with another
JavaScript-enabled browser, Netscape Navigator. Internet Explorer was far
from reaching Navigator 3.0’s level in terms of JavaScript support and lacked
many important features and capabilities. In early 1997 the beta version of
Netscape Navigator version 4.0 (Communicator) was released. Microsoft
Internet Explorer was still far from reaching Navigator 3.0’s level at that
point. Versions of Internet Explorer and Navigator as early as 5.5 and 6.0,
respectively, fully support JavaScript.
 Introduction to JavaScript n 7

JavaScript in a Browser

Chapter 1
Client-side JavaScript
Client-side JavaScript is the most common form of the language. The script
should be included in or referenced by an HTML document for the code to
be interpreted by the browser. Suppose you load a web page with a
JavaScript-generated banner. The browser begins interpreting the HTML
code and then encounters a JavaScript script. If the script has no syntax
errors, it is executed by the browser’s built-in interpreter. This is the most
common method of implementing JavaScript because it is the easiest. Just
write your scripts directly into the HTML and you are done.
The JavaScript client-side mechanism features many advantages over
traditional CGI server-side scripts. For example, you might use JavaScript to
check if the user has entered a valid e-mail address in a form field. The
JavaScript function is executed when the user submits the form, and only if
the entry is a valid e-mail address (includes an @) is the form transmitted to
the server for further processing, database storage, and so on. In this case,
the user does not need to wait until the form is submitted over the network
to the server and back to the client, only to be informed that a required char-
acter is missing.

Browser Objects
JavaScript uses a built-in object model that is mostly based on the HTML
content of the given web page. This object model, called the Document
Object Model (or DOM), is used by many web technologies to access the
content of HTML documents as well as the browser itself. The tight interac-
tion between JavaScript and other browser objects (such as forms, browser
windows, frames, and images) provides full control over various page ele-
ments and enables the programmer to create a link between “external”
objects and “internal” ones. A classic example for such linking is a
JavaScript script that invokes a Java applet from an HTML form.
JavaScript exposes objects and properties related to the browser’s win-
dow, history list, status bar, frames, forms, links, and so forth. All of these
are part of that Document Object Model. Furthermore, JavaScript can be
used to trap user-initiated events such as button clicks, link navigation, and
other actions that the user explicitly or implicitly initiates. You can create a
distinct script for each event, enabling a smooth, logical interaction with the
user.

What Can JavaScript Do?

In this section we take a look at a few interesting effects and programs cre-
ated entirely with JavaScript. At this point we will only focus on client-side
JavaScript that is embedded in or referenced by an HTML document. Con-
sider these items a preview of things to come in this book.
8 n Chapter 1

Image Effects
It is very easy to create interesting image effects with JavaScript. Effects
such as image rollovers are common on many web sites. You will see later in
this book just how easy these are to implement in JavaScript.

Games
You can create many interesting games with JavaScript. During our
JavaScript programming experience we have written tic-tac-toe games, a
mastermind game, a Tetris game, and many others. There are basically two
types of games you can create via JavaScript:
n Static games
n Dynamic games

Static games are usually logical ones, and thus do not require much action or
immediate responses. For example, you can play tic-tac-toe without any live
action, because even reloading the entire page for each move does not inter-
fere with the game itself (although it might be very boring). Static games do
not require image replacements or animation. Dynamic games, on the other
hand, require real-time action and animation. For example, a Tetris game
requires that the blocks will fall down the screen smoothly without having to
wait each time for the screen to be refreshed. Dynamic games are often
resource intensive and therefore must be programmed with efficiency in
mind. Small, simple games are usually embedded in existing web pages,
whereas large, complex games are most often placed on a separate page.

Banners
JavaScript is a full scripting language, so you can create an infinite number of
distinct scripts. Nevertheless, some implementations became more popular
than others due to the fact that they are easy to use and create interesting
effects. Banners are a classic example of such scripts. A banner is a script
that displays text in the browser’s status bar or in a form’s text field. The
most common banners are those that scroll and those that type in messages
sequentially.

Form Validation
JavaScript is tightly connected to browser objects, including forms and their
elements; therefore, it provides a great amount of control over forms. Form
validation is one of the most common applications of JavaScript, and one we
will certainly be using in this book. A classic form-related script is one that
validates a form’s fields before it is submitted and cancels the submission to
the server if an error is found in one of the fields. The advantage of using
JavaScript in this particular example is that client-side validation is much
faster than validation via transmission to the server and back to the client.
For example, suppose you have a form that accepts data from the user,
including his or her e-mail address. Let’s assume that the e-mail address is
 Introduction to JavaScript n 9

essential, and that a string containing an “@” character is assumed to be a

Chapter 1
valid e-mail address. There are two options:
n You can choose not to validate the entries. In that case, when the user
clicks the Submit button, the form is submitted to the server where a
CGI script checks if the e-mail address field is valid and then processes
the form. If the e-mail address does not contain an “@” character, the
submission is denied and the appropriate message is returned to the
user.
n You can choose to use client-side validation via JavaScript. In that case
the validating script is loaded as plain text (JavaScript code embedded in
the HTML code). When the user clicks the Submit button, a JavaScript
function is triggered to validate the form. If the e-mail address seems
valid, the form is submitted to the server; otherwise, an appropriate
message is immediately displayed and the submission is canceled. Note
that the user does not have to wait for the form to be submitted to the
server and back to the client, only to receive a message informing him
or her that the e-mail address field contains an invalid entry.

Miscellaneous
I have covered the most important JavaScript implementations. However, as
with all other languages, it is obviously impossible to cover all or most of the
possible scripts. You can use JavaScript to create almost anything you desire.
For example, you can create an LED sign, which once could be created only
with Java.
Bear in mind that client-side JavaScript is executed on the user’s
machine. That is, you do not have any direct access to the server’s proper-
ties with client-side JavaScript. Although that may seem to be a
disadvantage, it is sometimes very convenient to have access to client-side
properties rather than server-side ones. For example, you can create a digi-
tal clock that shows the current time in the client’s time zone, because
JavaScript extracts the time from the client’s operating system, be it Win-
dows, Macintosh, Unix, or any other OS.
The full control over browser objects is what makes client-side
JavaScript so powerful. You can pop up windows and use them as remote
controls linked to the original window. (Pop-up windows have been drasti-
cally overused, however, and many web developers tend to avoid them now.)
You can use one link to perform several operations or load various docu-
ments in separate frames simultaneously. You can also use JavaScript to
create an online calculator or to draw graphs and curves. To attract visitors,
you can enhance a web page with JavaScript in many different ways.
We have introduced a few client-side JavaScript scripts in this section.
Although client-side JavaScript is by far the most important and useful, there
are many other implementations of the language. For example, you can use
JavaScript for server-side applications using the LiveWire compiler.
Server-side JavaScript is actually an alternative to traditional CGI program-
ming via Perl and C++. JavaScript is a very convenient language; thus, it is
10 n Chapter 1

used alongside many other languages and for various purposes. Another
example of using JavaScript is for automatic proxy configuration. As you
might already know, Netscape Navigator enables you to connect through a
proxy server. You can configure the proxies manually by entering the correct
values or entering the URL of an automatic proxy configuration script, which
is actually a JavaScript code. The JavaScript code is located in a text file on
the server but is not compiled like server-side JavaScript. As you can see,
there is plenty to do with JavaScript, and JavaScript is now one of the most
important languages for web development. We will cover the most important
implementations of the language in this book.

JavaScript and Java

JavaScript Resembles Java
JavaScript supports most of Java’s expression syntax and basic control flow
constructs. Take a look at the following JavaScript code segment:
for (var i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
{
/* statements come here */
}

Now take a look at the Java equivalent:

for (int i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
{
/* statements come here */
}

Notice the similarity. The only difference is the variable declaration

(JavaScript is loosely typed).
JavaScript and Java are both based on objects, but their implementations
differ. In both languages, many built-in functions are implemented as proper-
ties and methods of various objects.

JavaScript Differs from Java

JavaScript resembles Perl in that it is interpreted, not compiled. Java is
referred to as a compiled language. Unlike most other programming lan-
guages, though, Java is not compiled to a native machine code, but rather to
a Java byte code. Java byte code is an architecture-neutral byte-code com-
piled language. That is, an applet is compiled to Java byte code and then run
by a machine-dependent run-time interpreter. Therefore, Java is much
slower than general programming languages such as C++. Since Java is
compiled, the common user cannot see the actual code behind the program.
When a user comes across a JavaScript script, he or she can generally see
and even copy (legally or illegally) the code simply by using the browser to
view the HTML source that contains the script (unless it is an external
script). A compiled language has many other advantages. For example, a
 Introduction to JavaScript n 11

compiled program is much more efficient than one that is always interpreted

Chapter 1
directly from a text file, such as Perl and JavaScript. On the other hand,
there are more than enough reasons to prefer an interpreted language over a
compiled one. It is much easier and more convenient to debug and modify a
program by simply modifying its text file rather than having to recompile it.
Furthermore, most scripts and applets implemented in Java or JavaScript for
web usage do not require efficiency and do not demand resources. There-
fore, an interpreted language is somewhat more convenient.
Both Java and JavaScript are based on objects. However, their imple-
mentations of objects are different. JavaScript is an object-based language. It
supports built-in, extensible objects, but no classes or inheritance. Its object
hierarchy is not an inheritance hierarchy as in Java. JavaScript features two
types of objects:
n Static objects—objects that combine general functions (methods) and
data constructs (properties). The values of such objects’ properties are
usually read-only. A static object is a single object, and thus does not
enable you to create instances of it. For example, the Math object in
JavaScript is a static one, because you cannot create instances according
to its template. Its methods are common mathematical functions,
whereas its properties are mostly mathematical constants.
n Dynamic objects—objects by which instances are created. A dynamic
object resembles a template. You do not touch or use the object directly.
In order to take advantage of such an object, you must create an
instance of it. For example, the Date object is a dynamic object in
JavaScript. An instance of that object is associated with a given date. You
can create as many instances of a dynamic object as needed.
Java is fully extensible. A programmer can create numerous classes that
group objects together. A class is a term used in object-oriented program-
ming vernacular to refer to a set of related objects that share common
characteristics. Java programmers create their own extensions to the base
set of tools or classes. JavaScript’s object model is somewhat simpler than
Java’s equivalent, so JavaScript’s object implementation is much easier to
accommodate than Java’s model.
Another difference between Java and JavaScript is their time of binding.
JavaScript features dynamic binding, so all object references are checked at
run time. Java, on the other hand, is based on static binding, meaning that all
object references must exist and be valid at compile time. However, an
object-oriented language may require dynamic method bindings because
polymorphism allows multiple definitions of methods sharing a common
name, and calling such polymorphic methods often cannot be resolved until
run time. The most obvious reason for this difference is that JavaScript is
not compiled, so checking object references at compile time has no meaning.
If you are not familiar with Java, you should pay no attention to these confus-
ing terms—simply bear in mind that the object implementation in JavaScript
varies widely from that in Java.
12 n Chapter 1

When you write a script, you likely need to use variables. In order to
use a variable, you must declare it. Another difference between Java and
JavaScript is that Java is strongly typed, as opposed to JavaScript, which is
loosely typed. That is, when you declare a variable in Java, you must specify
its data type. For example, when you create a variable to contain integer val-
ues you must use the int keyword. In JavaScript, all variables are declared
in the same way. Furthermore, a variable of one data type can contain a value
of a different data type elsewhere in the script. This behavior resembles
other popular languages such as Perl, and is discussed in Chapter 3.
I have intentionally left the most critical difference to the end. You may
have noticed that all differences discussed thus far are related to the lan-
guage itself. A very important difference between Java and JavaScript is that
JavaScript is integrated with, and embedded in, HTML.
I have spoken with many people who believe that JavaScript is a
scaled-down version of Java. As you should already know, that is not true.
JavaScript cannot perform many tasks that Java can, whereas Java cannot do
most things that JavaScript is capable of doing.
JavaScript is supported by many companies. At the same time Netscape
Communications and Sun Microsystems announced JavaScript, more than 28
companies also announced that they would be endorsing JavaScript as the
open scripting standard for the Internet, and many indicated that they were
considering licensing the technology to include it in their own products.
A web page designer simply cannot afford to ignore JavaScript if he
wants to compete in the field. Nevertheless, JavaScript has limits and cannot
perform every task. A few classic JavaScript-based solutions are as follows:
n User interaction with form elements (input fields, text areas, buttons,
radio buttons, check boxes, and selection lists)
n Distributing small collections of database-like information with friendly
interfaces to that data
n Processing the data on the client side before submission to the server
n Animation and live image swapping

This list is obviously an abbreviated one and does not include all possible
uses of JavaScript.

Summary
In this chapter you have seen an overview of JavaScript as well as compari-
sons to other web development technologies. This should give you a clear
understanding of what JavaScript is used for and how it relates to those
other technologies. The most important point to remember is that JavaScript
is perhaps the most widely used web technology (after HTML of course),
and it is therefore imperative that any web developer have a grasp of it.
 Getting Started with JavaScript n 13

Chapter 2

Getting Started with

JavaScript

I am a big believer in getting students and readers actually working with the
technology they are attempting to learn as soon as possible Therefore, in
this chapter we are going to just dive right in and write a few simple scripts
with JavaScript. The idea is to get you working with JavaScript right away.
The sooner you feel comfortable with the basics, the better. Of course if you
are proficient in JavaScript and wish to move on to more advanced topics,
feel free to skip this chapter.

Essential Authoring Tools

The good news about JavaScript is that you won’t need any special tools or
software to start using it. In fact, you probably have everything you need on
your computer right now. In order to begin writing scripts, you simply need
any standard text editor. You should not have any problem getting a text edi-
tor for your computer since most operating systems include a text editor
(Windows ships with both Notepad and WordPad). Most Linux distributions
include several text editors.
Of course you can find specialized editors that help you sort out the syn-
tax and debug your JavaScript. We will discuss some of these toward the end
of this book in Chapter 28. However, you can work with just a basic text edi-
tor, and many professional web developers do just that.

Choosing a Text Editor

If you are using Windows, then you already have Notepad and WordPad on
your PC; both are fine for doing HTML and JavaScript. The advantage of
using standard text editors is that they are free. The disadvantage is that
they do not offer any debugging tools to help you with the JavaScript. We
will discuss editors that help you with JavaScript syntax in Chapter 24.
14 n Chapter 2

Choosing a Browser
Besides the basic programming tool, you need to be able to run your scripts
and view their output. In order to run JavaScript, you need a compatible
browser. Many years ago this was a problem, as not all browsers supported
JavaScript and some only supported portions of JavaScript. However, it has
been quite a few years since this was an issue. Any version of Microsoft
Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, or Mozilla Firefox produced in the
past five years will support JavaScript. Many lesser-known browsers such as
Galleon and Opera also support JavaScript. As I stated earlier, it has become
a standard for web development and one would be hard pressed to find a
browser that did not support JavaScript, so it doesn’t really matter which
browser you choose.

þ Note: With most web development technologies (JavaScript, ASP .NET,

etc.) things don’t always look the same in different browsers. For this reason,
most professional web developers use multiple browsers to test their code. I
would recommend you have at least Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
Since almost all browsers are free downloads, keeping multiple browsers
should not be a problem.

Basic JavaScript Structure

In order to run client-side JavaScript, you must embed the code in the
HTML document. Obviously, you cannot place JavaScript statements in the
source code in just any location. There are several different ways to embed
JavaScript scripts in HTML:
n As statements and functions using the <SCRIPT> tag
n As event handlers using HTML tag attributes
n As short statements resembling URLs

The <SCRIPT> Tag

Internal Scripts
The <SCRIPT> tag is used to enclose JavaScript code in HTML documents.
Here is the general syntax:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
[JavaScript statements...]
</SCRIPT>

The <SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript"> tag acts like all other HTML tags.
Notice that it must be followed by its closing counterpart, </SCRIPT>. Every
statement you put between the two tags is interpreted as JavaScript code.
This is probably the most common method for inserting JavaScript into
HTML documents.
 Getting Started with JavaScript n 15

The LANGUAGE attribute is used to specify the scripting language. At

present, the <SCRIPT> tag supports various languages including JavaScript
and VBScript. JavaScript is the default scripting language, so the LANGUAGE
definition is not required. When the browser comes across the name of the
language, it loads the built-in JavaScript interpreter and then interprets the
script. However, it is always best to explicitly name the scripting language
you are using. This ensures that your script will work the same in future
versions of HTML and in a variety of browsers.

Chapter 2
JavaScript is case sensitive, but HTML is not. It does not matter
whether you write <SCRIPT> or <script>, but try to be consistent. Per-
sonally I use all capitals in my HTML. Even though it does not matter to the
browser, it does to the person reading my HTML code. Remember that
HTML and JavaScript are no different from any programming language in
that you should always strive to make sure your code is readable.
External Scripts
Many years ago JavaScript added the <SCRIPT> tag, which enables the use of
external scripts; that is, you can use a JavaScript script that is located in
another file. This is now supported by all browsers that support JavaScript
(which means every browser you are likely to encounter). Some people pre-
fer to have their scripts in external files for a few reasons. First, your script
is not as immediately and easily viewable as your HTML. (In most browsers
one can simply choose View>Source to see the HTML source code.) Also,
some web developers have common scripts they use on multiple pages. I
rarely use external scripts in this book, but you should remember that they
exist as you may find them helpful. External scripts are useful when you
need to integrate a long, sophisticated JavaScript script into an HTML file.
Here are some disadvantages of using an external file:
n No back references. JavaScript scripts are mainly driven by user-initi-
ated events. A click on a button calls a function, a selection of a form
element executes another function, and so on. If you design your entire
script in an external file, you will have difficulties in referring to the
HTML definitions in the original file. For this reason, place only general
functions in an external script.
n Additional processing. The JavaScript interpreter evaluates all func-
tions found in your script header, including those defined in the external
file, and stores them in memory. Loading unneeded functions in an
external file degrades the script performance.
n Additional server access. You know how irritating it is to wait until
another page loads in the window, especially with slow connections.
That is the problem with the SRC attribute. When the browser comes
across the tag that tells it to interpret JavaScript code in another file, it
must first load that file. Such an action is time consuming. Most pro-
grammers say that efficiency is not as important as maintainability and
clarity. However, with web page development, appearance is everything
16 n Chapter 2

and a slow-loading web site is unlikely to be successful. Always keep in

mind that unnecessary HTTP hits to the server should be avoided.
Enough theory. Here is the syntax for defining an external script in the
<SCRIPT> tag:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" SRC="yourFile.js">
[additional JavaScript statements...]
</SCRIPT>

Note that the extension of the external file must be .js, just as the extension
of an HTML file must be .html or .htm. The name of the file does not have
to include the full path; a relative (virtual) path is enough. The .js, obviously,
stands for JavaScript.
Suppose abc1.js contains the following code:
var counter = 100
function alertMe(message)
{
alert(message)
}
function writeMe(message)
{
document.write(message)
}

At this point, the meaning of the JavaScript statements themselves is unim-

portant. They are all explained in the following chapters. Here’s the basic
HTML file:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Using external files</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" SRC="abc1.js">
<!--
var digit = 8
alertMe("Hello!")
writeMe("Howdy!")
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
</HTML>

The preceding structure is equivalent to the following HTML document:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Equivalent Script</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
var counter = 100
function alertMe(message)
{
alert(message)
}
 Getting Started with JavaScript n 17

function writeMe(message)
{
document.write(message)
}
var digit = 8
alertMe("Hello!")
writeMe("Howdy!")
// -->
</SCRIPT>

Chapter 2
</HEAD>
</HTML>

Both scripts produce the output shown in Figure 2-1.

Figure 2-1. An alert box

When you press the OK button, you are taken to the image shown in Figure
2-2.

Figure 2-2. Document.Write

It is important to understand the way external scripts are interpreted,

because many different rules apply to JavaScript and HTML layout. Just
keep in mind that an external script is actually interpreted as if it precedes
the local script (enclosed by the <SCRIPT> and </SCRIPT> tags).
JavaScript-only files should have the filename suffix .js, and the server
must map the .js suffix to the MIME type application/x-javascript, which it
sends back in the HTTP header. If the server does not map the .js filename
extension to application/x-javascript, Navigator will not properly load the
JavaScript file specified by the SRC attribute. In short, your server must be
configured to reflect the proper MIME type; otherwise, the browser does
not respond properly with the data coming back in the HTTP response to
the SRC-initiated request.
18 n Chapter 2

Event Handlers
You can place JavaScript right into event handlers. Event handlers are
HTML tag attributes that refer to a specific action which takes place in ref-
erence to that form element. For example, it might be onclick for an HTML
button or onload for the HTML document itself. Event handlers are used to
control when the JavaScript is executed. With an event handler, the script in
question will execute when the event occurs. A good example of this is an
image rollover, where an image changes when the mouse pointer moves
over it. Event handlers are why JavaScript is able to interact with the end
user. Some commonly used event handlers include onMouseOver,
onMouseOut, onLoad, onSubmit, and onClick.
Like any other HTML tag attribute, event handlers belong inside an
HTML tag, are followed by an equal sign, and contain their values in quotes.
The difference is that the event handler’s value is JavaScript. Here is an
example of an image source being changed using JavaScript in the actual
event of the link tag:
<a href="x.html" onMouseOver="document.mainimage.src='mypic.gif'" >

You will see event handlers used in this manner quite frequently. It is a very
popular technique with JavaScript programmers.

Short Statements
Short statements are just like what you saw in event handlers. Essentially,
you simply write a single line of JavaScript code where you need it. In fact,
event handlers are simply special cases of short statements.

Hiding the Script for Old Browsers

You have probably asked yourself what happens when someone loads your
page with an old browser that does not support JavaScript. Since all major
browsers have supported JavaScript for many years and browsers are free
downloads, the chances are almost nonexistent that someone will come to
your web site with a browser that is five or more years out of date. While
many JavaScript programmers still put in code for handling outdated brows-
ers, it is more out of habit than necessity. So we will not be discussing this
issue, though it was covered in previous versions of this book.

Important Notes about JavaScript

Since the first edition of this book was written quite a few years ago, the
Internet has grown tremendously. We now have tens of thousands of web
sites on every conceivable topic. Most people use the Internet in their daily
lives to look up information, do banking, order goods, book vacations, search
for jobs, and more. However, with this incredible expansion of online infor-
mation available to everyone at the click of a mouse, there has also been an
 Getting Started with JavaScript n 19

incredible increase in danger on the Internet. Viruses, phishing, and

spyware are all very real dangers on the Internet. It would be difficult to find
any computer user today who has not, in some way or another, been
adversely affected by some type of malware. For this reason it is becoming
more common for browsers to block any content that might be used in any
adverse way.
As you will see in later chapters of this book, JavaScript can be used to
place cookies (small files with information) on the client computer to gather

Chapter 2
information about that client such as their IP address and what kind of
browser they are using. For this reason many browsers have optional higher
security levels that will block JavaScript. If someone is using Internet
Explorer with high security and visits your web site that has JavaScript in it,
they will see a warning message similar to what is shown in Figure 2-3.

Figure 2-3. Internet Explorer security message

This message states that the browser has restricted content in the file and
allows the user to choose whether or not to allow the activity.
This is not a major problem. The person merely needs to click on the
pop-up window and he or she will be able to view your JavaScript. If you are
creating a web site for personal purposes, you really don’t need to do any-
thing about this. However, some companies are beginning to place privacy
statements/policies on their main page. These policies tell the visitor about
any cookies that might be placed on their machine and exactly what sort of
data might be collected about them. It is probably a good idea to implement
this in any business web site. It is my opinion that in the very near future
you will find visitors to your web site becoming more and more security and
privacy conscious. If you are not able to alleviate their concerns, you will
find yourself with far fewer web site visitors.

Summary
Our goal in this chapter was to get you writing simple scripts in JavaScript.
This should begin to give you a feel for how JavaScript works. After this
chapter you should understand the basic structure of JavaScript and be able
to insert a JavaScript script into your HTML page.
20 n Chapter 3

Chapter 3

JavaScript Fundamentals

“Building” a Script
In the last chapter you were introduced to the basic structure of JavaScript
and some simple scripts. Now we will begin to explore the details of
JavaScript. In this chapter you will learn all the basic elements of JavaScript.
As we begin to cover the basics of JavaScript, it is important to remember
that it has many fundamental concepts in common with all programming lan-
guages, including its basic elements. So if you have worked with any other
programming languages, this won’t be difficult to learn. It has variables that
hold data, it has expressions or statements, and it has functions. These
building blocks are used to construct your JavaScript script. I will explain
each of these elements in this chapter.

Data Types in JavaScript

Variables hold information that usually must be of a specific type. These
types are referred to as data types. Note that JavaScript will allow you to cre-
ate a generic variable and put any data you wish into it, which is why
JavaScript is often referred to as a “loosely typed language.” Other lan-
guages (Java, C, C++, etc.) will not let you create a generic variable of an
unspecified type. These languages are referred to as “strongly typed lan-
guages.” Even though you don’t have to use typed variables in JavaScript,
many programmers find that using specific data types makes their code
more readable, and thus more maintainable.
If you are going to use specific typed data variables, then it is important
to use the proper data type to store your information. For example, a num-
ber is a type of information that JavaScript recognizes. There are four
specific data types in JavaScript: numbers, strings, Booleans, and null val-
ues. As opposed to other languages, a variable data type is not declared
explicitly but rather implicitly according to its initial value assignment. Also
unique to JavaScript, there is no explicit distinction between integers and
real-valued numbers.
All of these data types are specified in Table 3-1.
 JavaScript Fundamentals n 21

Table 3-1. Data types in JavaScript

Type Description Examples

number Any number without quotes 42 or 16.3 or 2e-16
string A series of characters enclosed "Hello!" or "10" or '' or ""
in quote marks
Boolean A logical value true or false
null A keyword meaning no value null

The Value Null

The value null is often used to initialize variables that do not have any spe-
cial meaning (see “Variable Declaration” later in the chapter). You assign it
to a variable using the standard assignment statement:
var name = null

Chapter 3
The null value is special in that it is automatically converted to initial values
of other data types. When used as a number it becomes 0, when used as a
string it becomes "", and when used as a Boolean value it becomes false.
Since the source of many JavaScript errors is uninitialized variables, one of
the common debugging techniques is to initialize all uninitialized variables,
including the meaningless ones, with a null value.
The JavaScript interpreter uses the null value on two occasions: (1)
built-in functions return null under certain circumstances, and (2) nonexis-
tent properties evaluate to null. When checking for a null value, you should
check if it is false or if it is equal to null.

Variables
At some level all programs hold data, at least for a short time, and data is
stored, temporarily, in variables. Therefore, it is not an overstatement to
claim that variables are the cornerstone of most programming and scripting
languages. They serve as a link between simple words in your script and the
computer allocated memory. There is a limit to the amount of memory you
can use, but it would be virtually impossible for you to even approach that
limit. JavaScript applications are not heavy resource demanders and modern
PCs typically have a great deal of memory. As of this writing, it is hard to
buy a PC with less than 512 megabytes of memory, so exceeding available
memory is probably an indication of a bug in the browser or a major flaw in
your program (such as an unexpected infinite loop).
Because you do not deal directly with the memory allocation, you should
think of variables as baskets that contain different data. You can put an item
in a basket, take it out, or replace it with another. A script that does not use
any variables at all probably does not accomplish much. So you should defi-
nitely get comfortable with variables, as you will be using them throughout
this book.
22 n Chapter 3

Identifiers
Each variable is identified by a variable name, also known as an identifier.
Each variable name is associated with a specific memory location, and the
interpreter uses it to determine its location. There are strict rules for nam-
ing variables and you will need to learn them:
n The first character of an identifier must be either a letter (uppercase or
lowercase) or an underscore (_).
n All other characters can be letters, underscores, or digits (0 to 9).
n An identifier cannot be one of the language’s reserved words. Reserved
words consist of all JavaScript keywords as well as other tokens
reserved for future versions.
An identifier length is not limited, and you should take advantage of this fea-
ture to select meaningful names. JavaScript is case sensitive (uppercase
letters are distinct from lowercase letters). For example, counter, Counter,
and COUNTER are names of three different variables. While those three vari-
able names are legal, and would create three separate and distinct variables,
using such similar names would cause a great deal of confusion for yourself
or anyone else who may need to read or modify your JavaScript. You should
always avoid using such similar identifiers in the same script. However, you
will want to use variable names that are related to the data they contain. For
example, if you have a string variable that holds a person’s last name, you
might wish to name it LastName.
The following identifiers are legal:
loopCounter
_AccountNumber
_123456789_
customer_name
OfficeNumber6

but the following ones are illegal:

with // reserved word
^fastTimer // first character is illegal
911phoneNumber // cannot start with a digit
04-825-6408 // first character is illegal
// "-" is an illegal character
***important*** // * is not a legal character
10_guesses // first character cannot be a digit

Keywords are words that have special meanings in a programming language.

You cannot use keywords to name variables or functions you create in a
script (such as variables, functions, etc.). The list of keywords is the basic
vocabulary of the language. The word if, for example, is a keyword. You do
not have to memorize the list, because you will gradually remember it as
you use the words in your scripts.
 JavaScript Fundamentals n 23

Naming Conventions
There are a number of generally accepted conventions in JavaScript:
n A variable name is normally written in lowercase letters.
n The variable name indicates its purpose and use in a program.
n In a multiword identifier, either place an underscore between words or
capitalize the first letter of each embedded word.
The following are examples of multiword identifiers.
all_done // underscores
allDone // capitalized letters

Avoid similar variable names. The following illustrates a poor choice of vari-
able names:
digit // current digit
digits // number of digits in the number

Chapter 3
A much better set of variables is:
current_digit // current digit
num_of_digits // number of digits in the number

Variable Declaration
You have seen how to name a variable, and know why you need variables,
but how do you create them? Before you use a variable, you need to create
it. JavaScript is a loosely typed language, which means that you do not have
to explicitly specify the data type of a variable when you create it. As
needed, data types are converted automatically during the course of the
script execution. In strongly typed languages, the variable must be created
of a specific type.
There are two ways to create a variable, and fortunately both are very
simple. The first type of declaration includes the var keyword followed by
the name of the variable:
var variableName

The second method is simply to use the variable name and set it equal to an
initial value without the use of the var keyword. While this will work, it is
not recommended, as it can be confusing for someone reading the script.
When interpreting this statement, the browser creates a link between
the name of the variable and its memory address, so successive references
can be done by name. Unlike some programming languages, declarations are
not limited to a specific zone but can be done anywhere throughout the
script.
The action of assigning an initial value to a variable is called initializa-
tion. You give the variable a value using the most common assignment
operator—the equal sign:
var variableName = initialValue
24 n Chapter 3

You only need to use the var keyword when you create the variable. When
you want to refer to the variable, you only use its name. Assign a value to a
variable (after it has been declared) in the following fashion:
variableName = anyValue

You use var only once per variable. A global variable can be created simply
by assigning it a value without the var keyword. Local variables inside func-
tions, on the other hand, must be declared with the var keyword. As in many
other programming languages, JavaScript allows you to declare numerous
variables in the same statement by using a comma to separate them:
var variableName1 = initialValue1, variableName2 = initialValue2, ...

JavaScript Entities
JavaScript entities can be assigned to HTML attributes. This attribute sub-
stitution enables creation of more flexible HTML constructions, without the
writing overhead of full JavaScript scripts.
You are probably familiar with HTML character entities with which you
can display a character by its numerical code or name. You precede a name
or a number with an ampersand (&) and terminate it with a semicolon (;).
Here are a few examples:
&gt;
&lt;
&#169;

These HTML entities evaluate to the following characters:

> (greater than)
< (less than)
© (copyright)
JavaScript entities also start with an ampersand and end with a semicolon.
Instead of a name (as in the first two examples) or a number (as in the third
example), you use a JavaScript expression enclosed in curly braces ({ and }).
Note that you can use JavaScript entities to assign HTML attributes only.
Consider the following HTML document:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>JavaScript Entities</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!-- hide content from old browsers
var fontSize = "+4"
var fontColor = "red"
// end hiding content-->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FONT COLOR="&{fontColor};" SIZE="&{fontSize};">
Flexible attributes with JavaScript entities
 JavaScript Fundamentals n 25

</FONT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 3-1 (ex3-1.htm)

When you execute this script you will see something similar to what is
shown in Figure 3-1.

Figure 3-1. JavaScript entities

Chapter 3
The entity &{fontColor}; is replaced by the current value of fontColor and
&{fontSize}; is replaced by the current value of fontSize. Since JavaScript
can only use values that are stored in memory at the time of page layout,
JavaScript entities should be used only after calling the script that assigns
their value.
Once layout is complete, the display of the page can change only if you
reload the page. Even if the value of the JavaScript entity variable changes,
the entity itself does not change until you reload the page.
Unlike HTML character entities, which can be used in any script state-
ment, JavaScript entities can be used only in a tag statement. Another
difference is that, while HTML character entities may substitute for any
HTML element, JavaScript entities are limited to HTML attribute substitu-
tion only. For example, you cannot specify the entity "&{text};" with the
variable text = "<H1>Hi!</H1>"—it is not a valid value for a tag attribute.

Type Conversion
As mentioned above, data types are converted automatically as needed dur-
ing the course of script execution. This can be quite convenient, and many
other programming languages do not allow this. A variable may hold a
numeric value at one point of the script and a string at another. The follow-
ing statements constitute a valid JavaScript script:
var myVar = 12
myVar = "university"

The first statement assigns a numeric value to myVar, and the second one
assigns it a string. Such conversions are not allowed in strictly typed lan-
guages such as C++ and Java. While they are possible in JavaScript, they
26 n Chapter 3

are not recommended. Using this technique makes for very sloppy
programming.

Mixing Strings and Numbers

Mixing strings and numbers is sometimes necessary for certain operations.
Since this is tricky and can generate unexpected results, you should be
familiar with its exact rules. When an expression including both numbers
and strings is evaluated to a single value, that value evaluates to a string.
Converting it to a number is usually impossible. For example, the number 6
can be easily converted to a string (6), while the string "horse" cannot be
converted to a number. Another important rule is that the JavaScript inter-
preter evaluates expressions from left to right, and only parentheses can
change the order of evaluation. Take a look at the following expressions,
numbered by line.
/* 1 */ 8 + 8 // 16
/* 2 */ "8" + 8 // "88"
/* 3 */ 8 + "8" // "88"
/* 4 */ "8" + "8" // "88"
/* 5 */ 8 + 8 + "8" // "168"
/* 6 */ 8 + "8" + 8 // "888"

These expressions all use the string concatenation operator, which is also
the numeric plus operator. (Operators are covered later in this chapter.)
The first expression simply adds up two numbers using a numeric for-
mat. It uses the standard plus operator and evaluates to the sum of its
operands. The second expression is quite different. Its first operand is a
string rather than a number. In order to add a number to a string, the num-
ber is converted to its matching string and the strings are then
concatenated. The third and fourth expressions are similar in that they also
include at least one string operand. The fifth expression is a bit trickier. The
first two operands are added up because they are numbers. The expression
now evaluates to 16 + "8" which, as you already know, evaluates to "168".
Using parentheses can change the result. For example:
8 + (8 + "8") // "888"

In this expression, the content in the parentheses is evaluated first to "88"

and the entire expression evaluates to "888". Comparing the sixth expres-
sion to the fifth one clearly demonstrates what left-to-right evaluation
means.
Whenever a string is found during the expression evaluation, the accu-
mulated value thus far is converted to a string. The remaining numeric
values on the right-hand side are automatically converted to strings when
concatenated to this accumulated value.
If you want to convert a single number to a string, you can use one of
the following three methods:
 JavaScript Fundamentals n 27

var newVar = " " + numericValue

var newVar = new String(numericValue)
var newVar = numericValue.toString()

The first method is simple. You use the concatenation operator, which
instructs JavaScript to convert the number to a string and then append it to a
null string. The other methods are discussed later in the book.

Literals
Literals are fixed values that you literally provide in your application source,
and that are not variables or any other data structure. The same concept in
other programming languages is often called a constant. They are notations
for constant values and therefore do not change throughout the script. A lit-
eral gives you a value instead of merely representing possible values. Unlike

Chapter 3
C++ and Java, which have five literal types, JavaScript has only four: inte-
ger, floating-point, Boolean, and string. Character literals are simply
considered strings with a length of 1.

Integer Literals
Integer literals, also called whole numbers, are numbers that have no decimal
point or fractional part. Here are some integer literals:
49
16
0
–18
–42

An integer can be positive, negative, or zero. JavaScript, like most other pro-
gramming languages, supports integers of three types or bases: decimal,
octal, and hexadecimal.
Decimal Integers
Decimal integers, also known as base-10 integers, are the common integers
we use daily. They are written with the digits 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9.
Except for the number 0 itself, a decimal integer cannot have a leading 0
digit. It makes no sense to write the current year as 02007, and, indeed,
JavaScript will not evaluate it as 2007.
Octal Integers
Octal integers, also known as base-8 integers, use only eight digits: 0, 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, 6, 7. Octal digits are written with a leading 0 digit (that’s a zero, not the
letter “o”). If you want to reference the octal integer 12 (equal to 10 in the
decimal system), you would have to write it as 012.
28 n Chapter 3

Hexadecimal Integers
Hexadecimal integers are commonly used in programming environments
because each hexadecimal digit represents four binary bits. A hexadecimal
number is any sequence of these digits: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, A, B, C, D,
E, F. The integers are called hexadecimal because they are based on 16 dif-
ferent digits. Case sensitivity rules do not apply to numbers, so you can use
lowercase letters as well. The prefix for hexadecimal numbers is 0x or 0X.
Hexadecimal numbers might look familiar to HTML authors. In early
versions of Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer, colors were specified
in a hexadecimal triplet format. Although the latest versions of Netscape
Navigator and Internet Explorer let you specify colors by their names, some
people continue to use the hexadecimal notation. The following tag sets the
background color to the default gray (even for users who changed their
default to white):
<BODY BGCOLOR="#c0c0c0">

You probably know that monitor screen colors differ in the relative contribu-
tions of red, green, and blue. The hexadecimal triplet combines three
hexadecimal numbers of two digits each (2 digits = 16 * 16 = 256
possibilities).
Converting from Decimal to Other Bases
You can use a calculator to convert a decimal integer to a different base. But
what happens when the calculator is broken?! It is surprisingly simple to do
the conversion with a pencil and a piece of paper. You start by dividing the
decimal number by the target base (e.g., 2 for binary, 8 for octal, 16 for hexa-
decimal). Write down the remainder. Now do the same with the quotient,
writing the new remainder to the left of that from the previous operation.
Keep looping until the quotient is less than the target base. The following
table shows the conversion of the decimal number 747 to a hexadecimal
notation:
Table 3-2. A base conversion example

Operation and Integer Remainder (decimal) Remainder (hex)

Quotient
747 / 16 = 46 11 B
46 / 16 = 2 14 E
no operation 2 2
Take a look at the table’s far-right column. Reading it bottom up, we get 2EB16,
which is exactly 74710.

The same process converts decimal integers to any base.

 JavaScript Fundamentals n 29

Converting from a Specified Base to Decimal

It is equally easy to convert a number from a specified base to a decimal
notation. First, let’s analyze a number in decimal notation, say 276:
276 = (6 * 100) + (7 * 101) + (2 * 102) = 6 + 70 + 200
Each digit contributes the value digit * basedigitPlaceFromRight, where digit
is the current digit, digitPlaceFromRight is the digit’s position (starting at
the right-hand side 0 position), and base is the current base. The number is
equal to the sum of all contributed values. Conversion from a given base to a
decimal notation uses the same technique, except that each digit is worth its
value in decimal notation. Let’s convert 14728 (octal) to a decimal base:
(2 * 80) + (7 * 81) + (4 * 82)+ (1 * 83) = 2 + 56 + 256 + 512 = 82610
We use these techniques to create automatic conversion functions later in
the book.

Chapter 3
Referring to Octal and Hexadecimal Integers
Octal integers have a leading 0 character. Hexadecimal integers have a lead-
ing 0x or 0X prefix. Decimal integers are normal integers with no prefixes.
So how do we work with these prefixes?
JavaScript refers to all integers as decimal. So if you write 0x2EB,
JavaScript stores the number and refers to it as 747 in decimal notation. The
same rule applies to octal integers. They are stored, displayed, and handled
according to their decimal value. The computer obviously stores them as
binary numbers, but to the JavaScript programmer, it seems as if they are
handled in decimal form.

Floating-Point Literals
Floating-point numbers (sometimes called real numbers) have a fractional
part. JavaScript uses a decimal point to distinguish between floating-point
numbers and integers. Literally, a number such as 16.0 is a floating-point
number, whereas 16 is an integer. Additionally, a floating-point number may
include an exponent specification of the form e±exp. Since there is no
explicit declaration of data types in JavaScript, the floating-point format is
implicitly determined by the literals that are assigned to the variables. Here
are some floating-point numbers, with some explanations:
–13.3
0.056
4.2e19 // equal to 4.2 * 1019
–3.1E12 // equal to –3.1 * 1012
.1e12 // equal to 0.1 * 1012
2E–12 // equal to 2 * 10-12

Notice that the exponent specification can be in uppercase or lowercase

characters.
Floating-point math is much more difficult than integer math and is the
source of many bugs. Overflow describes the situation in which the exponent
30 n Chapter 3

of a floating-point number exceeds the upper limit. Underflow occurs when

the exponent is below the lower one. You should avoid calculations that are
likely to result in an overflow or an underflow.
A more common problem with floating-point numbers is the roundoff
error. Everyone knows that 5 + 5 is 10, but is 1/3 + 1/3 equal to 2/3? The
answer is: not always. Take a look at the following to find out why:
1/3 as floating point is 3.333E–1 (rounded off).
2/3 as floating point is 6.667E–1 (rounded off).
3.333E–1
+ 3.333E–1
= 6.666E–1
As you can see, the result is different from the normal value of 2/3 because
6.666E–1 ¹ 6.667E–1.
Every computer has a similar problem with floating-point values. The
fraction 0.2, for example, has no exact binary representation. For this reason,
always round off your floating-point values before doing calculations in order
to avoid these inaccuracies.

Boolean Literals
Boolean values, also called logical values, are basically true or false. They are
usually used in conditional expressions and statements. If you are familiar
with C++, you probably recognize these terms as 1 and 0, 1 representing
true and 0 representing false. JavaScript officially uses the true and false val-
ues to express Boolean values, but 1 and 0 are acceptable in most situations.
The true value, or 1, can usually be replaced by any nonzero integer. Avoid
using these numeric values as Boolean, because Netscape has not officially
recognized this kind of usage and may opt to invalidate it in future versions
of the browser. Usage of integer values to represent Boolean values, as in
other programming languages, can cause data type confusion and should not
be done at all by novice programmers.

String Literals
String literals are delimited by either single or double quotes. You must ter-
minate the string with the same type of quote you used to open it, so "Hi' is
not a legal string in JavaScript. Unlike strings in most programming lan-
guages and shells, JavaScript does not distinguish between single and double
quotes. They serve exactly the same purposes. Strings in JavaScript are not
subject to variable interpolation, i.e., you cannot embed variables directly in
the string and expect them to be replaced by the value they hold. Perl, for
example, features variable interpolation (or variable substitution) because
variables can be identified by the preceding $ character.
The alternative delimiters q/string/ and qq/string/ are not sup-
ported in JavaScript. You must always use the traditional quotes to delimit
strings.
 JavaScript Fundamentals n 31

Nested strings are widely used in JavaScript. A nested string consists of

a string inside another one. Alternating quotes enables proper interpretation
of nested string constructions. The following statement demonstrates how
to alternate quote types:
document.write("<FONT COLOR='red' SIZE=4>")

The document.write() statement requires quotes, and so does the COLOR

attribute of the <FONT> tag. You may use single quotes for the string red and
double quotes for the longer enclosing string. You may also use escape
quotes, as explained below.
Be careful to place the trailing quote at the end of the string. If you for-
get it, the relevant error will be reported only after JavaScript runs into the
end of the file or finds a matching quote character in another line. Fortu-
nately, such errors will be detected immediately as syntax errors on the
following line. Sometimes, though, the error message does not give any clue

Chapter 3
about the runaway string, so paying extra attention when dealing with
strings is a good strategy.
Strings often include escape sequences, also called escape characters, spe-
cial characters, or control characters. Such sequences have special purposes.
For example, \t is the tab character. They are usually used to express
nonprintable characters or other problematic ones. The following table out-
lines the escape sequences:
Table 3-3. Escape sequences in JavaScript

Escape Sequence Character Meaning

\ddd* 0ddd octal character
\xdd* 0xdd hexadecimal character
\\ \ backslash
\' ' single quote
\" " double quote
\b BS backspace
\f FF form feed
\n NL or LF new line (or line feed)
\r CR carriage return
\t HT horizontal tab
\ <new line> continuation
* The d character represents a digit.

Be sure to use these inline characters only where needed. You should use
the standard HTML tags for line breaks (<BR>) and paragraph breaks (<P>).
The carriage return escape sequence creates a new line only in dialog boxes
and text area objects. Most of the escape sequences act the same way. Do
not expect them to format the look of the page, because layout relies solely
on HTML.
32 n Chapter 3

Here are some strings that take advantage of escape sequences:

"\x2499.99" // $99.99 (the hex value of the $ char is 24)
'c:\\games\\sc2000\\' // c:\games\sc2000\
'Let\'s learn JavaScript...' // Let's learn JavaScript...
"line1\rline2"

To see the effect of a carriage return character, try displaying the last string
in an alert box.

Operators
Every programming language has operators. An operator is simply a symbol
that tells the compiler (or interpreter) to perform a certain action. The most
obvious operators are the math operators. The basic arithmetic operators
are common to most programming languages. These are addition (+), sub-
traction (–), multiplication (*), and division (/). These should be very familiar
to most people. The order of precedence of operators follows the standard
mathematical rules of multiplication, division, addition, and subtraction.
However, when your code has multiple operations in a single line, it is usu-
ally a good idea to use parentheses to clarify what you want to occur: 3 * 4/2
+ 1 can be ambiguous, whereas 3 * ((4/2) + 1) is very clear.
C, C++, and Java programmers will already be familiar with the incre-
ment and decrement operators. The increment operator is formed by placing
two plus signs after a variable, such as this:
var somenumber
somenumber++

This line of code increments the value of somenumber by one. Had we

written:
somenumber--

it would have decreased the value by one.

It is very important that you realize that where you place increment and
decrement operators is critical. If you place the increment operator after a
variable, such as:
var somenumber = 10
var someothernumber
someothernumber = somenumber++

The assignment operation will take place before the evaluation operation.
In other words, first someothernumber will be set equal to the value of
somenumber, then the value of somenumber will be incremented. In our
example, that means that someothernumber will equal 10 and somenumber
will equal 11. If you wish to rewrite the statement so that the increment
takes place first, just reposition the increment sign:
someothernumber = ++somenumber
 JavaScript Fundamentals n 33

In this case, somenumber is incremented to 11 and then that value is

assigned to someothernumber.
You’ve already learned how to assign a value to a variable or to initialize
it using the equal assignment operator. As the following piece of code dem-
onstrates, you can also perform calculations when you assign a value:
/* 1 */ var answer
/* 2 */ answer = 4 * 2 + 9
/* 3 */ document.write(answer)

Line 1 includes the declaration of the variable answer. The second line
shows how the variable answer is assigned the result of a simple mathemati-
cal expression. At this point, the variable holds a value of 17. Referring to
the variable answer is the same as referring to the number 17. For this rea-
son, the statement on line 3 prints the number 17.

Chapter 3
Caution: A very common mistake is to use the single equal sign for equality
check. In Visual Basic, for example, “=” is an equality test operator as well as
an assignment operator. However, in JavaScript, like in C++ and Java, “=” (the
equal sign operator) is an assignment operator, while “==” (two equal signs) is
an equality test operator.

This is just a cursory examination of the simplest operators in JavaScript. A

thorough discussion of operators is given in Chapter 6. However, your
understanding of this chapter and the next two chapters depends on a brief
introduction to operators.

Statements
Now that we have thoroughly examined data types, let’s look at statements.
A statement is a line of code that performs some specific task. For example,
all of the following are statements:
yourAge = 32
for(x=1;x<10,x++)
myname= "Chuck"

Multiple Statements
The JavaScript interpreter accepts multiple statements on the same line. If
you choose to use this method, you must separate the statements with
semicolons (;). The last statement of the line does not have to be followed
by a semicolon. Such a line looks like this:
statement1; statement2; statement3; ...
34 n Chapter 3

The browser interprets these statements as if they were listed on separate

lines:
statement1
statement2
statement3

Although this is possible with JavaScript, I certainly do not recommend it.

Placing multiple statements on a single line makes for very unreadable code.
Even though JavaScript does not require semicolons after each state-
ment (unless they are on the same line), it does not generate an error if you
place them at the end of each statement. So if it is one of your programming
habits, you may terminate all statements with semicolons.
statement1;
statement2;
statement3;

Remember, however, this is not required in JavaScript as it is in C, Java, and

C++.

Nested Statements
A command block is a unit of statements enclosed by curly braces. It is very
important to understand that a block should be used as a single statement.
The statements inside the block are called nested statements:
{
nested statement1
command block
nested statement2 (one statement)
nested statement3
}

A loop that includes many statements is actually one statement with many
nested statements. This rule applies to functions, if-else statements, and
other language elements.

Evaluating Expressions
Now that you know how to create a variable, you need to know how to use
it. As mentioned earlier, variables hold values of different types. What does
“holding a value” mean? This term refers to expression evaluation. A vari-
able always evaluates to its value. When you perform an operation on a
variable, you are actually performing the operation on the current value
associated with the variable. Let’s assume you created a variable named
firstNumber using the following statement:
var firstNumber = 120 // declaration and initialization
 JavaScript Fundamentals n 35

At this point, if you refer to the variable firstNumber, its value, 120, is
returned. That is, firstNumber is evaluated to 120. The following statement
outlines an evaluation of firstNumber:
secondNumber = firstNumber * 6

The secondNumber variable now holds the value 720, because firstNumber
evaluates to 120. Bear in mind that no link between the memory locations of
the variables is established. Therefore, secondNumber now holds a value of
720, which does not change even if the value of firstNumber changes. A
variable can evaluate to a value of any type (see Table 3-1).

Testing Evaluation
A hidden feature of Netscape Navigator (and several other browsers)
enables you to experiment with evaluation in the browser’s window. You can

Chapter 3
reach this window by simply entering javascript: in the Location box.
Another way to do this is by choosing Open Location from the File menu.
Then type javascript: to open the evaluation window.
The evaluation window contains two frames. The field in the bottom
frame is used to accept your input, and the upper frame displays the Naviga-
tor’s computation results. To experiment with this tool, enter the following
statements at the javascript typein field at the bottom:
var firstNumber = 120
var secondNumber = firstNumber – 60
firstNumber
secondNumber
var finalAverage = (firstNumber + secondNumber) / 2
finalAverage
secondNumber = firstNumber
finalAverage
finalAverage > secondNumber

Before you enter these expressions, try to figure out what they evaluate to.
Then type them in the field in the bottom frame, with a carriage return
(Enter) after each statement.

Functions
Function Definition
Functions are groupings of statements organized in a block with a common
name. Good functions work to perform a single goal. For example, a function
might calculate the monthly payments on a mortgage given a certain princi-
pal and interest rate. Just like variables, you must define a function before
you can call it.
Functions are defined using the keyword function, followed by the
name of the function. The same rules that apply to variable names apply to
36 n Chapter 3

functions. Since a function usually does something besides storing a value, it

is common to include a verb in its name. The function’s parameters are writ-
ten in brackets after the name. A command block follows the parameters.
The syntax of a function definition is:
function functionName([parameters])
{
[statements]
}

Parameters are local variables that are assigned values when the function is
called. Essentially a parameter is the raw materials the function will process.
In our earlier example of a function that calculates mortgage payments, the
principal and interest rate would be parameters for that function. Another
word you will often hear used for parameters is argument. Arguments and
parameters are synonymous in programming. At this point, you should
always give a name to every parameter.
In a formal syntax specification, the square brackets ([]) usually denote
optional elements. Since a function does not have to have parameters or
statements, both are enclosed in such brackets. The curly braces enclosing
the function body can be placed anywhere following the parameter section.
The following functions are valid:
function functionName([parameters]) {[statement1]; [statement2]; ...}

function functionName([parameters])
{
[statement1]
[statement2]
}

The following example demonstrates a function declaration:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
function square(number)
{
document.write("The call passed ",
number, // the function's parameter
" to the function.<BR>",
number, // the function's parameter
" square is ",
number * number,
".<BR>")
}
// *** add function call
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 3-2 (ex3-2.htm). A function definition (deferred code)

 JavaScript Fundamentals n 37

Example 3-2 does not print anything to the browser’s window, nor does it
generate any other form of output. The reason is that the function is only
defined in the script but is never called. When the browser locates a func-
tion, it loads its statements into memory, ready to be executed later.

Calling Functions
In order to execute the set of statements located in the function block, you
must call the function. The syntax of a function call is:
functionName([arguments])

By adding the statement square(5) to Example 3-2, at the specified place,

we call the function. The statements in the function are executed, and the
following message is output:
The call passed 5 to the function.

Chapter 3
5 square is 25.

You can also call a function from within another function, as the following
example demonstrates:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Calling a function from within another function</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
function makeBar()
{
var output = "<HR ALIGN='left' WIDTH=400>"
document.write(output)
}
function makeHeader(text, color, size)
{
var output = "<FONT COLOR='" + color + "' SIZE=" +
size + ">" + text + "</FONT>"
document.write(output)
makeBar()
}
makeHeader("JavaScript Examples", "red", "+4")
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 3-3 (ex3-3.htm). A function call in a function block

Example 3-3 summarizes many of the terms discussed in this chapter. It

includes two function definitions. In both functions, the output is assigned to
a variable (output) and then printed to the client window using the docu-
ment.write() method. Assigning strings to variables before printing them
is extremely useful when the string is long (i.e., you want to print a lot of
data). You can see the result of Example 3-3 in Figure 3-2.
38 n Chapter 3

Figure 3-2. Example 3-3 output

Control Structures
Dialog Boxes
Before we discuss the control structures in JavaScript, we need some basic
user-interaction devices. These will allow us to create both useful and help-
ful examples for demonstration purposes. Dialog boxes are only introduced
in this chapter. They will be discussed later in further detail.
JavaScript provides the ability to create small windows called dialog
boxes. You can create alert boxes, confirm boxes, and even prompt boxes.
These boxes let you generate output and receive input from the user.
Alert Boxes
An alert box is the most simple dialog box. It enables you to display a short
message to the user in a separate window. Take a look at the following script
and its corresponding output:
alert("Click OK to continue...")

The generic form of this function is alert(message). The function alert()

is actually a method of the window object. It is not necessary to specify that
because window is the default object. The same applies to all dialog boxes.
You can also display messages using data structures. For example:
var message = "Click OK to continue"
alert(message)

As you can see, the alert box is often used to pause the execution of a script
until the user approves its continuation.
Confirm Boxes
Confirm boxes are different from alert boxes in that they evaluate to a value
based on a decision made by the user. Rather than a simple OK button, the
confirm box includes both OK and Cancel buttons.
Like the alert box, confirm is also a method of the window object. This
method returns a Boolean value, because there are two options. You can use
confirmation boxes to ask the user a yes-or-no question, or to confirm an
action. Here is an example:
var reply = confirm("OK to continue?")
 JavaScript Fundamentals n 39

reply is assigned a true value if the user chooses OK, and false if the user
selects Cancel.
The generic form of this function is confirm(message).
Prompt Boxes
The prompt() method displays a prompt dialog box with a message and an
input field. You can use these boxes to receive input from the user. It is simi-
lar to the confirm box, except that it returns the value of the input field,
rather than true or false. Here is an example:
var name = prompt("Enter your name:", "anonymous")

The method returns a value of null if the user chooses Cancel. Figure 3-3
shows a typical prompt box.

Chapter 3
Figure 3-3. The prompt box

The value of the field is always a string. If the user enters 16 in the form,
the string "16" is returned rather than the number 16. When you want to
prompt the user for a number, you must convert the input into a numeric
value. JavaScript features a built-in function that does this—parseInt().
You can use the following statement to ask the user for a number:
var number = parseInt(prompt("Enter a number:", 0))

or
var number = prompt("Enter a number:", 0)
number = parseInt(number)

The generic form of this function is prompt(message[, inputDefault]).

You can see that this function works by using the typeof operator for
testing:
var number = prompt("Enter a number:", 0)
alert(number + " is a " + typeof(number)) // "... is a string"
number = parseInt(number)
alert(number + " is a " + typeof(number)) // "... is a number"

The input must be of a numeric type, of course (e.g., 99).

Conditional Statements
Conditional statements are key to all programming languages. They allow
your program (or script in this case) to execute different code segments
based on varying conditions.
40 n Chapter 3

if Statement
if (condition)
statement

The if statement lets you put decision making in your scripts. A script
without any decisions does the same procedure each time it is executed.
Such linear structures limit your scripts to simple algorithms. JavaScript
enables decision making using an if statement. if statements associate a
single statement with a true condition. That statement is only executed if
the conditional expression is true; otherwise, it is not executed at all. The
condition must evaluate to a Boolean value: true or false. Numeric values
are also acceptable as an alternative to a Boolean condition. 0 is equivalent
to false, and all other values are equivalent to true.
The if statement associates a single statement with a true condition. A
statement can be anything from a simple document.write() to a block of
statements, using curly braces ({}). Some if statements require multiple
statements, so they use a block in the following form:
if (condition)
{
statement1
statement2
statement3
}

A nested statement can be any legal statement, including an additional if

statement. Here is a simple example demonstrating the if statement:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>A simple if statement</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
var age = parseInt(prompt("Please enter your age:", 15))
if (age < 21)
alert("Sorry, you are too young to enter")
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 3-4 (ex3-4.htm). A script with one conditional statement

At first, the script asks the user for his or her age.

Figure 3-4. A prompt box that requests the user’s age

 JavaScript Fundamentals n 41

The age is stored in numeric format in the variable age. The if statement
checks if the user’s age is less than 21. If so, the expression age < 21 evalu-
ates to true. Because the condition is true, the next statement is executed,
and an alert box is displayed. Note that if the value of age is greater than or
equal to 21, no statements are executed. The remedy to this problem is pre-
sented in the next section.
Here is another example using multiple statements associated with a
true condition:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>An if statement with a command block</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
var name = prompt("Enter your name:", "John Doe")
// draw a horizontal rule of the specified width
function drawRule(width)

Chapter 3
{
document.write("<HR WIDTH=" + width + "%>")
}
var message = "Click OK if you are using Netscape 3.0 or above, or Internet
Explorer 4.0 or above"
if (!confirm(message))
{
document.write("<CENTER><B>")
document.write("Hello " + name + "!<BR>")
drawRule(50)
document.write("Please download the latest ",
"version of Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer")
document.write("</B></CENTER>")
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 3-5 (ex3-5.htm). A conditional statement associated with a command block

If you enter this code properly into your editor and view the web page in
either Netscape or Internet Explorer, you should see something similar to
Figure 3-5 or Figure 3-6.

Figure 3-5. A prompt box that requests the user’s name

42 n Chapter 3

Figure 3-6. A confirm box verifying the browser version

number

Example 3-5 features an if statement with a set of statements grouped

together in a command block. Notice the function that prints a horizontal
rule of a specified width. In this example, the user must reply to two dialog
boxes. If the user responds by clicking Cancel to the confirm dialog box, the
page looks like this:

Figure 3-7. JavaScript-generated HTML content that depends on

the user’s input

else Statement
if (condition)
statement1
else
statement2

You might feel limited with the structure of the if statement, because it
only lets you execute a statement when the condition is true. The additional
else statement specifies a statement that is executed when the condition is
false. This construction covers all possibilities, because a condition can be
either true or false. Here is a script segment extracted from Example 3-4
and improved with an else statement:
 JavaScript Fundamentals n 43

var age = parseInt(prompt("Please enter your age:", 120))

if (age < 21)
alert("Sorry, you are too young to enter")
else
alert("Welcome in...")

If the user’s age is greater than 21, he receives a welcoming message.

Nested if-else Statements
An if statement can execute any legal statement. Obviously, a simple if
statement meets this requirement. Statements inside a command block are
called nested statements.
Consider the following function:
function testChar(ch)
{
if (ch >= "A" && ch <= "Z")

Chapter 3
alert("An uppercase letter")
else
if (ch >= "a" && ch <= "z")
alert("A lowercase letter")
else
alert("Not a letter")
}

The function accepts a character (a one-character string) as its argument. If

the character is greater than A and less than Z, it must be an uppercase let-
ter, and an appropriate message is displayed. Only if the character is not an
uppercase letter does the execution continue. If it is a lowercase letter, the
appropriate message is provided. Once again, only if it is not a lowercase let-
ter (meaning it is not a letter at all) does the execution proceed. No more
tests are performed, so the last message is generated.
This function demonstrates simple nested if-else statements. Only if
the condition is false does the execution continue. If, for example, ch is "H",
only the first expression is evaluated. The message “An uppercase letter” is
displayed, and the other tests are not performed.
Although it is not required, try to put the condition that is most likely to
be true as the top condition. If the condition is true, the other tests are not
even performed. Such a practice will make your scripts more efficient, espe-
cially if the tests are complex.
C++ requires a semicolon after the first statement (statement1).
JavaScript is friendly—it lets you choose.
statement1
else
if (switchingVariable == value2)
statement2
else
if (switchingVariable == value3)
statement3
else
statement4 // default case
44 n Chapter 3

Loop Statements
Loops are control structures that perform a set of actions more than once.
Everyone agrees that a computer can calculate faster than a human. Using
loops you can repeat calculations and take advantage of the computer’s abil-
ity to do them faster. Theoretically, a loop repeats only one statement.
However, you already know that a statement can be a block of statements,
allowing the repetition of many statements or perhaps the whole program.
JavaScript features two basic loop types:
n The for loop
n The while loop

Each loop type has its own advantages. However, the for loop is the most
commonly used loop, and thus we will focus primarily on it in this chapter.
for Statement
for ([initialExpression;] [condition;] [operation])
statement

Because a loop usually repeats more than one statement, you use a com-
mand block in the following format:
for ([initialExpression;] [condition;] [operation])
{
statements
}

initialExpression is usually a statement or a variable declaration. It

should evaluate to a single value and is typically used to initialize a counter
variable. This expression may optionally declare new variables with the var
keyword.
condition is a condition that is evaluated before each successive pass
through the loop. The statement is executed only if the condition evaluates
to true.
operation is a statement that is executed after each consecutive pass
through the loop’s body. It is typically used to update or increment the coun-
ter variable, which counts the number of passes through the loop.
Consider the following looping script fragment:
var number1 = 1
var number2 = 1
for (var counter = 1; counter <= 10; counter++)
{
document.write(number1 + " ")
number2 = number2 + number1
number1 = number2 – number1
}

This piece of code prints the first ten numbers of the Fibonacci sequence.
The Fibonacci sequence is a sequence of numbers that is commonly used in
computer science and is intriguing from a mathematical point of view
 JavaScript Fundamentals n 45

because of certain natural phenomena that exhibit a Fibonacci sequence.

The Fibonacci sequence includes the following numbers:
1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55 89 144 . . . (f1 = 1, f2=1, fx = fx–1 + fx–2)
Each number is equal to the sum of the two preceding numbers. The first
two numbers are both equal to 1.
Take a look at the script. number1 and number2 are initialized to 1,
because f1 = 1 and f2=1. The for statement prints the numbers in the
Fibonacci sequence. The initial expression of the loop is var counter = 1,
which declares the loop counter and initializes its value to 1. The condition
counter <= 10 means that the loop executes while the value of counter is
less than or equal to 10. Note that the condition is evaluated only at the end
of the loop. Incrementing the value of the loop counter is the action in this
example, and is typical of for loops. In short, this loop’s attributes cause it
to execute exactly ten times. The net effect is that it computes and prints

Chapter 3
the first ten numbers of the Fibonacci sequence.
Understanding the content of the loop is just plain math. After the cur-
rent number is printed, number2 is assigned the sum of its two preceding
numbers in the sequence. number1 should hold the value of number2 before
the assignment statement. The following explains how this is done
(number2' is the value of number2 before the assignment statement):
number1 = number2 – number1 == (number2' + number1) – number1 ==
number2'

Although you do not need to associate a command block with a loop if its
body consists of only one statement, it is a common practice in this book.
The counter variable is a regular variable. Its value can change during the
execution of the loop.
You can create infinite executing loops with the for statement. The
break statement, which is discussed later, makes such loops meaningful by
providing a way to terminate their execution. The basic structure of an infi-
nite loop is:
for ( ; ; )
statement

You can also create nested for loops. The following loop prints a rectangle of
asterisks (25 x 10):
for (var i = 1; i <= 10; i++)
{
for (var j = 1; j <= 25; j++)
{
document.write("*")
}
document.write("<BR>")
}
46 n Chapter 3

while Statement
Here is the basic structure of the while loop:
while (condition)
{
...statements...
}

As you can see it is actually a bit simpler than the for loop. There is no loop
counter, nor need to increment that loop counter. However, it can also be a
problem since it is quite easy to accidentally get into an infinite loop.
Here is an example using the while loop:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="javascript">
var i = 0;
do
{
document.write("Testing Do-While loop");
}
while(i! = 0)
</SCRIPT>

You can do almost all the looping you need with a for loop, but it is impor-
tant that you realize the while loop is there and available to you should you
choose to use it.

Summary
This chapter is a pivotal chapter, and a rather long one. It provided you with
all the fundamentals of JavaScript. Before you can continue with all the inter-
esting things we will be doing in later chapters, it is critical that you master
the concepts in this chapter. If you are not totally comfortable with this
material, it is probably a good idea to reread it. You might also want to exper-
iment with the examples, changing them slightly so that you will understand
the elements of those examples better.
 Object-Oriented Programming n 47

Chapter 4

Object-Oriented
Programming

Objects
Object-oriented concepts are everywhere in modern programming. If you
have worked with .NET (C# or VB .NET), C++, or Java, then you should
already be familiar with objects and object-oriented programming. If you are
not, then this chapter will both introduce you to that topic conceptually and
show you how to use it in JavaScript.
An object is a programming abstraction that groups data with the code
that operates on it. All programs contain data of different types. Variables, as
well as functions, were introduced separately in the previous chapter. I
defined functions, and I defined variables, but I did not connect them in any
way. An object encapsulates related data and functions into a single cohesive
unit.
Originally in procedural programming (Cobol, C, Basic, etc.), code and
data were kept apart. For example, in the C language, units of code are called
functions, while units of data are known as structures. Functions and struc-
tures are not formally connected in C. A C function can operate on
numerous data structures, and more than one function can operate on the
same structure. In object-oriented (OO) and object-based programming, code
and data are merged into an object, which is a single indivisible “object.”
An object is simply data and the functions that work on that data placed
together in a single package. Objects typically have both properties that are
represented by variables, and methods that are essentially functions that are
part of the object.

Properties
Any physical object has its own unique characteristics. A car, for example,
has a size, a weight, a model, a color, a price, and many other attributes. The
full set of attributes distinguishes a car from all other objects. These
48 n Chapter 4

features are called properties or fields in the OO (object-oriented) vernacular.

An object’s property stores data related to the object.
Properties are usually named according to their meaning. For instance, a
property that holds the color of the car would be named color. It is possible
to extend an object by adding new properties to it; this was first supported
by Netscape Navigator 3.0. Although it is possible to add new properties to
an existing object, it is not always possible to modify the value of a static
built-in object. For example, the PI property of the Math object cannot be
modified, for obvious reasons.
JavaScript supports two different types of objects:
n Predefined built-in objects, such as the Math object
n User-defined objects

An object can also be a property of another object, thus creating an object

hierarchy. An object hierarchy is essentially an object that has other objects
as parts of it. The object models of most applications, including Microsoft
Office, are constructed in a hierarchy.
Figure 4-1 illustrates an object hierarchy, similar to a family tree. A is
only an object, while D, E, F, G, and H are only properties. B and C are both
objects and properties, and therefore they are located between the other lev-
els of the hierarchy.

Figure 4-1. Object hierarchy

Syntax
An object’s properties hold its data. Obviously you will want to refer to that
data at some point, either to put new data in or to get out what the object’s
property contains. You can refer to properties using the following syntax:
objectReference.propertyName

objectReference is the name of the object that the property belongs to, or
any other valid reference to the object. For example, you can assign an
object to a variable and then refer to its properties using this variable, fol-
lowed by the property specification. propertyName is the name of the
property (data field).
 Object-Oriented Programming n 49

A dot separates each object from its property. A hierarchical object

structure, with objects and properties at different levels, uses the same
syntax:
object1.object2Property1.object3Property2.property3

Notice that all the elements in the middle are both objects and properties.
Referring again to Figure 4-1, let’s assume that the elements of the struc-
ture have the following values:
d Þ 16
e Þ 42
f Þ true
g Þ "king"
h Þ 13
i Þ 10

The following statements demonstrate referencing elements of a hierarchi-

cal object structure:
var tempVar = ""
tempVar = a.b.d
document.write(tempVar) // prints 16
tempVar = a.b.e
document.write(tempVar) // prints 42

Chapter 4
tempVar = a.c.f
document.write(tempVar) // prints true
tempVar = a.c.g
document.write(tempVar) // prints king
tempVar = a.c.h
document.write(tempVar) // prints 13
tempVar = a.c.i
document.write(tempVar) // prints 10

Another important concept is that a property belongs to an object, and to

only one object. Different objects may have properties of the same name and
type, but they are not the same property. Even though two different people
might own identical high-definition televisions, the televisions are still sepa-
rate entities. That is, the same location in memory cannot be associated
with two different objects. A property must always be associated with an
object. Therefore, the following statements are legal:
var d = a.b.d
document.write(d) // prints 16
var e = a.b.e
document.write(e) // prints 42
var f = a.c.f
document.write(f) // prints true
var g = a.c.g
document.write(g) // prints king
var h = a.c.h
document.write(h) // prints 13
var i = a.c.i
document.write(i) // prints 10
50 n Chapter 4

As you can see, a variable may be named exactly like a property of an object.
This is possible because properties are not of the same scope as variables.
However, a variable cannot have the same name as an object at the same
level. For example, the statement var a = a.b.d is not valid (actually it is
valid, but the value of a is lost). The main object is at the same scope of the
variable because they are not properties of any other object. As a matter of
fact, an object is a variable, and two variables that have the exact same name
are associated with the same location in memory. The statement var a =
a.b.d converts a to a simple variable containing the value 16, and not an
object. It is generally a good practice to avoid naming variables by an
object’s property or method, at least until you feel comfortable with objects
and properties.
The output of the statement document.write(a) might be [object
create] because that is the object’s string equivalent.

Methods
Properties hold the data of an object, and methods are what execute the
actions of an object. If you think about it for just a moment you will realize
that method is just another word for a function, if that function is part of an
object. During execution of a JavaScript script, an object may invoke one or
more methods to accomplish a task. As you know, objects consist of both
data (properties) and functions that handle the data. These functions are
called methods. Methods enable an object to perform different actions,
mostly on its own properties.
Methods, as previously stated, are simply functions that are part of the
object. However, since they are part of the object they have access to the
properties of the object, including private properties that cannot otherwise
be accessed.
Most advantages of OOP (object-oriented programming) are associated
with methods. JavaScript does not completely support external libraries
(other than the SRC attribute of the <SCRIPT> tag), so the following features
apply mostly to built-in objects:
n Because an object encapsulates related data and functions (methods)
into a single cohesive unit, it is easy to perform maintenance activities.
n Every language paradigm influences its application design. Therefore,
scripts developed in JavaScript often make use of objects. Although you
can design your scripts in a traditional procedural way, you will find it a
great deal easier to use objects and methods. You will notice the differ-
ence between the traditional style and the OO style as soon as you start
writing complex scripts.
JavaScript’s implementation of objects is not as powerful as that of Java,
C++, or .NET, so some OO programming advantages that apply to Java do
not apply to JavaScript.
 Object-Oriented Programming n 51

Syntax
A method can exist at different levels of an object’s hierarchy. You can
invoke a method using the same syntax you use to reference a property, i.e.,
the “dot” syntax. Methods are actually functions associated with objects.
Therefore, they resemble functions in many aspects. A method is called in
the following fashion:
objectReference.methodName([arguments])

objectReference is the name of the object, or any other reference.

methodName is the name of the method, and arguments are the arguments
that the method accepts.
Because a method is a function, the name of the method is always fol-
lowed by a pair of parentheses. This rule also applies to methods that do not
accept arguments.
You probably find this syntax familiar. We have been using docu-
ment.write ([expression]) to print HTML expressions to the page.
write() is a method belonging to the built-in document object.

Using the Array Notation

You can refer to properties and methods using either the “dot” syntax or the

Chapter 4
array notation. In array notation, square brackets replace the dots. For exam-
ple, the following expression refers to a.b.d:
a["b"]["d"]

You can use the array notation for both properties and methods. The general
syntax is:
objectReference["propertyName"]
objectReference["methodName"]([arguments])

It is important to understand this alternative syntax, because you cannot

always use the traditional dot syntax. For example, the first character of a
property name cannot be a digit when using the dot syntax. When you create
an array using the built-in Array object, you can only refer to the elements
of the array via the array notation (e.g., myArray[0], myArray[99]). You
must always use double quotes when you refer to a property of an object
that is not an array. Here are some examples for using the array notation to
reference methods and properties:
document["write"]("hello!")
window["alert"]("howdy!") // note: alert() == window.alert()
Math["PI"]

Sometimes you can only use the array notation. Suppose the variable str
holds the string "write". You can use the following syntax instead of docu-
ment.write():
document[str]()
52 n Chapter 4

However, you cannot use document.str() because that is equivalent to

document["str"](). Another situation in which you should use the array
notation is when you want to name a property not according to the identifier
rules. For example, myObject["*"] is possible only with the array notation.
When you use the array notation, the value in the square brackets should be
a string, because the content is evaluated.

Object Oriented vs. Object Based

JavaScript is based on a simple object-oriented paradigm. This paradigm is
often called object based, as opposed to object oriented. If you are used to a
truly object-oriented language such as C#, Java, or C++, you will find much
of that functionality is missing in JavaScript. For example, classes do not
exist in JavaScript (all objects belong to one “class”), nor do packages
(because a package groups classes together). The object hierarchy in
JavaScript is a containment hierarchy, not an inheritance hierarchy as in Java
and C++. That is, an object does not inherit from other objects, but it can
be contained by another object if it is a property of that object. Most
object-oriented languages require static resolution of objects at compile
time. If all this talk of inheritance hierarchies seems foreign to you, don’t
worry. The purpose of this section is to explain to readers who are used to
true object-oriented programming what is not available to them in
JavaScript.
However, an object-oriented language may require dynamic method
bindings because polymorphism allows multiple definitions of methods shar-
ing a common name. Calling such polymorphic methods often cannot be
resolved until run time. JavaScript is completely based on dynamic binding.
That is, object references are checked at run time. There are many other dif-
ferences between the object paradigm in JavaScript and the one in full
object-oriented languages (such as Java and C++).

Summary
This chapter discussed the basics of object-based programming, based on
JavaScript’s object model. Its purpose is to introduce you to general
object-oriented and object-based terminology and to a bit of JavaScript syn-
tax. Every language paradigm heavily influences the design of applications in
that language. Therefore, scripts written in JavaScript are typically
object-based systems. Procedural scripting is possible in JavaScript, but
object-based scripting has many advantages. Because JavaScript has a large
set of built-in objects, including very useful methods and properties, a basic
understanding of the object structure is necessary. If you are a beginner and
find objects difficult to understand, don’t be too concerned. I promise that
you will understand these concepts as we move on, mostly by studying
examples.
 Functions and Variable Scope n 53

Chapter 5

Functions and Variable

Scope

Variable Scope and Storage Class

Remember that JavaScript is a programming language, and as such, it shares
certain characteristics common to all programming languages. The concepts
of variables and functions are two such shared characteristics. A variable is
basically a segment of memory set aside to hold data. That memory segment
is referenced by a name that you assign, thus allowing you to put things into
it and take them out when you wish.
All JavaScript variables have two attributes:
n Scope
n Storage class

JavaScript implements these characteristics slightly differently than other

programming languages, but the concepts are similar. As we will see in this
book, the attribute of scope is the most important of the two.

Variable Scope
The scope of a variable describes the area of the script where the variable is
valid. You can refer to the variable only in this area—it does not exist else-
where. The scope of a global variable is the entire script. You can access it
anywhere between the <SCRIPT> and </SCRIPT> tags and in other scripts
that are executed after the variable definition (including preceding event
handler scripts). In JavaScript, you can declare global variables with or with-
out the keyword var. It does not affect the scope of the variable at all.
A local variable is declared in a function. It can only be referenced by
statements inside that function. Therefore, a global variable may have the
same name as a given local variable. In the scope of a local variable (the
function where it is defined), only the local variable exists. Outside that
function, only the global one exists. A local variable must be declared inside
a function using the keyword var. If the keyword is omitted, the variable is
54 n Chapter 5

assumed to be global. The following script segments show how a variable’s

scope influences various results:
// Script 1
function test()
{
age = 43
}
age = 11
test()
document.write(age + "<BR>")

// Script 2
function test()
{
var age = 43
}
age = 11
test()
document.write(age + "<BR>")

The only difference between these scripts is the statement inside the func-
tion. In the second script segment, we use var to define the variable age,
whereas in the first statement we simply state the desired variable name.
The output of the first script is:
43

and the output of the second script is:

11

Take another look at the first script and try following the execution thread.
The value 11 is assigned to the global variable age and the function is
invoked. Notice that the word var is not used inside the function. Therefore,
the variable age in the function is assumed to be global, and the value 43 is
assigned to the global age. Thus, the result is 43.
In the second script, we assign the value 11 to the variable age, and
then call the function. The var keyword means that the variable age, which
is defined inside the function, is local. It does not exist beyond the function,
so the value of the global variable age (the one defined before the function
call) is not modified by the assignment statement inside the function. The
last statement of the script prints the value of the global variable age,
because it is the only variable named age in that scope. Therefore, the
script’s output is 11—the global variable’s initial value.
Once declared with the var keyword, additional statements referring to
the variable should not use that prefix. The var tells JavaScript that you are
about to declare a variable. After that, you have already declared the variable
and don’t need the keyword var any more. Here is the previous script with
an additional statement inside the function:
// Script 2 (additional statement in function)
function test()
 Functions and Variable Scope n 55

{
var age = 43
age = 58
}
age = 11
test()
document.write(age + "<BR>")

Once again, the output of the script is 11. The variable inside the function is
declared with the keyword var. From that point on, the scope of the variable
is only the function test(). It does not exist outside the boundaries of that
function, so the script’s output is the value of the global variable named age,
not the local one. It is absolutely critical that you keep the concept of scope
in mind. A variable only exists, and can only be used, within the scope with
which it was defined.
Note that the statement:
age = 11

in the previous script segment is equivalent to:

var age = 11

because the var keyword is optional for global variables.

Here’s another script segment that deals with various scopes:
function test()
{
age = 5
}
test()
document.write(age + "<BR>")

The script’s output is 5, because the variable age is declared inside the func-

Chapter 5
tion as global (without var), so its scope is the entire script. The next script
generates quite an unexpected output:
function test()
{
var age = 5
}
test()
document.write(age + "<BR>")

Rather than generating an output, this script generates an error because age
is a local variable and the printing statement is not located in its scope.

Variable Storage Class

The variable’s storage class is a bit more complicated than scope. But the
good news is that if you want, you can ignore this attribute and JavaScript
will just use defaults. In fact, many people use JavaScript on a regular basis
and are not even aware that there is a storage class attribute for a variable.
56 n Chapter 5

The variable’s storage class may be either permanent or temporary. You

cannot modify this attribute directly the way you can declare the variable as
static in other languages such as C# or C++. The storage class of a variable
in JavaScript depends only on its scope. Local variables are temporary, while
global variables are permanent. Permanent variables exist throughout the
script and even in other scripts. Even after a script has terminated, the
global variable remains, and is only discarded when the page unloads. Tem-
porary variables are allocated on the stack (a section of memory) when a
function is called. The space used by a function’s local (temporary) variable
is returned to the stack at the end of the function execution. After a local
variable “dies,” it leaves free memory space for other variables and objects
to come.
Avoid declaring large local data structures such as arrays (discussed in
later chapters). If you try to allocate too many temporary variables or
extremely large ones, you are likely to receive an error (usually called stack
overflow). For the same reason, avoid passing large data structures to a func-
tion. It is better to use global variables for such tasks.

Function Parameters
Function parameters are identical to local variables. They exist only inside
the function, and do not affect any variable outside it. You can refer to func-
tion parameters as if they were variables that you declared at the beginning
of the function and initialized with appropriate values. The following script
segment demonstrates this:
function test(age)
{
age = 5
document.write(age + "<BR>")
}
test(6)

The printed value is 5, because it is assigned to the variable age (which is

the function’s parameter).
JavaScript lacks a couple of features found in other languages:
n A function’s parameter cannot behave as a global variable.
n Nested functions, such as those in Pascal, are not supported. You cannot
declare a function inside another one.
Take a look at the following script. (Note that the line numbers are for your
benefit; you would not have line numbers in a real script.)
/* 1 */ function goFirst(pineapple)
/* 2 */ {
/* 3 */ var banana = 3
/* 4 */ pineapple = 6
/* 5 */ apple = 4
/* 6 */ goSecond()
/* 7 */ var peach = goThird()
/* 8 */ document.write(apple + "<BR>")
 Functions and Variable Scope n 57

/* 9 */ }
/* 10 */ function goSecond()
/* 11 */ {
/* 12 */ var apple = 2
/* 13 */ document.write(apple + "<BR>")
/* 14 */ }
/* 15 */ function goThird() {
/* 16 */ var peach = apple
/* 17 */ document.write(peach + "<BR>")
/* 18 */ return peach
/* 19 */ }
/* 20 */ var pineapple = 8
/* 21 */ goFirst(5)
/* 22 */ document.write("apple = " + apple)
/* 23 */ document.write(", pineapple = " + pineapple)

As you can see, it is impossible to construct scripts without a deep under-

standing of variable scopes and storage classes.
The output of the preceding script is:
2
4
4
apple = 4, pineapple = 8

Table 5-1 keeps track of the variables’ values throughout the course of the
script execution.
Table 5-1. A classic table to keep track of variable values

Line Number pineapple apple banana peach

20 8 (g)
1 8 (g)

Chapter 5
5 (goFirst)
3 8 (g) 3 (goFirst)
5 (goFirst)
4 8 (g) 3 (goFirst)
6 (goFirst)
5 8 (g) 4 (g) 3 (goFirst)
6 (goFirst)
12 8 (g) 4 (g) 3 (goFirst)
6 (goFirst) 2 (goSecond)
16 8 (g) 4 (g) 3 (goFirst) 4 (goThird)
6 (goFirst)
7 8 (g) 4 (g) 3 (goFirst) 4 (goFirst)
6 (goFirst)
22 8 (g) 4 (g)
(g) stands for global, (functionName) stands for local in the function named
functionName.
58 n Chapter 5

This technique is very useful because JavaScript does not have a decent
debugger. You can find some third-party tools used for editing and debugging
JavaScript, but you have to go search for them and they have varying levels
of efficacy. Make sure you understand every value in the table. If you don’t
have much programming background, Table 5-1 might seem confusing. How-
ever, all you must do to use the table is locate the line where the printing
statements are placed and extract the variables’ values from the table. For
example, suppose you want to find what the statement prints on Line 13.
The last line expressed in the table before Line 13 is Line 12. We are trying
to find out what the value of apple is, so you should first check to see if
there is a local variable with the corresponding name, because a local vari-
able rules if it exists. As you can see, the value of the local variable apple is
2. Therefore, JavaScript prints that value on Line 13, followed by a line
break.
The following script’s output might surprise you a little:
var num = 4
function funct1()
{
alert(num)
var num = 2
}
funct1()

The output of this script is illustrated in Figure 5-1:

Figure 5-1.
The “undefined”
alert box

The term “undefined” means that a variable does not have a value at the
desired point, although it has previously been declared. Generally speaking,
JavaScript scans the entire script before any execution begins. During this
scan, also called parsing, JavaScript evaluates each line of code, testing it for
basic syntax errors. It also determines the scope of each variable, regardless
of whether or not it is in a function. If it encounters a variable declaration
with the keyword var, that variable is considered local, even if a global vari-
able with the same name exists. A variable’s scope can be either the entire
script or just one function. In the preceding script segment, a global variable
num is declared by initializing it to 4. The function consists of one local vari-
able declaration. Note that the variable num inside the function has no
connection to the global variable num. The function is executed, as usual,
from top to bottom. The first statement instructs JavaScript to display the
value of num, the local variable inside the function. JavaScript already knows
that the local variable is declared inside the function, so it does not generate
 Functions and Variable Scope n 59

an error. However, at that point, the variable does not retain any value, so it
is undefined.
The following definitions of a function are equivalent:
// #1
function functionName
{
[JavaScript statements...]
var varName = initialValue
[JavaScript statements...]
}

// #2
function functionName
{
var varName
[JavaScript statements...]
varName = initialValue
[JavaScript statements...]
}

Some programmers find it easier to use the second form. Each form has its
own advantages and disadvantages, so you should choose the one that is
most convenient for you. In this book, we use the first form because we pre-
fer to use the var keyword in an assignment statement.
If you declare global variables inside a function, you must assign an ini-
tial value to the variable; otherwise, JavaScript returns an error. The
following script segment and screen capture demonstrate this fact:
function foo()
{
// local variable declarations
var a // without initialization

Chapter 5
var b = 0 // with initialization
// global variable declarations
c // without initialization — error!
d = 0 // with initialization
}
foo()

Figure 5-2. The error

message returned when
a global variable is
declared without an
initial value

Notice that the variable does not hold an undefined value as it would if the
declaration used the var keyword—it causes an error instead.
60 n Chapter 5

The var keyword is used to “officially” declare variables. JavaScript only

remembers the scope of variables that are declared in that fashion. It recog-
nizes other variables during the execution of the script, and automatically
refers to them as global variables. Although it does not really matter
whether or not you use var to declare global variables in the main script, it
might affect the result of the script under certain circumstances. If you do
not use var and, when the variable is still undefined, you use it in a
value-requiring statement, an error will occur. But this is an easy problem to
fix because you will get a message. The problem with the var declaration is
that not all statements that require a variable with a meaningful value use
the undefined string when the variable has no value. The basic docu-
ment.write() statement may print nothing at all if the variable is undefined.

What Are Functions?

We have been using functions in this book already, but have not really
defined them. Basically, a function is a logical grouping of code statements
that perform some task. For example, a function might calculate a mortgage
payment or how many days since you were born.
Functions group a sequence of statements to perform a specific task or a
function. JavaScript features many built-in functions that are presented later
in the book. Such functions are predefined for you to use. In this chapter we
will focus on those functions you build for yourself.

Defining and Calling Functions

Before you can use a function you must define it. You have already seen
function definitions in this book, although we have not explicitly identified
them as such. The general syntax of a function definition is:
function functionName([parameters])
{
statements
}

and the form of a function call is:

functionName(arguments)

The first line of the function definition is called the signature of the function.
It tells you what the function’s name is and what parameters it takes.

Function Parameters
Parameters, also called arguments, are the raw materials you pass to a func-
tion. The function should then be able to use these values to perform a
specific task. When you define a function, you should specify the names by
which you refer to the custom values handed off to the function from out-
side. These names must follow the same rules that apply to identifiers in the
language. Think of it like this: a parameter is something you must give the
 Functions and Variable Scope n 61

function in order for it to produce the results you need. For example, if you
are creating a function that calculates mortgage payments, you would have
to give it the principal, interest rate, and length of loan. So those would be
three parameters you would pass to that function.
Parameters become local variables for the function, so they exist only
inside the function where they are defined. Therefore, a parameter may use
the same name as a global variable or a local variable in a different function. I
don’t recommend that, however, as using the same names will just confuse
anyone reading your code. You can manipulate and modify the value of a
parameter as if it were a common variable. There is no need to explicitly
declare a parameter inside the function’s body as you would with a regular
variable.
JavaScript is loosely typed, so you do not specify the data type of the
arguments as in C++, Java, Pascal, and other strictly typed programming
languages. Both variables and literals can be passed to a function. All param-
eters in a function definition header should be delimited by the comma
operator (,). Here is a simple JavaScript function with two parameters:
function printName(name, ruleWidth)
{
document.write("<CENTER><H1>" + name + "</H1></CENTER>")
document.write("<HR WIDTH=" + ruleWidth + "%>")
}

You can call this function with a simple function call, such as:
printName(prompt("Enter your name:", "John Doe"), 60)

Using the arguments Array

JavaScript supports functions that accept a variable number of arguments.

Chapter 5
The first argument is functionName.arguments[0], the second one is
functionName.arguments[1], the third one is functionName.argu-
ments[2], and so on. The number of arguments handed to the function is
stored in the length property of the arguments object:
functionName.arguments.length

The following script demonstrates this concept:

function calc()
{
document.write("The first argument is ", calc.arguments[0], "<BR>")
document.write("The fourth argument is ", calc.arguments[3], "<BR>")
document.write("There are ", calc.arguments.length, " arguments<BR>")
}
var company = "Yahoo"
calc(2, 999, "internet", company, 0.0)
62 n Chapter 5

The script’s output is:

The first argument is 2
The fourth argument is Yahoo
There are 5 arguments

The scope of the arguments object’s properties is the current function, so it

can only be used inside a function. You can use loop statements to print a list
of arguments handed to a function:
function createList()
{
var result = ""
for (var i = 0; i < createList.arguments.length; ++i)
{
result += createList.arguments[i] + "\r"
}
alert(result)
}

Here is a simple function call:

createList("C", "H", "U", "C", "K”)

When invoked with the preceding statement, the function generates the fol-
lowing dialog box:

Figure 5-3. Each line

displayed is a distinct
argument handed to the
createList() function.

Creating Functions with Default Arguments

JavaScript does not support functions with default arguments. In C++,
these are the values supplied to the parameters in a function’s prototype.
There are, however, ways you can “fake it” and make JavaScript behave as if
it used default parameters. Calling the following function at the beginning of
a function is a simple workaround you can use in JavaScript:
function checkDefault(parameter, defaultValue)
{
if (typeof parameter == "undefined")
return defaultValue
/* else */
return parameter
}
 Functions and Variable Scope n 63

The appropriate call to this function is:

parameterName = checkDefault(parameterName, defaultValue)

The parameter is assigned its default value only if the function is called
without specifying the required argument. The following function uses this
technique to print a row of a given character; an asterisk is the default char-
acter, and 30 characters is the default length:
function checkDefault(parameter, defaultValue)
{
if (typeof parameter == "undefined")
return defaultValue
/* else */
return parameter
}
function drawLine(character, numOfChars)
{
character = checkDefault(character, "*")
numOfChars = checkDefault(numOfChars, 30)
for (var i = 0; i < numOfChars; i++)
{
document.write(character)
}
}

Here are some function calls and their corresponding output:

drawLine() // prints 30 asterisks

******************************
drawLine("=") // prints 30 equal signs

==============================

Chapter 5
drawLine("-", 10) // prints 10 dashes

----------

It is also possible to specify the second argument without providing the first
by using an undefined variable (just declare it before with var, without
initializing it).

Returning a Value
Sometimes a function will simply do whatever task you programmed it to do
and end; other times it will return a value. This value is often the answer to
some calculation. A function can return a value, so it is possible to use a
function call as a valid JavaScript value. Use this feature to create general
functions for usage by other scripts. For example, you can use a function
that accepts a number in one base and returns it in a different representa-
tion. This function can be used in creating a base-conversion table, a dialog
box, or additional calculations.
64 n Chapter 5

Use the following syntax to return a value from within a function:

return value

The return statement returns a value and terminates the function, similar
to the way break terminates a loop. Take a look at the following function:
function sum(op1, op2)
{
return op1 + op2
}
var answer = sum(3, 5)
alert(answer)

The value returned by the function is the sum of its arguments. As you can
see, the function evaluates to a value. A function may only return one
value—a variable, a literal, or any other valid data structure.
A function with a return value can also generate an output. When you
use the function in an expression, it automatically runs, executing all state-
ments until it returns a value that is used in the expression. The preceding
function can also display the sum of its arguments inside the function itself,
provided that the alert() statement precedes the return statement (which
terminates the function):
function sum(op1, op2)
{
var result = op1 + op2
alert(result)
return result
}
var answer = sum(3, 5)

Be sure that the return statement is placed after the statements that should
be executed, since it terminates the function and no additional statements of
the function are executed afterward.
You can use nested if constructions without else statements, provided
that each if statement calls a return statement if the condition is true.
Eliminating the else statements does not affect the efficiency of the func-
tion, because the function terminates immediately after a true condition is
met. The following function converts hexadecimal digits (not numbers) to
their equivalent decimal values:
function getValue(dig)
{
if (dig == "A") return 10
if (dig == "B") return 11
if (dig == "C") return 12
if (dig == "D") return 13
if (dig == "E") return 14
if (dig == "F") return 15
return dig
// the return statement terminates the function,
// so there is no need for else statements
}
 Functions and Variable Scope n 65

If the digit is from 0 to 9, none of the conditions evaluate to true, so the

function returns the same digit it accepts:
return dig

Recursion
Recursion is an advanced topic, and you can certainly write JavaScript with-
out using it. However in many situations, including some of the more
interesting examples later in this book, recursion is useful. A recursive func-
tion is usually one that calls itself. It is similar to a loop with or without a
terminating condition. Some programming functions lend themselves to
recursive algorithms, such as the factorial one. The factorial is a classic
recursive algorithm because it is very obvious. A simple mathematical defi-
nition of the factorial operation is:
fact(0) = 1
fact(n) = n * fact(n–1)

Factorial is commonly represented by the exclamation mark (!).

With this algorithm, let’s calculate 3!:
1. fact(3) = 3 * fact(2)
2. fact(2) = 2 * fact(1)
3. fact(1) = 1 * fact(0)
4. fact(0) = 1

As you can see, the algorithm works its way down from the given number to
zero, so when it gets to fact(0) it must work its way back up to the
numbers.
We know that fact(0) = 1.

Chapter 5
fact(1) = 1 * fact(0) = 1 * 1 = 1
fact(2) = 2 * fact(1) = 2 * 1 = 2
fact(3) = 3 * fact(2) = 3 * 2 = 6

We have reached the desired answer using a recursive algorithm. In

JavaScript this is:
function fact(num)
{
if (num == 0)
return 1
/* else */
return num * fact(num – 1)
}

You can call the function in the following way:

var fiveFactorial = fact(5) // 120

Notice that the else statement is commented because it is not necessary.

66 n Chapter 5

The fact() function satisfies two rules. First, it has an ending point.
Second, it simplifies the problem because fact(num – 1) is simpler than
fact(num). Recursive functions should always follow these two rules.
Recursive functions have a few advantages:
n Invariably, recursive functions are clearer, simpler, shorter, and easier to
understand than their nonrecursive counterparts.
n The program directly reflects the abstract solution strategy (algorithm).
The recursive factorial function, for example, uses the common mathe-
matical strategy to solve the problem.
At first, it may seem that recursive functions are more difficult, but they
become easier with practice.
Recursion can also be used to compute a value in the Fibonacci
sequence (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, ...). The basic algorithm is:
getVal(1) = 1
getVal(2) = 1
getVal(place) = getVal(place – 1) + getVal(place – 2)

Summary
In this chapter we have discussed variables and functions, which are funda-
mental programming concepts. You can certainly create simple web pages
and effects (like image rollovers) with only a cursory knowledge of these
two topics. But for more advanced work, a full understanding is absolutely
required.
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 67

Chapter 6

Utilizing JavaScript
Operators

Operator Categories
An operator, as the name suggest, performs some action. Programming lan-
guages would be virtually useless if they did not provide the programmer
with operators to use. JavaScript has many operators, most of them bor-
rowed from C and Java. The wide variety of operators makes it necessary to
divide them into the following categories:
n Mathematical operators
n String operators
n Bitwise operators
n Assignment operators
n Relational operators
n Short-circuit logical operators
n More logical operators
n Data type operator
n Void operator

In this chapter we will discuss JavaScript’s operators, grouped by the above

categories. Operators in each category are divided into two groups:
n Unary operators—operators that operate on a single operand
n Binary operators—operators that operate on two operands

Mathematical Operators
The most obvious category of operators is mathematical operators. Mathe-
matical operators, also called arithmetic operators, perform basic
mathematical operations. Table 6-1 lists the mathematical operators in
JavaScript:
68 n Chapter 6

Table 6-1. Mathematical operators

Syntax Name Type

+ Addition (plus) Binary
– Subtraction (minus) Binary
* Multiplication (multiply) Binary
/ Division (divide) Binary
% Modulus (modulo) Binary
++ Increment Unary
–– Decrement Unary
– Negation Unary
+= Add then assign Binary
= Assignment Binary
== Evaluation Binary

Arithmetic operators take numeric literals, variables, or properties of exist-

ing objects as their operands. They always return a single numeric value,
based on their operands’ values.

Addition
operand1 + operand2

The addition operator is a simple mathematical operator. It adds two num-

bers of any type and evaluates to their sum.
–5 + 3 // evaluates to –2
2.4 + 3.6 // evaluates to 6
1.1 + 7.8 // evaluates to 8.9

Subtraction
operand1 – operand2

Another simple mathematical operator is the subtraction operator. It sub-

tracts one number from another.
8 – 2 // evaluates to 6
16.3 – 56 // evaluates to –39.7
13.3 – 13.3 // evaluates to 0

Multiplication
operand1 * operand2

The multiplication operator takes two numbers as its operands, and per-
forms the usual arithmetic conversion.
4 * 3 // evaluates to 12
1.2 * 30 // evaluates to 36
20.4 * 6.7 // evaluates to 136.68
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 69

Division
operand1 / operand2

The division operator also performs the usual arithmetic conversion. How-
ever, since JavaScript is loosely typed, this operator does not act exactly as
in C, Perl, and other strictly typed programming languages. In those lan-
guages, integer division is different from floating-point division in that the
result of integer division is always an integer number. JavaScript, on the
other hand, does not explicitly distinguish between integers and real-valued
numbers, and therefore, the result of a division operation is not guaranteed
to be an integer number. In fact, most floating-point numbers are the result
of a division operator. While debugging a script, it may be helpful to remem-
ber that the division operation in JavaScript generates the same value as
your pocket calculator. You should also remember that the remainder of a
division operation is never discarded.
When the operands are floating-point numbers and cannot be repre-
sented in binary notation, division expressions often evaluate to inaccurate
results. The following demonstrates the behavior of JavaScript’s division
operator:
3 / 4 // evaluates to 0.75
3.6 / 0.1 // evaluates to 36
–20 / 4 // evaluates to –5
11.1 / 2.22 // evaluates to 4.999999999999999

Modulus
operand1 % operand2

The modulus operator returns the remainder of a division operation. The

division is performed, but only the remainder is kept. The sign of the result
is the sign of the quotient. The modulus operator in JavaScript is also differ-
ent from the one in other programming languages. It operates not only on
integers but also on floating-point numbers. You should be aware that the
modulus operator occasionally returns inaccurate results. The modulus’
inaccuracies stem from the division operation, which sometimes returns
inaccurate results:
Chapter 6

12 % 5 // evaluates to 2
12.3 % 4 // evaluates to 0.3000000000000007 (inaccuracy)
0 % 99 // evaluates to 0
12.75 % 4.25 // evaluates to 0
11.1 % 2.22 // evaluates to 2.219999999999999

The Nonexistent Integral Division Operator

JavaScript does not feature an integral division (also called div) operator. In
fact, many JavaScript programmers get by just fine without it. However, if
you feel the absolute need to create such an operator, you can do so with the
following function:
70 n Chapter 6

function div(op1, op2)

{
return (op1 / op2 – op1 % op2 / op2)
{

The keyword return instructs the function to return a value, so the function
call itself evaluates to a value, just like an expression consisting of an
operator.
Now we can define the newly created div syntax:
div(operand1, operand2)

Here are a few examples:

var a = div(23, 3) // a is assigned 7
var b = div(12, 4) // b is assigned 3

The function evaluates to the quotient of its arguments, with the remainder
discarded. The sign of the result is the sign of the quotient.

6 Caution: Various operations on floating-point numbers return inaccurate

results. This may seem strange, but such inaccuracies are a common
phenomenon in computers. You should avoid floating-point values when
possible, because such inaccuracies often result in unexpected behavior.
Above all, debugging scripts that fail to work due to inaccurate calculations is
nearly impossible.

Increment
operand1++

++operand1

The increment operator is a unary operator that can be used in either suffix
or prefix notations. It increments the operand’s value by 1. If used after the
operand (suffix), the operator returns the value of the operand before incre-
menting it. If used before the operand (prefix), the operator returns the
value of the operand after incrementing it. Understanding these differences
is important when you use such operations as side effects of other state-
ments, such as assignment statements. The following set of statements
outlines this concept:
var a = 1
var b = ++a // prefix
document.write("a is ", a, ", b is ", b) // a is 2, b is 2

The first statement assigns the value 1 to a. The second statement performs
two different actions:
n Increments a to 2
n Assigns a’s new value to b
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 71

The increment operator in suffix notation performs the actions in reverse

order, and therefore the results differ. Suffix notation is demonstrated in the
following code:
var a = 1
var b = a++ // suffix
document.write("a is ", a, ", b is ", b) // a is 2, b is 1

b is assigned the value of a, and then a is incremented.

Dual actions in one statement are discussed at the end of this chapter in
the section named “Side Effects.” Generally, you should avoid using such
side effects. The previous code would be simpler had it looked like:
var a = 1
var b = a
a++
document.write("a is ", a, ", b is ", b) // a is 2, b is 1

The increment operator can only be used with a variable or a property of an

existing object, but not on a literal.
It is natural to come to a conclusion that incrementing is the same as
adding 1 to the value:
var a = 1
var b = 1
a++
b = b + 1 // equivalent to b += 1 (see assignment operators)

This is true as far as correctness of the script is concerned. It is incorrect if

performance is important. The advantage of incrementing is that it is much
faster than standard assignment (fourth line in above code section). You
should always increment when you want to add 1 to a variable (or to a prop-
erty of an object). It is not so important when the addition operation is done
a few times. You will definitely feel the difference when you have 100,000
addition operations. Another benefit of the increment operator is that it is
much easier to understand a statement like countTemp++ than countTemp =
countTemp + 1.
It is important to remember that Boolean expressions are equivalent to
1 and 0 in certain situations. The following statements show the effect of
incrementing Boolean variables:
Chapter 6

var a = true
var b = false
a++
b++
document.write("a is ", a, ", b is ", b) // a is 2, b is 1
72 n Chapter 6

Decrement
operand1--

--operand1

The decrement operator is similar to the increment operator. It decreases

the value of the operand by 1, whereas the increment operator increases it
by 1.

Negation
–operand1

Negation is the programming equivalent to shouting “IS NOT!” and can be

quite handy. The negation operator precedes a numeric value (a variable, a
property of an existing object, or a numeric literal). By placing this operator
before its operand (do not insert any space characters), JavaScript evaluates
a positive number as its corresponding negative number and vice versa. As
before, you might think that this operator can be replaced by a statement in
which the operand is multiplied by –1. Once again, this is a mistake. Due to
the internal structure of the JavaScript interpreter, and the negation opera-
tor specifically, negating a numeric value using the negation operator is
faster than multiplying it by –1. If you are a traditional Pascal programmer, it
might take you a while to get used to the negation and increment operators,
but it is worth the effort!
var a = 3
var b = 9
–a + b // evaluates to 6
–b // evaluates to –9

String Concatenation
Concatenation is a very common string operation, and works as shown here:
operand1 + operand2

The string operator’s syntax is identical to that of the addition operator.

They differ in the type of operands they operate on. This operator accepts
any values as operands, provided that at least one of them is a string. A
string is actually an object, so it can be said that the string operator operates
on string objects. It joins them together, as in:
"Ladies " + "and " + "gentlemen"

The string operator can operate on more than two operands, but it is still a
binary operator because of the way it works. It concatenates the first two
strings, then concatenates the third string to the accumulated string, and so
on. If one of the operands is not a string, it is automatically cast to a string.
The string operator is also called a concatenation operator.
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 73

An expression consisting of numerous string operators evaluates to a

single string. Based on that, here are two different statements:
document.write("I have " + 2 + " cookies.")
document.write("I have ", 2, " cookies.")

At first, you might think that these statements are equivalent. They aren’t,
because the first one uses the string operator, and the second one uses com-
mas to delimit strings and numbers. They differ more than in style. In the
first statement, the expression between the parentheses is evaluated to a
single string—“I have 2 cookies.” Therefore, the document.write()
method in this statement prints only one expression. The second statement
prints multiple expressions. The literals are not evaluated to a single value
as in the first statement but rather are printed independently. Both state-
ments print the same HTML to the page, but they do it in different ways. In
order to understand how each statement works, take a look at the following
sequences of statements. The first sequence is equivalent to the first state-
ment in the previous set, and the second sequence is equivalent to the
second statement.
// sequence #1
var stringToPrint = "I have " + 2 + " cookies."
document.write(stringToPrint)

// sequence #2
document.write("I have ")
document.write(2)
document.write(" cookies.")

A common mistake made by beginners is to forget spaces in strings. A space

is a character just like any other. Forgetting a space character is not a severe
error, because you can easily locate where to add it. You should use one of
the following statements to print two consecutive numbers with a separating
space character in between:
document.write(16 + " " + 18) // first possibility
document.write(16, " ", 18) // second possibility

The first statement is valid because of the automatic casting method used by
JavaScript’s interpreter.
Chapter 6

2 Tip: The plus (+) operator in JavaScript does not convert string operands to
numeric values. The reason behind this is that the string concatenation
operator and the plus operator use the same character: +. If only one operand
is a string, the other is converted to a string value and then the operator
concatenates the strings. In Perl, the plus (addition) and minus (subtraction)
operators convert their arguments from strings to numeric values if necessary,
and return a numeric result. This feature is made possible because the string
concatenation operator in Perl is . (dot), not +, which is shared with another
operator (addition) in JavaScript. C++ and Pascal feature a function that
concatenates strings.
74 n Chapter 6

Bitwise Operators
First, let me state that bitwise operations can be confusing for many pro-
grammers. I should also note that a great many programmers work for years
without ever having to use them. You can be a successful JavaScript pro-
grammer even if this section does not quite make sense to you. However, I
would have been remiss not to have included it.
Bitwise operators are the operators used in bit-oriented operations. A
bit is the smallest unit of information, usually represented by 0 or 1. Bit
manipulations are used to control the machine at the lowest level. If you
plan to program at a higher level, this section may be safely skipped. In
JavaScript you won’t be using bitwise operators to control the machine at a
low level but rather for other purposes such as encrypting and encoding.
Eight consecutive bits form a byte. There are 256 (28) byte variations.
That is, a byte can be one of 256 eight-bit sequences. For example,
11010001 is one of these 256 possibilities. A byte is represented by a charac-
ter in programming languages that support character data types, such as C,
C++, and Pascal.
Hexadecimal notation is convenient for representing binary data
because each hexadecimal digit represents four binary bits. Table 6-2 lists
the hexadecimal values from 0 to F along with the equivalent binary values.
Table 6-2. Hexadecimal and binary equivalents

Hexadecimal Binary Hexadecimal Binary

0 0000 8 1000
1 0001 9 1001
2 0010 A 1010
3 0011 B 1011
4 0100 C 1100
5 0101 D 1101
6 0110 E 1110
7 0111 F 1111

Bitwise operators enable the scripter to work on individual bits. The bitwise
(bit) operators in JavaScript are listed in Table 6-3.
Table 6-3. Bitwise operators in JavaScript

Syntax Name Type

& Bitwise AND binary
| Bitwise OR binary
^ Bitwise XOR (exclusive OR) binary
~ Bitwise NOT unary
<< Left shift binary
>> Right shift binary
>>> Zero-fill right shift binary
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 75

Bitwise AND
operand1 & operand2

The bitwise AND operator compares two bits. The only situation in which
the result is 1 is when both bits are 1. The truth table for this operator is
shown in Table 6-4.
Table 6-4. Bitwise AND truth table

Bit1 Bit2 Bit1 & Bit2

0 0 0
0 1 0
1 0 0
1 1 1

þ Important Note: A truth table is a concept borrowed from mathematics

and is used to graphically demonstrate the truth of a combination of statements.

The AND operator, like all other bitwise operators, can take only a numeric
value as its operand.
Although you will probably never use bitwise operators, let’s learn how
the results are calculated. All calculations will be performed in hexadecimal
and binary bases, because they are most convenient for the task. Remember
that hexadecimal numbers have a “0x” prefix.
Let’s take a look at the following numbers, and how the bitwise AND
operates on them:
0x23 001000112
& 0x72 011100102
= 0x22 001000102

0x23 & 0x72 // evaluates to 34 (= 0x22 = 2216)

The bitwise AND operator is similar to the logical AND operator, which is
discussed later in this chapter.
You can use the bitwise AND operator to test whether a number is even
Chapter 6

or odd. In binary (base-2), the last digit of an odd number is 1, and the last
digit of an even number is 0. The following function uses the bitwise AND
operator to determine whether the number is odd or even. It returns true if
decimalNumber is even, and false if it is odd.
function checkEven(decimalNumber)
{
return (decimalNumber & 1 == 0)
}
76 n Chapter 6

Don’t worry if you are not familiar with the “==” equality operator. It is
introduced later in this chapter. Come back to this script after we discuss
the equality operator.

Bitwise OR
operand1 | operand2

The OR operator, also known as the inclusive OR operator, compares its

operands. It returns 1 if at least one of the compared bits is 1. Table 6-5
shows the operator’s truth table.
Table 6-5. Bitwise OR truth table

Bit1 Bit2 Bit1 | Bit2

0 0 0
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 1

When operating on bytes:

0x46 010001102
| 0x79 011110012
= 0x7F 011111112

Bitwise XOR
operand1 ^= operand2

The XOR is a very interesting and useful operator. It is the exclusive OR. In
other words, it asks if there is a 1 in one or the other number but not in
both. Table 6-6 shows the operator’s truth table.
Table 6-6. Bitwise XOR truth table

Bit1 Bit2 Bit1 ^= Bit2

0 0 0
0 1 1
1 0 1
1 1 0

Take a look at the following example:

0x2C 001011002
^ 0xA3 101000112
= 0x8F 100011112

The bitwise XOR operator is used in a simple cipher technique called

XORing, which will be covered later in this book.
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 77

Bitwise NOT
The bitwise NOT operator returns the reverse of its operand. Therefore, it
is also called the bit flip operator or the invert operator. All 1s are converted
to 0s, and all 0s are converted to 1s. Here is the truth table:
Table 6-7. Bitwise NOT truth table

Bit ~Bit
0 1
1 0

For example,
~ 70 000000000000000000000000010001102
= –71 111111111111111111111111101110012

Note that this operator refers to all operands (integers) as 32 bits. If they are
not 32-bit integers, they are converted for the operation and then converted
back to their initial form.

Shift Operators
The shift operators take two operands:
n The quantity (value) to be shifted
n The number of bit positions to shift the first operand

Shift operators convert their operands to 32-bit integers, and return a result
of the same type as the left operator. There are three shift operators:
n Left shift (<<)
n Right shift (>>)
n Zero-fill right shift (>>>)

Left Shift
operand1 << operand2

The left shift operator shifts the first operand the specified number of bits to
the left. All bits that are shifted out (to the left) are discarded. New bits com-
Chapter 6

ing in from the right are zeros. In the following example, represents 4
bytes (32 bits):
78 n Chapter 6

179 Þ 0xB3 Þ 101100112

179 << 0 Þ 00000000000000000000000010110011

179 << 2 Þ 00000000000000000000000010110011

empty space filled with 0s

Þ 00000000000000000000001011001100

Þ 10110011002 Þ 0x2CC Þ 716

You now know that 179 << 2 is 716. You might realize that 179 * 4 is also
716—this is no coincidence. In general, x << n is the same as x * 2n.
Shifting left n places is the same as multiplying by 2n. This rule applies also
to negative numbers—the sign is always preserved. Thus, you can choose
between two different methods to multiply by a power of two. Although
shifting is faster, it is also less clear to the reader and should be avoided.
Right Shift
operand1 >> operand2

The right shift operator is also called sign-propagating right shift because it
preserves the sign of the initial operand. Like the left shift operator, the
right shift operator shifts the first operand the specified number of bits to
the right. Excess bits shifted off at the right are discarded. The sign of an
integer is stored in the first bit (from the left). In order to preserve the sign,
the first bit remains as is. The other 31 bits are shifted to the right. New bits
coming in from the left are either 0s or 1s, depending on the sign. If the first
bit was a 0, all new bits are 0s, and vice versa. Therefore, if the number was
positive, the operation will also return a positive number; if it was negative,
the operation evaluates to a negative number. It is important to remember
that this operator, like all shift operators, converts the first operand to a
32-bit integer, and after shifting returns it to its initial representation. Here
is a simple example:
176 Þ 0xB0 Þ 101100002

176 >> 0 Þ 00000000000000000000000010110000

176 >> 3 Þ 0 00000000000000000000000010110000

Þ 00000000000000000000000000010110

Þ 101102 Þ 0x16 Þ 22
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 79

Let’s see how this operator works on a negative number, say, –17.
–17 Þ 111111111111111111111111111011112

–17 >> 0 Þ 11111111111111111111111111101111

–17 >> 3 Þ 1 1111111111111111111111111101111

Þ 11111111111111111111111111111101

Þ 111111111111111111111111111111012 Þ –3

You can refer to the right shift operator as the opposite of the left shift oper-
ator. While the left shift operator is equivalent to multiplying by a power of
2, the right shift operation is equivalent to dividing by a power of 2. 176 >>
3 is equal to 176 / 23. In general, x << n is the same as x / 2n.
Zero-fill Right Shift
operand1 >>> operand2

The zero-fill right shift operator shifts the first operand the specified num-
ber of bits to the right. Like the sign-propagating right shift, the zero-fill
right shift discards excess bits that are shifted off to the right. However, the
bits shifted in from the left are always zeros. The number’s sign is lost
because the leftmost bit is always 0. Here is the simple example from the
previous section, this time with the zero-fill right shift:
–17 Þ 111111111111111111111111111011112

–17 >>> 0 Þ 11111111111111111111111111101111

–17 >>> 3 Þ 11111111111111111111111111101111

Þ 00011111111111111111111111111101

Þ 111111111111111111111111111012 Þ 536870909

Don’t worry if the bitwise shift operators seem difficult. One can program in
JavaScript for many years without needing to use bitwise operators, so hav-
ing some difficulty grasping them is not going to be a problem.
Chapter 6

Assignment Operators
operand1 ¨ = operand2

Assignment operators are binary operators handling arithmetic, string, or

bitwise operators. They perform the regular operation on the operands and
assign the result to the first operand. The assignment operators are as
follows:
80 n Chapter 6

Table 6-8. Assignment operators

Syntax Name
= Equal
+= Add/concatenate by value
–= Subtract by value
*= Multiply by value
/= Divide by value
%= Modulo by value
&= Bitwise AND by value
|= Bitwise OR by value
^= Bitwise XOR
<<= Left shift by value
>>= Right shift by value
>>>= Zero-fill right shift by value

You already know what the simple = assignment operator does—it stores
the value of the expression in the data structure. For all the other operators,
JavaScript pretends that
var1 ¨ = var2

is
var1 = var1 ¨ var2

For example:
counter =>> 2

shifts the value of counter two positions to the right, and

text += " Gates"

attaches the word Gates to the end of the string stored in text. The same
rule applies to all assignment operators listed in Table 6-8.
Since the assignment statements are evaluated from right to left, you
can use multiple operators in the same statement. The rule is that the value
to the right of the operator is evaluated and then assigned to the variable to
the left of the operator.
num1 = num2 = num3 = num4 = num5

The value of num5 is assigned to num4, the value of num4 is assigned to num3,
and so on. After such an operation, all five variables hold the same value.
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 81

Relational Operators
operand1 ¨ operand2

Relational operators, also called comparison operators, compare two values

and return a Boolean result. All relational operators are binary, because they
compare two values. These operators are often used in conditional state-
ments. Here is the complete list of JavaScript’s relational operators:
Table 6-9. Relational operators

Syntax Name
== Equal
!= Not equal
< Less than
<= Less than or equal to
> Greater than
>= Greater than or equal to

These operators take numeric or string values as their operands. Numeric

comparison is usually very simple:
2 == 1 // evaluates to false
99.0 == 99 // evaluates to true
2 != 1 // evaluates to true
3 < 2.5 // evaluates to false
2 <= 2 // evaluates to true
9 > 9 // evaluates to false
9 >= –10 // evaluates to false

String operands are compared according to the ASCII value of their charac-
ters. This comparison is similar to the one by which words are placed in a
dictionary. The only difference is that instead of using a single set of letters,
JavaScript uses 256 different characters. As you know, each character has a
numeric value. This value determines if a character is greater than, equal to,
or less than another one.
When you compare multicharacter strings, the first character of the first
operand is compared with the first character of the second operand. The sec-
Chapter 6

ond characters are compared only if the comparison of the first ones
indicates equality. The process continues until the corresponding characters
are not equal, or until the end of one of the strings is reached. Here are
some characters and their ASCII values:
0 – 48 A – 65 a – 97
9 – 57 Z – 90 z – 122
You can find the full ASCII table in Appendix C.
82 n Chapter 6

Here is an example:
"computerA" > "computerB"
"c" == "c"
"o" == "o"
"m" == "m"
"p" == "p"
"u" == "u"
"t" == "t"
"e" == "e"
"r" == "r"
"A" < "B" Þ ("computerA" > "computerB" Þ false)

Take a look at the following results for a better understanding:

"JavaScript" == "javascript" // evaluates to false
"bill" != "bill" // evaluates to false
" " < " " // ([one space] < [two spaces]) evaluates to true
16 <= "16" // evaluates to true
"luck" > "Work" // evaluates to true!
"XT" >= "pentium pro " // evaluates to false

Equality and Inequality

As you can see, the Boolean equality operator (==) is similar to the assign-
ment operator (=). This similarity is the source of many programming
errors, not only in JavaScript but also in other languages such as C, C++,
and Java. Equality operators are often used in if-else statements, where
the assignment operator cannot be used. (JavaScript does not allow side
effects in a conditional statement.) In this case, the interpreter produces a
meaningful error saying: “test for equality (==) mistyped as assignment
(=)? Assuming equality test.” However, in some other situations, both the
equality and assignment operators are valid and the browser, rightly so, does
not generate any errors. This is why such errors are very difficult to debug.
The following example demonstrates a situation in which both operators are
acceptable:
var i = 1
document.write(i = 2)
var j = 1
document.write(j == 2)

The first printing statement prints 2, because an assignment expression

evaluates to the assigned value. The second printing statement prints false
under Netscape Navigator, and 0 on Internet Explorer (Internet Explorer
converts the Boolean value false to 0 for printing), because 1 is not equal to
2. In a long script, if you accidentally replaced one operator with the other,
you would have a hard time finding the mistake.
Another problem with the equality operator has to do with the way a
computer deals with floating-point numbers. This problem is especially diffi-
cult when you try to store integer numbers in the form of floating-point
numbers (e.g., 3.0). Depending on the underlying machine, the results may
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 83

differ. You might find out that (5. == 5.00) evaluates to false, and (5.0 ==
4.99999999) evaluates to true. Therefore, avoid using equality operators
with floating-point values. The solution for this problem is presented later in
the chapter.

Short-Circuit Logical Operators

Short-circuit logical operators, also called Boolean operators or logical oper-
ators, are binary operators that accept Boolean values as their operands.
They group multiple relational expressions together. There are three logical
operators:
Table 6-10. Logical operators

Syntax Name Type

|| Logical OR binary
&& Logical AND binary
! Logical NOT unary

Logical OR
operand1 || operand2

The logical OR operator accepts two Boolean values as its operands and
evaluates to a single Boolean value. It evaluates to true if at least one of the
operands is true; in other words, the only situation in which it evaluates to
false is when both operands are false. Take a look at Table 6-11.
Table 6-11. Logical OR truth table

Operand1 Operand2 Operand1 || Operand2

true true true
true false true
false true true
false false false

Here are a few examples:

Chapter 6

2 > 1 || 3 < 4 // true

1 == 1 || 99 >= 98 // true
"mouse" > "elephant" || 6 < 5 // true
1 == 2 || 5 <= 4 // false

Be careful not to confuse the logical OR operator with the bitwise OR due to
their similar meaning and syntax (|| vs. |). The only difference in meaning
is that the first handles Boolean operands while the second handles numeric
ones.
The logical OR operator is short-circuit evaluated. As you can see from
the truth table, if the first operand is true, it is certain that the expression
84 n Chapter 6

will evaluate to true. Checking the second operand in such a situation is

unnecessary and is avoided by JavaScript.

Logical AND
operand1 && operand2

The logical AND operator is similar to the logical OR operator, except both
operands must be true for the expression to evaluate to a true value. This
operator is similar to the bitwise AND operator, except that the operand
types are different, and the logical AND operator operates on the whole
operand at once rather than on a small segment (bit).
Logical AND expressions are also short-circuit evaluated. If the first
operand is false, the expression will obviously be false, so the second oper-
and is not evaluated.
Here are some examples:
2 > 1 && 3 < 4 // true
1 == 1 && 99 >= 98 // true
"mouse" > "elephant" && 6 < 5 // false
1 == 2 && 5 <= 4 // false

Logical NOT
!operand1

The logical NOT operator is a simple unary operator that accepts a Boolean
value and negates it. This operator is similar to the negation operator, which
negates a number (changes its sign). It is even more similar to the bitwise
NOT operator (~), which converts all 1 bits to 0 bits, and 0 bits to 1 bits.
Although the truth table is obvious, here it is for your reference:
Table 6-12. Logical NOT truth table

Operand !Operand
true false
false true

Because this is a unary operator, short-circuit evaluation is not relevant.

Here are some examples:
!true // evaluates to false
!(2 > 4) // evaluates to true
!(7 == 7) // evaluates to false
!false // evaluates to true
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 85

6 Caution: Short-circuit evaluation is mostly useful because it makes your

scripts more efficient. However, there are times when this method of evaluation
is harmful. For example, you finish writing a complicated script and you want to
test it. Depending on certain decisions in the script, short-circuit evaluation is
performed, and the interpreter ignores the second operand of various
expressions. You might think that the script works perfectly fine, even if there is
a data mistype or a syntax error in the second operand. This type of evaluation
can mislead you in such situations, but it is unavoidable.

Testing Equality for Floating-Point Numbers

We mentioned earlier that the equality operator (==) is not suitable for float-
ing-point numbers due to inaccuracy issues. Using logical AND and OR
operators, you can check if the number is close to the specified value. For
example, if you want to evaluate the expression x == 10.0 you use a fuzzy
comparison using one of the following expressions, in which µ represents a
small number (such as 0.001).
(x – 10.0) < µ || (10.0 – x) < µ

or
x > (10.0 – µ) && x < (10.0 + µ)

More Logical Operators

The conditional operator and the comma operator are also logical operators.

Conditional Operator
condition ? trueAlternative : falseAlternative

The conditional operator is unique because it is trinary (takes three

operands) and because it returns values of all types. It can return a numeric
value, a string, a Boolean value, and so on. The first operand is the condi-
tion. The condition must be an expression that evaluates to a Boolean value,
Chapter 6

either true or false. The second operator holds the value that the operator
should return if the condition is true. The third operand is the value that the
expression evaluates to if the condition is false. The conditional operator is
often used with an assignment operator. For example:
var level = (points > 500) ? "Second Level" : "First Level"

The variable level is assigned either "First Level" or "Second Level",

depending on the value of the Boolean expression points > 500. If the
value of points is greater than 500, the conditional expression evaluates to
the string "Second Level", which in turn is assigned to the variable level.
If the value of points does not exceed 500, the string "First Level" is
86 n Chapter 6

assigned to the variable. The first operand (the condition) must be Boolean
(a single Boolean value or an expression that evaluates to a single Boolean
value). The other operands can be of any type.

Comma Operator
operand1, operand2, operand3, ...

The comma operator is rarely used. You can use it to force the evaluation of
a set of expressions. The comma operator is also called a parameter delimiter
because it does just that. You probably recall that we used the comma opera-
tor in functions when we wanted a function to accept multiple arguments.
In this example, the comma operator delimits the method’s arguments:
var beerNum = 99
document.write(beerNum, " bottles of beer on the wall")

Here is another example:

var a = (b = "Hello", alert("Hi"), "Howdy")

The comma operator forces the evaluation of all expressions in the state-
ment. Only the last expression is returned, so the value of a would be
"Howdy". This statement is equivalent to the following set of statements:
b = "Hello"
alert("Hi")
var a = "Howdy"

Data Type Operator

typeof operand1

or
typeof (operand1)

JavaScript provides an operator to check the data type of its operand. The
operand can be either a literal or a data structure such as a variable, a func-
tion, or an object. The operator returns the data type. The expression
includes the word typeof followed by the literal or identifier. Here are some
examples:
typeof foo == "undefined" // when foo is undefined
typeof eval == "function" // eval is a built-in function
typeof null == "object" // null is an object
typeof 3.14 == "number"
typeof true == "Boolean"
typeof "a string" == "string"
// all of the expressions are true, of course

The typeof operator is very useful for debugging. Until strong debugging
tools are available, you must do all debugging by hand, and detecting the
data type of a structure is sometimes essential.
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 87

Void Operator
void operand1
void (operand1)

or
javascript:void operand1
javascript:void (operand1)

The void operator, like typeof, is quite extraordinary. It specifies an expres-

sion to be evaluated without returning a value. Take a look at the following
script:
function foo()
{
alert("Function entered")
return true
}
alert(foo())

The preceding script segment displays two alert boxes with the following
strings:
n Function entered
n true

Now take a look at another function and call:

function foo()
{
alert("Function entered")
return true
}
alert(void foo())

This script also generates two alerts, but the second one reads “undefined”
because the void operator evaluates the function without returning a value.
A more important use of this operator comes with hypertext links, where it
is used to evaluate a JavaScript expression. The expression is evaluated but
is not loaded in place of the current document.
The following link does nothing because the expression 0 has no effect
Chapter 6

in JavaScript:
<A HREF="javascript:void(0)">Click here to do nothing</A>

The following code generates an alert box when the link is clicked:
<A HREF="javascript:void(alert('Wow'))">Click here to display message</A>

The parentheses are optional, so it’s up to you to decide whether to use

them. Some scripters specify them in HTML and omit them in JavaScript for
no particular reason.
88 n Chapter 6

Operator Precedence
You probably remember that 2 + 6 * 9 is 56 and not 72, because multiplica-
tion precedes addition. That is exactly the meaning of operator precedence. It
is not necessary to remember the precedence rules because parentheses
can be used to force evaluation in the desired order. The expressions are
evaluated according to the precedence rules. Operators at the same level are
evaluated from left to right. The following table will help you when you want
to define complex expressions.
Table 6-13. Operator precedence

Level Operators Notes

1 () [] . call, member (including
typeof and void)
2 ! ~ – ++ – – negation, increment
3 * / % multiply/divide
4 + – addition/subtraction
5 << >> >>> bitwise shift
6 < <= > >= relational
7 == != equality
8 & bitwise AND
9 ^ bitwise XOR
10 | bitwise OR
11 && logical AND
12 || logical OR
13 ?: conditional
14 = += –= *= /= %= <<= assignment
>>= >>>= &= ^= |=
15 , comma

Expressions
The term expression has been mentioned dozens of times throughout this
chapter. An expression is any valid set of literals, variables, operators, and
other expressions that evaluates to a single value. The value may be a num-
ber, a string, or a Boolean value. Conceptually, there are two types of
expressions:
n Those that assign a value to a variable (or another data structure)
n Those that have a value

The following are expressions:

a = "Dog"
"Netscape"
256
false
b = true
 Utilizing JavaScript Operators n 89

The first type of expression is a bit more difficult to understand. In such

expressions, an assignment is performed. The entire specification, including
both operands of the assignment operator and the operator itself, is evalu-
ated to the assigned value. Consider the following statement:
document.write(x = "Texas")

This statement prints Texas, because the whole expression evaluates to the
assigned value. The next section discusses side effects, which take advan-
tage of such expressions.

Side Effects
A side effect is an operation performed in addition to the main one. Take a
look at the following statements:
number = 3
answer = ++number

The first line is a simple assignment statement. The second line is a bit
more complicated. It performs two actions in the following order:
n Increments number (side effect)
n Assigns the value of number (4) to answer (main operation)

Remembering the order in which the actions take place is not necessary. You
could break down the side effect and use two different statements instead:
number = 3
number++
answer = number

This set of statements is easy to follow. The only “advantage” of the first
method is that the code is compact. Compact code is a holdover from the
early days of computing, when storage was expensive and programmers
used various compacting techniques to save disk space. The situation is dif-
ferent today, because the number one rule in programming is to keep
programs clear and simple. It comes even before efficiency, especially in
simple programs like the ones written in JavaScript (you will not find any
500,000-line scripts in this advanced book).
Chapter 6

Other side effects are not related to the increment and decrement oper-
ators. Consider the following JavaScript statement:
document.write(myName = "Chuck")

You already know that this statement prints Chuck. The assignment opera-
tion also takes place in this statement, so myName holds the value Chuck after
the statement. The assignment operation is the side effect, and the printing
action is the main action. The preceding statement should be split into two
separate statements:
90 n Chapter 6

myName = "Chuck"
document.write(myName)

Here are some more statements you should avoid (they will keep you busy
for a while…):
number = 0
answer = (number++ – 2) * (--number – 1)
document.write(number = answer++)

This set of statements prints 2. Let’s analyze it:

1.
1.1 number is assigned the value 0.
2.
2.1. (number++ – 2) is evaluated to –2.
2.2. number is incremented to 1.
2.3. number decrements to 0.
2.4. (--number – 1) evaluates to –1.
2.5. answer is assigned 2 (because (–1) * (–2) yields 2).
3.
3.1. number is assigned the value of answer (2).
3.2. The value of number is printed.
3.3. answer increments to 3.
The final result:
n number holds the value 2.
n answer holds the value 3.
n The number 2 is printed to the document.

The following script is longer, but it is definitely better:

number = 0
answer = number – 2
number++
number--
answer *= number – 1
number = answer
document.write(number)
number = amswer
answer++

Summary
This chapter brought you information on a key piece of serious JavaScript
programming: operators. You could write a script that had no operators, but
it would probably not be particularly useful or interesting. This information,
combined with Chapter 5’s coverage of variables and functions, should help
you understand some basic programming fundamentals as they apply to
JavaScript. You will see these concepts in various scripts as we proceed
through this book.
 Events in JavaScript n 91

Chapter 7

Events in JavaScript

Events
While HTML is the bedrock of all web pages, it is very static. HTML cannot
respond to user input and it provides a limited set of features. When brows-
ing an HTML-based web page you can read the text, look at the graphics,
and possibly listen to the sound it plays. All of these actions are static in that
the user has no control over the actions the web page takes. Such pages
remind us of art masterpieces seen in a museum. You can look at them,
maybe take a picture, but you cannot interact with the paintings. We use
JavaScript to produce dynamic, interactive content in our HTML web pages.
One of the best way to do this is to use events.
Events are actions that occur in response to a specific user action on the
web site. For example, clicking on a form element will trigger a click event.
The events occur regardless of whether you provide code to respond to
them. JavaScript provides you with a method to respond to these events and
to take action based on them. In this way your web page becomes very
dynamic, responding to user interaction. The events supported by JavaScript
are listed in Table 7-1.
Table 7-1. Events in JavaScript

Event Description
abort Occurs when the user aborts loading an image.
blur Occurs when focus is removed from a form element (when
the user clicks outside the form element). It also occurs when
the user removes focus from a browser window.
change Occurs when the user changes the value of a form field.
click Occurs when the user clicks on a link, an image map area, or
a form element.
error Occurs if there is an error loading an image.
focus Occurs when the user gives input focus to a form element or
a window.
load Occurs when a page or image has finished loading into the
browser window.
92 n Chapter 7

Event Description
mouseOut Occurs when the user moves the mouse pointer from inside
a link or image map area’s bounding box to its outside.
mouseOver Occurs when the user moves the pointer over a hypertext
link or an image map area.
select Occurs when the user selects a form field.
submit Occurs when the user submits a form via the “submit” button.
unload Occurs when the user exits a page.

Not all actions that take place in your browser are events. Events are only
actions that occur in the area of the HTML page, such as loading images and
selecting form elements. If an action occurs directly in the boundary of the
browser’s display zone, it is an event as well. In short, what I am saying is
that an event is only concerned with action on the web page itself, not on the
browser. Take a look at Figure 7-1.

Figure 7-1. A browser

In this case, a browser displays the web site at www.wordware.com. You

know that this window consists of two parts: the HTML page and the
browser. You already know that many actions can occur in the environment
illustrated in Figure 7-1. Some are events, while others are nonevent
actions. The main part of the window is the HTML page, the content win-
dow without the surrounding menus and buttons.
 Events in JavaScript n 93

All actions that take place in the area that actually contains the web site
itself are the events. The user loads, unloads, clicks links, and causes many
other events in this zone. The rest of the image contains the browser’s fea-
tures, such as the menu bar, the scroll bar, and other elements seen in
Figure 7-2.

Figure 7-2. The browser without a web page

This figure is exactly the same as the one presented in Figure 7-1, except
that the HTML page is excluded. No events occur outside of the HTML
page. For example, pressing any of the buttons shown in Figure 7-2 will not
trigger an event, nor will scrolling up and down the window. Even if you
change the appearance of an HTML page, you are not triggering an event. It
is very important to realize the difference between events and other actions
because JavaScript can only handle events, not other actions.

Event Handlers
Event handlers correspond to their associated events. They are functions
that execute automatically when events occur. Many JavaScript functions are
Chapter 7

called by event handlers. You saw earlier that events are actions that do not
have any direct influence; they only serve the event handlers. Each event
handler is associated with an event.
94 n Chapter 7

Event handlers are embedded in documents as attributes of HTML tags

to which you assign JavaScript code. The general syntax is:
<TAG eventHandler="JavaScript Code">

You can use event handlers to embed any JavaScript code. You can place a
500-line script including functions as an event handler tag. You can also use
more than one event handler with the same HTML tag. The names of the
event handlers are constructed of the word “on” plus the name of the event.
Here is the full list of supported event handlers:
n onAbort
n onBlur
n onChange
n onClick
n onError
n onFocus
n onLoad
n onMouseOut
n onMouseOver
n onSelect
n onSubmit
n onUnload

Here is the code for an HTML page that displays the message “Hello” when
you load it, and “Goodbye” when you unload it.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Hello / Goodbye</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY onLoad="alert('Hello')" onUnLoad="alert('Goodbye')">
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 7-1 (ex7-1.htm). An event handler

Event handlers are not case sensitive. For example, you can use either
ONLOAD or onLoad. Although event handlers are related to JavaScript, the
event handler itself is normally used as an HTML attribute, and HTML is
not case sensitive. What this means is that event handlers are technically
part of HTML, not JavaScript. However, you can put JavaScript into an event
handler. It is still a good practice to use identifier-like naming conventions
for event handlers.
Example 7-2 is a classic script that takes advantage of event handlers.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Example 7-2</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
 Events in JavaScript n 95

<A HREF="http://www.wordware.com/"
onMouseOver="window.status = 'Wordware Publishing'; return true"
>Wordware</A>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 7-2 (ex7-2.htm). An event handler example

It is sometimes problematic to execute statements directly in an event han-

dler script. For example, if you want to include a long script, placing it in the
event handler script makes the HTML page cumbersome, and maintenance
becomes difficult. Another case in which difficulties can arise is when you
want to correlate a script containing strings—quotation marks—to an event
handler. The quotation marks themselves can cause a problem. As you can
see in Example 7-2, the event handler requires quotation marks to delimit
the specified JavaScript code from the surrounding HTML content.
JavaScript requires alternation of quotation types, single and double, so you
will probably find it annoying to write scripts with an emphasis on quotes.
Event handlers accept any JavaScript script as long as it is valid. For that
reason, you should associate functions with event handlers. The only state-
ment you need in the event handler script is the function call.
You should normally place all functions at the top of the page, or more
accurately, in the <HEAD></HEAD> portion of the document. This action forces
JavaScript to evaluate your functions before it continues laying out the page.
With this practice you guarantee that when the browser comes across an
event handler in the HTML portion of the page, it will succeed in calling the
function associated with that event if it occurs. The only restriction is that
you do not place any event handlers to pick up events before the JavaScript
script in the <HEAD></HEAD> portion. Such a restriction applies also to exter-
nal files implemented via the SRC attribute of the <SCRIPT> tag. The basic
structure of such a page is:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>The title of the page</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript" [SRC="path.js"]>
<!--
function functionName(parameters)
{
statement1
statement2
statement3
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
Chapter 7

<TAG otherAttributes eventHandler="functionName(arguments)">

</BODY>
</HTML>
96 n Chapter 7

It is very easy to find the associated functions if you always place their defi-
nitions in the <HEAD></HEAD> portion of the page. The HTML portion of the
page stays as simple as it was before JavaScript was even invented. Another
important advantage of using functions with event handlers is that you can
use the same function many times in the same HTML page. For example, if
you have a form with four text fields, you can validate each one of them
using the same function by calling this function upon occurrence of an event
that is specific to one of the fields.
You may have noticed that the title is specified before the <SCRIPT> tag.
Although the title is specified via an HTML tag, it has no event handlers
that could possibly invoke a function defined later. You probably won’t have
any problems if you do not follow this rule, although it is still a good practice
because it contributes to the neat organization of the page and guarantees
that you will never have any layout problems.

onLoad and onUnload

Two very important event handlers are onLoad and onUnload. Their corre-
sponding events, load and unload, are triggered by those actions. When the
page has finished loading, the load event takes place. When the user exits a
page in any way, the unload event occurs. These are the most simple event
handlers because they are related to the most basic <BODY> tag, and are
specified as attributes of this tag. The following document welcomes the
user via an alert box when entering the page, and says goodbye when the
user exits, also via an alert box:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>onLoad and onUnload event handlers</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY onLoad="alert('Welcome to our page!')" onUnload="alert('Goodbye,
and don\'t forget to come back!')">
</BODY>
</HTML>

The onLoad event handler is widely used to call deferred scripts—functions.

Placing a function call as the event handler’s script enables you to control
the timing of the execution, so the script executes only when the page is
fully laid out.

onError
The onError event handler expands JavaScript’s ability to interact with the
user according to errors that occur when loading a window or an image. This
event handler was not supported by early browsers (such as Internet
Explorer 3.0) but is now widely supported by most modern browsers. In this
section we discuss window loading errors.
The onError event handler executes a JavaScript script when an error
event occurs.
 Events in JavaScript n 97

The onError event handler is extremely useful due to the fact that it
can be set to one of three values:
n null—suppresses all error dialogs. Setting window.onerror to null
means your users won’t see JavaScript errors caused by your own code.
n A function that handles errors—replaces the standard dialog boxes used
by JavaScript to report errors.
n Variable that contains null or a valid function reference.

The following JavaScript statement disables JavaScript error dialogs:

window.onerror = null

You should place this statement in its own script directly after the <HEAD> tag
to be on the safe side, using the following HTML document structure:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
window.onerror = null
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
</BODY>
</HTML>

The same rule applies to all values you assign to this event handler
explicitly.
The following document does not display any error dialog, although an
error is encountered. (If you can’t fish it out, you may want to review the
previous chapters, or just look at the alert() method’s argument for a
clue.)
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
window.onerror = null
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
alert(Quotes missing)
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

It is a good practice to set the onError event handler to null when your
script runs on a public page. However, it makes no sense when writing the
Chapter 7

script, because it makes debugging impossible.

Here is another document that disables errors and therefore avoids a
stack overflow error from being reported:
98 n Chapter 7

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Disabling error messages</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// disable error reports
window.onerror = null
// create an error-generating function (infinite recursion)
function testErrorFunction()
{
testErrorFunction()
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY onload="testErrorFunction()">
</BODY>
</HTML>

An error occurs with or without assigning null to the event handler. The dif-
ference is that no response to the error on the browser’s behalf is generated.
See “Calling Event Handlers Explicitly” later in this chapter for a discussion
on assigning values to event handlers via JavaScript.
Another option is to write a function to handle errors in place of the
standard JavaScript error-reporting dialog boxes. The function should accept
three arguments:
n The error message
n The URL of the script that caused the error
n The error line number

The function intercepts JavaScript errors. It must return the value true.
Here is a classic set of functions and statements for error handling:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// assign user-defined function to intercept errors
window.onerror = myOnError
// create array to hold error messages
messageArray = new Array(0)
// create array to hold URLs of errors
urlArray = new Array(0)
// create array to hold line numbers of errors
lineNumberArray = new Array(0)
// error-intercepting function
function myOnError(msg, url, lno)
{
// assign message of current error to the array element following
the last element
messageArray[messageArray.length] = msg
// assign URL of current error to the array element following the
last element
 Events in JavaScript n 99

urlArray[urlArray.length] = url
// assign line number of current error to the array element
following the last element
lineNumberArray[lineNumberArray.length] = lno
// return true to intercept JavaScript errors
return true
}
function displayErrors()
{
// open new browser window to report errors
errorWindow = window.open('','errors','scrollbars=yes')
// write header to window
errorWindow.document.write('<B>Error Report</B><P>')
// loop to print all error data
for (var i = 0; i < messageArray.length; ++i)
{
errorWindow.document.write('<B>Error in file:</B> ' +
urlArray[i] + '<BR>')
errorWindow.document.write('<B>Line number:</B> ' +
lineNumberArray[i] + '<BR>')
errorWindow.document.write('<B>Message:</B> ' +
messageArray[i] + '<P>')
}
// close data stream
errorWindow.document.close()
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" onClick="displayErrors()" VALUE="display errors">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 7-3 (ex7-3.htm). A complex event handler example

At first, the function reference is assigned to window.onerror. Three arrays

are then created; each holds a different piece of data associated with errors
that might occur. The length of each array is set to 0, because no errors have
occurred thus far. The function that intercepts the JavaScript errors is
myOnError(). Its arguments are the error message, URL, and line number,
respectively.
You do not need to understand the functions at this stage because they
use concepts that have not been discussed yet, such as arrays and windows.
The only point you should be aware of is that the function returns true to
instruct JavaScript that it is intended to intercept the standard JavaScript
Chapter 7

errors. In general, a list of the JavaScript errors generated by the script is

printed in another window when the user clicks the button. See the section
“Calling Event Handlers Explicitly” for more details on the event handler
implementation demonstrated in Example 7-3 (window.onerror).
100 n Chapter 7

Emulating Events via Methods

We mentioned earlier that each event belongs to a specific object. Some
events are associated with more than one object. Another characteristic of
objects is methods. They are functions that usually work on the data related
to that object, the properties. Some methods of objects that include event
handlers actually emulate those events. You can use such a method to cause
an event to occur. These methods are usually called event methods. Although
we will discuss them in depth later, here are some common methods:
n blur()
n click()
n focus()
n select()
n submit()

Events generated with these methods are like any other method. Most
importantly, they do not invoke their corresponding event handlers.
When you emulate an event, it is important that you do so only after the
browser has finished laying out the page, or at least the object (usually a
form element) with which the method is associated. The following page gen-
erates an error:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Emulating an event of a nonexistent (thus far) form</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
document.form1.field1.focus()
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM NAME="form1" METHOD=POST>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="field1">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

The error message is shown in Figure 7-3.

Figure 7-3. Error message

 Events in JavaScript n 101

This error is not guaranteed to be exactly the same on all platforms. Emu-
lating an object’s event that has not yet been laid out is just one example
that creates such an error. Generally speaking, you cannot refer to any ele-
ment of a page that has not yet been laid out. A deferred script is allowed to
refer to an object laid out after the script, provided that you do not execute
that script before the object has been laid out. We will discuss this issue in
depth throughout the book.

Calling Event Handlers Explicitly

You can set an event handler from within a JavaScript script. Here is a short
example:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Emulating an event of a nonexistent (thus far) form</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function alert1()
{
alert("This is the first function.")
}
function alert2()
{
alert("This is the second function.")
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM NAME="form1" METHOD=POST>
<INPUT TYPE="button" NAME="button1" VALUE="button1" onClick="alert1()">
</FORM>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
document.form1.button1.onclick = alert2
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 7-4 (ex7-4.htm). You can call a JavaScript script via an event handler.

Try loading this page and clicking the button. If you are using an earlier ver-
sion of Netscape Navigator, an alert box displays the message “This is the
second function,” despite the fact that the event handler associates the
click event with the first function, alert1(). Notice the script placed
Chapter 7

directly after the form. It associates a different function with the click
event of button1 in form1.
102 n Chapter 7

þ Note: Event handlers are function references as opposed to function calls.

Therefore, you must assign alert2, not alert2(), which is primarily a function
call, evaluating to the type and value the function returns. Also, since the event
handler HTML attributes are literal function bodies, you cannot use <INPUT ...
onClick=alert2> in the HTML source. You must call the function instead.

You are probably wondering why we used onclick rather than onClick. The
reason is that JavaScript is case sensitive and understands onclick (all low-
ercase), whereas HTML is case insensitive. In HTML, you may use all
lowercase, all uppercase, or any other convention you choose.
Calling event handlers explicitly enables flexible event handlers,
because you can modify them anywhere in the script. You can create a cus-
tomized page, allowing the user to determine what a certain button should
do when clicked.
An event handler does not have to exist when you use this technique.
The preceding script would work exactly the same if you omitted the event
handler specification in the HTML source and used the following line
instead:
<INPUT TYPE="button" NAME="button1" VALUE="button1">

In this case you are actually defining a new event handler to correspond with
an event.
Also note that the above method is the only way to assign a function ref-
erence to an event handler. You cannot use any of the following structures:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
document.form1.button1.onclick = "alert2()"
// -->

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
document.form1.button1.onclick = alert2()
// -->

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
document.form1.button1.onclick = "var counter = 5"
// -->

Such attempts to assign statements that are not function references result in
an error upon clicking the button.
 Events in JavaScript n 103

Canceling Events
Netscape Navigator, Internet Explorer, and Firefox all make it possible to
cancel a click event, either with a hypertext link or a client-side image
map. The onClick event handler can return false to cancel the action nor-
mally associated with a click event. Here is an example:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Canceling events in onClick</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<A HREF="http://www.mozilla.org/" onClick="return confirm('Load
Mozilla home page?')">Mozilla</a>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 7-5 (ex7-5.htm). Try running this script to cancel the event

When you click the hypertext link, a confirm box pops up. If you click OK,
the method evaluates to true, the event qualifies, and the new page
(Firefox’s home page) loads. If the user selects Cancel, the method returns
false, and the new page, which is associated with the click event, does not
load.

Summary
In this chapter you discovered events and event handlers. JavaScript is
designed to add interaction to web pages, meaning you can respond to
actions that the user performs. Events describe such actions, whereas event
handlers take care of them. They give JavaScript programmers the ability to
interact with the user. Only rarely do you find scripts on the web that do not
take advantage of this unique feature. Although interaction is not exclusive
to event handlers (we’ve seen dialog boxes before), they are probably the
most important means of interaction in JavaScript. They extend the capabil-
ity of web pages, as you might have noticed while surfing the net. We did not
present any events or event handlers in detail in this chapter, excluding
onLoad and onUnload, for they will be discussed individually in depth later in
the book. Each event and its corresponding handler has significant features.
As you will see later, all events are associated with specific objects, so it is
important that you be introduced to these objects before we discuss their
event handlers.
Chapter 7
104 n Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Building and Extending

Objects

Creating Instances
We introduced the concepts of object-oriented programming in Chapter 4, so
you should already realize that not only does JavaScript support only limited
object-oriented programming, but that some terms used here might not be
used the same way they are in other languages (such as C++, C#, or Java).
In JavaScript, an object is the template from which you make instances. In
purely object-oriented languages, an object is the instance made from a
class. If you have experience in true object-oriented languages, don’t let this
terminology throw you off.
For example, suppose you have defined an employee object that
includes some methods and properties of an employee, such as his or her
social security number and address. This definition has no effect on the
script, because no new entity has been changed or created. Only when you
apply the object’s definition to a specific person, say John Doe, is a new
entity created—an instance of that object. The number of instances you cre-
ate with a single object definition is unlimited. The object definition can be
either one you define with a function or a built-in one. Creating an instance
of a built-in object is relatively simple because the object is predefined.
Unlike C++ and Java, you cannot create your own objects (what would be
called classes in C++ and Java). You can only use the ones built into
JavaScript.
You should use the following syntax to create an instance:
var name = new objectname([arguments])

So, if you want to create an instance of the String object, you can use the
following statement:
var str1 = new String("Hello!")
 Building and Extending Objects n 105

This statement creates an instance named str1 and passes it the literal

Chapter 8
"Hello!". You can create another instance if you like:
var str2 = new String("Hi!")

Most objects, String included, have what is called a constructor. A construc-

tor is a function that fires automatically when an instance is created of that
object. When you pass a parameter to an object when creating an instance,
you are actually passing that parameter to the object’s constructor function.
The reason you have constructors is that some actions need to take place
before anything else can take place. For example, with the String object, it
really needs a string of characters in it before you can do anything with it.
Therefore, that string of characters is passed via the String object’s con-
structor function.
In the previous examples, the instances str1 and str2 act pretty much
like regular variables. In fact, you can think of them as variables of the
"String" type. You can pass them on to functions as in:
function printValue(val)
{
document.write("*** " + val + " ***")
}
printValue(str1)

You can also return objects:

function printValue(obj)
{
return obj
}

Remember that objects work just like any other variables. That means that if
you create an instance of an object inside a function, it is considered local;
i.e., it is visible only inside the function during the function’s current execu-
tion course. If you declare the instance outside a function, it is preferable
that you use the var keyword. When you create an instance of an object
inside a function without var, it is a global structure. Bear in mind that if you
create a global instance, or even a simple variable inside a function, you
must execute the function before that global data structure exists in the
script. From that point on you can refer to it freely anywhere in the
document.
When you create an instance of an object via the new operator, you are
actually declaring a specific data type according to the object’s definition and
allocating the appropriate amount of memory for that data type. All proper-
ties referenced in the constructor function are accessible as properties of
the object’s instance.
After you have created an instance of an object, you do not have to use
the keyword new anymore when referring to that instance. However, if you
want one of the instance’s properties to be an instance of its own, you must
use new again to create the new object. An instance of an object also features
106 n Chapter 8

its methods. A method is essentially a function that is found inside of an

object.
Take a look at the following example:
var current = new Date() // the current date
var minutes = current.getMinutes()

var current2 = new Date() // the current date

var minutes2 = current2.getMinutes()

As you can see, both instances have methods. A method belongs to a spe-
cific instance of an object. In other words, the getMinutes() associated with
current object is a separate function from the getMinutes() associated
with the current2 object. Both functions are made from the same template
and perform the same action.

Constructor Functions
We already gave you a brief definition of a constructor. Remember we said
that it is a function that is called (i.e., “fires”) as soon as the object is
instantiated. However, this definition leaves much to be desired. Let’s try a
more complete description and discussion of constructors. A constructor
function is a function that defines the properties and methods of the instance
you are creating from an object. It fires automatically when an instance of
the object is created. You can think of built-in objects as objects whose con-
structor functions are predefined in JavaScript, so you do not need to write
them on your own.
A constructor function resembles a cookie cutter. You provide it some
dough and it gives the dough the proper shape. The cookie cutter is like the
constructor function because they both receive a simple structure and
change it according to a specified template.

Defining Object Properties

The keyword this is probably the most important word related to objects in
JavaScript (as well as many other object-oriented languages). It refers to the
current instance of the object you are in. Inside a constructor function it
refers to the instance for which the function was called. Take a look at the
following function:
function student(name, age, avgGrade)
{
this.name = name
this.age = age
this.grade = avgGrade
}

This function accepts three arguments. It defines an object type of a student

in a class. The properties are name, age, and grade, and they are initialized
 Building and Extending Objects n 107

by the values passed on to the function. You can use the following statement

Chapter 8
to create an instance of this object—a student in a class:
var student1 = new student("Sharon", 16, 85)

Now you can refer to these properties in the following fashion:

alert(student1.name + " is a cute " + student1.age + " - year old.)

It is also possible to add properties to an object once it has been created.

Such properties exist only in the specific instance to which they are
assigned. The following script segment demonstrates this:
function student(name, age, avgGrade)
{
this.name = name
this.age = age
this.grade = avgGrade
}
var student1 = new student("Sharon", 16, 85)
student1.sex = "female"
var message = student1.name + " is a cute " + student1.age
message += " - year old "
message += (student1.sex == "female") ? "girl." : "boy."
alert(message)

The problem with the preceding script is that it adds the new property only
to one instance, student1. Because constructor functions are just like any
other function, you can use valid JavaScript statements in them. Therefore,
you can use the following constructor function to add the new property to all
instances of the student object:
function student(name, age, avgGrade, sex)
{
this.name = name
this.age = age
this.grade = avgGrade
this.description = (sex == "female") ? "girl" : "boy"
}

Now you can create instances that will include the “girl” or “boy”
description:
var student2 = new student("Joe", 16, 91, "male")

Based on the exact definition of the word this, some JavaScript tends to use
alternative structures for construction functions. Here is the preceding
example in a different form:
function student(name, age, avgGrade, sex)
{
obj = this
obj.name = name
obj.age = age
108 n Chapter 8

obj.grade = avgGrade
obj.description = (sex == "female") ? "girl" : "boy"
}

Notice that the calling object, referred to as this, is assigned to a variable.

This variable must be global because a constructor function’s purpose is to
create an instance for use outside of that function. A local variable does not
have any effect outside the function where it is declared. Personally, I never
use this method and don’t see it used very often. I simply include it here so
that you will not be confused if you see it somewhere.
You now know how to define properties via constructor functions. If you
only want to create one instance of an object, you must also use a construc-
tor function.
You can use the following function to view the properties of an object:
function getProps(obj, objName)
{
var result = "" // initialize output string
for (var i in obj)
{
result += objName + "." + i + " = " + obj[i] + "<BR>"
}
result += "<HR>" // add horizontal rule to output string
return(result) // return output string
}

To invoke this method, use a statement such as:

document.write(getProps(student1, "student1"))

Note that the arguments are not always the same. For example, if you use
this statement from within another function that accepts the instance
student1 as the parameter person, you should use the following statement
instead:
document.write(getProps(person, "student1"))

If a property of an object holds a null value, it does not exist. Assigning a null
value to a property will cause the function getProps() to count out that
property. Keep this in mind, especially when you are debugging a script.

Nested Objects
JavaScript supports nested objects. A nested object is an object that is also a
property of another object. Or put another way, it is a case where an object
has other objects inside of it. If you think about this it should not be too
much of a surprise. Remember that objects have properties, and inside the
object those properties are simply variables. Also recall that an object is just
a complex type of variable. When you put those two facts together, having
objects contain other objects is really not surprising at all. There are a few
ways to create nested objects. Take a look at the following script segment:
 Building and Extending Objects n 109

function student(name, age, grade, father, mother)

{

Chapter 8
this.name = name
this.age = age
this.grade = grade
this.parents = new parents(father, mother)
}
function parents(father, mother)
{
this.father = father
this.mother = mother
}
var student1 = new student("Sharon", 16, 85, "Mark", "Stacy")

This script consists of two functions. The function parents() creates an

instance containing two properties, father and mother. It accepts both val-
ues as arguments.
The first function, student(), creates a function consisting of four prop-
erties. The first three are simple properties like the ones you have seen
earlier in this chapter. The fourth property is an instance of an object. This
instance is created by the parents() function, as described earlier. You can
refer to all elements of an object with the “dot” syntax:
student1.name
student1.age
student1.grade
student1.parents.father
student1.parents.mother

To print the properties of a general object you can use the following recur-
sive function:
function getProps(obj, objName)
{
// initialize accumulative variable
var result = ""
// loop through properties
for (var i in obj)
{
// if current property is an object, call function for it
if (typeof obj[i] == "object")
result += getProps(obj[i], objName + "." + i)
else
result += objName + "." + i + " = " + obj[i] + "<BR>"
}
// return final result
return result
}

The function’s algorithm is fairly simple. It loops through the properties of

the main object. If the current property, represented by i, is an object, the
function is called once again with the property obj[i] as the object, and the
property’s name attached to the object’s name with a separating dot
(objName + "." + i). Each call to the function returns the string listing the
110 n Chapter 8

properties at the current level. The value returned by a recursive call is

assigned to the variable result, which is local in the calling function. Here is
an entire HTML document and its output to help you understand this
concept:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Printing properties of nested objects</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function student(name, age, grade, father, mother)
{
this.name = name
this.age = age
this.grade = grade
this.parents = new parents(father, mother)
}
function parents(father, mother)
{
this.father = father
this.mother = mother
}
var student1 = new student("Sharon", 16, 85, "Mark", "Stacy")
function getProps(obj, objName)
{
var result = ""
for (var i in obj)
{
if (typeof obj[i] == "object")
result += getProps(obj[i], objName + "." + i)
else
result += objName + "." + i + " = " + obj[i] + "<BR>"
}
return result
}
document.write(getProps(student1, "student1"))
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 8-1 (ex8-1.htm). A script that uses the getProps() function to analyze the
structure of an object

The output for that script looks like Figure 8-1.

 Building and Extending Objects n 111

Chapter 8
Figure 8-1. Script output

Defining Methods
Objects group data and functions that process that data. Data appears in the
form of properties. A method is simply a function associated with an object.
Consider the following function:
function displayStudent()
{
var result = ""
result += this.name + " -- "
result += "a " + this.age + " - year old "
result += this.grade + "% average student.<BR>"
result += this.name + "'s parents -- "
result += this.parents.father + ", " + this.parents.mother
result += ".<BR>"
document.write(result)
}

You need to include a reference to this function in the constructor function.

This is done exactly like you define properties:
function displayStudent()
{
var result = ""
result += this.name + " -- "
result += "a " + this.age + " - year old "
result += this.grade + "% average student.<BR>"
result += this.name + "'s parents -- "
result += this.parents.father + ", " + this.parents.mother
result += ".<BR>"
document.write(result)
}
function student(name, age, grade, father, mother)
{
this.name = name
this.age = age
this.grade = grade
this.parents = new parents(father, mother)
this.display = displayStudent
}
112 n Chapter 8

function parents(father, mother)

{
this.father = father
this.mother = mother
}

The following statements create an instance and invoke the display()

method:
var student1 = new student("Sharon", 16, 85, "Mark", "Stacy")
student1.display()

Notice the extensive use of the keyword this inside the function to refer to
the object. The main characteristic of a method is that it usually processes
the data of its object. You can even create a “constructor method” in the fol-
lowing fashion:
function construct(name, val)
{
this[name] = val
}
function student(name, age, grade, father, mother)
{
this.construct = construct
this.name = name
this.age = age
this.grade = grade
this.parents = new parents(father, mother)
}
function parents(father, mother)
{
this.father = father
this.mother = mother
}
var student1 = new student("Sharon", 16, 85, "Mark", "Stacy")
student1.construct("boyfriend", "Tom")

Notice that the method (construct()) refers to the new property via the
array notation. You may recall from Chapter 4, “Object-Oriented Pro-
gramming,” that you must use this notation if you wish to use a data value.
You can only use the “dot” syntax when you use literals. In this case, name is
a data structure, not a literal (a literal is a constant value you can see, such
as "boyfriend"). Now you can use the recursive function presented earlier
to view the elements of an object and to see how it works with methods.
Notice that the recursive function works with methods as well as with
properties. The statements of the method are placed on the same line.
JavaScript automatically adds semicolons to delimit the statement. It also
uses a uniform coding scheme if you did not do so originally in the function,
as you should.
A method in JavaScript, like a property, belongs only to one instance.
You can only invoke it from that instance. All “communication” with an
object is done via methods.
 Building and Extending Objects n 113

The calling object is considered global inside a method. You can modify

Chapter 8
the object using the keyword this.

Creating Objects—An Example

Let’s say you want to create a database-like object structure for a store that
sells televisions. Each type of television should be an instance of the same
object. The number of televisions of a certain model available in stock
should be a property of the object. It should also include the features of that
television set. In addition, the object should include two methods: one to be
invoked when a customer buys a television set, and another to be invoked
when the store owner orders a certain quantity of television sets of a given
model.
Example 8-2 demonstrates the most important points.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function television(brand, size, price, num)
{
this.brand = brand // property
this.size = size // property
this.price = price // property
this.num = num // property
this.sell = sell // method
this.buy = buy // method
this.display = display // method
}
function sell(quantity)
{
if (quantity > this.num)
alert("Not enough " + this.brand + " " + this.size + "\" sets in stock.")
else
this.num -= quantity
if (quantity < 5)
alert("Order more " + this.brand + " " + this.size + "\" sets urgently.")
}
function buy(quantity)
{
this.num += quantity
}
function display()
{
var result = ""
result += "<TABLE BORDER=2><TR>"
result += "<TD WIDTH = 60>" + this.brand + "</TD>"
result += "<TD WIDTH = 30>" + this.size + "\"</TD>"
result += "<TD WIDTH = 45>$" + this.price + "</TD>"
result += "<TD WIDTH = 45>" + this.num + " left</TD>"
result += "</TR></TABLE>"
document.write(result)
114 n Chapter 8

}
var tel1 = new television("Sony", 27, 1200, 30)
var tel2 = new television("JVC", 20, 650, 20)
var tel3 = new television("Grundig", 14, 420, 45)
tel1.sell(27) // 27 "Sony" television sets sold
tel1.buy(16) // 16 "Sony" television sets ordered (bought)
tel1.display()
tel2.sell(21) // 21 "JVC" television sets sold -- error!
tel2.sell(1) // 1 "JVC" television set sold
tel2.display()
tel3.display()
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 8-2 (ex8-2.htm). A script that stores data using instances of a general ob-
ject

When you run Example 8-2 you should get the output shown in the follow-
ing figures:

Figure 8-2. A table

showing the inventory
of television sets

Figure 8-3. An alert

box that notifies the
user if there are not
enough sets in stock

Figure 8-4. An alert

box that tells the user
to order more sets

Example 8-2 features three methods:

n sell()—This method modifies the number of television sets of the
model number specified in the object. The function’s only parameter is
one that accepts the number of television sets sold. It checks if there
are enough sets in stock, because you cannot sell more than you’ve got!
If there are enough sets of that type in stock, the number is subtracted
from the total quantity of that TV available before the transaction.
 Building and Extending Objects n 115

Lastly, the method checks if there are less than five TV sets of that type

Chapter 8
left. If so, it sends a message describing that situation.
n buy()—This method simply adds the number of television sets to the
num property of the object, or instance. The only parameter accepted by
the method is the one that accepts the number of television sets bought.
n display()—This method does not accept any arguments. It simply
prints all the properties of the current object in a tabular format.
Notice that the first two methods actually change values of the object. This
is another example that shows that methods refer to their calling object as
global, so all properties of the object modified inside the function (method)
are also affected outside the method.

Prototype and Object Extensions

A prototype is a property of any object created with the keyword new. A pro-
totype resembles the common e-mail address portion of users sharing the
same server. Likewise, a prototype belongs to all instances of the object that
the prototype belongs to. Prototypes refer not only to properties, but also to
an object’s methods. Take a look at the following script segment:
var str1 = new String("a"), str2 = new String("b")
function repeat(n, delimiter)
{
var text = ""
var str = this.toString() // make sure the object is string
while (n >= 0)
{
text += str
text += delimiter
n--
}
return text
}
String.prototype.repeat = repeat // String == name of object
// add a repeat() method to
var str1 ="",str2=""
alert(str1.repeat(5, " ; "))
alert(str1)
alert(str2.repeat(7, " "))
alert(str2.repeat(3))

You can see that the function repeat() is typical for a method. As a matter
of fact, it is implemented as one. The key statement in this script is:
String.prototype.repeat = repeat

This statement adds a method to all instances of the object (String),

although they were already created. The word prototype is constant, and its
role is to merely specify that the following property or method is a proto-
type. It may seem at first that repeat() is a method of a nested object.
116 n Chapter 8

However, prototype is not actually a property but a specification. Here are

some of the alert boxes generated by the preceding script segment:

Figures 8-5a, 8-5b, and 8-5c. Object prototypes enable extendable objects in JavaScript.

It is important to know that object prototypes refer to instances of the object

created before the definition of the prototype as well as instances that are
created later. The prototype exists only from the moment it is defined. Be
sure to refer to such prototype properties and methods only after you have
created the prototype. Commenting scripts helps assure that you follow this
rule.
Up until now you have seen a method used as a prototype. Obviously,
properties can also accomplish this task. In the following script we will look
at a property as a prototype of a user-defined object. Here is the script:
function car(make, model, year)
{
this.make = make
this.model = model
this.year = year
}
var mine1 = new car("Dodge", "Charger", 2007)
car.prototype.wheels = 4 // no 3-wheelers please!
var mine2 = new car("Jaguar", "X-Type", 2007)
if (mine1.wheels == 4 && mine2.wheels == 4) // true!
document.write("Both cars have ", mine2.wheels, " wheels.")

The message at the end of the script is printed, because all instances of the
car object, whether they are created before the definition of the prototype or
after it, consist of a property named wheels, holding the value 4, which is
assigned to the prototype. It is practically useless to create a data property
prototype without assigning it a value, or at least a default one, because you
will need to refer to that property later, and such a reference automatically
creates the property.
Prototypes are probably more useful with built-in objects because they
can modify the object. You can create outstanding methods and properties
you never dreamed JavaScript would support. We use prototypes in many
examples in this book, especially ones dealing with strings, dates, and
arrays. The revolutionary concept is that you can add features to the lan-
guage itself. Note that prototypes can only be added to objects that support
instances, as opposed to static objects (such as Math), which do not work
with prototypes for obvious reasons.
 Building and Extending Objects n 117

Summary

Chapter 8
In this chapter you learned how to create instances of an object. Instances
refer to both user-defined objects and built-in ones. You also learned about
constructor functions that build objects or object types. As you will see later
in the book, such user-defined objects extend the capabilities of the language
and enable structured programming. Lastly, I presented object proto-
types—properties of all instances of a certain object type. Although it should
be clear by now, do not worry too much about how to use them, as they will
be used in many examples later on in the book. Objects are the backbone of
JavaScript. Many elements of the language are actually objects, although
other languages do not refer to them as such. The classic example for such
objects are arrays, discussed in depth in the next chapter.
118 n Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Arrays

What Is an Array?
The concept of an array is found in all programming languages. Arrays are
actually variables, just a little more complicated than the standard variables
you have encountered so far in this book. You can think about an array as a
set of variables with the same name. We use arrays when we want to work
with a certain set of related data all of the same data type. An example would
be a set of students’ ages. These would all be integer values and they would
be related. As a programmer, if you want to process an individual item of an
array you need to specify the array name and indicate which array element
is being referenced. Specific elements are indicated by an index or a
subscript.

Some History
Way back in the dark ages of JavaScript (the early 1990s), JavaScript did not
have arrays. One reason to point this out is to demonstrate how quickly
things change in the world of computers. A time of only 15 to 20 years in the
past is ancient history. This is important to realize since, as a JavaScript pro-
grammer, you will want to keep up to date with changes.
The first version of JavaScript, the one supported by Navigator 2.x, did
not feature arrays. JavaScript scripters had no choice but to come up with a
simple workaround. Everyone used (and a few still use) the following func-
tion to create arrays:
function createArray(n, init)
{
this.length = n
for (i = 1 ; i <= n ; i++)
{
this[i] = init
}
}
 Arrays n 119

This method is rarely used now and is not necessary. However, you may see
it in the field so I am showing it to you so that you are not confused if you
do.

Creating Simple Arrays

Okay, you know what an array is, and you are eager to use them, but how do
you create one? Arrays in JavaScript are simple built-in objects. You create

Chapter 9
an array just like an instance of an object, because that is exactly what it is.
The formal name of the object is Array—notice the capitalized “A.” The
general syntax is:
var arrayObjectName = new Array()
var arrayObjectName = new Array(arrayLength)

arrayObjectName is the name of a new object, an existing variable, or a

property of an existing object.
arrayLength is the number of individual elements in the array.
In JavaScript, specifying the length of the array or the number of ele-
ments is not vital. An array is an object like any other object. There is no
explicit array type in JavaScript.
Here are some arrays:
var day = new Array(31)
var month = new Array(12)
var year = new Array() // number of years "not known"

All elements of an array are initially null. This is important because such
elements do not have any influence on your script. An element with a null
value actually does not exist. You can prove this to yourself by running
getProps() on a new array:
function getProps(obj, objName)
{
var result = ""
for (var i in obj)
{
if (typeof obj[i] == "object")
result += getProps(obj[i], objName + "[" + i + "]")
else
result += objName + "[" + i + "] = " + obj[i] + "<BR>"
}
return result
}
var ar = new Array(3)
document.write(getProps(ar, "ar"))

This script does not generate any output, because if a property of an object
has a null value, it does not exist in the computer memory; thus it is not
recognized.
120 n Chapter 9

Strongly typed programming languages require that you specify the

number of elements in an array. In such languages all elements of an array
must contain values of the same type (int, char, …). An array is an explicit
data structure in those languages. From the moment an array is declared, it
takes up the required storage area in memory. It does not matter if you ini-
tialized its values or not. JavaScript, however, does not require you to
initialize the elements in an array when you create it. Theoretically, if you
created an array without specifying the number of elements, it would be as if
you created one with zero elements. Extending an array in such languages is
usually not possible; therefore, you must specify the length in all array
declarations.
The null value is given by default to each element of an array in
JavaScript. When the value is null, the element is not stored in the com-
puter’s memory. So creating an array with an infinite number of elements is
fine in JavaScript. However, doing so is not recommended since it would be
confusing to people who read your code, and not particularly useful. Keep in
mind that elements holding a null value do not take up space in memory, but
they are considered elements in the array, so they are added to the array’s
length property.
With JavaScript (unlike C++), it doesn’t matter whether the elements
of an array are of the same data type. They can be a mix of numbers, strings,
Boolean values, objects, and even arrays (which are actually objects).

Referring to an Array’s Elements

Creating an array is fine, but you must be able to use it. To use an array,
whether you are putting data in or taking it out, you need to access the ele-
ments of that array. Keep in mind that arrays in JavaScript are objects. Like
all other objects, they have properties and methods:
arrayObjectName[subscript] // ar1[4]

The subscript follows the array name and is enclosed in square brackets.
Subscripts are simple integers that start at zero.
Here is a simple array:
var ar = new Array(5)

This array has five elements: ar[0], ar[1], ar[2], ar[3], and ar[4].
After you create an array you can increase its length by specifying a
value for the highest subscript element. The following code creates an array
of length zero, then assigns a null value to element 99. This changes the
length of the array to 100.
accounts = new Array() // array of zero elements
accounts[99] = null // array of 100 elements

Note that the array does not take up any storage space, even after it is
extended.
 Arrays n 121

When referring to an element, the subscript can be either a literal (e.g.,

3) or a variable (e.g., num = 3).
An element of an array can be any valid value. It can be a string, a num-
ber, a Boolean value, a null value, or even another object. For example, if you
want to create an array in which each element is a student object, you can
use the following statements:
function student()
{ // constructor function

Chapter 9
// properties not initialized to meaningful value
this.name = ""
this.age = ""
this.grade = ""
}
var size = 35 // num of students in class
var students = new Array(size) // array is defined
for (var i = 0; i < size; i++)
{
students[i] = new student()
}
students[0].name = "Mark"
students[32].grade = 88

At first, the desired size of the array, the number of students in the class, is
assigned to the variable size. An array of that size is then created. All ele-
ments of the array, from students[0] to students[34], are then defined
using the constructor function student(). In this example, all of the ele-
ments in the array are of the same type. An array can also have elements of
different types. Here is an example:
function student()
{ // constructor function
// properties not initialized to meaningful value
this.name = ""
this.age = ""
this.grade = ""
}
function teacher(name, age)
{
this.name = name
this.age = age
}
var size = 35 // num of students in class
var students = new Array(size + 1) // array is defined
students[0] = new teacher("Kate", 45)
for (var i = 1; i < size + 1; i++)
{ // or i <= size
students[i] = new student()
}
alert(" is the teacher." + students[0].name)

In this script segment an array of size + 1 elements is defined, because the

first element, students[0], holds an instance of the teacher object.
122 n Chapter 9

The most important rule is that the subscript, or index, starts at zero.
Although it might seem quite awkward, use this element like all other ele-
ments of the array.

Creating Dense Arrays

Recall that we stated earlier that you need not initialize the elements in an
array before you use it. However, nothing says you cannot initialize them.
This is often referred to as a dense array. A dense array is one in which each
element has a value. You can construct a dense array of two or more ele-
ments starting with index (subscript) 0, if you define initial values for all
elements. They are very popular in many scripting languages. You can popu-
late an array by specifying the values of its elements:
var bb = "baseball"
var sports = new Array("football", bb, "basketball", "soccer")

You can refer to the elements of this array with the common syntax:
sports[0] == "football"
sports[1] == "baseball"
var val = 2
sports[val] == "basketball"
sports[3] == "soccer"

JavaScript for early versions of Netscape Navigator had problems with some
aspects of dense arrays, but you should not encounter these unless you are
using a very old browser:
n You cannot assign a list of elements to an array (except when you create
it).
n You cannot assign a range to an array.
n You cannot assign elements of one array’s values to another array (the
resulting array is an array slice).

Array Types
You must keep in mind that JavaScript is a loosely typed language. It should
not be surprising, therefore, that elements of an array can be of different
types. Some elements of a given array can be strings, while others can be
numbers, Boolean values, and even objects. Basically, there are five types of
arrays:
n String arrays
n Number arrays
n Boolean arrays
n Object arrays (including null arrays, because null is an object)
n Mixed arrays
 Arrays n 123

Sometimes you want to know what type of array you are dealing with.
JavaScript does not include any tool to facilitate this. However, using a pro-
totype we can add a property to all arrays (remember, arrays are objects by
which you can create instances) that will return the type of the array. Here
is the desired method:
function getType()
{
var arrayType = typeof this[0]

Chapter 9
for (var i = 1; i < this.length; ++i)
{
if (typeof this[i] != arrayType)
{
arrayType = "mixed"
break
}
}
return arrayType
}
Array.prototype.getType = getType

The following script segment is based on the preceding prototype definition:

var ar1 = new Array(3)
ar1[0] = "a"
ar1[1] = "b"
ar1[2] = ""
document.write(ar1.getType()) // string
var ar2 = new Array(2)
ar2[0] = 17
ar2[1] = 15.5
document.write(ar2.getType()) // number
var ar3 = new Array()
document.write(ar3.getType()) // object
var ar4 = new Array(0)
document.write(ar4.getType()) // object
var ar5 = new Array(1)
ar5[9999] = 5
document.write(ar5.getType()) // mixed

If you tried out the fifth array, you probably had to wait for a while, because
the loop executed 10,000 times! You can use a more efficient function for the
same prototype:
function getType()
{
var arrayType = typeof this[0]
for (var i in this)
{
if (typeof this[i] != arrayType)
{
arrayType = "mixed"
break
}
124 n Chapter 9

}
return arrayType
}
Array.prototype.getType = getType

The improvement in this function is the type of loop used. The for...in
construct loops only through the existing properties, or elements, not
including the null ones. The function works just like the previous one. At
first, the data type of the first element of the array is assigned to arrayType.
In every iteration of the loop, if a different type of element is found, the
value of arrayType is changed to "mixed" because at least two different data
types have been found in the array. Once a "mixed" array is detected, the
loop is immediately terminated using a break statement. The function
returns the value held by arrayType.
Sometimes you want to refer to all elements of a uniform-type array.
The following method is designed to be a prototype of the Array object,
returning an array of element subscripts where the specified value has been
found. Here is the method:
function getSubscripts(type)
{
var ar = new Array()
var arSub = 0
for (var i = 0; i < this.length; ++i)
{
if (typeof this[i] == type)
{
ar[arSub] = this[i]
++arSub
}
}
return ar
}
Array.prototype.getSubscripts = getSubscripts

You can use the preceding prototype with arrays. For example:
var ar1 = new Array(6)
ar1[1] = 5
ar1[2] = 7
ar1[3] = "a"
ar1[4] = 2
ar1[5] = "b"
var ar1Temp = ar1.getSubscripts("number")
alert("There are " + ar1Temp.length + " numeric values in ar1")// 3
alert("The third number of ar1 is " + ar1Temp[2]) // 2
alert(ar1Temp) // 5, 7, 2 (discussed later in this chapter!)
 Arrays n 125

This method returns an array. You can refer directly to the returned array:
var ar1 = new Array(6)
ar1[1] = 5
ar1[2] = 7
ar1[3] = "a"
ar1[4] = 2
ar1[5] = "b"
alert("The third number of ar1 is " + ar1.getSubscripts("number")[2])

Chapter 9
Strings in JavaScript are String objects, not arrays. There are many useful
methods that operate only on strings, so dealing with strings as arrays of
characters, as is often the practice in other languages, is useless and almost
impossible. Chapter 12 deals with strings in depth.
If you try to print an array, you will see that JavaScript prints the values
of all elements in consecutive order, with a delimiting comma in between.
You can use a user-defined prototype method to return a string containing all
values delimited by a user-provided string:
function getList(str)
{
var text = ""
for (var i = 0; i < this.length – 1; ++i)
{
text += this[i] + str
}
text += this[this.length – 1]
return text
}
Array.prototype.getList = getList
var ar = new Array(5)
ar[1] = 3
ar[3] = "a"
ar[4] = "b b b"
document.write(ar.getList(" ; ")) // null ; 3 ; null ; a ; b b b

Notice that the loop in the method executes until i < this.length – 1.
The reason is that the loop concatenates the delimiter (the method’s param-
eter) after each element of the array. We do not want one placed after the
last element, so the last element is concatenated to the accumulated string
after the loop terminates.

Array Properties
Although you can add your own properties to the Array object, not all tasks
can be achieved by high-level programming via JavaScript. The only built-in
property of the Array object is length. Fortunately, this is also the most
commonly needed property for any array. When you create an instance of an
object (an array), the number of properties (elements) is stored in the
length property. You can refer to it as a regular property. We have already
seen this property in action earlier in this chapter.
126 n Chapter 9

Let’s say you want to display some messages, one after the other. You
should use an array to store the messages:
var messages = new Array()
messages[0] = "message 1"
messages[1] = "message 2"
messages[2] = "message 3"

You can then use a loop to display the messages successively:

for (var i = 0; i < messages.length; i++)
{
document.write(messages[i] + "<BR>")
}

The length property can also be modified; that is, you can change the length
of the array by assigning the property a value. Here is an example:
var ar = new Array(6)
ar[0] = "Mouse"
ar[1] = 8
ar[2] = 18
ar[3] = true
ar[4] = "Dog"
ar[5] = "Cat"
ar.length = 3
alert(ar[2]) // 18
alert(ar[3]) // null

The array consisting of six elements was reduced to three. The last three
values were chopped off. Be extra careful when you reduce the size of an
array because shifted-off values are unrecoverable.

Array Methods
We just dealt with properties, or rather the single property of length. In this
section we will deal with many array methods and will simulate some array
functions in Perl using prototype methods. JavaScript features a number of
methods, three of which are built-in methods:
n join()
n reverse()
n sort()

In this section we use the getList prototype method, introduced in the sec-
tion “Array Types,” to print arrays.
 Arrays n 127

chop()
The chop() method chops off the last character of all strings that are ele-
ments of an array. Here is an example:
function chop()
{
for (var i in this)
{
if (typeof this[i] == "string")

Chapter 9
this[i] = this[i].substring(0, this[i].length – 1)
}
}
Array.prototype.chop = chop
// EXAMPLE
var line = new Array("red", "green", "blue")
line.chop()
document.write(line.getList(" "))

The script’s output is:

re gree blu

The general syntax is:

arrayInstance.chop()

The substring() method is explained in Chapter 12, “Handling Strings.”

grep()
The term “grep” is borrowed from the Unix world where grep is a standard
search function. We use that same concept here in JavaScript. The grep()
method evaluates the expression (expr) for each element of the array. It
returns another array consisting of those elements for which the expression
evaluated to true (the pattern was matched). To understand this method you
should know that if string2 is found in string1,
string1.indexOf(string2) is not equal to –1. Here is the method:
function grep(str)
{
var ar = new Array()
var arSub = 0
for (var i in this)
{
if (typeof this[i] == "string" && this[i].indexOf(str) != –1)
{
ar[arSub] = this[i]
arSub++
}
}
return ar
}
Array.prototype.grep = grep
var line = new Array("mask", "Mascot", "mine", "amass", "hot")
128 n Chapter 9

document.write(line.grep("mas").getList(" "))
document.write("<BR>")
document.write(line.grep("mas").length)

The output of this script is:

mask amass
2

The general syntax is:

arrayInstance.grep(expr)

An important concept used by this method is short-circuit evaluation. If

JavaScript evaluates the first conditional expression (typeof this[i] ==
"string") to false, the final expression (typeof this[i] == "string" &&
this[i].indexOf(str) != –1) is obviously false, so the second expression
(this[i].indexOf(str) != –1) is not even evaluated. This is critical
because the indexOf() method works only with strings, and generates an
error otherwise. However, if the current element (this[i]) is not a string,
JavaScript does not evaluate the second expression due to short-circuit
evaluation.

join()
The join() method is a built-in one in JavaScript. It is equivalent to the
same function in Perl. It joins the elements of an array into a single string
and separates each element with a given delimiter. This method is exactly
like the getList method we created earlier, so we will use it from this point
on instead.
Its general syntax is:
arrayInstance.join(delimiter)

The delimiter is automatically cast to a string if it is not already one.

Here is an example using this method:
var line = new Array("a", "b", "c", "d", "e")
document.write(line.join(" : "))
var str = line.join(", ")
document.write("<BR>" + str)

Its output is shown in Figure 9-1.

Figure 9-1. The join() method’s output

 Arrays n 129

pop()
The pop() method pops off the last element of an array and returns it. The
array size is automatically decreased by one.
The general format is:
arrayInstance.pop()

This method is not built in, so we need to define it. The following script
defines the method as a prototype of the Array object, and demonstrates its

Chapter 9
use:
function pop()
{
var lastElement = this[this.length – 1]
this.length--
return lastElement
}
Array.prototype.pop = pop

Here is an example using the pop() method of an array:

var names = new Array("Tom", "Mark", "Bart", "John")
var last = names.pop()
document.write(last + "<BR>")
document.write(names.join(" ") + "<BR>")
document.write(names.length)

The script’s output by rows is shown in Figure 9-2.

Figure 9-2. The pop() method’s output

130 n Chapter 9

push()
The push() method pushes values onto the end of an array, increasing its
length. Here is the method declared as a prototype of the Array object type:
function push()
{
var sub = this.length
for (var i = 0; i < push.arguments.length; ++i)
{
this[sub] = push.arguments[i]
sub++
}
}
Array.prototype.push = push

Here is an example using the push() method of an array:

var names = new Array("Tom", "Mark", "Bart", "John")
names.push("Jim", "Richard", "Tim")
document.write(names.join(" "))

The output is shown in Figure 9-3.

Figure 9-3. The push() method’s output

The general syntax is:

arrayInstance.push(list)

þ Note: This method was not supported by earlier versions of JavaScript but is
now supported.
 Arrays n 131

reverse()
The reverse() method transposes the elements of the calling array object.
If it was descending, now it is ascending, etc. The last element becomes the
first one, and vice versa. This is a built-in method.
The general syntax is:
arrayInstance.reverse()

Here is a script that illustrates the reverse() function:

Chapter 9
var names = new Array("Tom", "Mark", "Bart", "John")
var colors = new Array("red", "orange", "yellow", "green", "blue", "purple")
document.write("<B>original names: </B>" + names.join(" ") + "<BR>")
names.reverse()
document.write("<B>reversed names: </B>" + names.join(" ") + "<BR>")
document.write("<B>original colors: </B>" + colors.join(" ") + "<BR>")
colors.reverse()
document.write("<B>reversed colors: </B>" + colors.join(" ") + "<BR>")

The corresponding output is shown in Figure 9-4.

Figure 9-4. The reverse() method’s output

shift()
The shift() method is not defined in JavaScript so we will have to create it.
It shifts off and returns the first element of an array, decreasing the size of
an array by one element.
The general format of this method call (after defining its prototype) is:
arrayInstance.shift()

Here is the method along with an example:

function shift(str)
{
var val = this[0]
for (var i = 1; i < this.length; ++i)
{
this[i – 1] = this[i]
132 n Chapter 9

}
this.length--
return val
}
Array.prototype.shift = shift

Here is a script that illustrates the use of the shift() method:

var line = new Array("aaa", "bbb", "ccc", "ddd", "eee")
document.write(line.shift() + "<BR>")
document.write(line.join(" "))

The output is shown in Figure 9-5.

Figure 9-5. The shift() method’s output

sort()
Luckily for us, the sort() method is built into JavaScript. This method sorts
the elements of an array. It is optional to supply a sorting function. If one is
not supplied, the array is sorted lexicographically (comparison order or dic-
tionary order), according to the string conversion of each element. The
general syntax of this method is as follows:
arrayInstance.sort(compareFunction)

If compareFunction is not supplied, elements are sorted by converting them

to strings and comparing the strings in lexicographic order. For example,
“10” comes before “9” in lexicographic order, but numeric comparison puts
9 before 10.
The structure of a comparison function is very specific. First of all, it
should have two parameters, one for each element being compared. Sec-
ondly, it should return a value. If a and b are the two elements being
compared, then:
n If compareFunction(a, b) is less than zero (returns a negative num-
ber), sort b to a lower index than a.
 Arrays n 133

n If compareFunction(a, b) returns zero, leave a and b untouched with

respect to each other (if a was before b, it will remain before b, and vice
versa).
n If compareFunction(a, b) is positive (greater than zero), sort b to a
higher index than a.
The basic form of a comparison function is:
function compare(a, b)

Chapter 9
{
if (a is less than b by some ordering criterion)
return –1
if (a is greater than b by the ordering criterion)
return 1
// a must be equal to b
return 0
}

The most simple comparison function sorts numbers:

function compareNumbers(a, b)
{
return a – b
}

JavaScript uses a stable sort, so the relative order of a and b does not change
if a and b are equal according to the comparison function.
Here are some comparison functions:
// 1. Lexicographic -- built-in
// 2. byIncNum (increasing numbers)
function byIncNum(a, b)
{
return a – b
}

// 3. byFirstChar (lexicographic order of first char only)

function byFirstChar(a, b)
{
a += ""
b += ""
if (a.charAt(0) < b.charAt(0))
return –1
if (a.charAt(0) > b.charAt(0))
return 1
return 0
}

The following example should make this topic clear:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Sorting arrays</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
134 n Chapter 9

<!--

// 1. Lexicographic -- built-in
// 2. byIncNum (increasing numbers)

function incNum(a, b)
{
return a - b
}

stringArray = new Array("house", "hose", "chair")

numericStringArray = new Array("60", "8", "100")
numberArray = new Array(20, 1, 5, -11, 8)
mixedNumericArray = new Array("70", "9", "600", 3, 40, 70, 250)

function compareNumbers(a, b)
{
return a - b
}

document.write("<U><B>stringArray</B></U><BR>")
document.write("<B>Original array:</B> " + stringArray.join() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted by default:</B> " + stringArray.sort() +"<P>")

document.write("<U><B>numberArray</B></U><BR>")
document.write("<B>Original array:</B> " + numberArray.join() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted by default:</B> " + numberArray.sort() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted with compareNumbers:</B> " +
numberArray.sort(compareNumbers) +"<P>")

document.write("<U><B>numericStringArray</B></U><BR>")
document.write("<B>Original array:</B> " + numericStringArray.join() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted by default:</B> " + numericStringArray.sort() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted with compareNumbers:</B> " +
numericStringArray.sort(compareNumbers) +"<P>")

document.write("<U><B>mixedNumericArray</B></U><BR>")
document.write("<B>Original array:</B> " + mixedNumericArray.join() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted by default:</B> " + mixedNumericArray.sort() +"<BR>")
document.write("<B>Sorted with compareNumbers:</B> " +
mixedNumericArray.sort(compareNumbers) +"<BR>")
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 9-1 (ex9-1.htm). The built-in sort() function is a simple replacement for
sorting via pointers (used in many languages that feature pointers).

The results of this script are shown in Figure 9-6.

 Arrays n 135

Chapter 9
Figure 9-6. The sort() method’s output

splice()
Another method not featured yet by JavaScript is splice(). It removes and
replaces elements in an array. Its general syntax is:
arrayInstance.splice(offset, length, list)

offset is the starting position from which elements are to be removed. The
length is the number of elements to be removed, starting at offset. The
list parameter consists of new elements that are designated to replace the
removed ones. Here is the method:
function splice(offset, length)
{
var ar1 = new Array()
var ar2 = new Array()
for (i = 0; i < length; ++i)
{
ar1[i] = this[i + offset]
}
for (i = 0; i < this.length – (offset + length); ++i)
{
ar2[i] = this[i + offset + length]
}
var args = new Array()
for (i = 0; splice.arguments[i + 2] != null; ++i)
{
args[i] = splice.arguments[i + 2] // second argument
}
j = offset
for (i = 0; i < args.length; ++i)
{
this[j] = args[i]
136 n Chapter 9

j++
}
for (i = 0; i < ar2.length; ++i)
{
this[j] = ar2[i]
j++
}
this.length = j
// notice that j is one more than subscript of last element
return ar1
}
Array.prototype.splice = splice

This method is more complicated than the previous ones. At first, two
arrays are declared. Although it is possible to calculate their size, it is com-
pletely unnecessary because they will accommodate the proper size as we
expand them. The first loop in the function is:
for (i = 0; i < length; ++i)
{
ar1[i] = this[i + offset]
}

This loop assigns all elements that are to be removed to the array ar1,
according to the values of the offset and length parameters. The number
of times the loop iterates is exactly the value of length, the number of ele-
ments specified to be removed. The array ar1 is populated from the
beginning, 0. It is assigned the elements of the calling array (this), starting
from offset, because only elements following offset (exactly length of
them) are to be removed. When the loop terminates, the array ar1 already
consists of elements that should be removed from the calling array. Notice
that this array is returned at the end of the function.
Now take a look at the second loop:
for (i = 0; i < this.length – (offset + length); ++i)
{
ar2[i] = this[i + offset + length]
}

This loop assigns all elements following the removed ones to the array ar2.
The loop terminates after it has completed assigning all these elements.
this.length – (offset + length) is equal to the number of elements fol-
lowing the removed one. The subscript of the first element following the
removed set is offset + length. Subtracting this number from the full
length of the calling array gives the number of elements following the
removed set.
The next loop is as follows:
for (i = 0; splice.arguments[i + 2] != null; ++i)
{
args[i] = splice.arguments[i + 2] // second argument
}
 Arrays n 137

The preceding loop assigns all items of list (the third parameter of the
method) to the array args. These items are all arguments handed over to
the method except for the first two. We use the condition splice.argu-
ments[i + 2] != null to terminate the loop due to some unexpected
behavior of the arguments.length property on some platforms. That is,
when the function comes across the first null element of splice.arguments,
it terminates. This action is based on the fact that the method will never be
called to replace an element of the calling array by a null one. This concept

Chapter 9
is explained later in this chapter in depth. The expression i + 2 is used
because the needed elements of the arguments array are only the third one
(subscript == 2) on. However, the args array created in the function
should store the elements starting at subscript 0, so i is used as the sub-
script of that array.
We now have four arrays:
n this (the calling array)
n args
n ar2
n ar1

Keep in mind that the splice() method needs to modify the calling script. It
concatenates the beginning of this array (up to the first removed, exclu-
sively) with args and ar2, in this order. The last portion of the script does
just that:
j = offset
for (i = 0; i < args.length; ++i)
{
this[j] = args[i]
j++
}
for (i = 0; i < ar2.length; ++i)
{
this[j] = ar2[i]
j++
}
this.length = j

At first, j is set to offset, the first value of the array this that should be
modified (all the existing elements before should remain at the beginning of
the array, as they were before calling the method). The following loops
assign elements from the other arrays, args and ar2, respectively, to the
calling array (this). The variable j is important because it holds the sub-
script of the current element of the calling array throughout both loops. At
the end, the length of the calling array (now modified) is set to j, so if there
were more elements in the original array, they are chopped off.
The last statement of the splice() function returns the removed ele-
ments in the form of an array, ar1.
Now that you have pored over this long and perhaps arduous explana-
tion, it’s probably a good idea to see an example:
138 n Chapter 9

var cols = new Array("red", "orange", "yellow", "green", "blue", "purple")

var newCols = cols.splice(2, 3, "brown", "black")
document.write(newCols.join(" ") + "<BR>")
document.write(cols.join(" ") + "<BR>")

cols = new Array("red", "orange", "yellow", "green", "blue", "purple")

newCols = cols.splice(0, 1, "brown", "black")

document.write(newCols.join(" ") + "<BR>")
document.write(cols.join(" ") + "<BR>")
cols = new Array("red", "orange", "yellow", "green", "blue", "purple")
newCols = cols.splice(3, 0, "brown", "black")
document.write(newCols.join(" ") + "<BR>")
document.write(cols.join(" "))

The output of this script segment is shown in Figure 9-7.

Figure 9-7. The splice() method’s output

The function will not work if you try to remove elements of the array with-
out inserting new ones.

split()
The split() method does the opposite of join(). It splits up a string (the
object) by some delimiter (space by default) and returns an array. To be
accurate, this is a method of the String object, not the Array object, but
because it is closely related to arrays, we chose to discuss it in this section.
If the delimiter is not supplied or is not found in the entire string, it returns
the string itself. This method is built in so you just have to call it. The gen-
eral format is:
stringName.split(delimiter)

Here are some examples:

var line1 = "a b c d e f"
var ar1 = new Array()
ar1 = line1.split(" ")
document.write(ar1.join(", ")) // a, b, c, d, e, f
document.write("<BR>")
 Arrays n 139

ar2 = line1.split(";")
document.write(ar2) // a b c d e f
document.write("<BR>")
ar3 = line1.split()
document.write(ar3) // a b c d e f
document.write("<BR>")
ar4 = line1.split("")
document.write(ar4) // [infinite function!]

All of these examples follow the rules explained previously, except for the

Chapter 9
last one, ar4. The statement ar4 = line1.split("") causes an infinite
method execution that will eventually crash the browser, or even the operat-
ing system, if you are on a 16-bit version of Windows. The reason for this
behavior is obvious—JavaScript tries to split the string with an empty string.
Everyone knows that an empty string is found an infinite number of times
between two characters, and between two empty strings lies another empty
string!

unshift()
The unshift() method is the opposite of the shift() method. It appends a
list of elements to the beginning of an array. Here is the method defined as a
prototype of the Array object type, along with an example to demonstrate it:
function unshift()
{
for (var i = 0; i < unshift.arguments.length; ++i)
{
if (unshift.arguments[i] == null)
break
}
// i = number of arguments! (remember ++i is executed during last loop)
// i holds the number of arguments
for (var j = this.length – 1; j >= 0; --j)
{
this[j + i] = this[j]
}
// j == –1
// i == number of arguments
for (j = 0; j < i; ++j)
{
this[j] = unshift.arguments[j]
}
}
Array.prototype.unshift = unshift

Here is an example of the unshift() function:

var line = new Array("ccc", "ddd", "eee")
line.unshift("aaa", "bbb")
document.write(line.join(" "))
140 n Chapter 9

The arguments Array

The functionName.arguments array holds the arguments by order that
were passed to the function functionName when that function was last
called. Here is an example:
function func()
{
document.write(func.arguments[2])
}
func(1, 2, 3, 4, 5)
document.write("<BR>")
func()

The output of this script is:

3
3

The second 3 is not an argument passed to the function during the second
call, but an argument passed to the function during the first call. It remains
an element in the array provided that no argument of a later call replaces it.
You can therefore conclude that the functionName.arguments array has a
permanent storage class.
Let’s say you want to create a function that accepts string arguments
and prints them with a line break after each one. The intuitive function
would be:
function printList()
{
for (var i = 0; i < printList.arguments.length; ++i)
{
document.write(printList.arguments[i] + "<BR>")
}
}

You can use this function in the following form:

printList("message 1", "message 2", "message 3", "message 4")

And the output is:

message 1
message 2
message 3
message 4

You can also use the function twice in a row as in:

printList("message 1", "message 2", "message 3", "message 4")
printList("message 5", "message 6", "message 7", "message 8")
 Arrays n 141

Once again, the expected output is:

message 1
message 2
message 3
message 4
message 5
message 6
message 7

Chapter 9
message 8

Now let’s change the function to the following code:

function printList()
{
document.write("There are " + printList.arguments.length + " arguments.")
document.write("<BR>")
document.write("The fourth argument is " + printList.arguments[3] + ".")
document.write("<BR>")
for (var i = 0; i < printList.arguments.length; ++i)
{
document.write(printList.arguments[i] + "<BR>")
}
}

The function now displays the number of arguments according to the

functionName.arguments.length property. It also displays the fourth argu-
ment, whether or not there are four arguments. Consider the following
statements:
printList("message 1", "message 2", "message 3", "message 4")
printList("message 5", "message 6", "message 7")

The output is:

There are 4 arguments.
The fourth argument is message 4.
message 1
message 2
message 3
message 4
There are 3 arguments.
The fourth argument is message 4. (!!!)
message 5
message 6
message 7

Notice that the function prints the fourth argument passed to the function in
each call. However, the second call provides only three arguments! The
arguments.length property holds the correct value, 3. The fourth argument
is actually a leftover from the first function call.
142 n Chapter 9

As you can see, the arguments array does not follow the rules of arrays
that are instances of the Array object. The following script demonstrates the
difference:
var ar = new Array("message 1", "message 2", "message 3")
document.write("The array is: " + ar.join(", ") + "<BR>")
document.write("There are " + ar.length + " elements.<BR>")
document.write("The third element is " + ar[2] + ".<BR>")
ar.length = 2
document.write("There are " + ar.length + " elements.<BR>")
document.write("The third element is " + ar[2] + ".<BR>")

The output of this script is:

The array is: message 1, message 2, message 3
There are 3 elements.
The third element is message 3.
There are 2 elements.
The third element is null.

The simple rule regarding arrays is that the last element’s subscript is
arrayName.length – 1. When you reduce the size of an array by assigning
a smaller number to the length property, all elements that were in the range
of the array and are now out of range are lost. If you try referring to them,
you see that they are null. The functionName.arguments array is different
in that its last element has nothing to do with its length.

Multidimensional Arrays
While JavaScript shares many characteristics with traditional programming
languages like C++, it is just a scripting language designed for the web.
And as such it has some limitations. For example, JavaScript does not fea-
ture multidimensional arrays. However, like many other JavaScript limita-
tions you will encounter in this book, you can create your own workaround
for this problem. Up to this point we have discussed one-dimensional arrays
(1D arrays). Such arrays consist of elements gathered in a row-like struc-
ture. The basic structure of a one-dimensional array is outlined in the fol-
lowing illustration:

Figure 9-8. A one-dimensional array

Let’s say you want to store a runner’s record times in different years and for
different distances. If the array is called curDis, the record time for 2005
could be put in curDis[0], the record time for 2006 in curDis[1], the
record time for 2007 in curDis[2], and so forth. However, you probably
 Arrays n 143

noticed that we can only store the record time for a single distance, such as
a 400-meter run. It would be easy to store the record times of various runs
in this format using a table or spreadsheet-like array. Such arrays are known
as two-dimensional (2D) arrays.

Chapter 9
Figure 9-9. A two-dimensional array

Remember that JavaScript does not have a built-in two-dimensional array

object type. Take a look at the subscripts of the elements. The two-dimen-
sional array is constructed from horizontal arrays (horizontal in the
illustration as well), which form an array of their own. That is, the general
structure is a regular array of arrays. The main array in the illustration is
the vertical one; its subscripts are specified to the left of the arrows.
Note that the dimensions of a multidimensional array do not have to be
equal.
The standard reference to elements of a two-dimensional array (2DA)
is:
ar[1][5]
ar[8][0]
ar[3][3]

The first number is the subscript of the first dimension, whereas the second
one specifies the subscript of the second dimension.
144 n Chapter 9

Creation with a Single Constructor Function

The easiest way to create a two-dimensional array (2DA) is to use a con-
structor function such as the following:
function Array2D(dim1, dim2)
{
for (var i = 0; i < dim1; ++i)
{
this[i] = new Array(dim2)
}
this.length = new Array(dim1, dim2)
}

The following script demonstrates the creation and usage of an array created
by this function:
var ar = new Array2D(4,7)
ar[2][1] = 6
ar[0][0] = "Hello" // this is the "first" element
ar[3][6] = true // this is the "last" element
alert("Length of first dimension is " + ar.length[0])
alert("Length of second dimension is " + ar.length[1])
alert("\"Last\" element: " + ar[ar.length[0] – 1][ar.length[1] – 1])

The messages displayed via alert boxes are:

Length of first dimension is 4
Length of second dimension is 7
"Last" element: true

The constructor function uses a loop. The first array (ar) is not an explicit
Array object. It is simply a regular object whose properties are specified
using the array notation. The built-in methods of the Array object type do
not operate on this array. The loop executes dim1 times, the length of the
first dimension. Each property (or element) of the calling object is assigned
a “real” array consisting of dim2 elements. Since these are real arrays, you
can use the built-in methods and properties of the Array object type. For
example, ar[0] is an array of dim2 elements, so you can refer to its ele-
ments: ar[0][0], ar[0][1], ar[0][2], etc. The 2DA is actually a
one-dimensional array of which all elements are one-dimensional arrays.
Therefore, you should be careful not to ruin the structure of the 2DA by
assigning values to its main array, such as:
ar[3] = "Do not do this to a 2DA!"

The preceding constructor method also includes a length property that is an

array of two elements. The first element holds the number of elements in
the main array (the specified length of the first dimension), while the second
element holds the specified length of the second dimension. The example
demonstrates this best. Keep in mind that these are static properties.
Assigning a value to an element of the length property does not affect the
 Arrays n 145

array, but can trip you up when you need the correct values regarding the
length of the array’s dimensions.

Creation without a Constructor Function

It is possible to create a two-dimensional array without a constructor func-
tion. This method is based on creating instances of the Array object:
function addDim2(array1D, dim2)

Chapter 9
{
for (var i = 0; i < array1D.length; ++i)
{
array1D[i] = new Array(dim2)
}
return array1D
}

This function alone means almost nothing, so take a look at a working

example:
var dim1 = 4
var dim2 = 7
var ar = new Array(dim1)
ar = addDim2(ar, dim2)
ar[2][1] = 6
ar[0][0] = "Hello" // this is the "first" element
ar[3][6] = true // this is the "last" element
alert("Length of first dimension is " + ar.length)
alert("Length of second dimension is " + ar[0].length)
alert("\"Last\" element: " + ar[ar.length – 1][ar[0].length – 1])

At first, the length of the first dimension, 4, is assigned to dim1. The length
of the second dimension is then assigned to dim2. A new array, named ar, is
created according to the Array object type. Its length is the length of the
first dimension of the desired array. The function addDim2 is then called with
the array and the length of the second dimension. It returns the final 2DA to
the original one-dimensional array, ar. The function is based on a simple
loop that assigns an array of dim2 elements to each element of the original
one-dimensional array. Since both the first dimension array and the second
dimension array are instances of the Array object type, you can refer to the
length of each dimension in the following way:
ar.length == length of first dimension
ar[0].length == length of second dimension == ar[1].length == ...

Note that for the second expression to be true, you must not change the
length of the 2DA at any time during the script execution. Otherwise, it does
not simulate a 2DA anymore.
146 n Chapter 9

Associative Arrays
This topic is rather advanced, and one can certainly use JavaScript without
mastering this. However, it is very useful in certain situations. Associative
arrays use strings as subscripts. For example, an element of the array can
be:
color["yellow"] = "FFFF00"

Such arrays group together related data. These arrays are actually objects,
except that you use square brackets instead of a dot. Another important dif-
ference is that array specification (square brackets) enables you to refer to
the value of a variable as the property of method specification rather than
the actual literal. For example:
var col = "yellow"
color[col] = "FFFF00"

Here is another interesting example:

var w = "write"
document[w]("Hello!") // prints "Hello!"

If you replace the array notation with the regular dot specification you
receive an error:
var w = "write"
document.w("Hello!")

The dot notation requires the actual literal specified, as it does not evaluate
the written value. You can use associative arrays to create nested objects
resembling multidimensional arrays. For example, you can create an associa-
tive array where its subscripts are names of students in a class, so each
element of the associative array is an object containing fields such as the
student’s grade, age, and so on.
Note that associative arrays cannot be created as instances of the
built-in Array object. You must use a constructor function to create one.
Here is an example using students:
function studentClass()
{
for (var i = 0; i < arguments.length; ++i)
{
this[studentClass.arguments[i]] = new student()
}
}
function student()
{
// this.grade = null
// this.age = null
}
var students = new studentClass("Bob", "John", "Frank", "Alfred",
"Sheila", "Mary")
 Arrays n 147

students["Bob "].grade = 40
students["John "].age = 11
students["Frank "].grade = "N/A"
alert(students["Frank "].grade)

Creating an associative array is not difficult. Array elements are created

according to the names of the students accepted as parameters by the func-
tion studentClass(). The second function is rather strange—it contains no
statements. When you create an instance you can use an “empty” construc-

Chapter 9
tor function. You may recall from an earlier discussion that objects may be
extended by simply assigning values to them. So, the statement
this[studentClass.arguments[i]] = new student() just makes sure
each element of the associative array is an object. The global statements
later create the properties simply by assigning them values.
Another important concept to remember is that associative arrays are
not explicit arrays. You can also refer to them using the dot syntax, as in:
students.John.age

Suppose you created a database structure listing all the students in a class
with their ages and grades. Assume that both fields are fed with the proper
values. You can let the user view these values via a prompt dialog box. For
example:
var grade = students[prompt("Enter name:", "John Doe")].grade
document.write(grade)

In this case you must use the array convention because you are prompting
the user for the property name. You can use the dot notation only when you
know the property name. If you use the dot notation:
students.prompt(...)

JavaScript assumes you are referring to a method of the students object

named prompt(), which does not exist at all, of course.

Populating an Associative Array

Creating a dense array is simple when using regular arrays. You simply cre-
ate the array with the desired values. However, associative arrays require
two real values for each element, the key (subscript) and the value. You can
create a constructor function to create and populate associative arrays:
function AssociativeArray()
{
for (var i = 0; i < arguments.length – 1; i += 2)
{
this[arguments[i]] = arguments[i + 1]
}
}
148 n Chapter 9

You can use this function to create associative arrays in the following format:
var ar = new AssociativeArray("red", "FF0000", "green", "00FF00",
"blue", "0000FF")
document.write("green = " + ar["green"] + "<BR>")
var col = "blue"
document.write("blue = " + ar[col] + "<BR>")
document.write("red = " + ar.red)

The relative output of this script is:

green = 00FF00
blue = 0000FF
red = FF0000

Let’s take a look at the constructor function. It accepts the keys of the array
elements followed by their corresponding values. Each key must be followed
by its own value. The function loops through the arguments and terminates
after it has reached the argument before the last one. During each pass
through the function, a property of the calling object is created (an “ele-
ment” in the array lexicon). The key of the property, or element, is the
current argument, whereas its value is extracted from the following argu-
ment. The loop counter is advanced by two after each execution of the block,
because each element of the associative array is related to two argu-
ments—its key and its value. Although an associative array is primarily a
regular object, this constructor must use square brackets, the array notation,
for reference and initialization because the values of the keys (subscripts)
are not literals, but rather values stored as parameters.

Splitting a String into an Associative Array

The split() method splits a string by a specified delimiter into a real
instance of an Array object. For example:
var str = "a;b;c;d;e;f"
var ar = str.split(";") // ar[0] == "a", ar[1] == "b", ar[2] == "c", ...

Let’s use the split() method to create a function named

associativeSplit() as a prototype of the String object:
function associativeSplit(del)
{
var tempAr = new Array()
tempAr = this.split(del)
var ar = new Obj() // not an array, just an object
for (var i = 0; i < tempAr.length – 1; i += 2)
{
ar[tempAr[i]] = tempAr[i + 1]
}
return ar
}
function Obj() { }
String.prototype.associativeSplit = associativeSplit
 Arrays n 149

Notice the use of an empty function to create an object. At first, the function
splits the string via the regular method into a regular array. It then loops
through the array, using the next element as the key of an element in the
associative array and its following element as the value of the same element
in the associative array. Upon completion, the function returns the associa-
tive array. The function is then declared as a prototype of the built-in String
object, applying to all strings.
Now take a look at an example:

Chapter 9
var str = "a b c d e f"
var ar1 = str.associativeSplit(" ")
document.write(ar1.a + "<BR>")
document.write(ar1.b + "<BR>")
document.write(ar1["c"] + "<BR>")
document.write(ar1["d"] + "<BR>")
// document.write(ar1[e] + "<BR>")
document.write(ar1.f + "<BR>")

Note that “associative array” is not a JavaScript term, but rather a regular
object. We just prefer to refer to its properties via the array notation.

Summary
This was a complex but very important chapter. In this chapter we learned
about arrays in JavaScript. It is important that you remember that in
JavaScript an array is an object. We discussed the Array object, including its
properties and methods. Other important concepts brought together in this
chapter were constructor functions and prototypes, used mainly to simulate
array methods featured by Perl. By now, you should have a grasp of arrays
and constructor functions, two very important elements of the language. You
should also know how to create and use two-dimensional arrays, as well as
multidimensional ones, although they are rarely used. In this chapter we
also introduced the term “associative arrays.” Such arrays are regular
objects with regular properties, but they remind us of the associative arrays
widely used in other languages such as Perl. In following chapters we shall
look further into JavaScript’s object model, while arrays and constructors
will serve as the base of some scripts.
150 n Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Time and Date in

JavaScript

Working with times and dates is a very common task in web programming.
There are a host of scenarios where you will need to use time and date data,
such as determining the current date, having the user enter dates for partic-
ular items, and even creating online calendars. In this chapter we will
explore the time and date functionality built into JavaScript. You will also be
shown how to create useful additions to your web page using JavaScript’s
date and time functions.

The Date Object

Fortunately for JavaScript programmers, JavaScript comes with a built-in
Date object that allows you to easily work with date and time data and
related functions. Both dates and times in JavaScript are derived from the
Date object, which behaves much like any other object. To implement the
current date or time in your script, you must first create a new instance of
the object. You can then extract the desired data from that particular
instance. JavaScript handles dates in a manner very similar to Java. Many
methods are implemented in both languages, resulting in an observable par-
allelism. All dates are stored as the number of milliseconds since January 1,
1970, 00:00:00. As you will see in this chapter, using the Date object is one
of the easiest things you have seen so far in JavaScript.

Creating a Date Instance

The Date object is a built-in object by which you can create instances to
store encoded data related to the date and time of a certain moment (recall
our discussion of object-oriented programming in Chapter 4). The Date
object is built in, just like the Array object discussed in depth in the previ-
ous chapter. It acts as a template when creating instances of the object. The
most basic assignment statement regarding the Date object is obviously the
one that creates an instance according to the default arguments:
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 151

var dateInstance = new Date()

This statement simply assigns an instance of the Date object to the data
structure named dateInstance. Take a look at the following script:
var now = new Date()
alert(now)

The output is shown in Figure 10-1 (the date and time will be different when
you try it).

Figure 10-1. The now output

Chapter 10
Although now is an identifier of an instance of the Date object, it holds a par-
tial string value at its highest level. That is, if you try to print its value, it
appears to be a string. However, because it does not belong to the explicit
String object, string properties and methods do not apply to it.
If you want to refer to an instance of the Date object as a string, it is
best to convert it to a string explicitly:
var newObj = new Date()
var str = newObj.toString()

The toString method simply converts the object to a String object. This is
similar to casting in other programming languages. You will see many
objects have a toString method, allowing you to convert them to strings.

Parameters of the Date Constructor

Until now we created instances of the Date object without any arguments;
that is, we built the instances according to the default arguments. The
default is the current date and time on the client’s machine. JavaScript
enables you to create Date instances of specific dates, which you can later
use with date arithmetic. For example, you can create an instance of the
Date object that represents some particular historical date.
Here is an example that creates an instance of a date that occurred in
the past:
var Xmas2006 = new Date("December 25, 2006 13:30:00")

You can also create an instance according to a set of integers of the following
format:
year, month, day, hour, minute, seconds
Here is an example using this format:
var Xmas2006 = new Date(106,11,25,9,30,0)
152 n Chapter 10

One important concept is the requirement of year, month, and day specifica-
tion in both formats (string and integers). If you omit the hours, minutes, or
seconds they are set by default to zero. Nonetheless, omitting any of the
first three arguments results in an error and even crashes the browser
under some operating systems.

Date Numeric Conventions

Dates in JavaScript, as in Java, use integers to specify values that succeed
each other. For example, the first day of a month is 1, the second is 2, the
third is 3, and so on. The numbers used are not always so obvious. Most
date attributes are actually zero-based; that is, they start at zero. For exam-
ple, the first minute of an hour is 0, the second minute is 1, the third minute
is 2, and so on. The following table summarizes the numeric conventions of
each attribute of a Date instance:
Table 10-1. Ranges of date attributes

Date Attribute Range

seconds 0 - 59
minutes 0 - 59
hours 0 - 23
day 0-6
date 1 - 31
month 0 - 11
year number of years since 1900 (e.g., 107)

Most importantly, when referring to client-side JavaScript, the date and time
refer to the client side. All values are the ones passed to the script by the
browser. As you might know, especially if you are a Mac or Windows envi-
ronment programmer, all applications on your computer have access to the
machine clock, including the current time and date. If the system clock is
not set to the current time and date, JavaScript will use these incorrect val-
ues in the script, possibly surprising the user.

Date Method Categories

JavaScript provides JavaScript programmers with a variety of methods to
deal with instances of the Date object. However, extracting and manipulating
their data makes them one of the most important elements of the language.
The whole bulk of methods may seem dazzling if you approach them at
once. Therefore, we have chosen to divide them into four groups, according
to their operation:
n get methods
n set methods
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 153

n to methods
n parse methods
The get methods return an integer corresponding to the attribute of the
instance you desire. You can “get” the year number, the month number, the
hour number, and so on. set methods enable you to modify the value of a
certain attribute of an existing instance. These methods accept integer val-
ues rather than returning them. You actually “set” the values of attributes
with these statements. to methods convert the date into a string according
to arguments passed over to the method. You can then take advantage of the
string format with string methods and properties, such as the method
split(). parse methods simply interpret date strings. Let’s start by explor-
ing the get methods.

The get Methods

Chapter 10
getYear()
The getYear() method returns the current year stored in an instance of the
Date object type. In the past this was a two-digit date that assumed it to be
the 20th century. All major browsers now use four-digit years, so you should
not have any concerns over this issue.
var now = new Date()
var year = now.getYear()
while (1)
{
var guessYear = parseInt(prompt("Enter current year:", ""))
if (guessYear == year)
{
alert("That's right!")
break
}
else
alert("Wrong answer! Try again...")
}

The output of this script, assuming you are able to correctly identify the cur-
rent year, is presented in Figures 10-2 and 10-3.

Figure 10-2. Script output Figure 10-3. Additional

script output
154 n Chapter 10

The current year (based on the system clock) is extracted from the instance
now, created according to default arguments (current time and date). A loop
without a terminating condition is executed next. The user is asked to enter
the current year, according to his or her knowledge. Another if statement
checks if the user entered the correct year. If so, the proper message is dis-
played, and the loop is broken up with a break statement. Otherwise, a
message informs the user that his or her input was incorrect, and the loop
iterates once more.
The problem with getYear() is that Netscape still returns the years
since 1900 (thus 2007 is returned as 107), whereas Internet Explorer simply
returns the four-digit date (making 2007 return as simply “2007”). You can
also use the newer command getFullYear, which will get a simple four-digit
year in both browsers.

getMonth()
The getMonth() method extracts and returns the month of its calling object.
Months range from January to December, or more accurately, from 0 to 11.
The reason this begins with 0 rather than 1 is that the Date object internally
stores months as an array, and all arrays start with element zero. Here is a
simple example demonstrating this method as well as an array instance:
var now = new Date()
var month = now.getMonth()
var ar = new Array(12)
ar[0] = "January"
ar[1] = "February"
ar[2] = "March"
ar[3] = "April"
ar[4] = "May"
ar[5] = "June"
ar[6] = "July"
ar[7] = "August"
ar[8] = "September"
ar[9] = "October"
ar[10] = "November"
ar[11] = "December"
var message = "It is now " + ar[month] + ", my favorite.<BR>"
document.write(message)

The output of this script is shown in Figure 10-4.

Figure 10-4. getMonth() output

 Time and Date in JavaScript n 155

The current month is extracted from the now instance, which holds the
attributes of the current time (after the statement has executed). A static
array is then created to hold all months’ names (as strings), matching each
name to its corresponding number in JavaScript, starting at zero. This obvi-
ously fits the default array structure, featuring the first index as zero.
Therefore, no math needs to be done, and the current month, by name, is
used to construct a message, obviously a string. The message is then
printed as plain HTML.

getDate()
The getDate() method returns the day of the month as an integer from 1 to
31. Here is an example:
<HTML>
<HEAD>

Chapter 10
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
function datedemo()
{

var now = new Date()

var year = now.get
Year()
var month = now.getMonth()
var date = now.getDate()
var suf
if (date < 10)
var lastDigit = date
else
var lastDigit = date % 10
var exp = ""
// determine suffix
if (lastDigit == 1)
suf = "st"
else
if (lastDigit == 2)
suf = "nd"
else
if (lastDigit == 3)
suf = "rd"
else
suf = "th"
// array for name of month
var ar = new Array(12)
ar[0] = "January"
ar[1] = "February"
ar[2] = "March"
ar[3] = "April"
ar[4] = "May"
ar[5] = "June"
ar[6] = "July"
ar[7] = "August"
ar[8] = "September"
156 n Chapter 10

ar[9] = "October"
ar[10] = "November"
ar[11] = "December"
var formDate = date + suf

// build full date such as "May 5th, 2007"

var totalDate
totalDate = ar[month] + " " + formDate + " " + year
document.write(totalDate)
}
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<TITLE> Example 10-01</TITLE>
<BODY bgcolor = white>
<INPUT TYPE = "button" onClick = "datedemo()" VALUE = "Date Demo">
</BODY>
<HTML>

Example 10-1 (ex10-1.htm)

The output for this script is shown in Figure 10-5.

Figure 10-5. getDate() output

This script segment combines all methods learned so far to display a nicely
formatted date. At first, all needed attributes of the previously created
instance of the Date object are received and assigned to their corresponding
variables (e.g., year, month, date). The last digit of the date (1-31) is then
assigned to the variable lastDigit. According to the value of lastDigit,
the proper suffix is assigned to suf via a nested if-else statement. For the
digit 1, the suffix is “st” (1st); for the digit 2, the suffix is “nd” (2nd); for the
digit 3, it is “rd” (3rd); for all other digits, it is “th” (5th, 6th, …). Note that
the last else statement associates the “th” suffix with all digits other than 1,
2, and 3. This suffix even applies to digits ending with a 0. An array of month
names is created as before. The current date is then combined with its suffix
to create a string such as “27th.” This string, along with all the other desired
values, is used to build a complete date format, such as “April 24th, 2007.”
The full string is then printed. If you understand this script, then you have a
good understanding of date and time in JavaScript.
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 157

getDay()
This method returns the day of the week as an integer from 0 to 6. The day
of the week is calculated according to the other attributes, so this method
does not have a corresponding setDay() method. Here is an example:
ar = new Array(7)
ar[0] = "Sunday"
ar[1] = "Monday"
ar[2] = "Tuesday"
ar[3] = "Wednesday"
ar[4] = "Thursday"
ar[5] = "Friday"
ar[6] = "Saturday"
var birthday = new Date("January 3, 1978")
var day = birthday.getDay()
alert("You were born on " + ar[day])

Chapter 10
getHours()
The getHours() function returns the number of hours since midnight. That
is, it returns the current hour according to the 24-hour clock. Note that the
range is 0 to 23, from midnight (0) to 11 PM (23). Here is an example:
var now = new Date()
var hour = now.getHours()
var text = ""
if (hour < 12)
text = "morning"
else
if (hour < 16)
text = "afternoon"
else
if (hour < 20)
text = "evening"
else
text = "night"
document.write("Good " + text + "!")

This script segment prints a short greeting based on the time of day. For
example, if it is between 12:00 (noon) and 16:00 (4 PM), it prints “Good
afternoon!” It is based on a nested if-else construct.

getMinutes()
The getMinutes() method returns the minute attribute of a Date instance.
The integer returned is always from 0 to 59. Here is a short example to
demonstrate the method:
var now = new Date()
var minute = now.getMinutes()
var hour = now.getHours()
var text = "Don't you have an appointment for " + (hour + 1)
text += ":00 ?"
158 n Chapter 10

if (minute > 49)

document.write(text)

At first, the message containing the nearest hour is built. For example, if it is
currently 15:55, the message is built with the nearest hour, 16:00. The mes-
sage is printed if the current time is less than ten minutes from the next
hour. Note that if it is 23:59, the hour is presented as 24:00, not 00:00.

getSeconds()
This method returns the seconds of a given Date instance, from 0 to 59. You
can use it in much the same way as you use the getMinutes() method.

getTimezoneOffset()
This method returns the time zone offset in minutes for the current locale.
The time zone offset is the difference between local time and Greenwich
Mean Time (GMT). Daylight savings time prevents this value from being a
constant. The returned value is an integer representing the difference in
minutes. The following script shows how to use the user’s time zone offset
to figure out where he or she lives:
if (confirm("Are you in the United States?"))
{
var now = new Date()
var curOffset = now.getTimezoneOffset()
curOffset /= 60 // convert from minutes to hours
var zone = ""
var prep = ""
if (curOffset == 8)
{
zone = "west coast"
prep = "on"
}
else
if (curOffset == 7)
{
zone = "mid - west"
prep = "in"
}
else
if (curOffset == 6)
{
zone = "mid - east"
prep = "in"
}
else
{
zone = "east coast"
prep = "on"
}
alert("I think you live " + prep + " the " + zone + "!")
}
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 159

else
alert("Sorry, this script is intended for U.S. residents only")

The script starts by asking the user if he or she lives in the United States. If
not, a message is displayed. Otherwise, the following command block is exe-
cuted. The area in the United States is determined according to the
difference in hours between the local time zone and the GMT. The preceding
preposition (e.g., “in”, “on”) is determined as well in the if-else construct.
JavaScript then builds an appropriate message based on the current location
of the user as well as the proper preposition.

getTime()
The getTime() method returns the number of milliseconds since January 1,
1970 00:00:00.

Chapter 10
The set Methods
Just as JavaScript provides you with get methods so you can retrieve date
and time information, it also provides you with set methods so you can set
the Date object to a particular date and time. This can be quite useful. For
example, you can set a Date object to a person’s birthday, then find out what
day of the week that was.

setYear()
This method sets the year attribute of a given Date instance. The following
example computes the day of the current date last year:
var now = new Date()
var year = now.getYear()
now.setYear(year - 1)
ar = new Array(7)
ar[0] = "Sunday"
ar[1] = "Monday"
ar[2] = "Tuesday"
ar[3] = "Wednesday"
ar[4] = "Thursday"
ar[5] = "Friday"
ar[6] = "Saturday"
document.write("Last year, the current day was " + ar[now.getDay()])

First, an instance of the current date is created, and the current year is
assigned to the variable year. The year attribute of the instance now is set
to one year behind. The day attribute is then extracted from the modified
instance, and a message is built based on that day, transformed to a string
(via the array).
160 n Chapter 10

setMonth()
This method sets the month attribute of a given instance of the Date object.
The following script sets the month attribute of the current date to May:
var now = new Date()
now.setMonth(4)

setDate()
The setDate() method sets the date attribute of a given instance of the
Date object. The following script prints the day on which the first day of the
month occurred:
var now = new Date()
now.setDate(1)
ar = new Array(7)
ar[0] = "Sunday"
ar[1] = "Monday"
ar[2] = "Tuesday"
ar[3] = "Wednesday"
ar[4] = "Thursday"
ar[5] = "Friday"
ar[6] = "Saturday"
document.write("The first day of the month occurred on " + ar[now.getDay()])

setHours()
This method sets the hour attribute of a given instance of the Date object.
Here is an example:
var obj = new Date("December 4, 2006 18:50:59") // JS press release
obj.setHours(obj.getHours() – 2)
alert(obj.getHours()) // 16

setMinutes()
This method sets the minutes of a given Date instance. Here is a simple
example:
var obj = new Date("December 4, 2006 18:50:59") // JS press release
obj.setMinutes(obj.getMinutes() – 1)
alert(obj.getMinutes()) // 49

setSeconds()
The setSeconds() method sets the seconds of a given instance of the Date
object type. The following example demonstrates its usage:
var obj = new Date("December 4, 2006 18:50:59") // JS press release
obj.setSeconds(obj.getSeconds() – 9)
alert(obj.getSeconds()) // 50
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 161

setTime()
This method sets the number of milliseconds since January 1, 1970
00:00:00. It actually modifies all fields of its calling object. Here is an
example:
var obj = new Date()
obj.setTime(867999600000)
var date = obj.getDate()
var month = obj.getMonth()
if (date < 10)
var lastDigit = date
else
var lastDigit = date % 10
var exp = ""
// determine suffix
if (lastDigit == 1)

Chapter 10
suf = "st"
else
if (lastDigit == 2)
suf = "nd"
else
if (lastDigit == 3)
suf = "rd"
else
suf = "th"
// array for name of month
var ar = new Array(12)
ar[0] = "January"
ar[1] = "February"
ar[2] = "March"
ar[3] = "April"
ar[4] = "May"
ar[5] = "June"
ar[6] = "July"
ar[7] = "August"
ar[8] = "September"
ar[9] = "October"
ar[10] = "November"
ar[11] = "December"
var text = ar[month] + " " + date + suf
alert(text) // July 4th (setTime modifies the entire instance)

The to Methods
toGMTString()
This method converts a date to a string, using the Internet GMT conven-
tions. The conversion is done according to the operating system’s time zone
offset and returns a string value that is similar to the following form:
Tue, 30 Jul 2006 01:03:46 GMT
162 n Chapter 10

The exact format depends on the platform. Here is a simple example:

var now = new Date()
var ar1 = now.toGMTString().split(" ")
document.write("The current time in Greenwich is " + ar1[4])

A sample output of this script segment is:

The current time in Greenwich is 01:08:21

toLocaleString()
This method returns the date in the form of a string, using the current
locale’s conventions. If you are trying to pass a date using toLocaleString,
be aware that different locales assemble the string in different ways. Using
methods such as getHours, getMinutes, and getSeconds will give more
portable results. The following example demonstrates the function:
var now = new Date()
var ar1 = now.toLocaleString().split(" ")
document.write("The current time is " + ar1[1])

The script’s output is:

The current time is 18:12:51

The general format of the converted string is:

MM/DD/YY HH:MM:SS

The parse Methods

parse methods are used to extract one type of information from another. For
example, when programming in C, Java, or C++, when you compile your
program, the compiler parses your source code looking for commands it rec-
ognizes. When you load a web page, the browser parses your HTML looking
for specific tags.

parse()
The parse() method accepts a date string in the IETF standard and con-
verts it to the number of milliseconds since January 1, 1970 00:00:00. The
IETF standard date representation is:
DayAbb, date MonthAbb year HH:MM:SS TimeZoneAbb
An example for this standard is “Mon, 25 Dec 2001 13:30:00 GMT.” This
method also understands the continental U.S. time zone abbreviations such
as PST (Pacific Standard Time) and EST (Eastern Standard Time). However,
time zones outside the United States (and their equivalent in Canada, for
instance) do not have a standard abbreviation accepted by JavaScript. For
such time zones the offset must be specified; that is, you must specify the
difference in hours and minutes between the local time zone and Greenwich
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 163

Mean Time. For example, in “Mon, 25 Dec 2001 13:30:00 GMT+0430,”

GMT+0430 is shorthand for 4 hours, 30 minutes west of the Greenwich
meridian. If you do not specify a time zone, the local time zone is assumed,
according to the settings of the clock in the operating system. If your time
zone is not set correctly, you should change it in the control panel, both on
Macs and Windows-based machines. GMT is also known as Universal Time
Coordinate, or UTC.
The parse() method is a static one. It does not belong to a specific
instance of the Date object, but to the object type itself. Therefore, it is
always used as Date.parse(). Here is an example for this method:
var aDate = "Aug 27 2006"
var birthday = new Date()
birthday.setTime(Date.parse(aDate))

UTC()

Chapter 10
The UTC() method takes a comma-delimited list and returns the number of
milliseconds since January 1, 1970 00:00:00, Greenwich Mean Time (GMT,
UTC). This is also a static method, so it is called along with the general Date
object. You cannot use this method to refer to a specific date in the local time
zone, because it constantly refers to the Universal Time Coordinate (GMT,
UTC). For example, the following statement creates a Date object using
GMT instead of local time, as it would if the method were not used:
gmtDate = new Date(Date.UTC(99, 11, 1, 0, 0, 0))

The general syntax of the method is:

Date.UTC(year, month, day [, hrs] [, min] [, sec])

All attributes should be specified as integers.

Time-Related Methods of Other Objects

setTimeout()
The setTimeout() method evaluates an expression after a specified number
of milliseconds have elapsed. Its general syntax is:
timeoutID = setTimeout(expression, msec)

timeoutID is an identifier used to identify the current timeout.

expression is a string expression or property of an existing object. It is
normally a simple statement that is to be executed after the specified time
has ticked off.
msec is a numeric value, a numeric string, or a property of an existing
object in millisecond units.
The setTimeout() method evaluates an expression after a specified
amount of time. Take a look at the following example:
164 n Chapter 10

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>setTimeout() method</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
function displayAlert()
{
alert("5 seconds have elapsed since the button was clicked.")
}
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
Click the button on the left for a reminder in 5 seconds;
click the button on the right to cancel the reminder before
it is displayed.
<P>
<INPUT TYPE = "button" VALUE = "5-second reminder"
NAME = "remind_button"
onClick = "timerID = setTimeout('displayAlert()',5000)">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

When you click the button, the event handler’s script sets a timeout. The
timeout specifies that after 5,000 milliseconds, or five seconds, the function
displayAlert() is called. Therefore, five seconds after you click the button
an alert box is displayed.
This method does not repeatedly execute the specified statement. That
is, it does not execute it every five seconds. When the time limit specified
has ticked down, the statement is executed and the timeout does not exist
anymore. setTimeout() is a method of the window or frame object, depend-
ing on the basic structure of the HTML document it is used in.
It is common to use the setTimeout() method for creating a pause
between two consecutive calls to a user-defined recursive function. Take a
look at the following script:
function alertNumbers(num)
{
if (num > 10)
return
alert(num)
val = ++num
timerID = setTimeout("alertNumbers(val)", 3000)
}
alertNumbers(0)

This script segment pops up an alert box every three seconds. The dis-
played message is a number. The first alert box displays the number 0. After
three seconds, another one displays the number 1. This process continues
until the number 10. If you attempt to print the number to the document
rather than displaying it in a window (box), an error is generated. The rea-
son for such an error is that by writing to the document after a delay you are
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 165

trying to change the layout, which has been completed. Another important
point is that if the expression provided to the setTimeout() method is a
function call, as in this example, and the function requires an argument, then
it must be a global variable. Local variables do not work, because
setTimeout() is a method of a frame or the window object (window is the
default value if no object is specified). Nonetheless, you can use a literal as
the argument. Bear in mind that setTimeout() requires a string-encapsu-
lated expression. You can embed a local variable in this expression as
follows:
var cmd = "foo(" + num + ")"
timerID = setTimeout(cmd, 2000) // or any other time

clearTimeout()
This method cancels a timeout that was set with the setTimeout() method.

Chapter 10
It is also a method of the frame or window object, so it is discussed later in
detail. At this point, it is important that you know how to use it to cancel a
timeout. Its general syntax is:
clearTimeout(timeoutID)

timeoutID is a timeout setting that was returned by a previous call to the

setTimeout() method. It must be exactly the same as the one used in the
setTimeout() method, because it actually identifies the timeout’s settings
according to it.
The setTimeout() method sets a timeout; that is, it executes a state-
ment after a specified amount of time. If you want to cancel the time “bomb”
during its ticking, you clear it via this method. If you want to change the
amount of time set by the setTimeout() method, you must clear it and then
set a new timeout. Here is the previous example enriched by the
clearTimeout() method:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>setTimeout() and clearTimeout() methods</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
function displayAlert()
{
alert("5 seconds have elapsed since the button was clicked.")
}
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
Click the button on the left for a reminder in 5 seconds;
click the button on the right to cancel the reminder before
it is displayed.
<P>
<INPUT TYPE = "button" VALUE = "5-second reminder"
NAME = "remind_button"
onClick = "timerID = setTimeout('displayAlert()',5000)">
166 n Chapter 10

<INPUT TYPE = "button" VALUE = "Clear the 5-second reminder"

NAME = "remind_disable_button"
onClick = "clearTimeout(timerID)">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Time and Date Examples

Throughout this chapter you have explored various time and date functions,
and by now you should be comfortable with them. Times and dates are
widely used in scripts to achieve many goals and to create various effects.
However, what you have looked at so far has not been in the context of a
practical real-world example. Now let’s take a look at these same functions,
but in real-world scenarios. In this section, we shall introduce a few useful
scripts that demonstrate the concepts learned in this chapter.

A Simple Digital Clock

The time and date methods are useful for computing time values in
JavaScript scripts. The following example shows how to use such values to
create an attractive graphical clock on an HTML page. This sort of
JavaScript can be immediately useful in your web page.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>
Example 10-2
</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<!-- JavaScript immediate script -->
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
document.write(setClock())
function setClock()
{
// initialize accumulative HTML variable to empty string
var text = ""
// set standard convention for digit and punctuation images
var openImage = "<IMG SRC=\"" + getPath(location.href) + "dg"
var closeImage = ".gif\" HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=16>"
// initialize time-related variables with current time settings
var now = new Date()
var hour = now.getHours()
var minute = now.getMinutes()
now = null
var ampm = ""

// validate hour values and set value of ampm

if (hour >= 12)
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 167

{
hour = hour - 12
ampm = "pm"
} else
ampm = "am"
hour = (hour == 0) ? 12 : hour
// add zero digit to a one-digit minute as spaceholder
if (minute < 10)
minute = "0" + minute // do not parse this number!
// convert minute and hour values to strings
minute += ""
hour += ""
// assign image tags according to the value of hour
for (var i = 0; i < hour.length; ++i)
{
text += openImage + hour.charAt(i) + closeImage
}

Chapter 10
// assign image tag of colon separator to text variable
text += openImage + "c.gif\" HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=9>"
// assign image tags according to the value of minute
for (var i = 0; i < minute.length; ++i)
{
text += openImage + minute.charAt(i) + closeImage
}
// assign am / pm image tag to text variable
text += openImage + ampm + closeImage
// return accumulative HTML string
return text
}
function getPath(url)
{
lastSlash = url.lastIndexOf("/")
return url.substring(0, lastSlash + 1)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 10-2 (ex10-2.htm). A simple graphical clock based on time and date
methods

The output of this script is shown in Figure 10-6.

Figure 10-6. JavaScript digital clock

168 n Chapter 10

The first part of the script is built of the needed images and some instruc-
tions. It is important to add these comments to every public-domain script
because it is often difficult to guess what a script does and what additional
objects are needed, such as images.
The function getPath() accepts the URL of the current document. This
includes all portions of the URL, including “http://…” and the name of the
file. The function returns the URL up to the filename, not including the file-
name but including the last slash. For example, consider the following URL:
http://www.wordware.com/index.html

Upon acceptance of this string, the function would return:

http://www.wordware.com/

The first function in the script, setClock(), actually creates the clock, from
top to bottom. Notice that each portion of the function is explained by a com-
ment. Take a look at the following statements, taken directly from the
function:
var openImage = "<IMG SRC =\ "" + getPath(location.href) + "dg"
var closeImage = ".gif\" HEIGHT = 21 WIDTH = 16>"

In this script segment, two constant-like variables are declared and initial-
ized a meaningful value. The first is assigned the opening structure of an
<IMG> tag in HTML. Note that location.href is the current URL of the
document. Notice also the use of escape sequences (\"). The value assigned
to closeImage is independent of local influences such as the URL of the doc-
ument. It simply assigns the value .gif\" HEIGHT = 21 WIDTH = 16>. The
HEIGHT and WIDTH attributes are based on the actual height and width of the
digit images used to display the time.
Here is the following portion of the script:
var now = new Date()
var hour = now.getHours()
var minute = now.getMinutes()
now = null
var ampm = ""

This section has two important tasks:

1. It assigns the local hour to hour.
2. It assigns the minute attribute of the current time to minute.
If you do not remember how this works, read the beginning of this chapter
again.
The following script segment simply modifies the value of hour accord-
ing to the regular conventions used in the United States and other countries
using 12-hour clock systems. First of all, noon is considered PM. Further-
more, midnight is written as 12:00, not 0:00.
Take a look at the following statement:
if (minute < 10)
minute = "0" + minute // do not parse this number!
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 169

This statement makes sure that the minute attribute holds a two-digit num-
ber. That is, if it is originally a one-digit number, a leading “0” digit is added.
Notice that this digit is actually a string. Attempting to parse this string with
a function such as parseInt() would convert it to a numeric type, causing
its value to change, because it is written in octal notation (leading 0). It must
keep the string value throughout the entire script.
The next two statements in the script cast the value of minute and the
value of hour to strings by concatenating an empty string to them. This is
important, because string properties, which can only be used on strings, are
used later on in the script.
The following statement is a loop:
for (var i = 0; i < hour.length; ++i)
{
text += openImage + hour.charAt(i) + closeImage
}

Chapter 10
The loop executes hour.length times. That is, if hour is a two-digit number,
the loop executes twice, once for each digit. During each execution, an
image tag corresponding to the current digit in the string, the value of hour,
is being concatenated to text. For example, if the value of hour is 12, the
loop’s command block executes twice. During the first execution, the follow-
ing string is assigned to text:
text += '<IMG SRC = "http://www.netscent.com/dg1.gif" HEIGHT = 21
WIDTH = 16>'

During the second pass through the loop, this equivalent statement is
executed:
text += '<IMG SRC = "http://www.netscent.com/dg2.gif" HEIGHT = 21
WIDTH = 16>'

If the value of hour is a one-character string, the loop obviously executes

only once.
The following statement in the script is:
text += openImage + "c.gif\" HEIGHT = 21 WIDTH = 9>"

This statement simply assigns the tag associated with the colon image.
Notice that closeImage is not concatenated in this statement because this
image’s WIDTH attribute is different from the other images.
The following loop is exactly like the one described earlier associated
with the variable hour. It only differs in that it relates to the variable minute.
The AM or PM image tag is assigned to text, according to the value of
ampm.
The final statement inside the function instructs JavaScript to return the
value of text, the accumulative string of all the HTML tags needed to print
the clock. The returned value is printed to the document by a global state-
ment—document.write(text).
170 n Chapter 10

Monthly Calendar
The next example outputs a monthly calendar. Before we discuss the code,
take a look at some sample output of the function:

Figure 10-7. JavaScript calendar

Now take a look at the script itself:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>
JavaScript calendar
</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<!-- JavaScript immediate script -->
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
<!--
setCal()
function getTime()
{
// initialize time-related variables with current time settings
var now = new Date()
var hour = now.getHours()
var minute = now.getMinutes()
now = null
var ampm = ""
// validate hour values and set value of ampm
if (hour >= 12)
{
hour = hour – 12
ampm = "PM"
} else
ampm = "AM"
hour = (hour == 0) ? 12 : hour
// add zero digit to a one-digit minute
if (minute < 10)
minute = "0" + minute // do not parse this number!
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 171

// return time string

return hour + ":" + minute + " " + ampm
}
function leapYear(year)
{
if (year % 4 == 0) // basic rule
return true // is leap year
/* else */ // else not needed when statement is "return"
return false // is not leap year
}

function getDays(month, year)

{
// create array to hold number of days in each month
var ar = new Array(12)
ar[0] = 31 // January
ar[1] = (leapYear(year)) ? 29 : 28 // February

Chapter 10
ar[2] = 31 // March
ar[3] = 30 // April
ar[4] = 31 // May
ar[5] = 30 // June
ar[6] = 31 // July
ar[7] = 31 // August
ar[8] = 30 // September
ar[9] = 31 // October
ar[10] = 30 // November
ar[11] = 31 // December
// return number of days in the specified month (parameter)
return ar[month]
}

function getMonthName(month)
{
// create array to hold name of each month
var ar = new Array(12)
ar[0] = "January"
ar[1] = "February"
ar[2] = "March"
ar[3] = "April"
ar[4] = "May"
ar[5] = "June"
ar[6] = "July"
ar[7] = "August"
ar[8] = "September"
ar[9] = "October"
ar[10] = "November"
ar[11] = "December"
// return name of specified month (parameter)
return ar[month]
}
function setCal()
{
// standard time attributes
var now = new Date()
172 n Chapter 10

var year = now.getYear()

var month = now.getMonth()
var monthName = getMonthName(month)
var date = now.getDate()
now = null
// create instance of first day of month, and extract the day it occurs on
var firstDayInstance = new Date(year, month, 1)
var firstDay = firstDayInstance.getDay()
firstDayInstance = null
// number of days in current month
var days = getDays(month, year)
// call function to draw calendar
drawCal(firstDay + 1, days, date, monthName, year)
}
function drawCal(firstDay, lastDate, date, monthName, year)
{
// constant table settings
var headerHeight = 50 // height of the table's header cell
var border = 2 // 3D height of table's border
var cellSpacing = 4 // width of table's border
var headerColor = "midnightblue" // color of table's header
var headerSize = "+3" // size of table’s header font
var colWidth = 60 // width of columns in table
var dayCellHeight = 25 // height of cells containing days of the week
var dayColor = "darkblue" // color of font representing week days
var cellHeight = 40 // height of cells representing dates in the calendar
var todayColor = "red" // color specifying today's date in the calendar
var timeColor = "purple" // color of font representing current time

// create basic table structure

var text = "" // initialize accumulative variable to empty string
text += '<CENTER>'
text += '<TABLE BORDER = ' + border + ' CELLSPACING = ' + cellspacing + '>'
// table settings

text += '<TH COLSPAN = 7 HEIGHT = ' + headerHeight + '>' // create table

// header cell
text += "<FONT COLOR = " + headerColor + " SIZE = " + headerSize + ">"
// set font for table header
text += monthName + ' ' + year
text += '</FONT>' // close table header's font settings
text += '</TH>' // close header cell

// variables to hold constant settings

var openCol = '<TD WIDTH = ' + colWidth + ' HEIGHT = ' + dayCellHeight + '>'
openCol = openCol + '<FONT COLOR = "' + dayColor + '">'
var closeCol = '</FONT></TD>'
// create array of abbreviated day names
var weekDay = new Array(7)
weekDay[0] = "Sun"
weekDay[1] = "Mon"
weekDay[2] = "Tues"
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 173

weekDay[3] = "Wed"
weekDay[4] = "Thu"
weekDay[5] = "Fri"
weekDay[6] = "Sat"
// create first row of table to set column width and specify week day
text += '<TR ALIGN = "center" VALIGN = "center">'

for (var dayNum = 0; dayNum < 7; ++dayNum)

{
text += openCol + weekDay[dayNum] + closeCol
}

text += '</TR>'
// declaration and initialization of two variables to help with tables
var digit = 1
var curCell = 1
for (var row = 1; row <= Math.ceil((lastDate + firstDay – 1) / 7); ++row)

Chapter 10
{
text += '<TR ALIGN = "right" VALIGN = "top">'
for (var col = 1; col <= 7; ++col)
{
if (digit > lastDate)
break
if (curCell < firstDay)
{
text += '<TD></TD>'
curCell++
} else
{
if (digit == date)
{ // current cell represent today's date
text += '<TD HEIGHT = ' + cellHeight + '>'
text += '<FONT COLOR = "' + todayColor + '">'
text += digit
text += '</FONT><BR>'
text += '<FONT COLOR = "' + timeColor + '" SIZE = 2>'
text += '<CENTER>' + getTime() + '</CENTER>'
text += '</FONT>'
text += '</TD>'
} else
text += '<TD HEIGHT = ' + cellHeight + '>' + digit + '</TD>'
digit++
}
}
text += '</TR>'
}
// close all basic table tags
text += '</TABLE>'
text += '</CENTER>'
// print accumulative HTML string
document.write(text)
}
174 n Chapter 10

// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 10-3 (ex10-3.htm). A calendar based on HTML tables printed via

JavaScript

Let’s follow the script step by step, explaining the task of every function.
getTime()
This function simply returns a string representing the current local time in
the following format:
hours : minutes AM/PM
Note that there are no spaces between any characters. The function is based
on the same algorithm as the first part of setClock() in Example 10-2.
Refer to the explanation regarding that example for further insights.
leapYear(year)
This function returns true if the current year is a leap year; otherwise, it
returns false. The basic rule used for the decision is that a leap year occurs
every four years, in the same year of the summer Olympic games. More
exactly, if the year is divisible by 4, it is a leap year. Therefore, the modulo
operator suits the case perfectly. If year % 4 is zero, the year is divisible by
4, meaning the current year is a leap year. Otherwise, the year is not divisi-
ble by 4, so false is returned. An obvious call to this function is:
if (leapYear(current year))
// is a leap year
else
// is not a leap year

Another possibility is to use the returned value in a conditional statement,

or operation (?:).
Note that the parameter of the function must accept an integer value,
which is reasonable when computing years.
getDays(month, year)
This function accepts two arguments: a month and a year. An array of 12 ele-
ments is then created. The array is an instance of the built-in Array object.
Therefore, the keyword new is used. Each element of the array represents
the number of days in its corresponding month. ar[0] holds the number of
days in January (31); ar[11] holds the number of days in December. The
array is simply assigned the proper data, according to the constant number
of days in each month. However, the number of days in February is not con-
stant. In leap years there are 29 days in February, whereas in all other years
there are 28 days. The function leapYear() is used to decide if the specified
year is a leap year. This situation is a typical one for a conditional operator,
because one of two values is to be assigned to a variable depending on the
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 175

value of the condition (the Boolean value returned by the function

leapYear()). Notice the extensive use of comments to help you understand
the script. The value returned by the function is equal to the number of days
in the month passed over to the function upon calling. For example, if the
value of month is 0 (as passed to the function), the value ar[0] == 31 is
returned by the function.
Note that both arguments must be integers. The month must be speci-
fied as an integer from 0 to 11, with 0 representing January and 11
representing December.
getMonthName(month)
This function accepts the integer value of a certain month (0 for January, 11
for December) and returns the full name of the function, obviously in the
form of a string. This function, like the preceding one, uses an instance of
the Array object to store constant values. The name of the desired month is

Chapter 10
retrieved from the array by its index (subscript).
setCal()
At first, the function creates a new instance of the Date object, holding the
attributes of the current local time. The current year is assigned to year via
the method getYear(), and the current month is assigned to month via the
method getMonth(). The name of the month, returned by getMonthName(),
is assigned to monthName. After the current date is assigned to date, the
instance now is assigned null, a good JavaScript programming practice.
The next statement of the function is:
var firstDayInstance = new Date(year, month, 1)

It creates a new instance of the Date object; this time it is for the first day of
the current month. Therefore, the value 1 is used to specify the date. This
obviously influences the day of the week on which the date occurred. This
value is assigned to firstDay in the following statement. The instance
firstDayInstance is then assigned null. This script segment computes the
day of the week (Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, etc.) on which the month started.
Another possible way to achieve this goal is to create an instance of the cur-
rent date as usual:
var firstDayInstance = new Date() // not first day yet!

You then need to set the date to 1, via the setDate() method. You should
use the following statement to do so:
firstDayInstance.setDate(1)

The next portion of the function consists of only one statement. It assigns
days the number of days in the current month.
The last statement of the function draws the calendar:
drawCal(firstDay + 1, days, date, monthName, 1900 + year)
176 n Chapter 10

The arguments are:

n Integer value of the first day of the month + 1; that is, 1 for Sunday, 2
for Monday, 3 for Tuesday, etc.
n The number of days in the specified month
n The specified date
n The name of the specified month (e.g., “January,” “February,” “March”)
n The specified year, as a four-digit integer (e.g., 2001, 2002)

drawCal(firstDay, lastDate, date, monthName, year)

This function’s main task is to print the calendar table. Before it does so, the
HTML structure of the table must be constructed. The first part of the func-
tion assigns values to attributes associated with the final format of the table.
Such attributes are the size of cells, font colors, and more. Here is the full
list, including the variable names and their roles:
Table 10-2. Variables in drawCal() and their role in the final format of the calendar

Variable Role
headerHeight The height of the table header’s cell. The header cell is
the cell containing the name of the month and the year
in a large font. The height is specified in pixels.
border The table’s border. You should already know that
HTML tables have a BORDER attribute. This attribute
specifies the three-dimensional height of the border.
cellSpacing The width of the border. A table border’s width can also
be set in HTML. This value is the distance between the
inner line of the border and its outer line.
headerColor The color of the header’s font. This is the color of the
font in the largest cell of the table at the top of the
calendar.
headerSize The size of the header’s font (see headerHeight).
colWidth The width of the table’s columns. This is actually the
width of each cell, or the width of the widest cell in
each column.
dayCellHeight The height of the cell containing the names of the days
(“Sunday,” “Monday,” “Tuesday,” etc.).
dayColor The color of the font representing the days of the week.
cellHeight The height of all the regular cells in the table
containing the dates of the month.
todayColor The color specifying the current date in the calendar.
timeColor The color of the font used with the current time, located
in the cell of the current date.
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 177

The portion of the function that follows creates the basic table structure,
including all general HTML tags referring to the outline of the table. Notice
how the variables are implemented in the script. Now take a look at the fol-
lowing two statements of the script:
var openCol = '<TD WIDTH = ' + colWidth + ' HEIGHT = ' + dayCellHeight + '>'
openCol += '<FONT COLOR = "' + dayColor + '">'
var closeCol = '</FONT></TD>'

These are the tags used to create each of the cells containing the day names.
For example, the syntax for “Sunday” using the default values of the vari-
ables is:
<TD WIDTH = 60 HEIGHT = 25><FONT COLOR = "midnightblue"></FONT></TD>

Here are the next two portions of the function for reference:
// create array of abbreviated day names

Chapter 10
var weekDay = new Array(7)
weekDay[0] = "Sun"
weekDay[1] = "Mon"
weekDay[2] = "Tues"
weekDay[3] = "Wed"
weekDay[4] = "Thu"
weekDay[5] = "Fri"
weekDay[6] = "Sat"

// create first row of table to set column width and specify week day
text += '<TR ALIGN = "center" VALIGN = "center">'
for (var dayNum = 0; dayNum < 7; ++dayNum)
{
text += openCol + weekDay[dayNum] + closeCol
}
text += '</TR>'

In the first segment, a regular array is created. It is then assigned the abbre-
viated names of the days. This array enables us to refer to each name via a
number. The following portion, where a cell is created for each day, takes
advantage of this referencing method. A new day is printed on every itera-
tion of the loop. Note that the tags associated with the beginning and the end
of the table’s current row are not located inside the loop. A new row with all
day names is started before the loop. The current row is terminated after
the tags related to the cell of “Sat” are assigned to text.
The following portion of the function is:
var digit = 1
var curCell = 1

You will see the role of these variables later in the function.
By now, all tags associated with the table’s header and the column head-
ers have been assigned to the accumulative string variable text. The
remaining part of the function assigns the tags associated with all the table’s
cells. As you know, the calendar is a rectangular table. Therefore, we prefer
to use a nested loop structure to refer to its cells. If you want to practice
178 n Chapter 10

your skills, try replacing this structure with a single loop, using the modulo
operator to compute the location of new table rows.
The more difficult part of the loop is its terminating condition. Here it is
again:
row <= Math.ceil((lastDate + firstDay – 1) / 7)

The Math object and its ceil() method are explained in detail in Chapter 11,
“JavaScript Math.” For now, you should just know that Math.ceil(num)
evaluates to the nearest integer to num that is equal to or greater than num
(rounding up). Here are some examples:
Math.ceil(15.15) == 16
Math.ceil(16) == 16
Math.ceil(16.0001) == 17

You may recall from the setCal() function that the value passed over to the
parameter firstDay is from 1 to 7, not from 0 to 6. Therefore, 1 is sub-
tracted from firstDay in this expression. Math.ceil((lastDate +
firstDay – 1) / 7) represents the minimum number of rows needed in
the calendar, or table. The number of cells in the calendar (not including the
main header, column headers, and cells after the last day in the month) is
lastDate + firstDay – 1, because lastDate is equal to the number of
days in the month, and firstDay – 1 is equal to the number of cells before
the first date. The value is divided by 7, to get the exact minimum number of
rows needed. However, the loop must execute a whole number of times.
Therefore, the Math.ceil() method is needed.
Other, more simple, calendars just use five rows for every month, no
matter what. However, this simple rule of five rows per month fails when (a)
the first day of a non-leap year February occurs on Sunday, meaning only
four lines are needed, and (b) the first day of a 31-day month is on Friday or
Saturday, meaning six rows are needed. Although these situations seldom
occur, you must take them into account. If the row computation is replaced
by a simple 5 in this script, a month such as February 1987 does not appear
properly.
The nested loop is not nearly as difficult, because it always executes
seven times, once for each day of the week. Throughout the entire loop con-
struct, including inner and outer loops, digit holds the current cell to be
created. The variable curCell holds the accumulative number of cells in the
table created (assigned) thus far. This variable is only needed until the cell of
the first day of the month is created, and is not handled afterward; that is,
after the first day of the month, it is not incremented anymore.
The <TD> and </TD> tags are used to create blank cells that are used as
placeholders. These are only needed before the first day of the month,
because the loop is terminated via a break statement after the last day of
the month, and the remaining place in the line is filled in the same way as
blank cells (placeholders). Each execution of the inner loop creates the cur-
rent cell of the table. There are basically two types of cells:
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 179

n A cell representing the current day, which uses a special font color and
displays the time inside the cell
n All other cells
The HTML tags used are obvious and are not dealt with in depth here.
There are two statements outside the inner loop but inside the contain-
ment loop. The first one creates a new table row and the second one ends
the current row. Each execution of the inner loop (seven executions or its
command block) is responsible for the creation of an entire row, or a partial
one if it is the last row and the last day of the month is encountered before
the last cell of the row—in this case the loop is terminated via a break state-
ment. The term “create” refers to the concatenation of the proper strings
and values and assignment to the variable text.
The last, but definitely not least, statement of the function is the one
that actually prints the table to the HTML document. Up to that statement,

Chapter 10
the HTML document was stored as a string in the variable text.

Random Quotes
The finale for this chapter is a simple, yet interesting script to display a dif-
ferent message each time the page is loaded. Here is the script:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Random quote</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
<!--
function getMessage()
{
// create array of Murphy's laws
var ar = new Array(20)
ar[0] = "Nothing is as easy as it looks."
ar[1] = "Everything takes longer than you think."
ar[2] = "Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."
ar[3] = "If there is a possibility of several things going wrong, the one
that will cause the most damage will be the one to go wrong."
ar[4] = "If there is a worse time for something to go wrong, it will happen
then."
ar[5] = "If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway."
ar[6] = "If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which a
procedure can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way,
unprepared for, will promptly develop."
ar[7] = "Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse."
ar[8] = "If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously
overlooked something."
ar[9] = "Nature always sides with the hidden flaw."
ar[10] = "Mother nature is a bitch."
ar[11] = "It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are
so ingenious."
180 n Chapter 10

ar[12] = "Whenever you set out to do something, something else must be

done first."
ar[13] = "Every solution breeds new problems."
ar[14] = "Trust everybody ... then cut the cards."
ar[15] = "Two wrongs are only the beginning."
ar[16] = "If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you
tried."
ar[17] = "To succeed in politics, it is often necessary to rise above
your principles."
ar[18] = "Exceptions prove the rule ... and wreck the budget."
ar[19] = "Success always occurs in private, and failure in full view."

var now = new Date()

var sec = now.getSeconds()
alert("Murphy's Law:\r" + ar[sec % 20])
}
//-->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY onLoad = "getMessage()">
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 10-4 (ex10-4.htm). A script to display a random message each time the
page is loaded

The first statement in the function creates an array, an instance of the

built-in Array object. The array includes 20 elements, starting from ar[0]
and ending with ar[19]. Each element is assigned a string, or to be exact, a
Murphy’s law. An instance of the Date object, now, is then created. The
number of seconds in the current time is retrieved from now via the
getSeconds() method. As you know, the value of sec is an integer from 0 to
59, with a random possibility for each. In total there are 60 consecutive inte-
gers. Due to this fact, the expression sec % 20 returns an integer from 0 to
19, with an equal chance for each, because 60 is divisible by 20 (60 / 20 =
3!). The ability to create a random number from 0 to 19 using this technique
enables us to randomly choose a Murphy’s law from the array. The selected
Murphy’s law is displayed by an alert box.
The most important part of the script to pay attention to is the use of an
event handler to respond to the load event—onLoad. When the event han-
dler is triggered (when the page has completed loading), the function
getMessage() is called to display an alert message as described earlier. Also
notice the use of an escape sequence, the carriage return character (\r).
 Time and Date in JavaScript n 181

Summary
In this chapter we discussed date- and time-related concepts in JavaScript.
Such concepts are based on the Date object. We learned about this built-in
object, the only one in JavaScript without any properties. After a thorough
look at the object, we saw how its instances can be created and used in
scripts. By now, you should have enough tools to create interesting scripts
of various types. As we look further into the language in the following chap-
ters, you will be able to grasp the power of JavaScript to enhance HTML
documents. In this chapter you have seen that without much effort, you can
add a graphical digital clock to any page. This may seem amazing, but the
best is yet to come, including animated clocks and more.

Chapter 10
182 n Chapter 11

Chapter 11

JavaScript Math

Math in JavaScript
One of the primary capabilities that computers are renowned for is their
ability to perform math very accurately and very quickly. All programming
languages include features, constants, functions, and other math elements
that allow the programmer to perform mathematics. Likewise, JavaScript
includes many features related to math, enabling JavaScript programmers to
invoke numeric calculations in our scripts. In this chapter we will explore
these mathematical operations and show you ways to implement them in
your web pages.
Math in JavaScript is based on two general elements of the language:
n Mathematical operators
n The built-in Math object

Mathematical operators (+, –, *, /, %) are common to almost every lan-

guage, and were discussed earlier in Chapter 3, so we won’t cover operator
basics again in this chapter. However, I have not yet introduced you to the
Math object, which can perform a variety of mathematical operations. In this
chapter I will familiarize you with this object, including its properties and
methods. We will also take a look at some possible uses of this object. If
there are any mathematical operations covered that you are not familiar
with, don’t be too concerned since that simply means you probably won’t be
needing to use that level of mathematics in your scripts. It is important to
note that the Math object has functions that many people may not need in
their web pages, but are important to math.

The Math Object

JavaScript’s Math object provides many arithmetic and trigonometric func-
tions. Most of these are functions you probably already know. These
functions expand the mathematical ability of JavaScript beyond the basic
arithmetic operators.
 JavaScript Math n 183

You already know how to create instances of JavaScript objects such as

the Date object. Objects that you have to instantiate are referred to as
dynamic objects. However, some objects in JavaScript are static objects. You
don’t need to instantiate them, as they are already there waiting to be used.
You can refer directly to the object’s methods and properties. This is differ-
ent from dynamic objects such as Date. Recall that to retrieve the current
year, you must first create an instance of the object, and then refer to the
instance’s methods.
JavaScript’s Math object is a static object, so you won’t need to
instantiate it. Its properties are actually basic constants, such as pi (p) and
the square root of 2. Its methods are mathematical functions, such as pow()
(power), sin(), cos(), and others. These methods and properties are encap-
sulated in an object because objects are meant to be entities constructed of
related data and functions. The requirements from mathematical functions
and constants led JavaScript’s developers to create a built-in object for math-
ematics—Math.
To access elements of the Math object, you do not need to create an
instance. You access them via messages sent directly by the Math object
itself. For example, the PI constant is a property of the Math object, and can
be accessed via the following syntax:
var pi = Math.PI

Chapter 11
Constants
Constants are defined with the full precision of floating-point numbers in
JavaScript. In this section we shall outline these properties for your refer-
ence and understanding. Notice that all properties are specified with capital
letters, although this convention is not common in the mathematical com-
munity. All properties refer to well-known constants (read your math books
if you don’t remember!); that is, they do not change. Therefore, these prop-
erties are read-only properties, and accessing them for the purpose of
modification results in a JavaScript error.

E
A very important constant in mathematics is Euler’s constant. Its approxi-
mate value is 2.718281828459045. It is rounded off to 15 digits after the
decimal point. For your reference, the equation is:
ei + 1 = 0
In JavaScript you refer to it with a capital “E”; that is, Math.E.

þ Note: In mathematics this is usually referred to with a lowercase “e”.

184 n Chapter 11

LN2
Another constant featured as a property of the Math object is the natural log-
arithm of 2. Its approximate value is 0.6931471805599453. A defining
equation is:
eLN2 = 2
JavaScript refers to this number as LN2. Because it is a property of the Math
object, you should specify them together, as in Math.LN2.
You can use the pow method to assure that the preceding equation is
true:
document.write(Math.pow(Math.E, Math.LN2))

Because both Euler’s constant and the natural logarithm of 2 are approxi-
mate, the output of this statement is also approximate:
1.9999999999999998

LN10
The natural logarithm of 10 is also featured as a property of the static Math
object. Its value, as stored in its corresponding property, is
2.302585092994046. Once again, you can understand this value via an
equation:
eLN10 = 10
In JavaScript this value is referred to as Math.LN10.
Here is a JavaScript statement to define the natural logarithm of 10:
document.write(Math.pow(Math.E, Math.LN10))

Since both Euler’s constant and the natural logarithm of 10 are approximate,
the output of this statement is also approximate:
10.000000000000002

þ Note: Some browsers will round this number to 10.

LOG2E
Another important constant in the math arena is the base-2 logarithm of
Euler’s constant. Its approximate value is 1.4426950408889634. In math that
is:
2LOG2E = e
As you can see, you refer to this constant in JavaScript as Math.LOG2E. Here
is a simple statement to confirm the value:
document.write(Math.pow(2, Math.LOG2E) – Math.E)
 JavaScript Math n 185

This time the output is apparently exact:

0

LOG10E
The base-10 logarithm is also widely used in complex mathematical calcula-
tions. Its value in JavaScript is approximately 0.4342944819032518. The
following equation demonstrates the definition of the constant:
10LOG10E = e
As you can see, the equation is built according to one of the basic logarithm
rules. In JavaScript, log base-10 of Euler’s constant is a property of the Math
object: Math.LOG10E.
Here is a simple script for confirmation:
document.write(Math.pow(10, Math.LOG10E) – Math.E)

Once again, the output is exact:

0

PI
Probably the most well-known value among all constants featured by

Chapter 11
JavaScript is PI. Its approximate value, as enabled by the precision limits of
real numbers in JavaScript, is 3.141592653589793.
As you could expect, you refer to pi in JavaScript as Math.PI. For exam-
ple, to obtain the circumference of a circle you can use the following
function:
function circumference(diameter)
{
if (typeof diameter == "number" && diameter >= 0)
return Math.PI * diameter
}

Note that the function does not return a value if the diameter is not a num-
ber or is not positive.

SQRT1_2
The square root of 0.5, as stored in JavaScript’s object model, is
0.7071067811865476. You can also reach this value by calculating the square
root of 0.5 (using the sqrt() method of the Math object), but accessing an
existing property is somewhat faster and more obvious than calculating it via
an execution of a method.
You refer to this property as Math.SQRT1_2. The reason an underscore
is used for the property name is that the name of a property must follow the
identifier rules, which allow only letters, numbers, and underscores in the
middle of a name.
186 n Chapter 11

Here is an obvious statement to confirm that the value is correct:

document.write(Math.pow(Math.SQRT1_2, 2))

The not-so-obvious output is:

0.5000000000000001

SQRT2
The square root of 2 is also a well-known constant. Its approximate value is
1.4142135623730951. You refer to it as Math.SQRT2. You can use the follow-
ing statement to confirm the value:
document.write(Math.pow(Math.SQRT2, 2))

As you could expect, the result is not exact:

2.0000000000000004

Math Methods
Constant values make up only a fraction of the entire strength of mathemati-
cal implementation in JavaScript. To harness the power of the Math object
you have to familiarize yourself with the set of methods available.
JavaScript tends to organize functions and values in object structures to
enable easy reference and simple understanding. For this reason, all func-
tions related to math are implemented as methods of the Math object.
The methods of the Math object can be divided into two categories, each
related to a different branch of mathematics:
n Arithmetic methods
n Trigonometric methods

All methods of the Math object are specified in lowercase letters, as opposed
to constants, which are properties of this object and are specified in upper-
case letters.

Arithmetic Methods
We use the term “arithmetic methods” to describe all methods that do not
relate in any way to trigonometric math.
abs()
You can calculate the absolute value of any number, integer or floating point,
via this method. The absolute value of a number is its corresponding posi-
tive number; that is, if the number is positive, its absolute value is the
number itself, whereas if it is negative, its absolute value is the same num-
ber with a + sign instead of a –. You can simulate this method easily:
function abs(num)
{
if (num < 0)
 JavaScript Math n 187

return –num
return num
}

For example, the absolute value of –5 is 5. The absolute value of 5 is also 5.

In JavaScript you can calculate the absolute value of a number via the
method Math.abs(). This method returns the absolute value of its argu-
ment. You can use this method to compute the absolute value of only one
argument. If you call the method with more than one argument, only the
absolute value of the first is returned.
If you want the corresponding negative value of a number, as opposed to
the positive value, you can negate the returned value. For example:
var neg1 = –Math.abs(–3.7)
var neg2 = –Math.abs(3.7)

You can use the Math.abs() method for many purposes, not just in mathe-
matical algorithms.
ceil()
The Math.ceil() method accepts a single numeric argument and returns
the next integer greater than or equal to the argument (rounding up). There-
fore, the returned value is never less than the argument. Here are a few
examples:

Chapter 11
Math.ceil(16) == 16
Math.ceil(16.01) == 17
Math.ceil(–15.01) == –15

Let’s say you need to fit num1 cars into parking lots, where each parking lot
has space for num2 cars. You can use the Math.ceil() method along with a
function to calculate the minimum number of parking lots:
function getNumLots(num1, num2)
{
return Math.ceil(num1 / num2)
}

The reason we need to use this method in the above function is that you can
only use a whole parking lot, not a fractional part; that is, we are trying to
calculate the minimum number of parking lots needed, not the exact space.
exp()
This method returns Euler’s constant to the power of the specified argu-
ment (eargument). It is approximately equivalent to the following function:
function exp(num)
{
return Math.pow(Math.E, num)
}

You refer to this function as Math.exp(). Here is an example:

document.write(Math.exp(4))
188 n Chapter 11

Its output is:

54.598150033144236

floor()
The Math.floor() method returns the greatest integer less than or equal to
the value passed to it. This is equivalent to integral division when dealing
with non-negative numbers. It is also equivalent to rounding down to the
nearest integer. Here are a few expressions, each evaluating to true:
Math.floor(16) == 16
Math.floor(16.01) == 16
Math.floor(–15.01) == –16

log()
This method returns the natural logarithm of the argument passed to it. For
example, the natural log (base e) of e (Euler’s constant) is 1. You can confirm
this via the following statement:
document.write(Math.log(Math.E))

And indeed, the output is 1.

max(), min()
Both of these methods accept two numeric arguments. max() returns the
greater of two numbers, whereas min() returns the lesser of the two. Here
is a function that prints the lesser of two numbers followed by the greater:
function printInOrder(num1, num2)
{
document.write(Math.min(num1, num2) + ", " + Math.max(num1, num2))
}

The following function call prints the string –5, 1 to the document:
printInOrder(1, –5)

Here are a few true expressions to demonstrate the basic min() and max()
methods:
Math.max(1, 2) == 2
Math.min(2, Math.abs(–2)) == 2
Math.min(2, –2) == –2

pow()
Given two numeric arguments, this method returns the first one to the
power of the second. Here are a few true expressions demonstrating the
method:
Math.pow(10, 2) == 100
Math.pow(0.5, 0.5) == 0.7071067811865476
Math.pow(Math.SQRT2, 4) == 4.000000000000001
 JavaScript Math n 189

random()
This method returns a random number between 0 and 1. It is obviously a
floating-point number. The returned number’s precision is a maximum of 16
digits after the decimal point. Here is a simple example:
for (var i = 0; i < 5; ++i)
{
document.write(Math.random() + "<BR>")
}

The output of this loop depends on the output of random() and it is guaran-
teed that your results will not be the same as the following:
.924853870611902
.8248305636609181
.9539277224126104
.9806934571332098
.7639888801207115

This method is mostly used to create random integer numbers between x

and y. Suppose x is 0 and y is a given number. You would multiply the value
that random() returns by y and then round it off. For example, to generate a
random number between 0 and 37 you can use the following expression:
Math.round(Math.random() * 37)

Chapter 11
If you want an integer between 15 and 37, you can create a random integer
between 0 and 22 and then add 15. Be very careful when attempting to cre-
ate random numbers.
round()
The Math.round() method returns the nearest integer to the argument. If
the argument’s decimal part is equal to 0.5, the number is rounded up. Here
are a few true expressions to demonstrate the method:
Math.round(3.7) == 4
Math.round(4.5) == 5
Math.round(16.1) == 16
Math.round(0) == 0

sqrt()
This method returns the square root of the argument. For example:
Math.sqrt(4) == 2
Math.sqrt(0) == 0
Math.sqrt(0.25) == 0.5

If the argument is a negative number, the method returns zero, which hap-
pens to be the wrong answer. It would be better if an error were generated
instead, because this wrong answer can go undetected.
190 n Chapter 11

Trigonometric Methods
Trigonometric methods are obviously those that deal with trigonometry.
You should also know how to convert an angle from degrees to radians,
and vice versa. Here is the basic conversion table:
Table 11-1. Degree-radian conversion table

Degrees Radians
360 2p
270 1.5p
180 1p
90 0.5p

All angles in JavaScript are measured in radians, so the conversion table

should help you visualize the size of an angle in radians.
cos()
The Math.cos() method accepts one argument, the angle of a triangle. It
returns the cosine of that value, which must be specified in radians. The fol-
lowing statement prints –1:
document.write(Math.cos(Math.PI))

acos()
The Math.acos() method also accepts one argument. It returns the arc
cosine of the argument in radians; that is, it accepts the cosine of a certain
value and returns that value—the opposite of the Math.cos() method.
Therefore, the following statement prints the value of PI:
document.write(Math.acos(–1))

sin()
The Math.sin() function returns the sine of its argument. Keep in mind
that the argument must be in radian units. Here is a statement that prints 1:
document.write(Math.sin(0.5 * Math.PI))

asin()
The Math.asin() method accepts one argument and returns its arc sine in
radians. The following statement prints half the value of PI:
document.write(Math.asin(1))

tan()
The Math.tan() method returns the tangent of its argument, which is equal
to the quotient of the value’s sine and cosine. Take a look at the following
script segment:
var val = 0.25 * Math.PI
document.write("sine = " + Math.sin(val) + "<BR>")
 JavaScript Math n 191

document.write("cosine = " + Math.cos(val) + "<BR>")

document.write("tangent = " + Math.tan(val))

The output of these statements in Netscape Navigator is:

sine = .7071067811865475
cosine = .7071067811865476
tangent = .9999999999999999

From this script you can learn:

n The sine of ¼ * PI is equal to its cosine, which is also equal to the
square root of ½.
n The cosine and sine methods sometimes return inaccurate results.

Take extra caution regarding the issue of inaccuracy. The following

statements:
var val = 0.25 * Math.PI
if (Math.tan(val) == 1)
do_this
else
do_that

should be replaced by:

var val = 0.25 * Math.PI

Chapter 11
if (Math.tan(val) > 0.99 && Math.tan(val) < 1.01)
do_this
else
do_that

Inaccuracy is more obvious in this case, because the result differs even from
browser to browser. The following is the output received from Microsoft
Internet Explorer:
sine = 0.707106781186547
cosine = 0.707106781186548
tangent = 1

Notice that the sine and cosine values differ. Also notice that Internet
Explorer appends a leading zero digit to all numbers between –1 and 1 (not
inclusive).
atan()
As you could expect, the Math.atan() method returns the arc tangent of its
argument. For example, the following returns one-fourth of the value of PI:
document.write(Math.atan(1))

atan2()
The Math.atan2() method returns the angle (theta component) of the polar
coordinate (r, theta) that corresponds to the specified Cartesian coordinate.
You probably know that the normal x, y coordinates of a point are called Car-
tesian coordinates. Another measurement system is the polar system. You
192 n Chapter 11

need to specify the point’s radius (distance from the pole) and angle (theta
component).

The Number Object

The Number object is a built-in JavaScript object that is very similar to the
Math object in that it encapsulates several primitive numeric values. It is dif-
ferent from the Math object in that the Number object is dynamic and requires
a creation step, while the Math object is static and does not require any
instantiation.
The primary use for the Number object is to access its constant proper-
ties, including the largest and smallest representable numbers, positive and
negative infinity, and the not-a-number value. You can also use the Number
object to create numeric objects that you can add properties to. It is unlikely
that you will need to use the Number object, but it is given here for the sake
of completion.
To create a Number object, use the following statement:
numberObjectName = new Number()

where numberObjectName is either the name of a new object or a property of

an existing one. To access Number’s properties, use the following format:
numberObjectName.propertyName

where numberObjectName is either the name of an existing Number object or

a property of an existing object. propertyName is one of the properties listed
in the next section.

Number Properties
The Number object has several properties.
MAX_VALUE
This is the maximum numeric value representable in JavaScript. The
MAX_VALUE property has a value of approximately 1.79E+308. Values larger
than MAX_VALUE are represented as “infinity.” Because MAX_VALUE is a con-
stant, it is a read-only property of Number. The following code demonstrates
the use of MAX_VALUE. The code multiplies two numeric values. If the result
is less than or equal to MAX_VALUE, the func1 function is called; otherwise,
the func2 function is called.
if (num1 * num2 <= Number.MAX_VALUE)
func1()
else
func2()
 JavaScript Math n 193

MIN_VALUE
The MIN_VALUE property is the number closest to zero, not the lowest num-
ber that JavaScript can represent. MIN_VALUE has a value of approximately
2.22E–308. Values smaller than MIN_VALUE (“underflow values”) are con-
verted to zero. Because MIN_VALUE is a constant, it is a read-only property of
Number. The following code divides two numeric values. If the result is
greater than or equal to MIN_VALUE, the func1 function is called; otherwise,
the func2 function is called.
if (num1 / num2 >= Number.MIN_VALUE)
func1()
else
func2()

NaN
The unquoted literal constant NaN is a special value representing not-a-num-
ber. Since NaN always compares unequal to any number, including NaN, it is
usually used to indicate an error condition for a function that should return a
valid number. Notice, then, that you cannot check for not-a-number value by
comparing to Number.NaN. Use the isNaN() function instead. Because NaN is
a constant, it is a read-only property of Number. In the following code seg-
ment, dayOfMonth is assigned NaN if it is greater than 31, and a message is

Chapter 11
displayed indicating the valid range:
if (dayOfMonth < 1 || dayOfMonth > 31)
{
dayOfMonth = Number.NaN
alert("Day of Month must be from 1 to 31.")
}

NEGATIVE_INFINITY
This is a special numeric value representing negative infinity. This value is
represented as “–Infinity” and resembles an infinity in its mathematical
behavior. For example, anything multiplied by NEGATIVE_INFINITY is
NEGATIVE_INFINITY, and anything divided by NEGATIVE_INFINITY is zero.
Because NEGATIVE_INFINITY is a constant, it is a read-only property of
Number.
The following code extract checks a number for NEGATIVE_INFINITY
and calls a different function if it is:
if (smallNumber == Number.NEGATIVE_INFINITY)
func1()
else
func2()

POSITIVE_INFINITY
This is a special numeric value representing infinity. This value is
represented as “Infinity” and resembles an infinity in its mathematical
behavior. For example, anything multiplied by POSITIVE_INFINITY is
194 n Chapter 11

POSITIVE_INFINITY, and anything divided by POSITIVE_INFINITY is zero.

Because POSITIVE_INFINITY is a constant, it is a read-only property of
Number.
The following code extract checks a number for POSITIVE_INFINITY
and calls a different function if it is:
if (bigNumber == Number.POSITIVE_INFINITY)
func1()
else
func2()

Number Methods
The Number object has no specific methods; however, you can use the
generic methods eval(), toString(), and valueOf(), which are applicable
to every object.

Math-Related Functions
Although the functions presented in this section are also discussed later in
the book, it is important that you attain a basic understanding, so do not skip
the following explanation. These functions are used in examples later in the
chapter.
parseInt()
This built-in function accepts a numeric string of an integer and returns its
corresponding numeric value. The following example is worth a thousand
words:
var numStr = "99"
document.write("The initial " + typeof numStr + " is " + numStr)
document.write("<BR>")
var num = parseInt(numStr)
document.write("The converted " + typeof num + " is " + num)

The script’s output is:

The initial string is 99
The converted number is 99

The data types are not provided to the document.write() method as liter-
als, but as values. Note that the parseInt() function accepts a string and
returns an integer. If a noninteger numeric string is given to the function, it
returns the nearest integer as a number (as opposed to a string).
parseFloat()
This function is exactly the same as the preceding one, except that it does
not round off any number. It converts the numeric string to a number with-
out changing the numeric value at all. You should use this function with
floating-point numeric strings, or when you are not sure what type of num-
ber is being used.
 JavaScript Math n 195

eval()
The eval() function is both powerful and useful. For now, you just need to
know that upon acceptance of a string representing a numeric value or math-
ematical expression, it returns the value to which the expression evaluates.
The following script segment prints 13:
var str = "6 + 7"
document.write(eval(str))

The function returns a number, not a string. Note that this function acts dif-
ferently on Netscape Navigator than it does on Microsoft Internet Explorer.
An example for such different behavior is seen in the following statement,
which works fine under Internet Explorer, but generates an error under
Navigator:
var str = "+7"
document.write(eval(str))

However, it works fine when the sign is minus (–) rather than plus (+).

Math Examples
Creating a Curve

Chapter 11
Although JavaScript does not correspond very well with custom-created
graphics, it is possible to create simple graphs, plots, and curves. In this sec-
tion we shall plot a sine curve using JavaScript. The following example is
very interesting, although a bit long and complex. First, just take a look at
the script. Then we will discuss the various elements and how they fit
together.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Sine curve</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FONT COLOR="blue" SIZE=+4>JavaScript Sine Curve</FONT><BR><BR>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--

function drawBlank(num)
{
// draw num blank dots
for (var i = 0; i < num; ++i)
{
document.write("<IMG SRC='blank.gif' HEIGHT=6 WIDTH=6>")
}
}

function drawDot()
{
document.write("<IMG SRC='dot.gif' HEIGHT=6 WIDTH=6>")
196 n Chapter 11

function getRadian(deg) {
// return deg in radians
return Math.PI * deg / 180
}

function getSpot(deg)
{
// convert from degrees to radians
var rad = getRadian(deg)

// assign sine to variable

var sine = Math.sin(rad)

// return spot in graph

return Math.round(sine * 30)
}

function get3DigitNum(num)
{
// convert num to string
num += ""

// assign number of digits in num to variable

var length = num.length

// add preceding zero digits to reach three digits

for (var i = 0; i < 3 – length; i++)
{
num = "0" + num
}

// return three-digit number

return num // do not parse number!
}

function printDeg(deg)
{
// print degree in purple font
document.write("<FONT COLOR='purple' SIZE=1>" + get3DigitNum(deg) +
"</FONT>")
}

function drawLine(deg)
{
// assign spot (–30 to 30)
var spot = getSpot(deg)

// if sine is negative
if (spot < 0)
{
// draw blank images up to spot, not inclusive
drawBlank(30 + spot)
 JavaScript Math n 197

// draw dot image

drawDot()

// draw remaining images until axis

drawBlank(–spot – 1) // 30 – ((30 + spot) + 1)

// print current degree

printDeg(deg)
} else
// if sine is positive
if (spot > 0)
{
// draw 30 blank images = left of axis
drawBlank(30)

// print current degree

printDeg(deg)

// draw blank images up to spot, not inclusive

drawBlank(spot – 1)

// draw dot image

drawDot()
} else {

Chapter 11
// draw 30 blank images = left of axis
drawBlank(30)

// print current degree

printDeg(deg)
}
// move to next line
document.write("<BR>")
}

function drawCurve(lastDeg, jump)

{
// loop through plot vertically
for (var deg = 0; deg <= lastDeg; deg += jump)
{
drawLine(deg)
}
}

drawCurve(720, 15)

// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 11-1 (ex11-1.htm). A simple script to plot the sine curve

When you run the script you should see the image shown in Figure 11-1.
198 n Chapter 11

Figure 11-1. The sine curve

The script is intentionally divided into many short functions for better
understanding by the reader. Let’s analyze each function to see how it
works.
drawBlank(num)
function drawBlank(num)
{
// draw num blank dots
for (var i = 0; i < num; ++i)
{
document.write("<IMG SRC = 'blank.gif' HEIGHT = 6 WIDTH = 6>")
}
}

This function uses a for loop to print the transparent image the number of
times indicated by num. Note that the transparent (blank) image’s height and
width are both equal to 6.
drawDot()
function drawDot()
{
document.write("<IMG SRC = 'dot.gif' HEIGHT = 6 WIDTH = 6>")
}

This function simply draws the dot image.

 JavaScript Math n 199

getRadian(deg)
function getRadian(deg)
{
// return deg in radians
return Math.PI * deg / 180
}

This function accepts a number (actually the size of an angle in degrees) and
returns it in radians. The conversion is based on a simple linear equation.
getSpot(deg)
function getSpot(deg)
{
// convert from degrees to radians
var rad = getRadian(deg)
// assign sine to variable
var sine = Math.sin(rad)
// return spot in graph
return Math.round(sine * 30)
}

This function accepts the size of an angle in degrees and returns its sine
value multiplied by 30. At first, it assigns the radian measurement of the

Chapter 11
angle to the local variable rad. It then assigns the sine of that angle to the
local variable sine. The function then multiplies the sine by 30 and returns
the rounded-off value of that number. The reason for the multiplication by 30
is that the sine of any angle is a value between –1 and 1. The curve we are
plotting generally consists of 30 images, transparent or not, at each side of
the center axis. If you increase this number, the horizontal width of the
curve becomes larger. As you can see, 30 images looks good. By multiplying
a value between –1 and 1 by 30, we receive a value between –30 and 30. By
rounding it off using the Math.round() method, the function returns an inte-
ger between –30 and 30.
Note that the plot acts like a 2D array because it consists of rows of
images.
get3DigitNum(num)
function get3DigitNum(num)
{
// convert num to string
num += ""
// assign number of digits in num to variable
var length = num.length
// add preceding zero digits to reach three digits
for (var i = 0; i < 3 – length; i++)
{
num = "0" + num
}
200 n Chapter 11

// return three-digit number

return num // do not parse number!
}

This function accepts any single-digit, double-digit, or triple-digit number,

and returns a triple-digit number, appending preceding zeros when needed.
At first, it converts the number to a string, which is required when using the
length property. A string type is also required because numbers with lead-
ing 0 digits are considered octal. The length, or the number of digits in the
original number, is assigned to the local variable length. The next statement
is a loop whose command block is executed once for each digit missing to
complete a triple-digit number. For example, if the number consists of two
digits, the loop’s command block is executed once (3 – 2 = 1, 1 – 0 = 1).
printDeg(deg)
function printDeg(deg)
{
// print degree in purple font
document.write("<FONT COLOR = 'purple' SIZE = 1>" + get3DigitNum(deg)
+ "</FONT>")
}

This function accepts a number, converts it to a triple-digit number, and

prints it in a purple font.
drawLine(deg)
function drawLine(deg)
{
// assign spot (–30 to 30)
var spot = getSpot(deg)
// if sine is negative
if (spot < 0)
{
// draw blank images up to spot, not inclusive
drawBlank(30 + spot)
// draw dot image
drawDot()
// draw remaining images until axis
drawBlank(–spot – 1) // 30 – ((30 + spot) + 1)
// print current degree
printDeg(deg)
} else
// if sine is positive
if (spot > 0)
{
// draw 30 blank images = left of axis
drawBlank(30)
// print current degree
printDeg(deg)
// draw blank images up to spot, not inclusive
drawBlank(spot – 1)
// draw dot image
 JavaScript Math n 201

drawDot()
} else
{
// draw 30 blank images = left of axis
drawBlank(30)
// print current degree
printDeg(deg)
}
// move to next line
document.write("<BR>")
}

The rounded-off sine value multiplied by 30 is assigned to the variable spot.

The function is basically divided into three sections, only one of which is
executed. The first deals with a situation in which the sine value is negative,
the second deals with positive sine values, and the third deals with the
remaining situations, that is, when the sine is zero.
When the sine (sine multiplied by 30) is negative, 30 – spot transpar-
ent images are printed. For example, if the value of spot is –20, 10
transparent images are printed. The dot image is printed after these trans-
parent images. The function then prints –spot – 1 transparent images, up
to the center axis. So far 30 + spot transparent images were printed, as
well as one more image representing the dot on the curve. In total, there are
31 + spot images. Remember that each side of the axis consists of 30

Chapter 11
images, so 30 – (31 + spot) images still need to be printed; that is –spot
– 1. The current degree is then printed via a call to the function
printDeg().
When the sine of the current angle is positive, 30 transparent images
are printed to fill up the left side of the center axis. The current degree is
then printed to continue the vertical span of the axis. Then spot – 1 images
are printed, up to the place where the dot on the curve needs to be placed.
The dot image is then printed. When the sine of the current angle is zero, a
row of 30 transparent images is printed, followed by the current angle in
degrees.
The last statement of the function appends a line break to the document,
opening a new row of images.
drawCurve(lastDeg, jump)
function drawCurve(lastDeg, jump)
{
// loop through plot vertically
for (var deg = 0; deg <= lastDeg; deg += jump)
{
drawLine(deg)
}
}

This function accepts two arguments. The first parameter, lastDeg, accepts
the last value included in the curve; that is, the last angle whose sine
202 n Chapter 11

appears. The second argument specifies the difference between each two
angles.
Global Statements
The script includes only one global statement, a function call. It calls the
drawCurve() function with the desired arguments.

General Plotting Utility

As you can see, it is not difficult to plot a specific curve in JavaScript using
two different images. The following example enables you to plot the curve of
almost any function. Obviously, if you are not familiar with the mathematics
involved, this script may be hard to follow. The purpose of this script is to
illustrate the power of JavaScript’s Math object.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Function Plotting Utility</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
<!--
function root(a, b)
{
// return b to the root of a
return Math.pow(b, 1 / a)
}
function logab(a, b)
{
// return log base-a of b
return Math.log(b) / Math.log(a)
}
function factorial(a)
{
// set recursion termination condition
if (a == 0)
return 1
return a * factorial(a - 1)
}
function startWizard()
{
// create array to hold messages
var ar = new Array()
ar[0] = "\r\rWelcome to the easy JavaScript function plotter!\r\r"
ar[0] += "Press OK to continue, or CANCEL to exit the wizard...\r\r"
ar[1] = "\r\rYou can plot almost any function you wish with this script.\r"
ar[1] += "The plotter supports common arithmetic and trigonometric
functions.\r"
ar[1] += "It also supports widely used mathematical constants.\r"
ar[1] += "For a list of the supported functions press OK...\r\r"
ar[2] = "\r\r"
ar[2] += "abs(val) = absolute value of val\r"
 JavaScript Math n 203

ar[2] += "acos(val) = arc cosine of val\r"

ar[2] += "asine(val) = arc sine of val\r"
ar[2] += "atan(val) = arc tangent of val\r"
ar[2] += "atan2(val) = angle (theta component) of the polar "
ar[2] += "coordinate (r,theta) that corresponds to the specified "
ar[2] += "cartesian coordinate (x,y).\r"
ar[2] += "ceil(val) = next integer greater than or equal to val\r"
ar[2] += "cos(val) = cosine of val\r"
ar[2] += "exp(val) = Euler's constant to the power of val\r"
ar[2] += "factorial(val) = val factorial (val!)\r"
ar[2] += "floor(val) = next integer less than or equal to val\r"
ar[2] += "log(val1, val2) = logarithm base-val1 of val2\r"
ar[2] += "loge(val) = natural logarithm of val\r"
ar[2] += "max(val1, val2) = greater of val1 and val2\r"
ar[2] += "min(val1, val2) = lesser of val1 and val2\r"
ar[2] += "pow(val1, val2) = val1 to the power of val2\r"
ar[2] += "root(val1, val2) = val1-root of val2\r"
ar[2] += "round(val) = val rounded off to the nearest integer\r"
ar[2] += "sin(val) = sine of val\r"
ar[2] += "sqrt(val) = square root of val\r"
ar[2] += "tan(val) = tangent of val\r"
ar[2] += "\r* all trigonometric functions deal with radians only *\r\r"
ar[2] += "Click OK to view the supported constants...\r\r"
ar[3] = "\r\r"
ar[3] += "e = Euler's constant\r"

Chapter 11
ar[3] += "ln2 = Natural log of 2\r"
ar[3] += "ln10 = Natural log of 10\r"
ar[3] += "log2e = log base-2 of Euler's constant\r"
ar[3] += "log10e = log base-10 of Euler's constant\r"
ar[3] += "pi = pi (3.14...)\r"
ar[3] += "sqrt1_2 = square root of 0.5\r"
ar[3] += "sqrt2 = square root of 2\r"
ar[3] += "\r\rEnjoy the plotter...\r\r"
for (var i = 0; i < ar.length; ++i)
{
if (!confirm(ar[i]))
break
}
}
function drawBlank(num)
{
// draw num blank dots
for (var i = 0; i < num; ++i)
{
document.write("<IMG SRC = 'blank.gif' HEIGHT = 4 WIDTH = 4>")
}
}
function drawDot(x, y)
{
// print dot image
document.write("<A HREF = \"javascript:alert(\'X = " + x + ", Y = " + y +
"\')\"><IMG SRC = 'dot.gif' HEIGHT = 4 WIDTH = 4 BORDER = 0></A>")
}
function replaceSpecialSequence(str)
204 n Chapter 11

{
// replace all specified sequences with other sequences
str = str.split("cos").join("Math.cos")
str = str.split("sin").join("Math.sin")
str = str.split("tan").join("Math.tan")
str = str.split("acos").join("Math.acos")
str = str.split("asin").join("Math.asin")
str = str.split("atan").join("Math.atan")
str = str.split("pi").join("Math.PI")
str = str.split("ln2").join("Math.LN2")
str = str.split("ln10").join("Math.LN10")
str = str.split("log2e").join("Math.LOG2E")
str = str.split("log10e").join("Math.LOG10E")
str = str.split("sqrt1_2").join("Math.SQRT1_2")
str = str.split("sqrt2").join("Math.SQRT2")
str = str.split("abs").join("Math.abs")
str = str.split("ceil").join("Math.ceil")
str = str.split("exp").join("Math.exp")
str = str.split("floor").join("Math.floor")
str = str.split("loge").join("Math.log")
str = str.split("max").join("Math.max")
str = str.split("min").join("Math.min")
str = str.split("pow").join("Math.pow")
str = str.split("round").join("Math.round")
str = str.split("log").join("logab")
str = str.split("sqrt").join("Math.sqrt")
str = str.split("e").join("Math.E")
// return string
return str
}
function splitFunc(func)
{
// exclude "y =" from func
var expr = func.substring(func.indexOf("=") + 1, func.length)
// replace regular trigonometric functions with JavaScript convention
expr = replaceSpecialSequence(expr)
// split argument to *global* array, excluding "x" chars
funcArray = expr.split("x")
}
function getInput()
{
// ask user for function via prompt box
var input = prompt('Enter function (example: "y = x * x + sin(x) – 5"):', '')
// if user enters value in field
if (input)
{
// split function to global array
splitFunc(input)
// print function to document
document.write("<TT><H1><B>" + input + "</B></H1></TT><BR>")
// return true to indicate that user entered a value
return true
}
// generate alert box to display error message
 JavaScript Math n 205

alert("Error in input...")
// return false to indicate cancellation
return false
}
function yVal(xVal)
{
// build expression with xVal instead of x in original equation
var expr = funcArray.join(xVal)
// return evaluated expression
return eval(expr)
}
function makeArray(min, max, dif)
{
// create properties of array-like object
for (var i = min; i <= max; i += dif)
{
this[i] = yVal(i)
}
}
function printUnit(num)
{
// print number in specified font and size, inside a table cell
document.write("<FONT SIZE = 1 COLOR = 'purple'>" + num + "</FONT>")
}
function drawCurve()

Chapter 11
{
for (var x = minX; x <= maxX; x += dif)
{
// print opening table attributes and cell to hold current unit
document.write("<TABLE BORDER = 0><TR><TD WIDTH = 90>")
// print current number on axis
printUnit(x)
// close table cell and open new one
document.write("</TD><TD>")
// assign Y value to variable
var y = ar[x]
// get y value as integer from 1 to 100
var ySpot = (y – minY) / (maxY – minY) * 100
// draw transparent images
drawBlank(ySpot – 1)
// draw dot on curve
drawDot(x, y)
// close cell, row, and table (new line is automatic)
document.write("</TD></TR></TABLE>")
}
}
function main()
{
// start wizard
startWizard()
// get input from user; if user cancels, function is terminated
if (!getInput())
return
// accept minimum X value from user and assign to global variable
206 n Chapter 11

minX = prompt("Enter minimum value on X axis:", "")

// if user pressed "cancel" terminate function
if (!minX)
return
// accept maximum X value from user and assign to global variable
maxX = prompt("Enter maximum value on X axis:", "")
// if user pressed "cancel" terminate function
if (!maxX)
return
// assign difference between numbers on X axis global variable
dif = prompt("Enter difference between each value on X axis:", "")
// if user pressed "cancel" terminate function
if (!dif)
return
// convert all input to numbers, replacing special sequences
maxX = eval(replaceSpecialSequence(maxX))
minX = eval(replaceSpecialSequence(minX))
dif = eval(replaceSpecialSequence(dif))
// create global array and assign Y values via function call
ar = new makeArray(minX, maxX, dif)
// assign maxY and minY (global variables) property of ar
maxY = ar[minX]
minY = ar[minX]
// determine maximum and minimum Y values
for (var i in ar)
{
if (ar[i] < minY)
minY = ar[i]
else
if (ar[i] > maxY)
maxY = ar[i]
}
// draw the final curve
drawCurve()
}
main()
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 11-2 (ex11-2.htm). A general function plotter

When you load the page, the “wizard” pops up. The wizard displays the basic
features and usage instructions via a few confirm boxes. Here are two of
them:

Figure 11-2. A confirm

box presented by the
wizard displays a
welcome message.
 JavaScript Math n 207

Figure 11-3. A
confirm box that
displays a list of
supported functions

þ Note: Some browsers may not line wrap automatically, so you may have to
manually code the line wraps.

If the user presses Cancel on any of the confirm boxes, the wizard is termi-
nated, and the actual plotting application begins. The first output of the

Chapter 11
plotter is a confirm box requesting the function, which may be constructed
out of JavaScript’s supported mathematical functions, constants, and
operators.
If the user selects Cancel, an alert box displays an error message. Oth-
erwise, the execution continues, and JavaScript asks the user to enter the
minimum value on the X axis.
Cancellation of this box results in the termination of the script. If the
user selected OK, the execution continues, and another prompt box is
presented.
Once again, if the user presses Cancel, the script is terminated. Other-
wise, the user is asked to enter the difference between two consecutive
ticks on the X axis (e.g., if the user wants to see –4, –2, 0, 2, 4, 6, then the
difference is 2).
The script now has all the needed information and is ready to plot the
function’s curve.
First of all, notice that the X axis is the vertical one. With some modifi-
cation of the script you can swap the X axis with the Y axis (the unseen
horizontal axis). The script automatically fits the script to a constant width,
so you should not have to scroll horizontally under normal circumstances (a
reasonable window width). However, this automatic setting requires that
you plot functions whose Y values are proportional. For example, if you
enter data to plot a curve consisting of one Y value equal to 10,000 and the
other values less than 100, the single Y value (10,000) will be placed on the
right, whereas all the other values will seem to be on the same spot. There
208 n Chapter 11

is another feature to solve this problem. You can click on a point to view its
coordinates via an alert box.
Now that we know exactly what the script does, let’s see how it does
that by analyzing each function.
root(a, b)
function root(a, b)
{
// return b to the root of a
return Math.pow(b, 1 / a)
}

This function returns aÖb, which is equal to b1/a.

logab(a, b)
function logab(a, b)
{
// return log base-a of b
return Math.log(b) / Math.log(a)
}

This function returns log base-a of b. This value is equal to log base-x of
b divided by log base-x of a. In this case, we use the natural logarithm,
where the base is Euler’s constant. The following statement explains this
computation:
logeb / logea = logab
factorial(a)
function factorial(a)
{
// set recursion termination condition
if (a == 0)
return 1
return a * factorial(a – 1)
}

This function returns a factorial (a!). Its algorithm is recursive.

startWizard()
function startWizard()
{
// create array to hold messages
var ar = new Array()
ar[0] = "\r\rWelcome to the easy JavaScript function plotter!\r\r"
ar[0] += "Press OK to continue, or CANCEL to exit the wizard...\r\r"
ar[1] = "\r\rYou can plot almost any function you wish with this script.\r"
ar[1] += "The plotter supports common arithmetic and trigonometric
functions.\r"
ar[1] += "It also supports widely used mathematical constants.\r"
 JavaScript Math n 209

ar[1] += "For a list of the supported functions press OK...\r\r"

ar[2] = "\r\r"
ar[2] += "abs(val) = absolute value of val\r"
ar[2] += "acos(val) = arc cosine of val\r"
ar[2] += "asine(val) = arc sine of val\r"
ar[2] += "atan(val) = arc tangent of val\r"
ar[2] += "atan2(val) = angle (theta component) of the polar "
ar[2] += "coordinate (r,theta) that corresponds to the specified "
ar[2] += "cartesian coordinate (x,y).\r"
ar[2] += "ceil(val) = next integer greater than or equal to val\r"
ar[2] += "cos(val) = cosine of val\r"
ar[2] += "exp(val) = Euler's constant to the power of val\r"
ar[2] += "factorial(val) = val factorial (val!)\r"
ar[2] += "floor(val) = next integer less than or equal to val\r"
ar[2] += "log(val1, val2) = logarithm base-val1 of val2\r"
ar[2] += "loge(val) = natural logarithm of val\r"
ar[2] += "max(val1, val2) = greater of val1 and val2\r"
ar[2] += "min(val1, val2) = lesser of val1 and val2\r"
ar[2] += "pow(val1, val2) = val1 to the power of val2\r"
ar[2] += "root(val1, val2) = val1-root of val2\r"
ar[2] += "round(val) = val rounded off to the nearest integer\r"
ar[2] += "sin(val) = sine of val\r"
ar[2] += "sqrt(val) = square root of val\r"
ar[2] += "tan(val) = tangent of val\r"
ar[2] += "\r* all trigonometric functions deal with radians only *\r\r"

Chapter 11
ar[2] += "Click OK to view the supported constants...\r\r"
ar[3] = "\r\r"
ar[3] += "e = Euler's constant\r"
ar[3] += "ln2 = Natural log of 2\r"
ar[3] += "ln10 = Natural log of 10\r"
ar[3] += "log2e = log base-2 of Euler's constant\r"
ar[3] += "log10e = log base-10 of Euler's constant\r"
ar[3] += "pi = pi (3.14...)\r"
ar[3] += "sqrt1_2 = square root of 0.5\r"
ar[3] += "sqrt2 = square root of 2\r"
ar[3] += "\r\rEnjoy the plotter...\r\r"
for (var i = 0; i < ar.length; ++i)
{
if (!confirm(ar[i]))
break
}
}

This function is responsible for the wizard. At first, an array is created as an

instance of the Array object. Four different messages are assigned to the
array as elements. The first is stored in ar[0], the second in ar[1], and so
on. Note that the assigned strings are very long, so the assignment operator
concatenates them by assigning them, one after the other, to the element of
the array. The function uses a for loop to print the messages to the confirm
boxes. If the user presses Cancel, the confirm box evaluates to false, and the
break statement is executed, causing the loop to terminate immediately.
210 n Chapter 11

drawBlank(num)
function drawBlank(num)
{
// draw num blank dots
for (var i = 0; i < num; ++i)
{
document.write("<IMG SRC = 'blank.gif' HEIGHT = 4 WIDTH = 4>")
}
}

This function prints the transparent image num times, num being handed to
the function as its sole argument. The image is repeatedly printed via a sim-
ple for loop.
drawDot(x, y)
function drawDot(x, y)
{
// print dot image
document.write("<A HREF = \"javascript:alert(\'X = " + x + ", Y = " +
y + "\')\"><IMG SRC = 'dot.gif' HEIGHT = 4 WIDTH = 4 BORDER = 0></A>")
}

This function basically prints the dot image, but it prints it as a hypertext
link. The URL specified as the link is a JavaScript statement. When the user
clicks the image, an alert box is displayed, presenting the coordinates of that
dot. The coordinates are given to this function as arguments. For example, if
the arguments are –5 and 10, then the following string is printed to the
document:
<A HREF = "javascript:alert('X = –5, Y = 10')"><IMG SRC = 'dot.gif'
HEIGHT = 4 WIDTH = 4 BORDER = 0></A>

Decoding this string is a good exercise for escaping quotes.

You may recall that a hypertext link’s URL can be a JavaScript state-
ment, provided that the statement is preceded by "javascript:".
replaceSpecialSequence(str)
function replaceSpecialSequence(str)
{
// replace all specified sequences with other sequences
str = str.split("cos").join("Math.cos")
str = str.split("sin").join("Math.sin")
str = str.split("tan").join("Math.tan")
str = str.split("acos").join("Math.acos")
str = str.split("asin").join("Math.asin")
str = str.split("atan").join("Math.atan")
str = str.split("pi").join("Math.PI")
str = str.split("ln2").join("Math.LN2")
str = str.split("ln10").join("Math.LN10")
str = str.split("log2e").join("Math.LOG2E")
str = str.split("log10e").join("Math.LOG10E")
 JavaScript Math n 211

str = str.split("sqrt1_2").join("Math.SQRT1_2")
str = str.split("sqrt2").join("Math.SQRT2")
str = str.split("abs").join("Math.abs")
str = str.split("ceil").join("Math.ceil")
str = str.split("exp").join("Math.exp")
str = str.split("floor").join("Math.floor")
str = str.split("loge").join("Math.log")
str = str.split("max").join("Math.max")
str = str.split("min").join("Math.min")
str = str.split("pow").join("Math.pow")
str = str.split("round").join("Math.round")
str = str.split("log").join("logab")
str = str.split("sqrt").join("Math.sqrt")
str = str.split("e").join("Math.E")
// return string
return str
}

This function matches certain strings in the argument and replaces them
with other strings. Here is an example:
str = str.split("max").join("Math.max")

The string is split into an array where the substring max is the delimiter, and
the elements are joined back to a string with the delimiter Math.max. The

Chapter 11
final result is that, wherever the string max appears in the main string (str),
it is replaced by the string Math.max. This is important because the string
must be constructed as a valid JavaScript expression (the eval() function
evaluates a string consisting of a valid JavaScript expression). The same pro-
cess is done with all supported constants and mathematical functions. The
function factorial() remains untouched, because its reference in the script
is also factorial().
An important point to notice is that the order in which substrings are
replaced is vital. For example, you cannot replace the sqrt substring with
Math.sqrt before you replace sqrt2 with Math.SQRT2, because the result
would be that the substring sqrt2 is replaced by Math.sqrt2, which is not
Math.SQRT2. The function must first replace subscripts that contain other
subscripts that need to be replaced.
After all desired substrings are replaced, and provided the user entered
a function in a valid format, the function returns the formatted string, which
is now a valid JavaScript expression.
splitFunc(func)
function splitFunc(func)
{
// exclude "y =" from func
var expr = func.substring(func.indexOf("=") + 1, func.length)
// replace regular trigonometric functions with JavaScript convention
expr = replaceSpecialSequence(expr)
212 n Chapter 11

// split argument to *global* array, excluding "x" chars

funcArray = expr.split("x")
}

This function accepts one parameter—the function. As you know, the gen-
eral format of the function is y = f(x). At first, the function assigns
everything after the equal sign to the local variable expr. It then sends the
value of expr to the function replaceSpecialSequence() and accepts a
string in return in which the special substrings were replaced (see the
explanation about that function). A global array, funcArray, is created by
assigning it a value without using the keyword var. The string stored in the
variable expr is split into the funcArray array, using the character x as a
delimiter. Let’s say the function’s argument is y = x * sin(x). The vari-
able expr is assigned x * sin(x). This value is sent to the function
replaceSpecialSequence(), and the string x * Math.sin(x) is assigned to
expr. This string is split by x to the global array, funcArray. Its elements
are now:
funcArray[0] == " "
funcArray[1] == " * Math.sin("
funcArray[2] == ")"

getInput()
function getInput()
{
// ask user for function via prompt box
var input = prompt('Enter function (example: "y = x * x + sin(x) – 5"):', '')
// if user enters value in field
if (input)
{
// split function to global array
splitFunc(input)
// print function to document
document.write("<TT><H1><B>" + input + "</B></H1></TT><BR>")
// return true to indicate that user entered a value
return true
}
// generate alert box to display error message
alert("Error in input...")
// return false to indicate cancellation
return false
}

This function is responsible for prompting the user for the function he or
she wants to plot. The function, as entered by the user in a prompt box, is
first assigned to the local variable input. If the user entered a value and
selected OK, the following command block is executed. This command block
consists of a call to the function splitFunc(). It also includes a statement
that prints the function to the document as a bold level-1 header. After the
Boolean value true is returned to indicate that the user entered a value and
pressed OK, the function is terminated. If the user selected Cancel, the
 JavaScript Math n 213

command block is not executed, so the execution continues immediately

after the block. An error message is displayed in an alert box, and the value
false is returned.
yVal(xVal)
function yVal(xVal)
{
// build expression with xVal instead of x in original equation
var expr = funcArray.join(xVal)
// return evaluated expression
return eval(expr)
}

This function accepts a value representing the x coordinate of a dot on the

curve and returns its corresponding y coordinate. The first statement
declares a local variable, expr. It joins the elements of the global array
funcArray back to a string, with the value of xVal between each two. Refer
back to the function splitFunc() and read the example given (y = x *
sin(x)). The values of the elements of the array are the following:
funcArray[0] == " "
funcArray[1] == " * Math.sin("
funcArray[2] == ")"

Chapter 11
The function yVal() joins these elements using the value of xVal as a glue
between each two. Let’s say the value of xVal is 5. The constructed string
assigned to expr in this case is:
" 5 * Math.sin(5)"

The function returns the evaluated value of this string. For the preceding
string, the value returned is:
" 5 * Math.sin(5)" == –4.794621373315692

makeArray(min, max, dif)

function makeArray(min, max, dif)
{
// create properties of array-like object
for (var i = min; i <= max; i += dif)
{
this[i] = yVal(i)
}
}

makeArray() is a constructor function. It creates an object consisting of

properties only. The names of the properties are the x values of the points
that are to be drawn on the curve. Their value is the corresponding y coordi-
nates of the points. The function accepts three arguments, which are all
entered by the user via prompt boxes outside this function. The function
creates the properties of the calling instance via a loop. The loop counter
starts at min, and is incremented by dif after iteration. The loop continues
214 n Chapter 11

as long as its counter is less than or equal to max. The corresponding y coor-
dinate of each x coordinate is retrieved by the function yVal().
printUnit(num)
function printUnit(num)
{
// print number in specified font and size, inside a table cell
document.write("<FONT SIZE = 1 COLOR = 'purple'>" + num + "</FONT>")
}

This function accepts a numeric value and prints it in the specified font color
and size.
drawCurve()
function drawCurve()
{
for (var x = minX; x <= maxX; x += dif)
{
// print opening table attributes and cell to hold current unit
document.write("<TABLE BORDER = 0>><TR><TD WIDTH = 90>")
// print current number on axis
printUnit(x)
// close table cell and open new one
document.write("</TD><TD>")
// assign Y value to variable
var y = ar[x]
// get y value as integer from 1 to 100
var ySpot = (y – minY) / (maxY – minY) * 100
// draw transparent images
drawBlank(ySpot – 1)
// draw dot on curve
drawDot(x, y)
// close cell, row, and table (new line is automatic)
document.write("</TD></TR></TABLE>")
}
}

This function does not accept any argument. It is responsible for printing the
curve. To understand this function you must first understand how each row
of the bitmap is printed. The entire row is placed inside an HTML table. The
x value, or unit, is printed in the first cell of the table. This cell’s width is
fixed in order to preserve uniformity across rows. The second, and last, cell
of the table is located on the same row, and contains all the images, both the
transparent ones as well as the dot. The dot image is obviously the last
image on the second cell of every row. Note that the left cell (the first in
each table) is wide enough to hold almost any number.
The entire function is built of a single loop, which iterates through the
points that are to be placed on the curve. See the explanation for the func-
tion makeArray() for information on the loop’s algorithm. The function first
prints the opening <TABLE>, <TR>, and <TD> tags. The border of the table is
set to zero, so it is not seen. The width of the cell is set to 90 pixels. The
 JavaScript Math n 215

value in the first cell is printed by the printUnit() function. The current
cell of the table is then closed, and a new one is opened. The y value of the
current point, which is stored as a property in the global object ar, is
assigned to the local variable y for the sake of convenience. The minimum
and maximum y coordinates of the whole curve are already stored in the
global variables minY and maxY, respectively. A simple linear equation is used
to convert the current y coordinate to a value between 1 and 100, where the
minimum y coordinate in the entire curve is 1 and the maximum is 100. This
value is assigned to the local variable yspot. The next statement calls the
function drawBlank() to print ySpot – 1 transparent images, which is equal
to the number of images up to ySpot, the spot where the dot image is
placed. The function drawDot() is called with the current coordinates to
print the current dot, or bullet, on the imaginary curve. The current cell and
row of the table are then closed, and so is the table. When closing the table,
a line break is automatically appended.
main()
The name of this function is drawn from traditional programming languages
such as C, C++, and Java, where the function main() is executed automati-
cally and is the starting point of the program. In JavaScript you have to call
main() to draw the graph. The function first calls the startWizard() func-
tion to execute the wizard. The function getInput() is then executed. If it

Chapter 11
evaluates to false, meaning the user pressed Cancel when asked to enter a
function, the function is terminated. Otherwise, execution continues. The
function asks the user to enter additional information, including the mini-
mum and maximum x coordinates and the difference between two
consecutive ticks on the X axis. If the user selects Cancel on any of these
requests, the function is terminated immediately, without executing any
additional statements. After the user enters the values (and presses OK),
the data is sent to the function replaceSpecialSequence from which a
string is returned and converted to a number with the eval() function.
The next statement creates a global array-like object and assigns values
by its constructor function, makeArray().
The function now needs to find the minimum and the maximum y coor-
dinates of the curve. First, it assigns each variable, maxY and minY, an
existing y coordinate. A for...in loop then iterates through the properties
of the ar object, and if it finds a value less than the current minY or greater
than the current maxY, it updates that value.
The last statement of the function draws the curve itself.
Global Statements
The only global statement is a call to the main() function.
216 n Chapter 11

Summary
In this chapter you learned about math usage in JavaScript. We have focused
almost entirely on the Math object and its properties and methods. Among
the methods discussed are the arithmetic and trigonometric ones. Arithme-
tic methods are found in almost every JavaScript script, whereas
trigonometric methods are rather rare. You also learned the basics of some
built-in functions that are closely related to JavaScript. These functions are
discussed later in depth, so do not worry if you do not understand them very
well. To spice things up, we have also shown an interesting example related
to math involving curve plotting. If you understood all the scripts, or at least
the curve plotting one, you are surely on the right track. However, don’t
worry if they seem very difficult at this stage, because knowledge comes
with practice. In fact, some of the examples were purposefully a bit more
advanced than you will probably need in the real world, simply to illustrate
to you the power of the JavaScript Math object.
 Handling Strings n 217

Chapter 12

Handling Strings

Strings are an important part of any programming language. Whether you

are storing a person’s last name or the name of a product in inventory, a
string is often the best way to store that value. But what is a string really?
Essentially, a string is simply an array of individual characters. This is true
in all programming languages. Some languages, such as C and JavaScript,
have you deal directly with the array of characters, while other languages,
such as Visual Basic, hide that level of detail from the programmer. Each
character has its position, or index. The indexing of strings, like that of
arrays, is zero-based. The index of the first character of a string is 0, the
index of the second one is 1, that of the third one is 2, and so on.

Characters
JavaScript, unlike some languages, does not include an explicit character
(char) data type. A character is simply a string constructed of only one char-
acter. Characters of a string must be visual. That is, each symbol that
appears in a string is a character that can actually be printed. This may seem
obvious to you, but not all characters that appear in the ASCII table can be
characters of a string, because some are not visual. An escape sequence is a
sequence of characters that represents a single special character that is
usually difficult to enter via the keyboard. For example, take a look at the
following string:
"car\'s wheel"

It appears as if the string contains 12 characters (c, a, r, \, ', s, , w, h, e, e, l).

However, when you print the string you can see only 11 characters (c, a, r, ',
s, , w, h, e, e, l). Therefore, the string consists of 11 characters. The fourth
character is an apostrophe (or single quote), not a backslash, because the
sequence “\'” is shorthand for an apostrophe. This sequence is referred to as
an escape sequence because it escapes the normal character processing and
instead executes a special command.
218 n Chapter 12

Creating Strings
String is a very special built-in object because of the way you can create it.
All strings belong to the built-in String object, so you can create strings as
instances of the String object:
var str = new String("Hello!")

The general syntax is:

stringObjectName = new String(string)

stringObjectName is the name of the object you are creating, and string is
any string, including literal strings in quotations as in the example. Strings
created via this constructor function are considered objects. If you test their
data type using the typeof operator you will find that they are objects, not
strings. However, all the string properties and methods work on such
objects.
Another way to create a string is by simply quoting a sequence of char-
acters. If you want to use it as an object, you can follow the identifier by the
desired property or method.

String Length
The String object combines many methods and one property, length. This
property reflects the number of characters, including blanks, that it contains.
Here are a few examples:
var str1 = "abc"
var str2 = "a b c"
var str3 = "\"abc\""
document.write(str1.length + "<BR>")
document.write(str2.length + "<BR>")
document.write(str3.length)

The output of this script is:

3
5
5

The index of a string’s last character is equal to its length (number of char-
acters) minus one. The string’s length is the index of the nonexistent
character following the string’s last character.
 Handling Strings n 219

HTML Formatting Methods

You have seen a great amount of HTML formatting throughout the book.
You can print HTML tags by combining strings to receive the desired tag
and attribute values. Here is an example:
var openBold = "<B>"
var closeBold = "</B>"
var message = "Something"
document.write("<B>Something</B>")

The result of this script is that the string Something is printed in bold.
JavaScript provides methods to simplify this process. For example, you can
create the same output using the following statement:
document.write("Something".bold())

The following table lists all these methods along with the HTML they
generate:
Table 12-1. HTML formatting methods

Method Name Example Returned Value

anchor "text".anchor("anchorName") <A NAME="anchorName"> text</A>
big "text".big() <BIG>text</BIG>
blink "text".blink() <BLINK>text</BLINK>
bold "text".bold() <BOLD>text</BOLD>
fixed "text".fixed() <TT>text</TT>
fontcolor "text".fontcolor("red") <FONT COLOR="red">
text</FONT>
fontsize "text".fontsize(–1) <FONT SIZE=–1>text</FONT>
italics "text".italics() <I>text</I>

Chapter 12
link "text".link("URL") <A HREF="URL">text</A>
small "text".small() <SMALL>text</SMALL>
strike "text".strike() <STRIKE>text</STRIKE>
sub "text".sub() <SUB>text</SUB>
sup "text".sup() <SUP>text</SUP>
toLowerCase "TexT".toLowerCase() text
toUpperCase "TexT".toUpperCase() TEXT

You can also “chain” methods together in order to apply more than one
formatting conversion. For example, if you want an italic bold uppercase
string, you can use the following expression: toUpperCase().bold().ital-
ics(). The evaluation here is done from left to right. The following list
outlines the stages of the evaluation, where the calling string is the literal
"text":
"text".toUpperCase().bold().italics()
"TEXT".bold().italics()
"<B>TEXT</B>".italics()
"<I><B>TEXT</B></I>"
220 n Chapter 12

The value processed by a specific method is the accumulative value

returned by the expression to the left of the method; that is, the expression
that is implemented as the calling object, or string. Therefore, you must
make sure that the expression to the left of a method returns a value that is
valid for that method.
HTML text formatting tags usually consist of two tags that enclose the
text. The nested structure is very clear in HTML, because a set of tags can
enclose another set of tags. In the previous example, the <I></I> set
encloses the <B></B> set. When creating HTML via JavaScript’s String
methods, keep in mind that the far-left specified method appears as the
inner set of tags when formatted to HTML, whereas the far-right method is
responsible for the outer set of tags.

General String Methods

As you already know, the String object has many methods. Those that con-
vert strings to constant HTML formats (and listed in Table 12-1) are only
some of the methods JavaScript offers. In this section, we’ll take a look at
the rest of the String methods.

charAt()
This method returns the character whose index is equal to the argument of
the method. The characters of a string are indexed from 0 to length – 1.
The general syntax is:
anyString.charAt(index)

Here is an example:
var pres = "Kennedy"
document.write(pres.charAt(1))

This script segment prints the character “e”, because it is the second char-
acter in the string. You can also call this method with a literal as in the
following example:
document.write("Kennedy".charAt(1))

You can print the characters of a string via a simple loop:

var str = "I am a string!"
for (var i = 0; i < str.length; ++i)
{
document.write(str.charAt(i))
}

First, a string literal is assigned to the variable str. The loop then iterates
length times. It starts at 0 and ends at str.length – 1 (notice the less
than operator, not less than or equal to). The i indexed character is printed
in the ith iteration of the loop. Since the command block is executed once
for each integer value of i, each character of the string is printed once and
 Handling Strings n 221

only once. The output of the preceding script segment is actually the string
itself, printed one character at a time (no, you cannot notice the difference!).

indexOf()
This method returns the index of the first occurrence of the specified
substring in the calling String object, starting the search at the beginning of
the string. An example will surely clear things up:
var str = "ababa"
document.write(str.indexOf("ba"))

This script’s output is the number 1. The first occurrence of the substring
"ba" in the calling String object is at the second character, whose index is
1. The search for the specified substring starts at index 0, the beginning of
the string. However, you can also instruct JavaScript to start the search at a
different index, such as somewhere in the middle of the string. The follow-
ing script segment prints the number 3:
var str = "ababa"
document.write(str.indexOf("ba", 2))

The general syntax of this method is:

stringName.indexOf(searchValue, [fromIndex])

Note that fromIndex must be an integer between 0 and the string’s length
minus 1. searchValue does not have to be a string. The following script
prints the number 8:
var str = "August 27, 1985"
document.write(str.indexOf(7))

If the index to start looking for the substring is not specified, the default

Chapter 12
value of 0 is used. If the specified substring is not found in the entire string,
the method returns one less than the base, –1.
This method is equivalent to the index function in Perl.

lastIndexOf()
This method is identical to the indexOf method, except that it returns the
index of the last occurrence of the specified value, rather than the first
occurrence. Its syntax is, therefore, the same:
stringName.lastIndexOf(searchValue, [fromIndex])

The following script prints the number 3:

var str = "a/b/c"
document.write(str.lastIndexOf("/"))

See the indexOf method for more details on this method.

222 n Chapter 12

substring()
Strings are constructed of characters. The substring() method returns a
set of characters within its calling String object. Its general syntax is:
stringName.substring(indexA, indexB)

stringName is any string. indexA and indexB are both integers between 0
and stringName.length – 1. indexA is the index of the first character in
the substring, whereas indexB is the index of the last character in the
substring plus 1. The following script assigns the string "bc" to the variable
seg:
var str = "abcd"
var seg = str.substring(1, 3)

Notice that the length of the substring is indexA – indexB.

The substring whose arguments are 0 and stringName.length is equal
to the string itself (stringName).
This method is similar to its equivalent function in C#—substring.
Nonetheless, it is important to point out the differences. First of all, since
Perl does not support objects, the plain substr() function accepts the string
itself as the first argument and indexA as the second one. However, the
third argument is not indexB, but the length of the substring. Another differ-
ence is that when you call the function with a negative value as the offset
(indexA), the substring starts that far from the end of the string. In
JavaScript, though, a negative index is equivalent to a zero index, the first
character of the string. JavaScript prototypes enable us to reproduce the
substring function in Perl as a JavaScript method using the following script
segment:
function substr(offset, length)
{
if (offset < 0)
offset = this.length + offset
return this.substring(offset, offset + length)
}
String.prototype.substr = substr

You can use this method with any string in the following way:
var str = "abcd"
document.write(str.substr(–3, 2))

This statement prints the string “bc”.

 Handling Strings n 223

escape() and unescape()

JavaScript provides us with some built-in functions that deal with strings,
such as escape() and unescape(). Before we can present these functions,
we must discuss the ISO Latin-1 character set. The ISO Latin-1
(ISO-8859-1) is the standard set of characters used over the Internet. This
standard also serves as the basis for the ANSI character set of Microsoft
Windows, but, naturally, Microsoft extended and improved the set. However,
only the ISO Latin-1 characters are guaranteed to be supported on a web
site. You already know the standard coding scheme of the ISO Latin-1 char-
acter set through HTML, which enables you to display a character by its
number or name as an entity. For example, the character ã can be displayed
on a page via two different expressions:
n &#169;
n &copy;

The first expression is based on the character code in the ISO Latin-1 char-
acter set. The second method is based on the name given to the character.
With only a few exceptions, almost all platforms are compatible with the
glyphs of ISO Latin-1. If you are interested in character sets or ISO-8859-1,
search the web for more information. The ISO-8859-1 character table can be
found in Appendix C.
Now back to JavaScript. The escape function returns the ASCII encod-
ing of an argument in the ISO Latin-1 character set. The general syntax is:
escape(string)

Like all methods, you can pass it a variable, a property of an existing object,
or a plain string literal. The escape() function is not a method associated
with any object, but is a part of the language itself. The value returned by
Chapter 12
the escape() function is the string argument, where all nonalphanumeric
characters are replaced by a string in the form of “%xx”, xx being the ASCII
encoding of a character in the argument.
The unescape() function is responsible for the opposite conversion.
That is, it converts the string from nonalphanumeric ASCII encoding to ISO
Latin-1 characters. Its syntax is similar:
unescape(string)

The following example demonstrates the conversion in both directions:

var str1 = "My phone # is 123-456-7890"
var str2 = escape(str1)
var str3 = unescape(str2)
document.write("After escape: " + str2 + "<BR>")
document.write("After unescape: " + str3)

The script’s output is self-explanatory:

After escape: My%20phone%20%23%20is%20123-456-7890
After unescape: My phone # is 123-456-7890
224 n Chapter 12

Number-to-String Conversion
Occasionally, you need to convert a number to a string. For example, if you
want to compute the number of digits in a number, you can convert it to a
string and use the length property, which applies only to strings. In this
section we take a look at a few ways to convert a number into a string.

Empty String Concatenation

The most obvious way to convert a number to a string is by concatenating
an empty string to the number. Here is an example of such a conversion:
var num = 987
num += ""

You can also make sure that the value of the variable is a string by using the
typeof operator in the following way:
var num = 987
document.write("num is a " + typeof num + "<BR>")
num += ""
document.write("num is a " + typeof num)

The expected output of this script segment is:

num is a number
num is a string

You can also convert the number to a string and assign the numeric string to
another variable, or even better, do both operations in one statement:
var num = 987
var numericString = num + ""

This script results in two different variables; the first holds a pure numeric
value and the second, numericString, holds a string type. The side of the
variable to which the empty string is concatenated has no importance:
var num = 987
var numericString = "" + num

If you concatenate several different literals, where some are numbers and
other are strings, the expression evaluates to a string. Here is an example:
var str = 99 + " bottles of beer on the wall"

However, scripts become tricky when you concatenate more than two values
or literals, especially when the first few are numbers. Here is a tricky
expression:
var str = 50 + 49 + " bottles of beer on the wall"

JavaScript evaluates from left to right. The accumulated value is converted

to a string only when a string value or literal is encountered in the expres-
sion. In the preceding example, JavaScript adds 49 to 50 in the regular
mathematical way, so 50 + 49 evaluates to 99, which is then concatenated to
 Handling Strings n 225

the following string. So the value of str in this case is 99 bottles of beer
on the wall. The following statement demonstrates a slightly different
situation:
var str = "bottles of beer on the wall -- " + 50 + 49

Like always, evaluation is done from left to right. The string, bottles of
beer on the wall -- , is concatenated with 50 and evaluates to bottles
of beer on the wall -- 50. This value in turn is concatenated with the
number 49, and evaluates to bottles of beer on the wall -- 5049,
which is certainly not the value we want. A simple workaround is to enclose
the numeric operation in parentheses in the following form:
var str = "bottles of beer on the wall -- " + (50 + 49)

The parentheses instruct JavaScript to evaluate the enclosed expression

first, so the value of str in this case is bottles of beer on the wall --
99.

String Instance Construction

Another way to convert a number to a string is by providing the number to
the String() constructor function, which returns a regular String object.
Here is a simple example to demonstrate this:
var num = 987
num = new String(num)

The data type of the variable num in this case is not a string, but an object.
As mentioned earlier, strings created via the String() constructor are regu-
lar objects. However, you can still use any property or method associated
with strings on such objects. A more obvious way to convert a number to a
string via the constructor function is to assign the new string, or object, to a
Chapter 12
new variable in the following form:
var num = 987
var numericString = new String(num)

The toString() Method

The toString() method belongs to all objects. Its general syntax is:
objectName.toString([radix])

objectName is the object to convert to a string, whereas radix is the base to

use for representing numeric values when the calling object is a number.
The following example prints the string equivalents of the numbers 0
through 9 in decimal and binary:
for (x = 0; x < 10; x++)
{
document.write("Decimal: ", x.toString(10), " Binary: ", x.toString(2),
"<BR>")
}
226 n Chapter 12

The loop’s output is:

Decimal: 0 Binary: 0
Decimal: 1 Binary: 1
Decimal: 2 Binary: 10
Decimal: 3 Binary: 11
Decimal: 4 Binary: 100
Decimal: 5 Binary: 101
Decimal: 6 Binary: 110
Decimal: 7 Binary: 111
Decimal: 8 Binary: 1000
Decimal: 9 Binary: 1001

All objects, numbers included, have a toString() method. If an object has

no string value, the method returns [object type], where type is the
object type (e.g., Date, Array, Object (user-defined), Image). When used
with an array, toString() joins the array elements and returns one string
where elements are separated by commas. This operation is exactly like the
join() method, which concatenates the elements with a specified delimiter,
possibly a comma.
For functions, toString() decompiles the function back into a canonical
source string. Take a look at the following script segment:
function foo()
{
var a = 5
alert(a)
document.write("wow")
}
document.write(foo.toString())

The script’s output is:

function foo() { var a = 5; alert(a); document.write("wow"); }

String-to-Number Conversion
Mathematical operators, for example, accept numeric strings as operands
and handle them fine. Here is an example for such an operation:
var num1= "7"
var num2 = "2"
var result = num1 – num2
document.write(result)

This script prints 5, just as if both variables were assigned a plain numeric
value rather than a numeric string (we use the term numeric string to char-
acterize a string that encloses a number, such as "911"). An operation
consisting of numeric string operands returns a plain numeric value, not a
string. Therefore, you can theoretically convert a numeric string to a num-
ber by performing an arithmetical operation on it. If you want, you can even
use a function to execute the conversion in the following form:
 Handling Strings n 227

function convert(val)
{
return val – 0
}
var num = "911"
num = convert(num)

Note that you cannot use the plus (+) operator because it is also a string con-
catenation operator in JavaScript. If you are not sure whether a value is a
numeric string or a number, always convert it. It’s better to stay on the safe
side than to spend hours searching for such errors. Conversion via mathe-
matical operations is somewhat annoying, because it looks like a
workaround. Therefore, JavaScript provides us with a few conversion func-
tions, each with its own attributes.

parseInt() and parseFloat()

These two functions were briefly discussed in Chapter 11, “JavaScript
Math.” They are built-in functions, so they do not belong to any object. They
convert their argument from a numeric string to a number. If the argument
is a string but not a numeric one, the function returns zero. The
parseFloat() function is more general, because it works with floating-point
numbers as well as integers. The parseInt() function works with integers
only, and returns a rounded-off value when called with a floating-point
numeric string. Both functions return the value they are given if it is a plain
number, not a numeric string. Therefore, if you are not sure whether a value
is a number or a numeric string, simply send it to the function. If a certain
value in the script has a chance to be a floating-point number, use
parseFloat(). It will also work if the value is an integer.
Here are a few expressions to demonstrate these functions, along with

Chapter 12
returned values:
parseInt("16") // 16
parseInt("16.33") // 16
parseFloat("16") // 16
parseFloat("16.33") // 16.33
parseInt("Howdy!") // 0

These functions are very useful when accepting input from the user via
forms or prompts because they always return a string, even if it represents a
number.
Note that both functions return zero when the argument is a Boolean
value. Therefore, if you want to check whether the user canceled a prompt
box by pressing the Cancel button, you must evaluate the condition before
parsing the value. Here is an example:
var num = prompt("Enter a number from 0 to 9:")
if (num = false)
alert("You must enter a value to continue.")
else
num = parseInt(num)
228 n Chapter 12

A common but mistaken practice is to parse the value immediately. The

result is that you cannot check if the user canceled the box, because he or
she might have entered the number 0, which is parsed to the same value as
a Boolean value.

Determining if a Value is a Number or Not

The isNaN() function evaluates an argument to determine if it is not a num-
ber, or NaN. The functions parseFloat() and parseInt() return NaN when
they evaluate a value that is not a number or a numeric string. NaN is not a
number in any string. If NaN is passed on to arithmetic operations, the result
is also NaN. The isNaN() function returns a Boolean value, according to the
argument. Bear in mind that Internet Explorer 3.0 does not support this fea-
ture—parseFloat() and parseInt() both return 0 if their argument is
neither a number nor a numeric string.
NaN is not a string, nor is it a data type of its own. It is primarily a num-
ber! You can prove that to yourself via the following statement:
alert(typeof parseInt("something"))

The following construct demonstrates how to implement the isNaN() func-

tion (with the parseFloat() function for the sake of the example):
var floatValue = parseFloat(valueToBeConvertedToFloat)
if isNaN(floatValue)
{
functionToBeCalledIfFloat()
}
else
{
functionToBeCalledIfNotFloat()
}

The isNaN() function is not as important as parseInt() and parseFloat(),

but we have discussed it here for completeness.

Evaluating Text Expressions

JavaScript supports evaluation and execution of text expressions via the
eval() method. Here are some examples:
var str = "5 + 2"
var num = eval(str)
alert(num)
var al = "alert('This is an evaluated string.')"
eval(al)

This script segment pops up two alerts. The first one displays the number 7,
because the expression "5 + 2" evaluates to 7. The second call to the
eval() function does not cause it to return a value, but to execute the state-
ment encapsulated in a string.
 Handling Strings n 229

You can also use the eval() function to convert strings representing
numbers to regular numbers. The eval() function accepts any valid
JavaScript piece of code in the form of a string. You can store an entire script
as a string and then hand it over to this function. The classic example for the
function is to let the user enter a mathematical expression in a form field or
a prompt box, and to display the result. Here is a simple example:
var inp = prompt("Enter mathematical expression", "")
alert(inp + " = " + eval(inp))

String Handling Example

In this section we focus on a script that takes advantage of the various
built-in functions and other elements of the String object in JavaScript.

String Enciphering
The following script prompts the user for a short string. It then asks for a
numeric key. The key has 63 possible values—all integers from 1 to 63. The
ciphering technique used in this script is known as XORing, because it is
primarily based on the bitwise XOR (exclusive OR) operator. The numeric
value of each character of the input string, or password, is mixed with the
numeric key value. A reverse process can be used to convert the enciphered
string back to the original one. Since the conversion simply swaps the same
two characters according to the key, the same JavaScript script is used as the
decoder and the encoder. Enough theory—let’s get to the point! Here is the
script:
<HTML>
<HEAD>

Chapter 12
<TITLE>Enciphering</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// create list of valid characters
var list = "0123456789abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz._~ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
function encipher()
{
// prompt user for string
var str = prompt("Enter string:", "")
// terminate function if user selects CANCEL
if (!str)
return
// check that each character of input string is valid
for (var i = 0; i < str.length; ++i)
{
if (list.indexOf(str.charAt(i)) == -1)
{
alert("script terminated -- invalid character found")
return
}
}
230 n Chapter 12

// prompt user for key

var key = prompt("Enter key (1-63):", "")
// terminate function if user selects CANCEL
if (!key)
return
// convert key to integer (number)
key = parseInt(key)
// alert enciphered string
alert(encode(str, key))
}
function encode(str, key)
{
// initialize accumulative string variable
var code = ""
// encipher all characters
for (var i = 0; i < str.length; ++i)
{
var ind = list.indexOf(str.charAt(i))
var converted = list.charAt(ind ^ key)
code += converted
}
// return enciphered value
return code
}
encipher()
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 12-1 (ex12-1.htm). A simple ciphering script

The output of this script is shown in Figures 12-1 through 12-3.

Figure 12-1. Encryption input

Figure 12-2. Encryption seed

 Handling Strings n 231

Figure 12-3.
Encryption output

6 Warning: This is an incredibly primitive encrypting scheme and can easily

be broken. It is presented here only as an example of how to use JavaScript
and is not meant to be used to encrypt sensitive data.

Now let’s see how this script works.

encipher()
First the encipher() function prompts the user for the string he or she
wants to encode. It is stored in the variable str. If the value of the variable
is a Boolean false, the function and the script itself are terminated. The logic
behind terminating the function is that a Boolean false value can only be the
result of the user pressing Cancel. A for loop is then used to check that all
characters of the string are also located in the string held by list. The loop
iterates through every character of the input string. Take a look at the condi-
tion used to test if the character is supported:
list.indexOf(str.charAt(i)) == –1

str.charAt(i) is the character for which the loop’s block is currently being
executed. The variable i starts at 0, the index of the string’s first character,

Chapter 12
and is incremented each time until it is equal to the index of the string’s last
character. Suppose the current character is “t.” The condition looks like this
then:
list.indexOf("t") == –1

If the character “t” is not found in the string list, the method indexOf()
whose argument is “t” returns –1—exactly the number against which the
returned value is tested.
If a character is not valid (not found in list), a message is displayed and
the function is terminated, indirectly causing the script’s execution to end.
The function then asks the user to enter the key number, which must be
an integer from 1 to 63. Because this is just an example, the input value is
not tested. If the user clicks Cancel, the function is terminated. Otherwise,
the function continues, and the key number is converted from a numeric
string to a number via the parseInt() function. The encoded string, which
is returned by the function encode(), is displayed.
232 n Chapter 12

encode(str, key)
First an empty string is assigned to the variable code. A loop is used to
replace every character of the input string with another character. The index
of the current character (the one whose index in str is equal to the loop’s
counter, i) in the list string is assigned to the variable ind. The bitwise OR
operator is given the key number and the value of ind as operands. The
character whose index in list is equal to the value returned by the bitwise
OR operation is the one used to replace the current character in the new
string, so it is assigned to the variable that holds the encoded string. The
new string is returned by the function.

Summary
Strings are a very useful data type in JavaScript. JavaScript tends to organize
its elements in the form of objects, so all string-related functions and data
are grouped together to form the String object. In this chapter we dis-
cussed the methods of the String object, as well as its single property,
length. Because strings are direct or indirect (based on the way you create
them) instances of this object, you can create prototypes to extend the
object’s capabilities. The JavaScript example provided at the end of the chap-
ter gives a clear view of the String object’s strength. We did not provide
many examples in this chapter because string manipulation and handling can
be found in almost every example later on in this book.
 The Document Object Model n 233

Chapter 13

The Document Object

Model

The Document Object Model (DOM), one of the most powerful tools avail-
able to a web developer, is a hierarchy of objects that represent the web
browser, the browser’s history, the currently loaded web page, and other
important elements. You can see this hierarchy depicted in Figure 13-1.

Figure 13-1. The

Document Object
Model

In this chapter and the next we will be exploring the DOM and giving you
examples of how to use the various aspects of it. I think you will find these
features exciting and very useful. Each of the objects within the DOM have
a specific purpose, and we will explore most of them in this chapter.
234 n Chapter 13

The window Object

The window object is at the top of the DOM hierarchy. This object repre-
sents the browser window. You will find that you don’t often deal directly
with the window object, but rather as the container for the other objects you
use directly on a regular basis. This doesn’t mean that you never use the
window object directly, merely that it is not as commonly used as other
objects.
The window object contains properties that apply to the entire window.
For example, the status bar of the browser is a property of this object. It also
includes a property that is actually the object itself. Sound strange? Not
really. You will find out more about this reference when we discuss windows
and frames. When the document features frames, there can be several win-
dow objects in a single HTML document. Frames actually divide the page
into “child” windows, so each frame has its own browser object hierarchy.
You must be careful with such child windows because they can cause colli-
sions due to the fact that several window objects have a shared property. For
example, there is only one status bar in the browser, no matter which page
you load (unless you open a window without a status bar).
Table 13-1 shows some of the various methods and properties of the
window object.
Table 13-1. Methods and properties of the window object

Method/Property Purpose
focus() This function sets the focus to the current window.
resizeBy(x,y) Adjusts the window size relative to its current width
and height.
resizeTo(x,y) Adjusts the window size to the indicated x and y
width and height values.
moveBy(x,y) Moves the window by the specified number of pixels
in the x and y direction.
moveTo(x,y) Moves the window to the specified x and y pixel
location.

Table 13-2 shows a few examples of ways you might use the window object.
Table 13-2. Using the window object

Example Purpose
var newwindow = Open a new browser
window.open("http://www.chuckeasttom.com") window.
newwindow.focus Set focus to that window.
newwindow.close Close that window.
 The Document Object Model n 235

The navigator Object

This object provides information about the browser being used. This can be
quite useful in gathering information about people who visit your web site.
In fact, the amount of information you can derive from this object is really
rather astounding.
Table 13-3 shows some of the methods and properties of the navigator
object.
Table 13-3. Methods and properties of the navigator object

Method/Property Purpose
appName The name of the end user’s browser.
appVersion The version number of the end user’s browser.
cookieEnabled Whether or not the end user’s browser has cookies
enabled.
platform The end user’s operating system.
javaEnabled() A method that returns a Boolean telling if the
browser has JavaScript enabled.

Following are examples of code snippets using the navigator object. In

these examples, the document object is used to display the properties of the
navigator object in the browser. We will be looking at the document object
itself in the next section.
document.write(navigator.appName)
document.write(navigator.appVersion)
document.write(navigator.platform)
document.write(navigator.cpuClass)

As you can see, these methods and properties can provide a rich source of
information about visitors to your site.

The document Object

By far the most useful object of the DOM is the document object. It contains
properties for the current page loaded in the window. The properties of this
Chapter 13

object are content-dependent because each and every page has its own out-
line and elements. Almost everything in the page is a property of the
document object, including links, images, forms and their elements, anchors,
and more. Because each frame is a window (window object), it contains a
document object as well. Even the background and the title are properties of
this object. We will give you an overview of the document object here, but
you will find even more details about this object later in this book. Table
13-4 lists some of the properties and methods of the document object.
236 n Chapter 13

Table 13-4. Methods and properties of the document object

Method/Property Purpose
write() This is a very commonly used method and writes to
the HTML page whatever is passed to the write
function.
fileCreatedDate This property shows when the loaded HTML file was
created.
linkColor This property shows the color of HTML links in the
document. It is specified in the <BODY> tag.
open() This method opens a new document in a new
window.
embeds An array containing all the plug-ins in a document.

Let’s take a look at an example that uses the document object, since it is
such a commonly used object.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Sample Color Cube</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// create six-element array
var hex = new Array(6)
// assign non-dithered descriptors
hex[0] = "FF"
hex[1] = "CC"
hex[2] = "99"
hex[3] = "66"
hex[4] = "33"
hex[5] = "00"
// accept triplet string and display as background color
function display(triplet)
{
// set color as background color
document.bgColor = '#' + triplet
// display the color hexadecimal triplet
alert('Background color is now ' + triplet)
}
// draw a single table cell based on all descriptors
function drawCell(red, green, blue)
{
// open cell with specified hexadecimal triplet background color
document.write('<TD BGCOLOR = "#' + red + green + blue + '">')
// open a hypertext link with javascript: scheme to call display function
document.write('<A HREF = "javascript:display(\'' + (red + green + blue) +
'\')">')
// print transparent image (use any height and width)
document.write('<IMG SRC="place.gif" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=12 WIDTH=12>')
 The Document Object Model n 237

// close link tag

document.write('</A>')
// close table cell
document.write('</TD>')
}
// draw table row based on red and blue descriptors
function drawRow(red, blue)
{
// open table row
document.write('<TR>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descripters as green hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
drawCell(red, hex[i], blue)
}
// close current table row
document.write('</TR>')
}
// draw table for one of six color cube panels
function drawTable(blue)
{
// open table (one of six cube panels)
document.write('<TABLE CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descripters as red hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
drawRow(hex[i], blue)
}
// close current table
document.write('</TABLE>')
}
// draw all cube panels inside table cells
function drawCube()
{
// open table
document.write('<TABLE CELLPADDING=5 CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=1><TR>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descripters as blue hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
// open table cell with white background color
Chapter 13

document.write('<TD BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF">')
// call function to create cube panel with hex[i] blue hex
drawTable(hex[i])
// close current table cell
document.write('</TD>')
}
// close table row and table
document.write('</TR></TABLE>')
}
// call function to begin execution
drawCube()
// -->
238 n Chapter 13

</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 13-1 (ex13-1.htm). document object example

You should note that in this example the write method is used repeatedly.
As I stated earlier, it is one of the most commonly used methods of the doc-
ument object. You can see the output of Example 13-1 in Figure 13-2.

Figure 13-2. Output from Example 13-1

The history Object

The history object is also a property of the window object. It contains prop-
erties of the URLs the user has previously visited. This information is
stored in a history list, and is accessible through the browser’s menu. If the
document consists of child documents in frames, each frame has its own his-
tory list, or history object. This object also contains methods enabling you
to send the user’s browser to a URL found in the history list. Table 13-5 lists
some of the history object’s most important properties and methods.
Table 13-5. Methods and properties of the history object

Methods/Properties Purpose
current The current document URL.
previous The URL of the last document in the history list.
next The URL of the next document in the history list.
length The number of entries currently stored in the history
object.

The following code snippet shows an example of how you might use the
history object.
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="Go Back" onClick="history.back()">
</FORM>
 The Document Object Model n 239

The location Object

The location object contains properties of the current URL. Although you
may think of URLs as simple standard structures, they are far more than
that. There are many types of protocols and various sections in every URL.
There are also optional sections in the URL, such as anchor names and que-
ries. It may seem as though the history object and the location object are
similar, but the properties and methods shown in Table 13-6 should show
you how different they are.
Table 13-6. Methods and properties of the location object

Method/Property Purpose
host The URL hostname and port.
href The entire URL.
port The port being used.
search The URL query string section (i.e., the section after
and including the question mark).

The following code snippets show ways you might use the location object.
document.write(location.href)
document.write(window.location.protocol)

Summary
In this chapter we have introduced you to the Document Object Model and
explored the more important aspects of it. Mastering this object model is
key to success in JavaScript, because JavaScript is primarily designed to
enable interaction with the user via these objects. In the following chapters,
we will discuss various concepts related to these objects, including their
methods, properties, and event handlers, in more detail.
Chapter 13
240 n Chapter 14

Chapter 14

The Document Object

Model (Continued)

In the previous chapter we introduced you to the Document Object Model

and examined the most important and widely used objects in that model. We
also looked at some simple applications of those objects and their properties
and methods. In this chapter we will take a closer look at the DOM and prac-
tical applications of it.
The power of the the Document Object Model stems from its position as
a standard of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), which is responsible
for most of the standards on the web. This position ensures that most
browsers and platforms will support it eventually. The development of the
DOM aligns with the trend to provide more interactive content on the web.
The only way to provide this interactive content is by allowing HTML to be
dynamically manipulated. The Document Object Model makes this challenge
much easier to achieve.
The Document Object Model provides programmers with a standard set
of objects for representing HTML or even XML documents. The DOM also
provides a standard interface for accessing and manipulating these docu-
ments and their constituent objects. The Document Object Model is
basically a representation of the various component parts of the browser and
of the web that JavaScript can access. Since the Document Object Model is a
W3C specification, this means its behavior and usage are not dependent on a
particular vendor. The DOM should be the same with Internet Explorer,
Mozilla, or any browser. An important objective for any W3C standard and
for the Document Object Model is to provide a standard that can be used in a
wide variety of environments and applications. The DOM is designed to be
used with any programming language.
Within the DOM, documents have a logical structure that is designed
like a tree. This means objects sometimes branch into subobjects. These
subobjects can be described as nodes. In Chapter 13 we worked with some
objects of the DOM. These objects were presented as individual objects, and
not in relationship to the DOM tree. In this section we will examine that
tree a bit closer. You can certainly continue to work with objects such as the
 The Document Object Model (Continued) n 241

document, navigator, and history objects without understanding the struc-

ture of the DOM tree, but it might help you with more advanced scripting if
you do. It is also important to keep in mind that the DOM is language inde-
pendent and is not specific to JavaScript.
Each document contains zero or one document type nodes, one docu-
ment element node, and zero or more comments or processing instructions.
The document element serves as the root of the element tree for the docu-
ment. However, the DOM does not specify that documents must be
implemented as a tree or a grove, nor does it specify how the relationships
among objects should be implemented. This tree structure allows for
“tree-walking” methods. This simply means the ability to move from one
object in the tree to the next, and traverse all the relevant objects.
The DOM originated as a specification to allow JavaScript scripts and
Java programs to be portable among web browsers. It originated with the
Dynamic HTML model, which was used to make web pages more dynamic.
Now the Document Object Model is a standard that is used in almost all web
development technologies. Though our focus in this book is on how to use
the DOM within JavaScript, its application is not limited to JavaScript.
The W3C DOM specifications are divided into levels, each of which con-
tains required and optional modules. For an application or technology to
claim to be at a given DOM level, it must implement all the requirements of
that level. An application can also support vendor-specific extensions if they
do not conflict with the W3C standards. Microsoft frequently makes use of
vendor-specific extensions in its web development tools. Table 14-1 shows
the various DOM levels and their requirements.
Table 14-1. DOM levels

Level Description
Level 0 The application supports an intermediate DOM, which
existed before the creation of DOM Level 1. An example
would be the DHTML Object Model. Level 0 is not a formal
specification published by the W3C but just a description of
what existed before the standardization process.
Level 1 Applications at this level support navigation of the DOM
document tree and content manipulation. HTML-specific
elements are included as well.
Level 2 This level supports XML namespace support, filtered views,
and events. This specification defines the Document Object
Model Level 2 Core. The Document Object Model Level 2
Core builds on the Document Object Model Level 1 Core and
is therefore inclusive of Level 1.
Level 3 This level is basically an enhancement to the DOM Level 2
Core. It completes the mapping between DOM and the XML
Chapter 14

information, including support for XML Base. It also adds the

ability to attach user information to DOM nodes.
242 n Chapter 14

One goal of the DOM specification is to define a programmatic interface for

both XML and HTML. We saw in Table 14-1 an overview of the various lev-
els; however, there are a few details that table does not address.
The DOM Level 1 specification is separated into two parts: Core and
HTML. The Core DOM Level 1 section provides a set of basic interfaces
that can represent any structured document. The Core Level 1 also defines
extended interfaces for representing an XML document. These extended
XML interfaces don’t need to be implemented by a DOM implementation
that only provides access to HTML documents.

Accessing a Document’s Structure with the DOM

The primary function of the Document Object Model is to view, access, and
change the structure of an HTML document. You saw in Chapter 13 how you
can access parts of the browser and even write to the HTML page using the
Document Object Model. You can access certain HTML elements based on
their id identifier, or allocate arrays of elements by their tag or CSS class
type. All transformations are done according to the most recent HTML
specification. More importantly, they happen dynamically—any transforma-
tion will happen without reloading the page. Some of the most
commonly-used elements are listed in Table 14-2.
Table 14-2. Common DOM elements

DOM Element Description

document Returns the document object for the page. It also is
the root node of the DOM tree.
element Represents an instance of most structures and
substructures in the DOM tree. For example, a text
block can be an element or an item in an HTML
form.
nodeList A nodeList is basically an array of elements. You
can access items in a nodeList through common
syntax like myList[n], where n is an integer.

There are a number of JavaScript methods specified by the Document Object

Model that allow you to access its structure. Some of the most commonly
used methods are listed in Table 14-3.
Table 14-3. Commonly used DOM methods

DOM Method Description

element getElementById(id) Returns the element uniquely identified by
its id identifier.
nodeList getElementsByTag- Returns a nodeList of any elements that
Name(name) have a given tag (such as a <p> tag),
specified by name.
 The Document Object Model (Continued) n 243

DOM Method Description

element createElement(type) Creates an element with the type specified
by type (such as a <p> tag).
void appendChild(node) Appends the node specified by node onto
the receiving node or element.
string style Returns the style rules associated with an
element, in string form.
string innerHTML Returns the HTML that contains the current
element and all the content within it. You
can also use this to set the innerHTML of an
element.
void setAttribute(name, value) Adds or changes an attribute of the target
element.
string getAttribute(name) Returns the value of the element attribute
specified by name.

Using the Document Object Model

This section introduces some code examples to familiarize you with the
Document Object Model. These examples should help you become more
comfortable with using the DOM.
To work with DOM code examples, you need to create a sample HTML
file. The following code represents the HTML file you will use in the
examples:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Open a New Window</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
function OpenWindow()
{
var NewWindow = window.open("advjscript.jpg", "NewWindow",
"width=350,height=400")
}
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR=White>
<A HREF="javascript:OpenWindow()">Advanced JavaScript</A>
</BODY>
</HTML>

The meat of this script is the single line of code found inside the OpenWindow
function. The first parameter passed to this function is what you wish to
Chapter 14

open. This can be another HTML document or an image. The second param-
eter passed is the name of the variable that is going to represent this new
window. In our case, that is NewWindow. The last parameter is the height and
width of the new window we are opening.
244 n Chapter 14

This script is fairly simple and easy to use and can be very useful. For
example, if you have a list of products on your web site and you do not wish
to clutter the HTML document with all the details of every product, you can
use this script to allow the user to view a page with those details after click-
ing on the name of a product.
The only real problem with our example for launching a new window is
that if the item you are launching is larger than the size parameters you give
it, we don’t have scroll bars to let us see the whole image. Example 14-1 is
very similar to the previous code, except that it adds something to the win-
dow.open method call to include scroll bars.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Open a New Window</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
function OpenWindow()
{
var NewWindow = window.open("anypage.htm", "NewWindow",
"width=350,height=200,scrollbars=yes")
}
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR=White>
<A HREF="javascript:OpenWindow()">Advanced JavaScript</A>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 14-1 (ex14-1.htm). Script that creates a window with scroll bars

Simply adding scrollbars=yes right after the dimension parameters will

give the new window you launch scroll bars! You can also add the line
toolbar = yes so that your new window will have your browser’s standard
toolbar, if you wish.
The next example combines the scroll bars, the toolbar, and a method
for the original window to close the window it launched.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Close Windows</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
var childwindow = null
function opennewwindow()
{
childwindow = window.open("anypage.htm","childwindow",
"width=300,height=200,toolbar=yes,scrollbars=yes,")
}
function closenewwindow()
{
if (childwindow && !childwindow.closed)
{
childwindow.close()
}
}
 The Document Object Model (Continued) n 245

</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR=White>
<CENTER>
<H3>
<A HREF="javascript:opennewwindow()">View Advanced JavaScript</A>
<BR>
<A HREF="javascript:closenewwindow()">Close Advanced JavaScript</A>
</H3>
</CENTER>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 14-2 (ex14-2.htm). Script that closes the window

The only real difference in this script is the closenewwindow function. In

that function, I simply use the name of the variable that represents the new
window that was launched and call the closewindow() method. Although
this difference is small, it is significant. Allowing the user to close the child
window from the parent window that launched it is very important.
The following example shows you how to use the Document Object
Model to detect what browser the client is using. This can be very important
since some browsers may not support all the features of JavaScript you wish
to implement.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Browser Detection</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR=White>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
var browsername= navigator.appName
var browserversion = navigator.appVersion
if (browsername == "Microsoft Internet Explorer")
{
document.write("You are using MS Internet Explorer version " +
browserversion)
}
else
{
document.write("You are using Netscape Navigator version " +
browserversion)
}
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 14-3 (ex14-3.htm). Script that detects the browser version

Chapter 14

These rather simple examples illustrate some of the practical things you can
do with the navigator object.
246 n Chapter 14

Summary
In this chapter we expanded upon the material in Chapter 13. We looked
more closely at the architecture of the Document Object Model and worked
with some simple examples. With the material in this chapter and the pre-
ceding chapter you should have a basic working knowledge of the Document
Object Model. Many subsequent chapters will be utilizing elements of the
DOM, beginning with Chapter 15.
Mozilla Firefox has an interesting tool called DOM Inspector you may
wish to use. You will find it under the Tools > Web Development menu in
any Mozilla window. DOM Inspector is a tool that can be used to view the
actual DOM objects of any web document. The DOM hierarchy can be navi-
gated using a two-paned window that allows for a variety of different views
on the document and all nodes within.
 Utilizing the Status Bar n 247

Chapter 15

Utilizing the Status Bar

The Status Bar

As we learned in Chapters 13 and 14, you can access the various elements of
the web page or browser using the Document Object Model. The status bar
is one of those elements you can access and utilize. The status bar is found
at the bottom of the browser’s window. It exists in all browsers, including
Mozilla Firefox and Internet Explorer. It normally displays the current status
of the document being loaded. The status bar is present in every window,
unless the window is opened by a script that explicitly disables the status
bar. Figure 15-1 shows the status bar from Mozilla.

Figure 15-1. The Mozilla Firefox status bar

The status bar is the gray bar at the bottom that shows the string “Docu-
ment: Done.”
In terms of the Document Object Model, the status bar is a direct prop-
erty of the window object. In multiple-frame documents, each frame has a
property representing the status bar, but you should only reference one of
them to avoid an unwanted collision. The status bar in JavaScript is gener-
ally represented by the status property—window.status. You can also
refer to the status bar of the current window via self.status, because self
is actually a property of the window object that is the window object itself.

þ Note: You can also refer to the status bar as status instead of
window.status; however, we shall stick with the latter for clarity.

Never try to read the status bar code, as such action usually generates an
error. Setting the value of the status bar is permitted, with some
restrictions.
248 n Chapter 15

Writing to the Status Bar

You can assign values to window.status via buttons, links, and every other
event that is triggered by the user. For example, to have a message dis-
played when the user clicks a button, you can use the following form:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>status bar</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
<!--
function showMessage()
{
window.status = "Fascinating!"
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE = "button" VALUE = "show message" onClick = "showMessage()">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 15-1 (ex15-1.htm). You can display any string you like in the status bar as
a reaction to a user-initiated event such as a button click. You can see the output of
this script in Figure 15-2.

þ Note: This script, and some others, may not function the same in Firefox as
in Internet Explorer. Also note that Internet Explorer 7.0 was released as this
book was being written and many scripts were not tested with that browser.

Figure 15-2. Text in the status bar

 Utilizing the Status Bar n 249

Many web pages implement a technique that displays a short description in

Chapter 15
the status bar rather than the URL when you place the mouse’s pointer over
a link. A description is usually much more meaningful than a URL. The
event handler that is triggered when the user places the mouse’s pointer
over a link is onMouseOver. The event handler should always return the
Boolean value true after the message is placed in the status bar. The only
correct way to assign a message corresponding to a link in the status bar is
to use the following syntax for the link:
<A HREF = "URL" onMouseOver = "window.status = 'any string'; return true">

Don’t forget to return true—it’s essential.

The following statement creates a link to Wordware Publishing’s site
and displays a short message when you place the pointer over it:
<A HREF = "http://www.wordware.com" onMouseOver = "window.status = ‘Get
more cool computer books from Wordware'; return true">Wordware</A>

Take a look at the following example:

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>status bar</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
<!--
function showMessage(txt)
{
window.status = txt
setTimeout("clearMessage()", 2500)
}
function clearMessage()
{
window.status = ""
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<A HREF = "http://www.wordware.com" onMouseOver = "showMessage('Get more
cool computer books from Wordware'); return true">Wordware</A>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 15-2 (ex15-2.htm). A script that displays the string in the status bar for 2.5
seconds

The setTimeout() method is a possible replacement for the need to return

true. This script is very simple. When the user places the pointer over the
link, the function showMessage() is called with the desired string. The
string is assigned to the status property, and the function clearMessage()
is called to clear the status bar after 2.5 seconds, by replacing the current
message with an empty string.
A much better way to erase a string written by onMouseOver from the
status bar is to implement the onMouseOut event handler. This event handler
250 n Chapter 15

serves as an attribute of a link or client-side image map area, and it is trig-

gered when the mouse pointer leaves an area or link from inside that area
(see Chapter 19, “Links, Anchors, and Image Maps”). This outside move-
ment enables us to assign an empty string to the status bar when the user
removes the pointer from the link.
Here is another example:
<A HREF = "http://www.wordware.com" onMouseOver = "window.status = 'Get
another cool computer book from Wordware'; return true" onMouseOut = "window.
status = ''; return true">Wordware</A>

Setting a Default Value to the Status Bar

You have seen that it is possible to write one-line strings to the status bar
via the status property. It is also possible to set a default value to the status
bar. This value is kept in the status bar as long as no value is written to it
by the status property. The general syntax of this property is win-
dow.defaultStatus or defaultStatus. When using this property with an
event handler, you must return true.
Take a look at the following example:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>status bar</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
<!--
function statusSetter()
{
window.defaultStatus = "Click the link for the Wordware Publishing home page"
window.status = "Wordware home page"
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<A HREF = "http://www.wordware.com" onMouseOver = "statusSetter();
return true">Wordware</A>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 15-3 (ex15-3.htm). Sets a default value for the status bar

When you load the page in the browser, you see a link. At that moment, the
status bar does not contain any string (it might contain a string to report that
the page has been loaded). When you place the pointer over the link, the
message “Wordware home page” is written to the status bar. When the
pointer is taken off the link, the string is replaced by another string—“Click
the link for the Wordware Publishing home page.” This is a nice alternative
to using the onMouseOut event handler.
 Utilizing the Status Bar n 251

Banners

Chapter 15
You can use the status bar to create banners. Banners are classic JavaScript
scripts. They were, and still are, an attractive addition to any web page. Ori-
ginally banners appeared in the status bar, scrolling several messages in
sequence. Some programmers prefer to place the banner in a text box,
because they feel that status bar-based banners are annoying to the common
surfer. Banners are sometimes very unsteady; their speed is not uniform
and they sometimes blink. There is no workaround to make them better.
But, all in all, they are still a lot of fun. In this section we take a look at a few
different banner-like scripts, most of which were created exclusively for this
book.

T-banner
The T-banner simulates a typewriter and is one of my favorite banners. The
typewriter style display catches the user’s eye and ensures the message will
be noticed. It displays each message by typing it in, one character at a time.
It seems as if someone is typing the message at a certain speed and deleting
it upon completion. First, take a look at the script:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>T-banner</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
<!--
// set speed of banner (pause in milliseconds between characters)
var speed = 100 // decrease value to increase speed (must be positive)
// set pause between completion of message and beginning of following one
var pause = 1000 // increase value to increase pause
// set initial values
var timerID = null
var bannerRunning = false
// create global array
var ar = new Array()
// assign the strings to the array's elements
ar[0] = "Welcome to this JavaScript page"
ar[1] = "I hope you enjoy the T-banner script"
ar[2] = "It's kind of a cool banner"
ar[3] = "Don't forget to check out my other scripts"
// set index of first message to be displayed first
var currentMessage = 0
// set index of last character to be displayed first
var offset = 0
// stop the banner if it is currently running
function stopBanner()
{
// if banner is currently running
if (bannerRunning)
252 n Chapter 15

// stop the banner

clearTimeout(timerID)
// timer is now stopped
bannerRunning = false
}
// start the banner
function startBanner()
{
// make sure the banner is stopped
stopBanner()
// start the banner from the current position
showBanner()
}
// type in the current message
function showBanner()
{
// assign current message to variable
var text = ar[currentMessage]
// if current message has not finished being displayed
if (offset < text.length)
{
// if last character of current message is a space
if (text.charAt(offset) == " ")
// skip the current character
offset++
// assign the up-to-date to-be-displayed substring
// second argument of method accepts index of last char plus one
var partialMessage = text.substring(0, offset + 1)
// display partial message in status bar
window.status = partialMessage
// increment index of last character to be displayed
offset++
// recursive call after specified time
timerID = setTimeout("showBanner()", speed)
// banner is running
bannerRunning = true
} else
{
// reset offset
offset = 0
// increment subscript (index) of current message
currentMessage++
// if subscript of current message is out of range
if (currentMessage == ar.length)
// wrap around (start from beginning)
currentMessage = 0
// recursive call after specified time
timerID = setTimeout("showBanner()", pause)
// banner is running
bannerRunning = true
}
}
 Utilizing the Status Bar n 253

// -->

Chapter 15
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY onLoad = "startBanner()">
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 15-4 (ex15-4.htm). A T-banner

Global Statements
// set speed of banner (pause in milliseconds between characters)
var speed = 100 // decrease value to increase speed (must be positive)
// set pause between completion of message and beginning of following one
var pause = 1000 // increase value to increase pause
// set initial values
var timerID = null
var bannerRunning = false
// create global array
var ar = new Array()
// assign the strings to the array's elements
ar[0] = "Welcome to this JavaScript page"
ar[1] = "I hope you enjoy the T-banner script"
ar[2] = "It is designed to be more stable than regular banners"
ar[3] = "Don't forget to check out my other scripts"
// set index of first message to be displayed first
var currentMessage = 0
// set index of last character to be displayed first
var offset = 0

At first, the speed of the banner is set to 100. This is equal to the pause
between each character of a message in milliseconds. The pause (in milli-
seconds) between the completion of a message (string) and its deletion is
assigned to the variable pause. The identifier for the current timeout is
assigned null, because no timeout is set yet. The current state of the banner
(false because it is not running yet) is assigned to the variable
bannerRunning. An array is then created to hold the strings that are to be
displayed as banner messages. The first string is assigned to the first ele-
ment of the array, ar[0], and so on. The number 0 is assigned to
currentMessage because the first message displayed is ar[0]. The index of
the last character displayed at a given moment in the status bar is assigned
to the global variable offset. It is set to zero because the first appearance of
the banner consists of only one character—the first one—whose index is
zero.
stopBanner()
// start the banner
function startBanner()
{
// make sure the banner is stopped
254 n Chapter 15

stopBanner()
// start the banner from the current position
showBanner()
}

This function is called to stop the banner. If the banner is running, the cur-
rent timeout is cleared. The variable bannerRunning is set to false because
the banner is stopped.
startBanner()
// start the banner
function startBanner()
{
// make sure the banner is stopped
stopBanner()
// start the banner from the current position
showBanner()
}

This function calls the stopBanner function to make sure the banner is
stopped, and then calls the function showBanner to start running the
T-banner.
showBanner()
// type in the current message
function showBanner()
{
// assign current message to variable
var text = ar[currentMessage]
// if current message has not finished being displayed
if (offset < text.length)
{
// if last character of current message is a space
if (text.charAt(offset) == " ")
// skip the current character
offset++
// assign the up-to-date to-be-displayed substring
// second argument of method accepts index of last char plus one
var partialMessage = text.substring(0, offset + 1)
// display partial message in status bar
window.status = partialMessage
// increment index of last character to be displayed
offset++
// recursive call after specified time
timerID = setTimeout("showBanner()", speed)
// banner is running
bannerRunning = true
} else
{
// reset offset
offset = 0
// increment subscript (index) of current message
 Utilizing the Status Bar n 255

currentMessage++

Chapter 15
// if subscript of current message is out of range
if (currentMessage == ar.length)
// wrap around (start from beginning)
currentMessage = 0
// recursive call after specified time
timerID = setTimeout("showBanner()", pause)
// banner is running
bannerRunning = true
}
}

The current message is assigned to the local variable text. The function
then continues in one of two directions. The first is selected if the current
message is still being displayed; that is, if the index of the last character that
was displayed of the current message is the last character or less. In that
case, the expression offset < text.length evaluates to true. If the last
character to be displayed during this pass through the function is a space,
the value of offset is incremented, and no time is wasted on typing the
space character. The substring that needs to be displayed during the current
iteration is assigned to the local variable partialMessage. Since the second
argument of the substring method is the index of the last character plus
one, it is set to offset + 1. The current substring is displayed in the status
bar, and the value of offset is incremented. The function is called once
more after speed milliseconds.
When the end of the current message has been reached, another execu-
tion path is taken. In this case, the variable offset is assigned zero, the
index of the first character of a string. To allow posting of the next message
in the array, the index of the array element holding the current message is
incremented. If the new value of currentMessage is out of range, it is set to
zero, so the following message is the first one. The function is called recur-
sively after pause milliseconds. This time the function should take the first
route, because the message is only at its beginning.
Event Handlers
The startBanner function is called by the onLoad event handler when the
document has finished loading.

R-banner
While T stands for “typewriter,” R stands for “random,” denoting the flavor
of this special banner. The messages appear by popping up various charac-
ters of the message in a random order. Another special effect involved in this
banner is the scrolling motion from right to left. This effect is achieved by
simply letting each character that pops up take a three-character space. Take
a look at the script:
256 n Chapter 15

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>R-banner</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
<!--
// set speed of banner (pause in milliseconds between addition of new character)
var speed = 10 // decrease value to increase speed (must be positive)
// set pause between completion of message and beginning of following one
var pause = 1500 // increase value to increase pause
// set initial values
var timerID = null
var bannerRunning = false
// create array
var ar = new Array()
// assign the strings to the array's elements
ar[0] = "Welcome to my JavaScript page"
ar[1] = "I hope you enjoy the R-banner script"
ar[2] = "It is pretty cool"
ar[3] = "Don't forget to check out my other scripts"
// assign index of current message
var message = 0
// empty string initialization
var state = ""
// no value is currently being displayed
clearState()
// stop the banner if it is currently running
function stopBanner()
// if banner is currently running
if (bannerRunning)
// stop the banner
clearTimeout(timerID)
// banner is now stopped
bannerRunning = false
}
// start the banner
function startBanner()
{
// make sure the banner is stopped
stopBanner()
// start the banner from the current position
showBanner()
}
// assign state a string of "0" characters of the length of the current message
function clearState()
{
// initialize to empty string
state = ""
// create string of same length containing 0 digits
for (var i = 0; i < ar[message].length; ++i)
{
state += "0"
}
}
// display the current message
 Utilizing the Status Bar n 257

function showBanner()

Chapter 15
{
// if the current message is done
if (getString())
{
// increment message
message++
// if new message is out of range wrap around to first message
if (ar.length <= message)
message = 0
// new message is first displayed as empty string
clearState()
// display next character after pause milliseconds
timerID = setTimeout("showBanner()", pause)
// banner is now running
bannerRunning = true
} else
{
// initialize to empty string
var str = ""
// build string to be displayed (only characters selected thus far
// are displayed)
for (var j = 0; j < state.length; ++j)
{
str += (state.charAt(j) == "1") ? ar[message].charAt(j) : " "
}
// partial string is placed in status bar
window.status = str
// add another character after speed milliseconds
timerID = setTimeout("showBanner()", speed)
// banner is now running
bannerRunning = true
}
}
function getString()
{
// set variable to true (it will stay true unless proven otherwise)
var full = true
// set variable to false if a free space is found in string (a
// not-displayed char)
for (var j = 0; j < state.length; ++j)
{
// if character at index j of current message has not been
// placed in displayed string
if (state.charAt(j) == 0)
full = false
}
// return true immediately if no space found (avoid infinite loop later)
if (full)
return true
// search for random until free space found (broken up via break statement)
while (1)
{
// a random number (between 0 and state.length – 1 == message.length – 1)
258 n Chapter 15

var num = getRandom(ar[message].length)

// if free space found, break infinite loop
if (state.charAt(num) == "0")
break
}
// replace the 0 character with 1 character at place found
state = state.substring(0, num) + "1" + state.substring(num + 1,state.length)
// return false because the string was not full (free space was found)
return false
}
function getRandom(max)
{
return Math.round((max – 1) * Math.random())
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY onLoad = "startBanner()">
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 15-5 (ex15-5.htm). An R-banner

Global Statements
// set speed of banner (pause in milliseconds between addition of new character)
var speed = 10 // decrease value to increase speed (must be positive)
// set pause between completion of message and beginning of following one
var pause = 1500 // increase value to increase pause
// set initial values
var timerID = null
var bannerRunning = false
// create array
var ar = new Array()
// assign the strings to the array's elements
ar[0] = "Welcome to my JavaScript page"
ar[1] = "I hope you enjoy the R-banner script"
ar[2] = "It is pretty cool"
ar[3] = "Don't forget to check out my other scripts"
// assign index of current message
var message = 0
// empty string initialization
var state = ""
// no value is currently being displayed

clearState()
First, the number 10 is assigned to the variable speed, representing the
pause in milliseconds between the popping up of two consecutive characters
in the current message. A longer pause is assigned to the variable pause,
representing the number of milliseconds between the completion of the cur-
rent message and its deletion. A null value is assigned to the global variable
timerID and the Boolean value false is assigned to the variable
bannerRunning. Predefined messages are stored in an array. The variable
 Utilizing the Status Bar n 259

message is assigned zero, the index of the first element of the array to be

Chapter 15
displayed, ar[0].
The second section of the global statement section consists of only two
statements, but they are important for understanding the entire script. The
first statement in this section assigns an empty string to the global variable
state. The clearState() function is called next. It modifies the value of the
global variable state, by assigning it n “0” characters, where n is the length
of the current message. The variable state is basically constructed of 0s and
1s. Suppose the first character is a 0. That means that the first character of
the current message has not been popped up yet. The same applies to the
second character and all the following ones. Therefore, the string starts off
at all 0s, and the message is finished when all characters are 1s.
stopBanner()
See the explanation of this function in the T-banner section.
startBanner()
See the explanation of this function in the T-banner section.
clearState()
See the “Global Statements” section above for information regarding this
function.
getRandom(max)
This simply returns an integer between 0 and max – 1. (See the explanation
of Math.random() in Chapter 11.)
getString()
function getString()
{
// set variable to true (it will stay true unless proven otherwise)
var full = true
// set variable to false if a free space is found in string (a
// not-displayed char)
for (var j = 0; j < state.length; ++j)
{
// if character at index j of current message has not been
// placed displayed string
if (state.charAt(j) == 0)
full = false
}
// return true immediately if no space found (avoid infinite loop later)
if (full)
return true
// search for random until free space found (broken up via break statement)
while (1)
{
// a random number (between 0 and state.length – 1 == message.length – 1)
var num = getRandom(ar[message].length)
260 n Chapter 15

// if free space found, break infinite loop

if (state.charAt(num) == "0")
break
}
// replace the 0 character with 1 character at place found
state = state.substring(0, num) + "1" + state.substring(num + 1,
state.length)
// return false because the string was not full (free space was found)
return false
}

First, the variable full is initialized to true. An infinite loop (terminated by

the break statement) is employed to go over all 0 and 1 characters of the
state string. If a 0 character is found, the variable full is changed to false.
It is not mandatory to break up the loop (as done above in getString())
when a free space, or 0, is found, because efficiency is not a concern in a ran-
dom banner.
The remaining part of the function is executed only if a free space is
available.
An infinite loop generates a new random index every iteration and
checks if the space at that index is taken up. The loop continues to execute
as long as the space at the random index is taken up. When a free space is
finally found, the loop breaks up, returning the index num of the free space.
The value of state is updated by replacing the 0 character at index num
with a 1 character. The function returns false upon termination, indicating
that the message was not completed.
showBanner()
Like in the T-banner script, this is the main function. The function
getString() is called to update the value of state and to check if the mes-
sage has been completed. If it has, the current message is updated to the
following one by incrementing the value of message, representing the index
of the array’s element where the current message is. If the new value is out
of range, it is reset to the initial zero value. The function clearState() is
called to set up the variable state, as explained above in the “Global State-
ments” section. The function is then called recursively after pause
milliseconds.
In an ordinary case in which the message is not complete yet, the spe-
cial display effects are generated. An empty string is assigned to the local
variable str, ready to accumulate characters for display. A for loop iterates
through the characters of the string ar[message]. If there is a 1 at the same
index of the string state, the character from ar[message] is appended to
the end of str. An alternative string is appended if a 0 character is found in
the string state. The only way to create a right-to-left scrolling effect is to
use a fairly long alternative string of a few spaces. Since a space has a very
small horizontal span (characters are not uniform in width), a single-space
alternative string will create a friendly left-to-right movement! Using an
empty alternative string squeezes the string and creates a different
 Utilizing the Status Bar n 261

right-to-left movement. The built-up string is placed in the status bar, and

Chapter 15
the function is called recursively after a pause of speed milliseconds.
Event Handlers
When the document is completely loaded, the startBanner() function is
called by the onLoad event handler.

N-banner
The N-banner (for “normal”) scrolls from right to left in the status bar. You
have probably seen hundreds of these banners on the web. Here is a script
to implement such a banner:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>N-banner</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "JavaScript">
<!--
function scrollBanner(seed)
{
// set pause in milliseconds between each movement
var speed = 10
// assign one-space string to variable (space pads left side of status bar)
var str = " "
// create global array
var ar = new Array()
// assign the strings to the array's elements
ar[0] = "Welcome to my JavaScript page. "
ar[1] = "I hope you enjoy the N-banner script. "
ar[2] = "It is kind of cool. "
ar[3] = "Don't forget to check out my other scripts. "
// join all messages to one string variable with no delimiter
var total = ar.join("")
// if message has not yet reached the left side of the status bar
if (seed > 0)
{
// assign string of seed spaces to variable
for (var i = 0; i < seed; ++i)
{
str += " "
}
// append message to end of output string
str += total
// message moved one position to the left
seed--
// assign expression containing recursive call with literal
// argument in form of string
var cmd = "scrollBanner(" + seed + ")"
// place computed message in status bar
window.status = str
262 n Chapter 15

// recursive call after speed milliseconds

timerID = setTimeout(cmd, speed)
} else
// if a substring of the total message still remains in status bar
if (–seed < total.length)
{
// assign part of message that has not slid off the left
str += total.substring(–seed, total.length)
// message has moved one position to the left seed--
// assign expression containing recursive call with
// literal argument in form of string
var cmd = "scrollBanner(" + seed + ")"
// place computed message in status bar
window.status = str
// recursive call after speed milliseconds
timerID = setTimeout(cmd, speed)
} else
{
// assign a one-space string to status bar
window.status = str
// recursive call after speed milliseconds at initial position
timerID = setTimeout("scrollBanner(100)", speed)
}
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY onLoad = "scrollBanner(100)">
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 15-6 (ex15-6.htm). An N-banner

A major advantage of this banner is that it does not include any global state-
ments and has only one function.
scrollBanner(seed)
The banner’s speed and messages are specified as in the previous banners.
A single-space string is assigned to the variable str. It pads the left side of
the status bar by leaving a space between the border and the far-left side of
the message. Since this banner scrolls the messages one after the other, all
messages are combined to a single string via the join() method of the
Array object.
The function accepts one argument, which is assigned to the parameter
seed. The value of seed determines the message’s distance from the left
side of the status bar. Space characters are used as spaceholders. It is com-
mon to start the banner 100 spaces from the left, so the function is initially
called with the value of 100.
 Utilizing the Status Bar n 263

The function chooses one of three routes. The first is selected if the

Chapter 15
value of seed is positive; that is, if the message has not reached the left
panel of the status bar. In this case, a loop is used to concatenate a string of
seed space characters to the variable str. The entire message is then con-
catenated to str. Note that if a string placed in the status bar exceeds the
maximum length of the bar, the excess characters are not displayed. After
concatenating the entire message to the accumulative string, the value of
seed decrements, creating a scrolling effect on the next iteration. A recur-
sive call is constructed in a string in the following form:
var cmd = "scrollBanner(" + seed + ")"

Suppose the value of seed is 50. The value of cmd is then

"scrollBanner(50)". A literal is used here because local variables or
parameters cannot be evaluated by setTimeout as arguments of a function.
The accumulative string is then placed in the status bar, and the function is
called recursively, following a pause of speed milliseconds.
The second route is taken if part of the message has been dropped to
the left, but some of it still remains in the status bar. This state is checked
via the following expression:
–seed < total.length

If the absolute value of seed exceeds the message’s length, this expression
evaluates to false. It means that the length of the message that has gone out
of range to the left is greater or equal to the length of the message, meaning
that no part of the message actually remains in the status bar. If this expres-
sion evaluates to true, only part of the message has gone past the left
barrier.
If the expression above evaluates to true, the substring
total.substring(–seed, total.length) is concatenated to the variable
str. This substring represents the part of the message that has not gone
overboard (|seed| is equal to the number of characters disposed). The
remaining part of the command block is identical to the one used when the
first route of the function is taken.
The third route that can be taken by the function is the most simple one.
It places the value of str, a single-space string, in the status bar. It then calls
the function recursively with the initial argument of 100.
264 n Chapter 15

Summary
While Chapters 13 and 14 gave you a theoretical introduction to the Docu-
ment Object Model, this chapter showed you practical ways to use one part
of that model. Remember that the status bar is just a single property of the
document object, and you saw in this chapter several ways to use that prop-
erty. This should illustrate to you the sheer power of the Document Object
Model.
In this chapter we saw how to display link-related messages in the sta-
tus bar, as well as default values. We emphasized one of JavaScript’s pioneer
scripts, the banner. We discussed some unique banners developed exclu-
sively for this book, as well as other common banners. In terms of
JavaScript, we have discussed two properties of the window object: status
and defaultStatus. Besides enabling fun stuff like banners, the status bar
can be used as an additional output device for displaying critical values while
debugging the script.
 URLs and JavaScript n 265

Chapter 16

URLs and JavaScript

A Crash Course in URLs

Web addresses, more technically known as URLs, are an important part of
web development. Fortunately, JavaScript includes a number of properties
and methods that can be used to manipulate these URLs. Before discussing
JavaScript’s support, a general description of URLs is in order.
URL is an acronym that stands for Uniform Resource Locator, a stan-
dard way to specify the location of an electronic resource. In short, it is a
web address, such as http://www.wordware.com. The definition of a URL is
derived from concepts introduced by the World Wide Web Global Informa-
tion Initiative that have been in use since 1990. URLs make Internet
resources available to different Internet protocols. When surfing the net, you
often run into URLs in your browser’s “location” box. Such URLs usually
start with “http:”, but other protocols such as FTP and Gopher are also sup-
ported. Even e-mail addresses can be specified as URLs.
A URL is a very convenient, succinct way to direct people and applica-
tions to a file or other electronic resource. If the web did not use URLs, then
you would have to memorize the IP address of every web site you wish to
visit. That would make the web almost too difficult to use.

General URL Syntax

In general, URLs are written as follows:
<scheme>:<scheme-specific-part>

A URL includes the name of the scheme being used, followed by a colon and
a string. scheme refers to the protocol being used. Valid schemes include
FTP (File Transfer Protocol) and HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol). The
characters supported as schemes are lowercase letters, “a” to “z”, and the
characters plus (+), period (.), and hyphen (-). Web browsers such as
Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox treat uppercase letters as lowercase
ones. For example, both HTTP and http are accepted. Examples of schemes
are “http,” “ftp,” “gopher,” and “news.” The scheme instructs the applica-
tion or person how to treat that specific resource.
266 n Chapter 16

Most schemes include two different types of information:

n The Internet machine where the resource resides
n The full path to that resource

Such schemes are usually separated from the machine address by two
slashes (//), whereas the machine address is separated from the full path via
only one slash (/). Therefore, the common format is:
scheme://machine.domain/full-path-of-file

As an exercise, let’s take a look at a simple URL:

http://www.chuckeasttom.com/index.htm

The URL’s scheme is http, for the Hypertext Transfer Protocol. The
Internet address of the machine is www.chuckeasttom.com, and the path to
the specific file is /index.htm. You will find that the path portion sometimes
ends with a slash. This indicates that the path is pointing to a directory
rather than a file. In this case, the server returns either a directory listing of
all the files or a default file, if one is available. The default filename is either
index.htm or home.htm, but other variants are also used.

The URL Schemes

The “scheme” of a URL is another way to say its protocol. As you probably
already know, all network, and thus all Internet, communication is accom-
plished via protocols. A protocol is an agreed-upon standard for
communicating a particular type of data.
Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
HTTP is the Internet protocol specifically designed for use with the World
Wide Web, and therefore is the one most often seen by web surfers. Its gen-
eral syntax is:
http://<host>:<port>/<path>?<searchpart>

The host is the Internet address of the WWW server, such as

www.geocities.com, and the port is the port number to connect to. In most
cases the port can be omitted along with the colon delimiter, and it defaults
to the standard “80.” The path tells the server which file is requested. The
searchpart is very important. It may be used to pass information on to the
server. It can also be referenced by other languages, including JavaScript as
you will soon find out. Another frequently used character is the pound sign
(#). It is used for referencing a named anchor. Anchors are often used on
web pages to enable linking from one section of the page to another.
 URLs and JavaScript n 267

File Transfer Protocol (FTP)

FTP is commonly used for distributing and transmitting files over the
Internet. Its general syntax is:
ftp://<user>:<password>@<host>:<port>/<cwd1>/<cwd2>/.../
<cwdN>/<name>;type=<typecode>

When contacting a site providing anonymous login, the user and password
may be omitted, including the separating colon and the following @ symbol.

Chapter 16
The host and port are exactly the same as in the HTTP URL specification.
The <cwd1>/<cwd2>/…/<cwdN> refers to the series of “change direc-
tory” (cd in Unix) commands a client must use to move from the main
directory to the directory in which the desired file resides. Since most serv-
ers use Unix operating systems, you can print the working (current)
directory by typing pwd at the command line. The name is the desired file’s
full name, as it is recognized by the operating system. The portion
;type=<typecode> allows you to specify the transmission mode (ASCII vs.
binary). Most systems are not configured to work properly with this trailing
specification, and some are even misled by it.
Gopher Protocol (Gopher)
The Gopher protocol is not used very much these days, but was once a com-
mon way to get files from the Internet. Its syntax is very similar to HTTP’s:
gopher://<host>:<port>/<gopher-path>

Electronic Mail (Mailto)

The Mailto URL scheme is different from the previous three schemes in
that it does not identify the location of a file but rather someone’s e-mail
address. Its syntax differs widely as well:
mailto:<account@site>

The account@site is the Internet e-mail address of the person you wish to
mail to. Most WWW browsers, including the leaders, Navigator and Internet
Explorer, support this scheme when encoded in an HTML document.
Usenet News (News)
The News URL scheme allows you to refer to Usenet newsgroups or spe-
cific articles in such a newsgroup. The syntax is either one of the following:
news:<newsgroup-name>
news:<message-id>

The newsgroup-name is the Usenet’s newsgroup name (e.g.,

comp.lang.javascript) from which all title articles will be retrieved by the
browser (a maximum number may be specified in the browser setup). mes-
sage-id corresponds to the message-ID of a specific article to obtain. It is
found in the article’s header information.
268 n Chapter 16

Today, most people who read Usenet newsgroups do so through a web

interface such as groups.google.com.
Host-Specific Filenames (File)
The File URL scheme indicates a file that can be obtained by the client
machine. The syntax for the File scheme is:
file://<host>:<path>

The host is the fully qualified domain name of the system, and the path is
the hierarchical directory path to the required file. Leave host empty or
specify localhost to refer to the client’s local files.
JavaScript Statements (javascript)
The JavaScript URL scheme is quite different. Its general syntax is:
javascript:<valid-javascript-statement-expression-command>

This scheme evaluates the expression after the colon. If the expression can
be evaluated to a string, a new page is opened and the string displayed. If the
expression is undefined, a new page does not open.
Other Schemes
There are several other schemes that are far beyond the scope of this book.
Bear in mind that we are dealing with JavaScript, so we only focus on
schemes that might be needed in a script. For most of your web develop-
ment you will work with http and ftp, so the others are simply not that
important to you in JavaScript.

The location Object

As you may have guessed, the location object is part of the Document
Object Model. It is quite useful and, since it represents a complete URL, it is
a property of the window object. As always, specifying the window object
when referring to a property or a method of location is optional. Each prop-
erty of the location object represents a different portion of the URL. The
following syntax of a URL shows the relationship between the object’s
properties:
protocol//hostname:port pathname search hash

The location object belongs to the window containing the JavaScript script.
Single-frame pages have only one location object. However, pages that use
multiple frames consist of a window.location (location) object for each
frame, as well as one for the main frameset document. For example, a page
with two frames consists of three URLs, and a location object is available
for each.
Because window is a default object in scripts, you can use location
rather than window.location. However, if you use this object to specify an
 URLs and JavaScript n 269

event handler script, you must specify the full window.location. Due to the
scoping of static HTML objects in JavaScript, a call to location without
specifying an object name is equivalent to document.location, which is cur-
rently a synonym for document.URL. You should avoid document.location
because it will not be supported in the future.

location Properties

Chapter 16
The location object, like any other object, consists of both properties and
methods. The methods were added back in Navigator version 3.0. That
means you are very unlikely to encounter a browser that does not support
the methods of the location object. In this section we take a look at the
object’s properties, basing the discussion on an earlier section, “A Crash
Course in URLs.”

href
The href property is the most popular one in HTML scripting. The identi-
fier HREF stands for “hypertext reference.” This property supplies a string
of the entire URL of the calling window object. This property is for both
reading and setting. By assigning a string to this property, you can change
the URL of the page in the window. For example, if you want to load
Wordware’s home page when the user clicks a button, you can use the fol-
lowing syntax:
<HTML>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function load()
{
location.href = 'http://www.wordware.com'
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE=" load page " onClick="load()">
</FORM>
</HTML>

Example 16-1 (ex16-1.htm). Script that loads Wordware’s home page when button
is clicked

The output of this script can be seen in Figure 16-1.

Figure 16-1. Output of Example 16-1

270 n Chapter 16

You can also retrieve the full URL of the current window (the current win-
dow object to be exact) by reading the URL value. For example, if you want
the full URL of the current file, not including the filename itself, you can use
the following script segment:
var url = location.href
var lastSlash = url.lastIndexOf("/")
var partialURL = url.substring(0, lastSlash + 1)

Take a look at the following script:

var location = "Ben"

This statement does not generate any error because “location” is not a
reserved word. However, it deletes the location object inside the function
in which location is assigned. Since location is not a browser object but
rather a simple variable, it is fully accessible from outside the function.
Microsoft Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator deal differently
with the location.href property, and with the location object in general.
The following code segment shows the difference:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>location test</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function load()
{
location.href = "http://www.microsoft.com"
alert(location.href)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<BODY onLoad="load()">
</BODY>
</HTML>

Suppose this file is located at http://www.geocities.com. When Netscape

Navigator loads a page, it holds the loaded URL in a cell somewhere in
memory. Only when another page has begun loading (data is being trans-
ferred) is the value of that cell modified to match the new URL. When you
read the value of location.href, you are reading the value of that cell.
However, when you assign it a string representing another URL, the value
held in that cell does not change immediately. Only if and when the page at
the specified URL is found on the server is the value of the cell updated.
Microsoft’s browser differs in this case. When the user assigns a string to
location.href, it automatically updates the corresponding cell in memory.
Therefore, if you display the value of the property location.href immedi-
ately after you assign it a value, the assigned value appears. In Navigator, on
the other hand, the original URL is still displayed because the file at the new
 URLs and JavaScript n 271

URL has not been found yet. Let’s sum things up. The displayed value of the
preceding script on each of the leading browsers is as follows:
n Netscape Navigator—http://www.geocities.com
n Microsoft Internet Explorer—http://www.microsoft.com

Depending on your browser, the value of location.href may be encoded

with ASCII equivalents of nonalphanumeric characters. Such characters
appear as a percent sign (%) followed by the ASCII code of that character.

Chapter 16
The most commonly encoded character is the space, %20. You can run such
URLs under the unescape() function to convert them to ISO Latin-1
format.
Suppose you have an HTML file named foo.html located in a certain
directory or folder. Loading the full path of this directory in the browser
should normally show the listing of all the directory’s files, provided that a
default filename supported by the server is not included in that directory.
You can use the following script to allow the user to view the listing of the
files just by clicking a button:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Directory listing</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function getListing()
{
var url = location.href
var lastSlash = url.lastIndexOf("/")
location.href = url.substring(0, lastSlash + 1)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<BODY>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE=" view directory listing " onClick="getListing()">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 16-2 (ex16-2.htm). Script that displays a list of files with a button click
272 n Chapter 16

You can see what this web page would look like in Figure 16-2.

Figure 16-2. Directory listing example

hash
An anchor is a mark for other data to point to. It enables you to create a link
to a specific place somewhere in a given web page. Suppose you have a web
page that provides information on various DVD player models of different
brands. A user who is looking for specific information on Sony DVD players
should not have to scroll through other makes such as JVC. Therefore, you
can create a named anchor somewhere near the name Sony. An anchor is
created using the following syntax:
<A NAME="sony1">Sony DVD players</A>

The text “Sony DVD players” appears on the page as normal, but it serves
as an anchor. You can direct the user to the “Sony DVD players” section via
a simple link to the anchor, in the following fashion:
<A HREF="#sony1">Get information on Sony DVD players</A>

In this case, the link’s URL is the anchor’s name preceded by a hash mark
(#). When the user clicks on the link “Get information on Sony DVD play-
ers,” the browser automatically “scrolls” down to the anchor named “sony1”
(you can’t see the scrolling, of course). You can also direct the user to that
anchor from within another page. For example, suppose the full URL of the
DVD player page is http://www.dvdplayer.com/information/
index.html. Now, let’s say you want to provide a link from the page
http://www.electronics.com/dvdplayerlinks/new.html to the page con-
taining information on DVD players, and, in particular, to the Sony section.
You can accomplish this task by including the URL of the DVD player file, as
well as the Sony anchor name, somewhere in the electronics file:
<A HREF=" http://www.dvdplayer.com/information/index.html#sony1">Get
information on Sony DVD players</A>
 URLs and JavaScript n 273

This form enables you to specify the document URL as well as the specific
anchor name. By specifying only the anchor name, it is assumed that the
anchor resides in the current document, just as if you specify a filename
without a full path, it is assumed to reside in the same directory as the
HTML document. Such URL references are known as relative or partial.
When you click on a link to a URL containing a named anchor reference,
the new URL, or location, consists of the hash mark (#) followed by the
anchor name. This portion of the URL is considered a part of the URL, just

Chapter 16
like the path or filename. After linking to an anchor, user-initiated scrolling
does not affect the URL (or the location.href value).
JavaScript provides a property for the current anchor reference in the
URL. This property is named hash (location.hash), because anchor refer-
ences are stored in a hash table. You can assign a string to location.hash in
order to direct the browser to a specified anchor within the current page.
Like the href property, hash is also readable. You should use this property
only when dealing with local anchors residing within the current document.
Suppose the following document is saved as an .html file on a server or on
your computer:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>status bar</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function loadPage()
{
location.href = "http://www.chuckeasttom.com/index.htm"
location.hash = "authors"
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY onLoad="loadPage()">
</BODY>
</HTML>

The function loadPage() (called via the onLoad event handler) attempts to
load the page http://www.chuckeasttom.com/index.htm. Since the
browser does not wait until the page is loaded, the function continues to
execute, advancing to the following statement. However, this statement also
attempts to modify the URL of the page by specifying an anchor, via the
location.hash property. Since the anchor resides on the current page, it is
loaded immediately. By trying to allocate an anchor, the onLoad event han-
dler is triggered, executing the function once again. The encountered loop is
obviously infinite, and continues until the user presses the big red Stop but-
ton. It is very important to remember not to assign location.hash
separately from location.href. You must assign them in the same
statement:
274 n Chapter 16

function loadPage()
{
location.href = " http://www.chuckeasttom.com/index.htm #certifications"
}

Rather than attempt to modify multiple properties of href, you should

assign the property href, as it refers to a complete URL, including anchor
references, search specifications, and all other properties of the location
object. In general, the location.hash property is the only one that can be
assigned separately to adjust the current anchor referencing position within
the current document. Also, bear in mind that a page reload will follow the
property assignment.
A common problem for beginners is that the value of the hash property
seems to be inconsistent at times. For example, location.hash evaluates to
an empty string if no anchor is referenced. If an anchor is specified, though,
both the hash mark (#) and the anchor name are part of this property. When
changing the value of an anchor, do not include the hash mark.
The following HTML document will clear up this matter:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>location.hash property</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function goNext(nextAnchor)
{
location.hash = nextAnchor
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<A NAME="anchor1">Top</A>
<BR>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="advance" onClick="goNext('anchor2')">
</FORM>
<BR>
<HR>
<BR>
<A NAME="anchor2">Middle</A>
<BR>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="advance" onClick="goNext('anchor3')">
</FORM>
<BR>
<HR>
<BR>
<A NAME="anchor3">Bottom</A>
<BR>
<FORM>
 URLs and JavaScript n 275

<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="advance" onClick="goNext('anchor1')">

</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 16-3 (ex16-3.htm). A script that jumps to anchors without using common
links

In order to observe the effect of the script in Example 16-3, you must resize
the browser window to make it smaller than the full document (the scroll bar

Chapter 16
should appear), because referencing a named anchor has no effect if the
anchor is already in view. By clicking each of the four buttons on the page,
the focus is placed on a corresponding anchor and on a different button.
Clicking the fourth button scrolls the page to the first anchor and to the
beginning of the page. Since HTML does not support linking form buttons to
anchors, you must use JavaScript to accomplish such a task.

host
The location.host property is not commonly used, but we shall cover it for
completeness. This property represents the <host>:<port> part of a URL,
not just the <host> (see location.hostname). When the scheme is file and
the file is local, this property is an empty string. When no port is specified,
the value of location.host is equal to location.hostname, or <host>.
Suppose the complete URL of a page is http://www.geocities.com:80/
SiliconValley/9000/index.html. The value of location.host, if queried
on that page, is www.geocities.com:80. This value is always equal to the
expression location.hostname + ":" + location.port. The colon is
included only when a port is explicitly specified. The basic rule is that if the
browser’s “location” box does not include the port, it is not part of the loca-
tion.host string.
Since 80 is considered the default port, the following function displays
the full <host>:<port> portion of the URL:
function alertHost()
{
var colonIndex = location.host.lastIndexOf(":")
var port = (colonIndex == –1) ? ":80" : ""
alert("The complete host specification is: " + location.host + port)
}

If you call this function from the page http://www.chuckeasttom.com/

index.htm, the value displayed in the alert box is www.geocities.com:80.
The same value is displayed if the page is loaded directly via the full host
specification: http://www.chuckeasttom.com/index.htm.

hostname
The location.hostname property is almost identical to location.host,
except that it does not include the port number if specified in the URL. That
is, it consists of only the <host> portion of the complete URL (see the
276 n Chapter 16

section “A Crash Course in URLs”). The location.hostname is simply the

Internet address of the hosting machine. This property evaluates to
www.geocities.com on the following two URLs:
http://www.chuckeasttom.com/index.htm
http://www.80/~chuckeasttom.com/index.htm

pathname
The pathname component of the URL consists of a directory structure, rela-
tive to the hosting server’s root volume. In terms of http, this is the <path>
portion of the URL. If the file is located in the root directory of the server,
the pathname property evaluates to a single slash (/), followed by the com-
plete filename. The pathname property always includes the name of the file
where the script is located. This property returns a nonstandard value in
Internet Explorer. When the file is on the client’s computer, backslashes are
used in place of slashes to separate directory names in the path.
For example, if the complete URL of the hosting document is
http://www.chuckeasttom.com/index.htm, the value of loca-
tion.pathname is /~chuckeasttom.com/index.htm.

port
As expected, the location.port property holds the port number, or the
<port> portion of the general URL syntax. These days, few web sites
require an explicit specification of the port number as part of their URL.
When a port is not specified, it defaults to the standard 80, which is not part
of the location.port property. If you intend to construct a URL from the
values of the port and hostname properties, remember to separate them
with a colon.

protocol
The protocol component of a URL is more commonly known as the scheme
(<scheme>). The location.protocol property holds the scheme component
of the document’s URL, followed by a colon. The scheme component should
normally be http:, but other schemes are also supported. For more informa-
tion on the most popular schemes, see the section “A Crash Course in
URLs” at the beginning of this chapter.
You can display the mocha: or javascript: protocols by loading one of
them as the URL of the document and then typing alert(location.proto-
col). You can also try loading the following strings as URLs instead:
n javascript:alert(location.protocol)
n mocha:alert(location.protocol)
 URLs and JavaScript n 277

search
When you submit a form, you sometimes find that the URL of the retrieved
document is followed by a question mark (?) and an encoded string. For
example, a typical search in Yahoo! looks like http://search.yahoo.com/
bin/search?p=perl+book&a=n. The value of location.search is precisely
that, including the question mark. Each part of the search specification
(?p=perl+book&a=n) is usually delimited by an ampersand (&), as seen in

Chapter 16
the above string. Nonalphanumeric characters are encoded and replaced by
their corresponding two-digit ASCII code, preceded by a percent sign (%). If
text fields or text areas consist of space characters, then they are replaced
by plus operators (+). The string following the question mark is known as
the search query, although it does not serve as a query submitted to a search
engine.
Although the usefulness of the location.search property may not be
apparent, it is truly one of the most important properties supported by
JavaScript. The reason for its importance is that you can use it for many
purposes that are not related to CGI scripts or search engines.
First of all, remember that if a search query is specified (including the
question mark), the URL of the page is actually the string preceding the
query. For example, you can load Intel’s home page via the URL
http://www.intel.com/index.htm?Intel+home+page rather than the stan-
dard URL for that page, http://www.intel.com/index.htm. Since Intel’s
page does not use any search queries, a query specification is extraneous.
You can load every page on the web by entering its regular URL followed by
any search query. This feature enables the usage of search queries in
JavaScript. For example, you can prompt the user for his or her name, and
pass it on to all other pages on your site as a search query. Along with
cookies (explained in Chapter 20, “Implementing Cookies”), the loca-
tion.search property serves as a way to store permanent data acquired
from an outside resource. The following example consists of two pages—
page1.html and page2.html:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>User first name input</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
var usernm = prompt("Enter your first name:", "")
location.href = "page2.html?" + usernm
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

page1.html
278 n Chapter 16

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>User first name output</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function getQuery()
{
var query = location.search.substring(1, location.search.length)
return query
}
alert("I know your name -- " + getQuery())
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

page2.html

The script for page1.html prompts the user for his or her first name, and
then, using a search query preceded by a question mark, loads page2.html
with the input first name. The script for page2.html calls a function that
strips off the question mark, returns the bare query, and then displays the
user’s first name. The location.search property serves as a convenient
way to pass small pieces of information between documents, as shown in
this example.
Example 16-4 demonstrates the use of this property in a more complex
script:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Matches game</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// return the current search query excluding question mark
function stripQuery()
{
// assign value of location.search and length to local variables
var search = location.search
var length = search.length
// if no query specified
if (search == "")
// return number of matches at beginning of game
return "25"
// strip question mark off string
var query = search.substring(1, length)
// return the stripped-off query
return query
}
 URLs and JavaScript n 279

// print the desired row of match images

function placeMatches(num)
{
// place num matches via loop
for (var i = 1; i <= num; ++i)
{
document.write('<A HREF="' + getURL(i, num) + '">
<IMG SRC="match.gif" BORDER=0></A>')
}

Chapter 16
}
// return computed URL for match image link
function getURL(pos, num)
{
// assign position of match in row from right
var distance = num – pos + 1
// e.g., 19th match among 20 in row, 20–19+1 = 2nd match from right
// if the match is not one of the last three in row
if (distance > 3)
// link does not do anything
return "javascript:alert('Choose one of last three matches')"
// else not required because return statement terminates function
// return number of matches needed in following load of page
return "ex16-4.htm?" + (num – 4)
}
// number of matches to be displayed
var num = parseInt(stripQuery())
// assign instructions to variable
var instructions = ""
instructions += "The objective of the game is to force the other Player "
instructions += "(the computer) to pick up the last match. On each turn "
instructions += "you may pick up some matches, but only 1, 2, or 3. The "
instructions += "computer does the exact same on its turn. Play smart, "
instructions += "or else you will be devastated."
// if no query specified
if (num == 25)
// display instructions
alert(instructions)
// if only one match remains
if (num == 1)
{
// print the match image and a link to enable a new game
document.write('<IMG SRC="match.gif"><BR><BR><A HREF="ex16-4.htm">Play
again?</A>')
// tell the human he / she lost
alert("I win -- come back when you improve!")
} else
// impossible condition
if (num < 1)
// tell the user he / she cheated
alert("You cheated!")
else
// place the required number of matches
placeMatches(num)
280 n Chapter 16

// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 16-4 (ex16-4.htm). A simple game

Let’s explain the rules of the game in Example 16-4. The game starts when
the user first loads the page and 25 matches are displayed in a row. The user
must pick up one, two, or three matches by clicking on the corresponding
match. For example, to pick up only one match, the user must click on the
far-right match. Clicking on the second match from the right is equivalent to
picking up two matches, and the same applies to three. After the user picks
up some matches, the computer plays its turn, following the same rules as
the user. The objective of the game is to force the other player to pick up the
last match. That is, the one who picks up the last match loses the game.
This game was designed to prove that computers are smarter than
humans, because you cannot win. The real reason that it is impossible to
defeat the computer is that the user makes the first move. The number of
matches selected by the computer is equal to four minus the number of
matches selected by the user. For example, if the user picked up two
matches, the computer also picks up two. If the user selected three
matches, the computer goes with one. Finally, if the user selects one match,
the computer selects three. Therefore, each dual move (user and computer
sequence) ends up with four matches lifted. After six dual moves, 24 (4 * 6)
matches have been removed, and only one remains. It is then the user’s
turn, which means that the computer records another victory.
The stripQuery() function is very simple; it returns the search query
without the question mark. If no query is specified, then the user has not
begun the game, and the returned string is defaulted to 25.
The placeMatches() function is also very simple; it accepts the number
of matches to be printed and uses a loop to print the corresponding number
of match.gif images. Each image is also a hypertext link, where the speci-
fied URL is retrieved by the getURL() function, based on the index of the
current match (a positive integer i) and the total number of matches that are
placed (num).
The function getURL() accepts the index of a given match as well as the
total number of matches to be placed. The match’s index corresponding to
the far-right match is assigned to the variable distance. For example, if
there are 25 matches, and the value of pos is 23, the value assigned to dis-
tance is 25 – 23 + 1 = 3. If the assigned value is greater than 3, the data of
the given match indicates that it is not one of the last three matches in the
row, so the returned URL is a JavaScript alert statement (using the
javascript: scheme, or protocol). The function is terminated if the given
match is not one of the last three, so the remaining portion applies only to
matches that are one of the last three in the row. In this case, the returned
URL is the bare URL of the document with a search query equal to the
remaining number of matches (the current number of matches minus four,
 URLs and JavaScript n 281

because the computer always completes the user’s move to four—see expla-
nation of algorithm above).
The global statements are also a very important part of the script. At
first, the query of the current page is converted from a numeric string to a
number and then assigned to the variable num. If the value of num is 25, the
game has just begun, and the instructions are displayed in the form of an
alert box. If the value of num is 1, the game is over (the computer wins), and
a corresponding message is displayed, followed by a link to restart the game

Chapter 16
by loading the current document without a query. If the value of num is less
than 1, an impossible state has been encountered, meaning that the user has
tried to cheat or override the script by modifying the search query and an
alert box reports this finding. The game is currently underway for all other
values of num, so the function placeMatches() is called to place the matches
according to the given situation.

location Methods
The location object (window.location) also has several methods. They
are supported by the latest Netscape and Microsoft browsers.

reload
The location.reload method forces a reload of the window’s current docu-
ment. Its general syntax is:
location.reload([true])

Specifying the Boolean value true as the method’s optional argument forces
an unconditional HTTP get of the document from the server. An uncondi-
tional get retrieves a document directly from the server, ignoring the
content of the browser’s cache, which might already contain the desired data
from that document. Therefore, true should not be specified unless you have
reason to believe that either disk or memory cache is broken, or the server
has a new version of the document. If such a version is available, you must
force an unconditional HTTP get because the version of the document
stored in cache is different from the new version on the server. This situa-
tion is common to CGI-generated documents.
The reload() method simply reloads the document its URL stored in
location.href. It uses the same policy as the Reload or Refresh button.
Microsoft has opted to label the button “refresh” rather than “reload,” but
will probably keep the same method names. The exact reload policy depends
on the cache handling menu option. In Netscape Navigator, the user sets the
default value of this policy by choosing Network Preferences from the
Options menu, and specifying Verify Documents on the Cache tab of the
Preferences dialog box.
The reload() method does not force a transaction with the server
under normal conditions. However, if the user has set the preference to
“Every Time,” the request is an unconditional get using an “if-modified-
282 n Chapter 16

since” HTTP header. HTTP headers are passed to the browser when a doc-
ument is retrieved from the server. It contains important information
regarding the current document. If the user sets the preference to “Every
Time,” the browser checks the transmitted HTTP header to see if the docu-
ment has been updated according to the “last-modified time” property. If it
has, the document cannot be loaded from the cache that holds a previous
version of the file. In short, reload() will bring the cache’s version unless
the user has specified “Every Time” and the document has changed on the
server since the last time it was loaded and saved in the cache. Since its size
is limited, the cache might lose a document version that has not been
reloaded for a long time. In this case, the document needs to be fully loaded
from the server, even if it has not been changed since the previous load.
In event handlers, you must specify window.location.reload()
instead of simply using location.reload(). Due to the static objects’
scoping in JavaScript, a call to location without specifying an object name is
equivalent to a call to document.location, which is a synonym for docu-
ment.URL. This concept is explained later in the chapter in greater detail.
You have probably experienced situations in which you leave your com-
puter connected to a host and go out for a break, then come back to find that
the connection has been dumped. The usual cause is that the host (server)
has disconnected you because you have not transmitted any data via the
server for a long time. You can overcome this problem by periodically
reloading a JavaScript document from the server. Next time you go out for
lunch, load the following document in the browser’s window:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>stay connected</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<!-- 200000 milliseconds == 200 seconds -->
<BODY onLoad="timerID = setTimeout('window.location.reload(true)', 200000)">
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 16-5 (ex16-5.htm). A simple HTML document that keeps the connection
alive

The onLoad event handler is used to call the reload() method. A

setTimeout() method delays the reload procedure for 200,000 milliseconds,
or 200 seconds, from the moment the document is completely loaded. Since
it is used in the form of an event handler, the reload() method must be fully
specified, including the window object reference. The true argument forces
the transaction with the server.

replace
The replace() method is also a property of the location, or window.loca-
tion, object. It overwrites the current history entry with the specified URL.
The current history entry is the most recent URL added to the history list
or the URL of the previous page loaded. This is the URL that is retrieved
 URLs and JavaScript n 283

when the user presses Back, provided that the Forward button is grayed out.
The general syntax of the replace() method is as follows:
location.replace("URL")

After the replace() method is used, the user cannot navigate to the previ-
ous URL via the Back button. Once again, bear in mind that event handlers
require a full method specification.
Suppose you want the user to load page B by clicking a link on page A.

Chapter 16
Instead of using a plain hypertext link, you can invoke this method to load
page B (using the URL of page B as the argument). Once page B has loaded,
the user cannot return to page A via the Back button.

Another Location—document.location
(document.URL)
So far, any reference to the location object defaulted to window.location.
But there is another location in JavaScript—document.location. To avoid
confusion, Netscape decided to change document.location to docu-
ment.URL.
The document.URL property holds the complete URL of the current doc-
ument. In contrast to window.location(.href), it is a read-only value. It
does not know windows from frames; it only recognizes the document that
contains the script and the reference to this property. Keep in mind that the
URL belongs to the document, not to the window. Therefore, when a win-
dow consists of multiple documents including frame structures, a single
frame’s document.URL is different from window.location(.href), from any
other frame’s document.URL, and from the main frameset’s document.URL.
If you want to load a new document into the browser’s window, you have
to use the write-enabled window.location (==window.location.href). If
you want the URL of a specific frame, you should use document.URL. You
can also use this property to retrieve the URL of the window if the docu-
ment does not have frames and you are sure you do not want to change the
URL (to load another page).
Since document.location is still in use (especially with Internet
Explorer 3.0), you must be very careful when using the location property.
If you are not a very experienced scripter or do not fully understand object
scoping in JavaScript, it is a good practice to always specify the calling
object, window or document. When you refer to location in a script, it
defaults to window.location, because window is the default object inside
scripts. However, when you specify the bare location in an event handler
script, the calling object defaults to document; that is, location defaults to
document.location.
284 n Chapter 16

Search Utilities
You may have noticed that multiengine search utilities are beginning to rule
the web. For example, you can use one form to search Infoseek, AltaVista,
and Yahoo!. There are basically two ways to create such search interfaces:
n Via server-side CGI scripts
n Via client-side JavaScript scripts

Since CGI is beyond the scope of this book, we are only going to discuss the
second method. JavaScript is a very flexible cross-platform language. You
can perform a specific task with many completely different scripts. For
example, you can put a long script in your page to enable a multiengine
search interface. You can also place a form in the page to submit the query to
another page that contains the script. You can even call a function located in
an external script to do the work.
You have probably been exposed to advanced HTML for quite a while,
so you should know how forms are submitted. There are generally two sub-
mission methods:
n get
n post

The get method calls a specified file along with the content of the form’s
fields. The ACTION attribute specifies the name of the document or script to
be called when the form is submitted. Take a look at the following form:
<FORM METHOD="get" ACTION="file1.html">
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE=50 NAME="userid">
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE=30 NAME="passwd">
<INPUT TYPE="submit" VALUE="submit form">
</FORM>

This construct creates a form with three elements. The first two are simple
text boxes, or fields. The latter is a submit button, which triggers the sub-
mission. That is, when the user clicks the button, the form is submitted
according to the ACTION of the METHOD. Suppose the user enters “input of
first box” in the first field, and “input of second box” in the second field, and
then clicks the Submit Form button. The form is submitted. In this case, the
method is get, so the browser “gets” the specified file, file1.html. The
file, including a search query, is retrieved. The full URL retrieved by the
browser in this case is file1.html?userid=input+of+first+box&passwd=
input+of+second+box. Notice that each value in the search query is sepa-
rated by an ampersand. In addition, the value entered by the user in each
field, or the element’s value in general, is preceded by the element’s name
followed by an equal sign (=). The constructed URL is loaded, and the
search query can be used if the loaded file is an HTML document with a
JavaScript script. Now let’s take a look at an actual example:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
 URLs and JavaScript n 285

<TITLE>Multiple engine search</TITLE>

</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM METHOD="get" ACTION="ex16-6b.htm">
<STRONG><FONT SIZE=+1>Search</FONT> the Web for information about:</STRONG>
<BR>
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE=40 MAXLENGTH=80 VALUE="" NAME="query">
<BR>
<STRONG>via the </STRONG>

Chapter 16
<SELECT NAME="engine" ALIGN="right">
<OPTION VALUE="altavista" SELECTED>AltaVista
<OPTION VALUE="excite">Excite
<OPTION VALUE="infoseek">Infoseek
<OPTION VALUE="lycos">Lycos
<OPTION VALUE="magellan">Magellan
<OPTION VALUE="yahoo">Yahoo
</SELECT>
<STRONG>engine. Click </STRONG>
<INPUT TYPE="submit" VALUE="search">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 16-6a (ex16-6a.htm). The search interface can be added to any page.

This form is a bit more complex than the previous one. It consists of two
value-contributing elements, a field (text box) and a SELECT object, enabling
the user to choose an option from a list. The value of the selected OPTION is
the contributed value of the SELECT element. Take a look at Figure 16-3,
which demonstrates a possible user input:

Figure 16-3. Possible user input screen

For the output demonstrated in Figure 16-3, the loaded URL is

ex16-6a.htm?query=JavaScript&engine=infoseek. The name of the text
box element is “query,” which is the first substring of the loaded URL’s
search query. The value in this case is JavaScript, where all space charac-
ters are replaced by plus signs—this is the common encoding. The
286 n Chapter 16

submitted form includes the SELECT object as well. Its name is engine and
it follows the delimiting ampersand. Its value is the selected OPTION,
infoseek. You now understand all the components of the retrieved URL, so
we can go on to analyze the script itself.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Please wait</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// create object of all prefixes
var prefix = new prefixObject()
// create object of query prefixes
function prefixObject()
{
// lycos prefix
this.lycos = "http://www.lycos.com/cgi-bin/pursuit?query="
// altavista prefix
this.altavista = "http://www.altavista.digital.com/cgi-bin/query?pg=q&q="
// infoseek prefix
this.infoseek = "http://guide-p.infoseek.com//Titles?qt="
// yahoo prefix
this.yahoo = "http://av.yahoo.com/bin/search?p="
// magellan prefix
this.magellan = "http://searcher.mckinley.com/searcher.cgi?query="
// excite prefix
this.excite = "http://www.excite.com/search.gw?search="
}
// execute search
function callSearch()
{
// create array to hold search engine and search query
var queryArray = location.search.split("=")
// assign search query
var query = queryArray[1].substring(0, queryArray[1].indexOf("&"))
// assign search engine
var engine = queryArray[2]
// load the desired page to display search results
location.href = prefix[engine] + query
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="white" onLoad="timerID = setTimeout('callSearch()', 3000)">
<CENTER>
<BR>
<B>P<FONT SIZE=-1>LEASE </FONT>W<FONT SIZE=-1>AIT...</FONT></B>
<BR>
<BR>
Click the button to terminate search...
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="terminate search" onClick="clearTimeout(timerID)">
</FORM>
 URLs and JavaScript n 287

</CENTER>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 16-6b (ex16-6b.htm). The script that interprets the user’s input and calls
the appropriate search engine

Chapter 16
Figure 16-4. Calling the appropriate search engine

The script consists of only two functions. The first one, prefixObject(), is
a constructor. It creates an object whose properties are the query prefixes
for the supported search engines. A query prefix is the URL by which a query
can be submitted to a search engine. The prefix is followed by the encoded
inquiry (e.g., the user’s keywords). For example, you can look up the key-
word “JavaScript” in Infoseek by loading http://guide-p.infoseek.com//
Titles?qt=JavaScript. Each search engine has its own unique prefix, so
the prefix for each of the supported engines must be explicitly specified. The
constructor function prefixObject() assigns each prefix to a property,
named according to the search engine with which the prefix is associated.
For example, Infoseek’s prefix is assigned to a property named infoseek in
the following fashion:
this.infoseek = "http://guide-p.infoseek.com//Titles?qt="

If you know the prefixes, you can easily extend the script to support addi-
tional search engines. It is not difficult to find such a prefix—just run a
normal search on the desired engine and then extract the desired prefix.
Since prefixes are sufficient for most engines, suffixes are only occasionally
used. Search engines’ prefixes are subject to change and should be main-
tained by the script owner (webmaster).
The global variable prefix is an instance of this object, so its properties
are the search engines’ prefixes.
The callSearch() function is also very simple. At first, it assigns the
encoded user input (keywords) to the variable query. It also assigns the
selected search engine to the variable engine. The expression pre-
fix[engine] is equal to the selected search engine’s prefix, because the
values of the form’s OPTIONs (see Example 16-6a) are equivalent to the
288 n Chapter 16

names of the properties used in this script. The expressions stored in pre-
fix[engine] and query are combined to construct the full desired URL.
The combined string is then loaded as the new URL via assignment to the
location.href property.
You have probably noticed that the function is not called as an immediate
script. It is called via the onLoad event handler, which delays the execution
until the page has finished loading. In this case, a setTimeout statement is
used to delay the execution another three seconds, giving the user a chance
to terminate the process. This is extremely important, especially if the user
is surfing in “reverse” using the Back button.
A form consisting of a single button is used to clear the timeout via the
clearTimeout() method, which is handed the identifier of the initial time-
out. The user can click this button to terminate the search process before
the specified search engine is actually called.

Summary
In this chapter I discussed JavaScript’s URLs. First, I introduced common
URL terms, including the various supported schemes (http, ftp, gopher,
etc.). I then presented the window.location object with all its properties
and methods. The href property is used to link documents to each other. I
have also discussed a URL-processing-based multiple-engine search utility
and introduced another URL-related element, the document.URL property,
also known as document.location. You should be mastering URL handling
by now, because we will move on to more advanced URL-related concepts,
such as frames, later in the book.
 The Document Object and the History List n 289

Chapter 17

The Document Object and

the History List

The document Object

The document object is a property of the window object. Every window
object, whether it is a full browser window, a frame, or a JavaScript-gener-
ated window, has a document property. This property is actually an object
itself; you can think of it as a subobject of the window object. The document
object encapsulates everything that exists in the content region of the
browser’s window or frame. It is the parent object of the web page’s content,
including links, anchors, colors, titles, and so forth. The document object’s
properties are spread over the entire HTML document. Some are commonly
placed in the head portion, while others are normally found in the body por-
tion. The document object does not consist of any event handlers. You might
have thought that onLoad, onUnload, and onError belong to this object, but
they are actually properties of the window object.
While it is common to use the document object to work with the HTML
content, you should remember that not all of the document object’s proper-
ties are HTML-driven content. For example, the lastModified property
provides the date on which the document was last modified, even though
this date is not provided explicitly in the document but rather in the docu-
ment’s unseen header.
The document object groups many content-related properties, such as
text color, background color, and others. It also includes more complex prop-
erties that are actually objects, such as forms, links, and image maps.

The title Property

The document’s title is set by default to its complete URL. Most web page
authors replace this title with their own text, which is specified in the
<TITLE></TITLE> tag pair in the head portion. The title, which usually
appears in the title bar, also identifies the browser in the operating system’s
environment. When the web page includes frames, the title bar displays the
title of the document that contains the frameset. Documents providing the
290 n Chapter 17

content of the frames may include their own titles, but they don’t affect the
title bar.
The document’s title can be scripted via JavaScript as well. Its general
reference is document.title. If the document does not make up the main
browser window, the reference must be preceded by the specific window to
which the document belongs. The title of a frame document is also accessi-
ble via JavaScript by using the same procedure.
The document.title property cannot be set by just any JavaScript
script, but only during construction of the entire document. You can use the
title property in many different ways. Suppose you want your document to
have a large header containing the document’s title. Here is such a page’s
outline:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Chuck's Home Page</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
document.write("<CENTER><H1>" + document.title + "</H1></CENTER>")
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

You can see the output of this script in Figure 17-1.

Figure 17-1. The title property

If you do not include the <TITLE></TITLE> tag pair, the title defaults to the
complete URL of the document, including any search query if one is speci-
fied. If you place the <TITLE></TITLE> tag pair without text in between, the
title still defaults to the URL. If the text between the opening and closing
tags does not include any characters besides one or more space characters,
the document is assumed untitled, and document.title remains an empty
string, or a space-filled string in the case of Microsoft Internet Explorer. The
property document.title never evaluates to the URL unless you specifi-
cally write the URL between the <TITLE></TITLE> tags.
 The Document Object and the History List n 291

Because the value of the title bar also identifies the browser application
in the operating system environment, neither Netscape nor Microsoft have
made it possible to explicitly modify it. Since it would not make any sense to
identify an application as scrolling text, for example, the value of the title bar
can be assigned only via the document.title property.

Colors
JavaScript supports several web page color properties, such as background
colors and activated link colors. They are all constructed by the same
method. There are generally two ways to construct color specifications:
n Netscape color names
n Hexadecimal triplets

Chapter 17
The tendency among web page designers is to use Netscape color name
specification, which is more intuitive and easier to maintain. For example,
you can set the document’s background color in the following fashion:
<BODY BGCOLOR="white">

Before Netscape and Microsoft implemented such color names, the only way
to specify a color was via hexadecimal triplets. These are still supported, so
you can set the background color to white, for instance, in the following way:
<BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff">

Even though this method is not necessary any longer, you will still see it
used frequently so it is a good idea to have a basic understanding of how it
works. As you can see, the triplet is constructed of three two-digit hexadeci-
mal numbers. They represent the red, green, and blue elements of the color
descriptor. In total, there are approximately 17 million combinations, which
is equal to the number of colors supported by a typical Macintosh or SVGA
color display. However, Netscape uses a much more limited color cube. The
cube consists of all the combinations of 00, 33, 66, 99, CC, and FF for each of
the color descriptors. The result is 216 (6 * 6 * 6) distinct colors. The cube
occasionally varies. On Macs, it includes the full 256-color palette. On Win-
dows systems, if more than 40 (256 – 216) colors are already in use, the
cube is minimized to only 125 (5 * 5 * 5) colors. For now, we will base our
discussion on the standard 216-color cube. Colors that are the result of dith-
ering, or mixing, are beyond the standard cube.
An HTML document may consist of several color specifications. The
following script segment demonstrates them:
<BODY
[BGCOLOR="#backgroundColor"]
[TEXT="#foregroundColor"]
[LINK="#unfollowedLinkColor"]
[ALINK="#activatedLinkColor"]
[VLINK="#followedLinkColor"]>
</BODY>
292 n Chapter 17

All color attributes are scripted via JavaScript as properties of the document
object.

bgColor
The document.bgColor property is expressed as a hexadecimal RGB triplet
or as a string literal (such as “white,” “blue,” etc.). This property is the
JavaScript reflection of the BGCOLOR attribute of the <BODY> tag. You can
change the background color at any time, even via a deferred script. If you
express the color as a hexadecimal RGB triplet, you must use the format
rrggbb (case insensitive).
The bgColor property is a commonly scripted property. You can set it to
create fade effects, color cubes, and so forth, as will be demonstrated in this
chapter. The following script creates a sample color cube and sets the back-
ground color to the one the user selected from the cube:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Sample Color Cube</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// create 6-element array
var hex = new Array(6)
// assign non-dithered descriptors
hex[0] = "FF"
hex[1] = "CC"
hex[2] = "99"
hex[3] = "66"
hex[4] = "33"
hex[5] = "00"
// accept triplet string and display as background color
function display(triplet)
{
// set color as background color
document.bgColor = '#' + triplet
// display the color hexadecimal triplet
alert('Background color is now ' + triplet)
}
// draw a single table cell based on all descriptors
function drawCell(red, green, blue)
{
// open cell with specified hexadecimal triplet background color
document.write('<TD BGCOLOR="#' + red + green + blue + '">')
// open a hypertext link with javascript: scheme to call display function
document.write('<A HREF="javascript:display(\'' + (red + green + blue)
+ '\')">')
// print transparent image (use any height and width)
document.write('<IMG SRC="place.gif" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=12 WIDTH=12>')
 The Document Object and the History List n 293

// close link tag

document.write('</A>')
// close table cell
document.write('</TD>')
}
// draw table row based on red and blue descriptors
function drawRow(red, blue)
{
// open table row
document.write('<TR>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descripters as green hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
drawCell(red, hex[i], blue)
}
// close current table row
document.write('</TR>')

Chapter 17
}
// draw table for one of six color cube panels
function drawTable(blue)
{
// open table (one of six cube panels)
document.write('<TABLE CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descripters as red hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
drawRow(hex[i], blue)
}
// close current table
document.write('</TABLE>')
}
// draw all cube panels inside table cells
function drawCube()
{
// open table
document.write('<TABLE CELLPADDING=5 CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=1><TR>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descripters as blue hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
// open table cell with white background color
document.write('<TD BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF">')
// call function to create cube panel with hex[i] blue hex
drawTable(hex[i])
// close current table cell
document.write('</TD>')
}
// close table row and table
document.write('</TR></TABLE>')
}
// call function to begin execution
drawCube()
// -->
294 n Chapter 17

</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 17-1. (ex17-1.htm). A color cube

You can see the output of this in Figure 17-2.

Figure 17-2. A color cube

This script basically prints tables. Each table cell contains a transparent
image that defines the size of the cell. Each cell is also assigned a back-
ground color that determines the color that fills that cell. When you click on
the image, the hexadecimal triplet is displayed via an alert box, and the
background color is set to the selected color.
The main outline of the cube is a table with one row and six cells (col-
umns). Each cell contains a table of all non-dithered colors with a given blue
descriptor. There are six tables in total, one for each of the non-dithered col-
ors: 00, 33, 66, 99, CC, FF. Since there are six non-dithered hexadecimal
values, each table is 6 x 6. Each row presents a red hexadecimal value and
each column represents a green one.
Now let’s analyze the script itself.
Global Statements
// create 6-element array
var hex = new Array(6)
// assign non-dithered descriptors
hex[0] = "FF"
hex[1] = "CC"
hex[2] = "99"
hex[3] = "66"
hex[4] = "33"
hex[5] = "00"

A six-element array is created as an instance of the Array object. The ele-

ments of the array are assigned the six values from which the 216 non-
dithered colors, which are supported on all platforms, can be combined. The
drawCube() function call at the end of the script is also global.
 The Document Object and the History List n 295

display(triplet)
// accept triplet string and display as background color
function display(triplet)
{
// set color as background color
document.bgColor = '#' + triplet
// display the color hexadecimal triplet
alert('Background color is now ' + triplet)
}

This function’s single argument is a six-character string representing the

hexadecimal RGB triplet of a color. The document’s background color is set,
and an alert box displays the selected color’s exact RGB triplet.
drawCell(red, green, blue)

Chapter 17
// draw a single table cell based on all descriptors
function drawCell(red, green, blue)
{
// open cell with specified hexadecimal triplet background color
document.write('<TD BGCOLOR="#' + red + green + blue + '">')
// open a hypertext link with javascript: scheme to call display function
document.write('<A HREF="javascript:display(\'' + (red + green +blue)
+ '\')">')
// print transparent image (use any height and width)
document.write('<IMG SRC="place.gif" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=12 WIDTH=12>')
// close link tag
document.write('</A>')
// close table cell
document.write('</TD>')
}

This function accepts three arguments: the red, green, and blue descriptors.
It creates a table cell with the combined triplet as the background color. The
content of each cell is a gif89 transparent image, place.gif. The image’s
height and width specification determines the size of each cell. Each image
is also a hypertext link to a "javascript:"-scheme URL, which calls the
display() function. The argument to this function is a hexadecimal triplet
that is also used for the cell’s background. Note that all the global array
descriptors are strings, so the plus sign is used to concatenate the three
double-digit hexadecimal values.
drawRow(red, blue)
// draw table row based on red and blue descriptors
function drawRow(red, blue)
{
// open table row
document.write('<TR>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descriptors as green hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
drawCell(red, hex[i], blue)
296 n Chapter 17

}
// close current table row
document.write('</TR>')
}

This function accepts the red and blue descriptors and prints a table row.
The content of the table is created by six calls to the drawCell() function,
passing the red and blue descriptors “as is” and a different green descriptor
(from the global hex array) on each call.
drawTable(blue)
// draw table for one of six color cube panels
function drawTable(blue)
{
// open table (one of six cube panels)
document.write('<TABLE CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descriptors as red hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
drawRow(hex[i], blue)
}
// close current table
document.write('</TABLE>')
}

This function is very similar to the drawRow() function. The only difference
is that it draws a 6 x 6 table instead of a 6 x 1 row. It calls the drawRow()
function six times, each time with a different red descriptor. All table attrib-
utes are set to 0 in order to avoid boundaries between the cells, creating the
appearance of gradually changing colors across the cube.
drawCube()
// draw all cube panels inside table cells
function drawCube()
{
// open table
document.write('<TABLE CELLPADDING=5 CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=1><TR>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descripters as blue hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
// open table cell with white background color
document.write('<TD BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF">')
// call function to create cube panel with hex[i] blue hex
drawTable(hex[i])
// close current table cell
document.write('</TD>')
}
// close table row and table
document.write('</TR></TABLE>')
}
 The Document Object and the History List n 297

Unlike the other functions, this one does not accept any arguments. It
creates the outline table of a single six-cell row with a white background
color. The function calls drawTable() six times, once for each given blue
descriptor. Setting the CELLPADDING attribute to a positive number separates
the tables.
Another classic example that takes advantage of the ability to set back-
ground colors via JavaScript is a script that creates a fade-in or fade-out
effect when the page is loaded or unloaded. Here is the script:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Fade in and out</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// convert decimal value (0 - 255) to hexadecimal
// (use .toString(16) method supported by Internet Explorer)

Chapter 17
function toHex(dec)
{
// create list of hex characters
var hexCharacters = "0123456789ABCDEF"
// if number is out of range return limit
if (dec < 0)
return "00"
if (dec > 255)
return "FF"
// decimal equivalent of first hex character in converted number
var i = Math.floor(dec / 16)
// decimal equivalent of second hex character in converted number
var j = dec % 16
// return hexadecimal equivalent
return hexCharacters.charAt(i) + hexCharacters.charAt(j)
}
// set background color to specified descriptors
function setbgColor(red, green, blue)
{
document.bgColor = "#" + toHex(red) + toHex(green) + toHex(blue)
}
// fade from start to end descriptors (increase step to increase transition
// speed)
function fade(sred, sgreen, sblue, ered, egreen, eblue, step)
{
// loop to create fade effect
for(var i = 0; i <= step; ++i)
{
// set current red descriptor
var red = Math.floor(sred * ((step – i) / step) + ered * (i / step))
// set current green descriptor
var green = Math.floor(sgreen * ((step – i) / step) + egreen * (i / step))
// set current blue descriptor
var blue = Math.floor(sblue * ((step – i) / step) + eblue * (i / step))
// set background color according to descriptors
setbgColor(red, green, blue)
}
298 n Chapter 17

}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY onLoad="fade(0, 0, 0, 255, 255, 255, 64)" onUnload="fade(255, 255,
255, 0, 0, 0, 64)">
<H1>Is this totally cool or what!!</H1>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 17-2 (ex17-2.htm). A script to create a fade effect

The script gradually changes the document’s background color from a given
color to another specified color. It works with any colors represented in a
hexadecimal triplet format. Let’s analyze the script.
toHex(dec)
// convert decimal value (0 - 255) to hexadecimal
// (use .toString(16) method supported by Internet Explorer)
function toHex(dec)
{
// create list of hex characters
var hexCharacters = "0123456789ABCDEF"
// if number is out of range return limit
if (dec < 0)
return "00"
if (dec > 255)
return "FF"
// decimal equivalent of first hex character in converted number
var i = Math.floor(dec / 16)
// decimal equivalent of second hex character in converted number
var j = dec % 16
// return hexadecimal equivalent
return hexCharacters.charAt(i) + hexCharacters.charAt(j)
}

This function accepts a single argument representing a decimal number,

normally from 0 to 255. It converts it to its hexadecimal equivalent. A list of
the hexadecimal digits is assigned to the string variable hexCharacters. It
returns the minimum 00 string if the decimal argument is less than 0, and
the maximum FF if the decimal argument is greater than 255, the equivalent
to “FF” in hex representation. The value Math.floor(dec / 16) is equal to
the decimal representation of the first hexadecimal digit in the converted
number. The value Math.floor(dec % 16) is equal to the decimal value of
the second hex digit of the converted number. The hexadecimal value of a
decimal number from 0 to 15 is that hexCharacter’s character, the index of
which is equal to the decimal number.
 The Document Object and the History List n 299

setbgColor(red, green, blue)

// set background color to specified descriptors
function setbgColor(red, green, blue)
{
document.bgColor = "#" + toHex(red) + toHex(green) + toHex(blue)
}

This function accepts three RGB descriptors and assigns the color combina-
tion to the document.bgColor property, setting the document’s background
color. The arguments are in decimal notation, so first they are converted to
hex numbers.
fade(sred, sgreen, sblue, ered, egreen, eblue, step)
// fade from start to end descriptors (increase step to increase transition
// speed)

Chapter 17
function fade(sred, sgreen, sblue, ered, egreen, eblue, step)
{
// loop to create fade effect
for(var i = 0; i <= step; ++i)
{
// set current red descriptor
var red = Math.floor(sred * ((step – i) / step) + ered * (i / step))
// set current green descriptor
var green = Math.floor(sgreen * ((step – i) / step) + egreen * (i / step))
// set current blue descriptor
var blue = Math.floor(sblue * ((step – i) / step) + eblue * (i / step))
// set background color according to descriptors
setbgColor(red, green, blue)
}
}

This function is responsible for the fade effect. It accepts seven arguments;
the first three represent the RGB descriptors of the initial background color,
the next three represent the RGB values of the target one, and the last argu-
ment determines the speed of the fade. The function consists of a single
loop that iterates from 0 to step in increments of one. The RGB descriptors
of the current background are computed and assigned to local variables on
each iteration of the loop. A computed red, green, or blue color is a weighted
average between the initial color value and the target one. During the first
iteration, step – i is equal to step, so the initial color descriptor is actually
multiplied by 1 in the expression Math.floor(scol * ((step – i) /
step). Since i is 0, the descriptor of the target color is multiplied by 0 in the
expression ecol * (i / step) where col is red, green, or blue. There-
fore, the background color is set to the initial color during the first pass, and
to the target color during the last pass. The last statement in the loop actu-
ally sets the background color by passing the computed descriptors to
setbgColor().
300 n Chapter 17

Event Handlers
It is common to use the fading effect with the onLoad and onUnload event
handlers. If you prefer to use it with both, it is recommended that you gener-
ate the reversed transition for each.

fgColor
The document.fgColor property represents the color of the document text
(foreground color). It reflects the <BODY> tag’s TEXT attribute. The property
is expressed as a hexadecimal RGB triplet or as one of the supported color
names. When you assign it a triplet, the crosshatch mark (#) is optional.
Setting a value to the fgColor property is equivalent to setting a value
to the <BODY> tag’s TEXT attribute, enclosing the entire text with the <FONT
COLOR="setColor"></FONT> tag pair, or using the String object’s
fontcolor method.

alinkColor
The document.alinkColor property is JavaScript’s reflection of the <BODY>
tag’s ALINK attribute. It is a string specifying the color of an active link (after
the mouse button is pressed down over a link but before it goes back up).
The string must represent the hexadecimal RGB triplet of a color or one of
the supported color names.
Aside from a few exceptions, you cannot set the value of this property
after the page has finished loading, because there is no way to modify a
page’s content after it has been laid out.

linkColor
The document.linkColor property is JavaScript’s reflection of the <BODY>
tag’s LINK attribute. It specifies the color of the document’s hypertext links
that the user has not visited. The color must be represented in the form of a
hexadecimal RGB triplet or one of the supported color names. As explained
above, you cannot set this property after the HTML source has gone
through the layout stage. You can still read the property’s value at any time
via an immediate script or a deferred one.

vlinkColor
The document.vlinkColor property is JavaScript’s reflection of the <BODY>
tag’s VLINK attribute. The color must be represented in the form of a hexa-
decimal RGB triplet or one of the supported color names. This property
represents the color of already-followed hypertext links. You can set it as
long as the HTML source has not been through layout yet.
 The Document Object and the History List n 301

Output Methods and Streams

write and writeln
The document.write method displays any number of expressions in a docu-
ment window. Expressions to be printed can be of any type, including
numerics, strings, and logicals.
This method prints its arguments to the plain HTML document window.
It does not append any external character to the printed arguments. The
method document.write, also accessible as window.document.write, can
be used from either a plain script (<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">...
</SCRIPT>) or an event handler.
Bear in mind that event handler scripts are executed only after the
HTML source has been through layout. The write() method implicitly
opens a new document of mimeType text/html if you do not explicitly

Chapter 17
invoke a document.open() method prior to the document.write() call.
The writeln() method acts exactly like the write() method, except
that it appends a new line character to the end of the output. HTML gener-
ally ignores this character, but certain tags, such as <PRE>, use it:
<PRE>
one
two
three
<PRE>

After interpretation, the web page appears as:

one
two
three

You can create the same output via JavaScript in the following fashion:
document.write("<PRE>")
document.writeln("one")
document.writeln("two")
document.writeln("three")
document.write("</PRE>")

Data Streams
The document.open() method opens a stream to collect the output of the
write() and writeln() methods. Its general syntax is:
document.open(["mimeType"])

mimeType specifies the type of document, which is one of the following:

text/html
text/plain
image/gif
image/jpeg
302 n Chapter 17

image/x-bitmap
plugIn

plugIn is any two-part plug-in supported by the user’s browser.

Generally speaking, if the mimeType is one of the text or image types,
the stream is opened to layout, which is generated by instructions from the
browser. Otherwise, the stream is opened to a target plug-in that you are
sure understands the data you provide. Since document is a property of win-
dow, document.open() or window.document.open() opens a stream specific
to the document in the target window. If a document already exists in the
target window, the open method clears it. If you do not specify mimeType as
the method’s argument, the most common one, text/html, is assumed.
Note that you should never use this method to open a stream in the docu-
ment that includes the JavaScript method itself. It is always used to open
data streams to documents in other windows.
After you complete supplying data to the opened stream, you should
close it via the document.close() method. Its syntax is simply the
following:
document.close()

This method primarily closes a stream opened with the document.open()

method. If not explicitly closed by the script, all font style tag pairs are
closed implicitly. For example, if you provide a <BIG> tag but do not provide
a closing </BIG> tag later, JavaScript provides it automatically. The close()
method also stops the “meteor shower” in the Netscape icon or the rotation
of the Internet Explorer icon, and displays “Document: Done” in the status
bar.
The document.close() method is extremely important because it
instructs the browser’s interpreter to display the data stream. If you do not
invoke it, the output might not have any influence on the content of the
page.
Since we have not discussed windows yet, this discussion seems a bit
theoretical. We will refer to these methods later, when the subject of win-
dows is dealt with in depth.
Another related method is document.clear(). Clearing a document
via this method clears all HTML outputs in that document and resets the
object model corresponding to that document. Normally, since JavaScript
automatically clears the old document when you open a new stream, you
don’t have to clear a document prior to its opening or rewriting. The only
case in which you should clear a document is after you close the stream to
it. Since the method document.clear() does not work in versions of
Netscape prior to 4.5, you can clear a document by opening it, writing a line
break to it, and then closing it. Look at the following example:
windowReference.document.open("text/html")
windowReference.document.write("<BR>")
windowReference.document.close()
 The Document Object and the History List n 303

For some reason, this clearing method requires writing at least one charac-
ter to the stream. The line break is used here because it is transparent to
the user.

What Is a History List?

As you surf the web, you will load many different pages, each with its own
URL. The browser maintains a list of the most recent URLs, which can be
viewed with ease in Mozilla Firefox, Netscape Navigator, and Internet
Explorer. This history allows you to go back to sites you have previously
visited. This history list is very simple to use, but also very informative.
The history list behaves like a LIFO (Last In First Out) queue, where
the Back button climbs up the list so URLs loaded by the Back button are
not entered into the history list. Therefore, the history list does not always

Chapter 17
contain all the recently visited pages. For example, if you reach a page
named “a.html” and you press the Back button to load a page named
“b.html,” its URL replaces the URL of “a.html.”

The history Object

The history list is represented in JavaScript by the window.history object.
This object lets you deal with the history list but not with its exact data.
That is, actual URLs maintained in that list cannot be extracted or otherwise
modified by a script. The only property of this object is length. Its methods
enable you to load the list’s entries but not to manipulate the URL explicitly.
You can take advantage of this object to automatically navigate the
user’s browser backward. Another possible application is to create the
equivalent of the browser’s Back button directly in the document.
Since the history object is a property of the topmost window object, you
have the option to refer to it as window.history or simply history.

History List Length

You can access the number of entries in the history list via the his-
tory.length property. It works exactly like the length property for String
and array objects. You can use this property to find how many pages the
user has visited lately:
// display message according to number of entries
if (history.length > 10)
alert("You've already accessed " + history.length + " web pages this
session")
else
alert("You've only accessed " + history.length + " web pages this session")
304 n Chapter 17

This script displays an alert message that depends on the number of entries
in the history list.

History List Entry Indexing

As in arrays, each entry of the history list has an index that differentiates it
from the other elements of the list. However, the indexing method is quite
different from character indexing in strings and element indexing in arrays.
As opposed to these indexing algorithms, the history list indexing scheme
does not feature a minimum value. The index of the document currently
loaded into the browser’s window is 0. The index of the document that was
loaded before the current document, the one that can be reached by pressing
the Back button, is –1. The document before that is indexed at –2, and so on.
Similarly, documents that were first loaded after the current document are
indexed positively. The index of the first document loaded after the current
one, the one that can be retrieved via the Forward button, is 1. The following
one is indexed at 2, and so on. The complete index resembles an axis with
no limit at either end.
The history list is dynamic (changes rapidly) because whenever the
page in the browser’s window is replaced by a new document, the current
entry becomes the previous one, and a new document takes its place. The
desired shifting in terms of indexing is performed automatically by the
browser, so you don’t have to worry about it.
Since most people tend to surf different places at different times, the
content of the history list almost never repeats itself. You might think that
by creating a very structured site, you can control the way the user surfs
your site and thus be able to forecast the content of the history list. This is
generally impossible, and you should not even try to do it.

history Methods
You can implement the history object’s methods in your script to enable
the user to navigate among the list’s URLs. You cannot access the string
value of any URL, but you can load any of them into the browser’s window.

back
This method performs the same action as the Back button in the browser’s
toolbar. It loads the most recent entry in the history list—the entry with
index –1. The following HTML code can be used to create a Back button in a
web page:
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="Back" onClick="history.back()">
</FORM>
 The Document Object and the History List n 305

forward
The history.forward method is equivalent to the Forward button in the
browser’s toolbar. It loads the entry with index 1. It is less useful than the
preceding method because the current document is usually the most recent
in the list, so there is no URL that can be loaded when this method is
invoked. You must take special precautions when using this method, because
it normally does not have any effect. It should be used only when you are
sure that you have full control over the user’s navigational path. The follow-
ing sequence creates a Forward button for a web page:
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="Back" onClick="history.forward()">
</FORM>

go

Chapter 17
The go method is also one of those less useful methods featured in
JavaScript. It enables you to load a history list entry in the browser’s win-
dow. You must have full control over the user’s navigating path in order to
implement this method for useful purposes.
This method accepts one argument, the index of the history list that you
want to retrieve. This can be any integer number that has a corresponding
history list entry. If the argument is 0, the current page is loaded, or better
said, reloaded. For example, the following call is equivalent to invoking the
history.back() method:
history.go(–1)

When you want to jump back to the entry with index –1, use his-
tory.go(–1) rather than history.back(), because, among other reasons,
you can just change the argument in order to jump back a few steps instead
of only one. The same applies to history.forward(), which is equivalent to
the following call:
history.go(1)

Also bear in mind that this method does not return any value but causes
immediate navigation.
Alternatively, you can specify one of the URLs as the argument of this
method. A portion of the desired URL is also sufficient, provided that it is a
unique substring of only one entry. In both cases, the specified string (literal
or value) is compared against all entries, and the one whose URL includes
the specified substring will be loaded.
Unfortunately, you cannot extract the URL; you can only load it. The fol-
lowing script segment retrieves Netscape’s home page (www.netscape.com
or home.netscape.com) if it is resident in the history list:
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="Go" onClick="history.go('netscape.com')">
</FORM>
306 n Chapter 17

The following call reloads the current document:

history.go(0)

For quite some time Netscape Navigator has also offered this method to
reload the current page:
location.reload()

Security Aspects of the history Object

It would be very useful to be able to extract and process URLs that reside in
the history list. For security reasons, this functionality has been excluded
thus far. First of all, nobody should use the back door to know where the
user has been and, secondly, data can be easily submitted from the client to
the server via e-mail. Netscape has solved the e-mail breach of security by
displaying a warning whenever an e-mail is sent (other than that sent explic-
itly by the user from the mail window). Netscape’s solution is not foolproof
since the user might have disabled this warning, might not pay attention, or
might ignore it altogether.
The problem with the history list’s entries is that they contain complete
URLs. A URL may contain extremely confidential information, especially in
the form of a search query. For example, the user might have recently sub-
mitted a form with a field containing a credit card number. The form may
have loaded another page with a search query containing the credit card
number. Thus, credit card numbers or other secure information may be
revealed and gleaned by malicious individuals.

Summary
This chapter focused first on the document object and ended with the history
list. In this chapter I showed you several properties and methods of the doc-
ument object. The focus was on colors, and naturally on hexadecimal triplets
that define them. You learned how to script the various document colors
such as background color, link color, and so forth. Two interesting examples
dealing with colors were also analyzed. We have discussed other properties
and methods as well. I have presented the basic output methods, docu-
ment.write() and document.writeln(), as well as data streams. Data
streams and document clearing play an important role in scripting windows
and frames, as will be explained later.
Since the history object is not as important and does not have many
uses, we kept the discussion short. The most important property of the his-
tory object is the go method. Besides having a unique functionality of its
own, the go method can replace the other history methods. Because it is
closely related to URLs, the history-related function replace was discussed
in the previous chapter.
 Forms n 307

Chapter 18

Forms

What Are HTML Forms?

HTML forms, consisting of buttons, menus, and text boxes, are the means
by which the client computer can gather information from the user. They
create a graphical interface whereby the user can enter data in a logical and
easy-to-follow method. Forms are supported by all the major browsers, so
you can use them with confidence. You have undoubtedly used forms on
many pages. Most often when you fill out “contact us” fields on a business’s
web site you are using an HTML form.
Form tags have been part of HTML since HTML 2.0 (the current speci-
fication as of this writing is HTML 4.01) and are supported by all the well-
known browsers (Internet Explorer, Netscape, Mozilla Firefox, Opera,
Galleon, and others). This is one of the reasons why forms are heavily sup-
ported by JavaScript. As you will see in this chapter, JavaScript provides a
convenient means of form content manipulation and validation through the
use of a client-side application.
An HTML form by itself is of minimal use. Without some code to exe-
cute when the form’s buttons are clicked or when you wish to load data into
the form, the form is not very useful. That is where JavaScript comes in,
providing the code to work with the form. And as you will see it is really not
very difficult.

JavaScript Form Reference

JavaScript enables you to interact with the user via forms. You must know
how forms are referenced in order to implement them in scripts. A form in
terms of JavaScript is an object. It has properties, methods, and even event
handlers. There are quite a few possible references from which you may
choose. In this section I will outline all of these possibilities so you will have
the freedom to select the most convenient method.
308 n Chapter 18

forms Array
Suppose you have an HTML document that includes several forms, each
defined by a regular <FORM></FORM> tag pair. You can refer to each form by
its index in the forms array. The forms array is a property of the document
object, so it is referred to as document.forms. The object representing the
first form in the page is document.forms[0], the second form is docu-
ment.forms[1], the third one is document.forms[2], and so forth. The
forms array includes an entry for each of the document’s forms (<FORM>
tag), in source order. The general reference to a form is as follows:
document.forms[index]

As with all of JavaScript’s arrays, the forms array includes a length prop-
erty representing the number of forms on the page. The last form in the
document, therefore, is:
document.forms[document.forms.length – 1]

Elements in the forms array can be set only by the HTML document and,
hence, they are read-only for JavaScript. The following statement, for exam-
ple, has no effect:
document.forms[0] = "work hard"

The string value of a form is <object nameAttribute>, where

nameAttribute is the NAME attribute of the form.

Form Name
You can refer to a form by its name, rather than by its index:
document.formName

In order to take advantage of this referencing method, you have to explicitly

assign a name to the form, via the NAME attribute. I strongly recommend
using this method. If your HTML page has more than one form, indices to
the forms array are less meaningful than form names.

þ Note: The term reference is used to describe an object’s scripting protocol.

A single object can be referenced via different but equivalent protocols.
 Forms n 309

form Object
HTML Syntax
All forms are basically just another set of HTML tags. The top-level tags are
the <FORM></FORM> tag pair. All form elements must be placed within these
tags in order to be interpreted correctly. The general syntax of the <FORM>
tag is as follows:
<FORM
[NAME="formName"]
[TARGET="windowName"]
[ACTION="serverURL"]
[METHOD="get" | "post"]
[ENCTYPE="encodingType"]
[onSubmit="handlerText"]
[onReset="handlerText"]>
</FORM>

The attributes are:

n NAME—specifies the name of the form. This attribute is seldom used
because it does not have any effect when using a server-side script.
When using client-side JavaScript, though, it is recommended you name
the form for easier referencing. Since a form’s name will be mostly used

Chapter 18
by JavaScript’s scripts, it is also preferred to use the JavaScript identi-
fier naming standards.
n TARGET—specifies the window to which form responses go. This attrib-
ute instructs the browser to display the server responses in the speci-
fied window rather than in the default window where the form resides.
The specified value cannot be a JavaScript reference to a window—it
must be a plain HTML frame or a window reference.
n ACTION—specifies the URL of the server-side script that processes the
data submitted by the form. This attribute is necessary only when the
processing script resides on the server. In this case, the script will be
written in either C or Perl and will adhere to the CGI (Common Gate-
way Interface) protocol. The URL scheme must be HTTP.
n METHOD—specifies how to submit the form. It can be either get or post.
The latter is more popular because it enables the client to send a
greater amount of data to the processing script. Nonetheless, get is
much easier to use and is also suitable for JavaScript scripts. If a form is
returned with get, the data is placed in the QUERY_STRING environment
variable. post, on the other hand, instructs the client to pass the data to
the server via its operating system’s standard input method.
n ENCTYPE—specifies the MIME type of the submitted data, such as
"text/plain" for plain text. The default MIME encoding of the data
sent is "application/x-www-form-urlencoded".
310 n Chapter 18

Although the <FORM></FORM> tag pair represents an HTML form, you can
still place any other valid HTML tags within it. Mixing tables with forms, for
example, is often used to enable simple layout. Although syntactically valid,
nesting a form inside another form does not make any sense and you should
avoid doing so.

þ Note: Microsoft Internet Explorer allows you to place form elements outside
the <FORM></FORM> tag pair. You should avoid using such elements, however,
because they are not accessible via a full object hierarchy. They are accessible,
though, via JavaScript’s this scheme (see the explanation on this later in this
chapter).

Event Handlers
onSubmit
A submit event occurs when a form is submitted, an event reflected by the
onSubmit event handler. This attribute is a must; otherwise, there won’t be
any response to the form’s submission.
The onSubmit event handler is an attribute of the <FORM> tag because
its action relates to the entire form, not just to its Submit button. A form can
be submitted in several ways; the Submit button is only one of many.
The submit event occurs immediately upon clicking the Submit button,
pressing Enter, or via any other method. Since JavaScript triggers the event
prior to sending the data to the server, the event handler’s script is executed
before the form’s data is actually submitted to the server for further pro-
cessing. Timing is very important here. For example, suppose you ask the
user to send you comments by filling a text box in a form you place on your
page. One would want to thank the user by replacing his comments in the
text area box with a “Thank You” notice. You cannot use the onSubmit event
handler to do that because the “Thank You” notice will replace the user’s
input before it would have a chance to be submitted to the server. The net
effect would be that you will receive the “Thank You” notice instead of the
user’s comments. One way to work around the problem is to use an alert
box instead of overwriting the form’s text area box.
The onSubmit event handler is commonly used to validate the content
of a form’s element. Client-side form validation is gaining popularity
because, rather than waiting for a server-side CGI script to respond, the
user receives an immediate response regarding invalid entries. Let’s say you
have a form with a text box in which the user is asked to type his or her
e-mail address. You can use a simple JavaScript script that will make sure
(upon submission) that the user’s entry is a string containing an “at” sign
(@), which is necessary for all e-mail addresses.
You can use the onSubmit event handler not only to validate the form’s
elements but also to cancel its submission altogether. The form’s
 Forms n 311

submission is aborted when the event handler returns a false value, as in the
following example:
<FORM NAME="form1" onSubmit="return false">

Obviously, this example is not very useful because it disables the form sub-
mission unconditionally. Usually, a function validates the form and returns a
true or false value accordingly. You can use the following structure to cancel
or proceed with the form submission, according to the value returned by the
function:
<FORM NAME="form1" onSubmit="return checkData()">

The following example shows how to create a form with a text area box and
a Submit button that e-mails you the contents of the text area after prompt-
ing the user for confirmation:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function proceedSubmission()
{
return confirm("Click OK to mail this information")
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<FORM ACTION="mailto:chuckeasttom@yahoo.com" METHOD="post" ENCTYPE=

Chapter 18
"text/plain" onSubmit="return proceedSubmission()">
<TEXTAREA NAME="inputField" COLS=40 ROWS=10></TEXTAREA><BR>
<INPUT TYPE="submit" VALUE="mail it!">
</FORM>

The output of this script is shown in Figure 18-1.

Figure 18-1. Using the Submit button

The Boolean value returned by the onSubmit event handler is actually the
result of a confirm box presented to the user. Although some elements of
this form are discussed later, you should be aware that, in order to receive
the form’s content as plain, unscrambled e-mail, you need to assign a
"text/plain" value to the ENCTYPE attribute.
312 n Chapter 18

onReset
Another event handler of the <FORM> tag is onReset. A reset event usually
occurs when the user clicks the Reset button. Except for the triggering
event, the onReset event handler behaves like the onSubmit event handler.
The following example asks the user to confirm the resetting process
before executing it:
<FORM ACTION="mailto:chuckeasttom@yahoo.com" METHOD="post" ENCTYPE="text/plain"
onReset="return confirm('Click OK to reset form to default status')">
<TEXTAREA NAME="input" COLS=40 ROWS=10></TEXTAREA><BR>
<INPUT TYPE="reset" VALUE="reset it!">
</FORM>

þ Note: The onReset event handler was first implemented years ago in
Navigator 3.0.

Methods
submit()
The submit() method submits a form much the same way as the Submit
button. The submit() method sends data back to the HTTP server via get
or post submission schemes. The general syntax is as follows:
formName.submit()

formName is the exact reference of the form object. You can invoke this
method when the user clicks a given hypertext link. Take a look at the fol-
lowing example:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>hypertext link submission</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function submitForm(sub)
{
document.forms[sub].submit()
}
function proceedSubmission()
{
return confirm("Click OK to mail this information")
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM METHOD="post" ACTION="mailto:chuckeasttom@yahoo.com" ENCTYPE=
"text/plain" onSubmit="return proceedSubmission()">
<TEXTAREA NAME="inputField" COLS=40 ROWS=10></TEXTAREA><BR>
<A HREF="example18-01b.htm" onClick="submitForm(0)">Mail it!</A>
 Forms n 313

</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-1a (ex18-1a.htm). A hypertext link used to submit a form just like a Sub-
mit button

In Example 18-1a the form is submitted by the submitForm function, which

is invoked via the onClick event handler of a link object. After prompting
the user for confirmation via the onSubmit event handler, the form, refer-
enced as document.forms[0] (it is the first and only form in the page), is
submitted through its submit() method. Example 18-1b shows the file
ex18-1b.htm, which displays the “Thank You” notice referenced in Example
18-1a:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Thank you</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
Thank you very much for your feedback
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-1b (ex18-1b.htm). The “Thank You” message displayed after submitting
the mail in Example 18-1a

Chapter 18
þ Note: The submit method is broken in many versions of Navigator prior to
4.5 and Internet Explorer prior to 4.0. Test every new release before usage.

reset()
The reset() method resets a given form and is equivalent to clicking the
Reset button. Its syntax and usage is exactly the same as the submit()
method. See the onReset event handler for more information on resetting a
form.

Properties
action
The action property reflects the value of the <FORM> tag’s ACTION attribute.
Its value is the URL of a CGI or LiveWire application on the server that
needs to execute upon submission. If no explicit URL for the server-side
application is specified, the value of action in Navigator defaults to the URL
of the current document (the one containing the form). Microsoft Internet
Explorer defaults the property to an empty string.
The formReference.action property can also be assigned a value by
JavaScript. You can take advantage of this feature to modify the form’s
behavior after the page has been laid out, according to the user’s
preferences.
314 n Chapter 18

In general, you can assign the form’s properties by JavaScript, instead of

HTML attributes. Take a look at the following form example:
<FORM NAME="form1" METHOD="post" ACTION="http://www.foo.com/trash.cgi">
</FORM>

An alternative to this construct is the following combination of HTML and

JavaScript:
<FORM NAME="form1" METHOD="post">
</FORM>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
document.form1.action = "http://www.foo.com/trash.cgi"
// -->
</SCRIPT>

elements
The elements property is an array of objects corresponding to the form ele-
ments. It is a property of any form and is referenced as
formReference.elements.
As you already know, since all form objects are elements of the docu-
ment.forms object, it is possible to refer to a specific form within a
document if you know its index in relationship to the other forms in the doc-
ument. Similarly, a specific form’s elements are elements of the elements
array. The first element of this array is a reference to the first form element
(button, checkbox, hidden, password, radio, reset, select, submit, text,
or textarea object), the second entry is a reference to the second form ele-
ment, and so on, in source order. For example, if a form has one text box and
three radio buttons, you can reference these elements as
formReference.elements[0], formReference.elements[1],
formReference.elements[2], and formReference.elements[3].
Like the forms array, the elements array is an alternative to referencing
by name. Some programmers prefer to use array reflection, whereas others
prefer to trace elements by their names. It is convenient to implement the
elements array when a form contains many elements that are related to
indices. A form with ten text boxes that each accept a telephone number, for
example, should be referenced via the elements array. Such referencing will
allow you to use a loop to iterate through the ten different elements.
Usually, though, you will use forms to collect data fields of different
meanings that are not similar to each other as the phone numbers in the pre-
vious example. In such cases, referencing by name is much more convenient
and easier to understand, follow, and maintain. You can easily redesign the
physical layout of the form or even add new elements in the middle while
keeping the old references. If you use the elements array, on the other hand,
any layout modification causes the indices to shift, invalidating all previous
references.
 Forms n 315

The number of elements in a form is formReference.elements.length.

Therefore, the last element in a form is reflected by the
formReference.elements[formReference.elements.length – 1] entry.
Elements in the elements array are read-only, so the following state-
ment, for example, has no effect:
formReference.elements[0] = "do not do this"

The first few elements of the elements array represent the form elements.
The following property, length, reflects the number of form elements.
Suppose a form element evaluates to foo. Then, the following refer-
ences all evaluate to foo:
document.forms[0].elements[0].value
document.forms[0].elements.elements[0].value
document.forms[0].elements.elements.elements[0].value

These bizarre references are possible due to the fact that an elements object
contains all the properties of its form, in addition to the form’s elements. A
form, say document.forms[0], can also have a property named name reflect-
ing the value of the NAME attribute of the corresponding <FORM> tag. You can
also reference this property in Navigator using one of the following known
methods:
document.forms[0].name

Chapter 18
document.forms[0].elements.name
document.forms[0].elements.elements.name

You may recall from Chapter 5 that the for...in loop statement provides
the capability to list an object’s properties, top to bottom. The following
function can be used to list the properties of a typical elements object by
name (not index):
function printElements(form, formString)
{
// initialize output string
var result = ""
for (var i in form.elements)
{
result += formString + ".elements." + i + " = " + form.elements[i] + "\r"
}
alert(result)
}

You can use this function by invoking it with a specific form’s reference and
a name. Consider the following simple HTML form:
<FORM NAME="form1" ACTION="http://www.yourserver.com/filename.cgi"
METHOD="post">
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="num1" VALUE="bla">
<INPUT TYPE="hidden" NAME="num2" VALUE="foo">
<TEXTAREA NAME="num3">wow</TEXTAREA>
</FORM>
316 n Chapter 18

The preceding printElements() function returns the following output when

provided with the arguments document.forms[0] and "docu-
ment.forms[0]":

Figure 18-2. A list of the elements object’s properties

Notice that the first four lines list the exclusive properties of the elements
object. The following lines represent properties of elements that are identi-
cal to those of the form itself, document.forms[0] in this case. Theo-
retically, you can reference all forms properties of a given form as properties
of its elements object.
If you think this wealth of referencing methods is confusing, you are
right. The best solution is to stick to some standards. Suppose you have a
form in a document that is referenced as document.forms[index], docu-
ment.formName, or formReference. The following objects include all forms
properties:
formReference
formReference.elements

The elements property of formReference is just another interface to the

same object. Since Netscape originally documented the above two objects as
different ones (and still does), it is common to refer to formReference when
accessing a form’s general properties and to formReference.elements
when accessing the properties of the form’s elements. Theoretically, you can
also access the first element of the form by:
formReference[0]

As you already know, any form element object can be referenced by its
name. For example, a text object whose name is field1 in the first form of
a page can be accessed as follows:
document.forms[0].field1

When two or more elements have the same name, they form an array in
which the indices are determined according to their layout order. For exam-
ple, if there are three text objects in one form, all named inputField, you
can reference these elements in the following fashion:
document.forms[0].inputField[0]
 Forms n 317

document.forms[0].inputField[1]
document.forms[0].inputField[2]

encoding
The content of a form is encoded before it is submitted to the server. There
are various types of encoding, or MIME encoding—some suitable for files,
while others are suitable for plain text or other purposes. The encoding
method is initially specified by assigning it to the <FORM> tag’s ENCTYPE
attribute. The default encoding method is application/x-www-form-
urlencoded, but others such as multipart/form-data and text/plain are
also available.
Every HTML form has a MIME encoding specification, even if it is not
explicitly shown. The value of JavaScript’s formReference.encoding is ini-
tially the value assigned to the HTML ENCTYPE attribute. This property is
not read-only, so it can be set at any time, even after layout has been com-
pleted. Setting encoding overrides the ENCTYPE attribute and instructs the
browser (primarily Navigator) to use the new MIME encoding method.
For your reference, the general syntax of this property is:
formReference.encoding

If no value is specified as the ENCTYPE attribute of a form, it is defaulted to

application/x-www-form-urlencoded. Nevertheless, the value of

Chapter 18
formReference.encoding remains an empty string.
method
The METHOD attribute of a <FORM> tag accepts either a get or a post value.
JavaScript reflects the value of this attribute in the form of a method prop-
erty. You can use this property like all other form properties. It can be read
or set at any time, even after layout has been completed. The term
“method,” in this case, has no relation whatsoever to the object-oriented
interpretation of the word (a function associated with an object).
The formReference.method property is active when the client-side
JavaScript script interacts with a specific server-side CGI or LiveWire appli-
cation. In this case, you can set the method property along with other
form-related properties to modify the form’s layout on the fly. The general
syntax to reference this property is:
formReference.method

The default value of the HTML METHOD attribute is get. The value of the
JavaScript method property, however, has no default and stays empty.
target
When you “surf the web,” you often encounter HTML forms that submit
data to the server and return a result, such as a list of sites or a simple
“Thank You” page. Since most forms serve as a means to interact with the
user, you will seldom find forms that submit to the server and do not
respond. Furthermore, even forms that just receive input from the user and
318 n Chapter 18

submit it to a server-side script are expected to respond and give the user
an indication that the content of the form was correctly submitted.
Most server-side applications return a new HTML page in the same
window as the form. Sometimes, however, you may prefer to receive the
results in a different window or frame. You can specify the target of the
returned page by setting the TARGET attribute of the <FORM> tag. This value
is reflected by JavaScript’s target property, which belongs to the form
object. The general syntax for referencing this property is:
formReference.target

This property can be both read and set at any time, even after the page has
been laid out. Despite the fact that the TARGET attribute defaults to the cur-
rent window or frame’s HTML document, the JavaScript’s target property
does not default to any string.
The value of the JavaScript’s target property, like the HTML’s TARGET
attribute, can be either a window or a frame name. In addition to these obvi-
ous values, there are several common references: _top, _parent, _self, and
_blank. These values will be covered again when we discuss frames and
windows and, for detailed information, you may also refer to HTML docu-
mentation. It may seem convenient to assign window or frame objects to this
property, but unfortunately it only accepts HTML specifications.

Element Types
Each and every form element (button, radio, text area, etc.) features a
type property that reflects the type of that form element. As usual in
JavaScript syntax, the type property follows the element reference. For
example, you can access the type of the first element of the first form in the
following fashion:
document.forms[0].elements[0].type

Table 18-1 lists the various form elements with their corresponding types.
Table 18-1. Form elements

HTML Element Value of type Attribute

INPUT TYPE="button" "button"
INPUT TYPE="checkbox" "checkbox"
INPUT TYPE="file" "file"
INPUT TYPE="hidden" "hidden"
INPUT TYPE="password" "password"
INPUT TYPE="radio" "radio"
INPUT TYPE="reset" "reset"
INPUT TYPE="submit" "submit"
INPUT TYPE="text" "text"
SELECT "select-one"
SELECT MULTIPLE "select-multiple"
TEXTAREA "textarea"
 Forms n 319

All values listed in the right column are plain strings representing the ele-
ment type.

Using this with Event Handlers

When you call a function via an event handler, you may refer to the form ele-
ment that triggered the event handler, such as a text object or a button. The
following script segment and figure demonstrate this concept:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function process()
{
document.forms[0].elements[0].value = "thank you"
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="myField" VALUE="email..." onChange="process()">
</FORM>

You can see the output of this script in Figure 18-3.

Chapter 18
Figure 18-3. Calling a function via an event handler

At this point, it is not so important to understand exactly what this script

does. The INPUT TYPE="text" definition creates a simple text box in which
the user can enter a value. The text box (or text object) is assigned the
string "email..." as its default value (the form comes up with this text
inside the box). The onChange event handler captures the change event that
occurs when the user changes the value of the text object and clicks outside
of it. When such an event occurs, the function process is invoked and
assigns the string "thank you" to that text object’s value property. Notice
that a full object path specification, from the document browser object down-
ward, is used to access the text object. Such referencing has two
disadvantages:
n The path is fairly long and complex.
n If you change the position or the name of either a form or an element,
the path must be modified to reflect this change, making the mainte-
nance very difficult.
320 n Chapter 18

The answer to this problem is using the keyword this to refer to the “cur-
rent” object. For example, you can simplify the preceding code by
implementing the this reference in the following way:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function process(callingElement)
{
callingElement.value = "thank you"
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="myField" VALUE="email..." onChange="process(this)">
</FORM>

Using the above scheme, you can change the element’s position, name, or
any other optional attribute (other than the event handler) and the script will
still work without any modifications. The keyword this refers to the ele-
ment providing the event handler. In this case, the value of this is equal to
document.forms[0].elements[0]. When the function process is called, the
value assigned to the callingElement parameter is this, so callingEle-
ment.value is equivalent to document.forms[0].elements[0].value.
The keyword this within an event handler script refers to the form ele-
ment to which the event handler belongs. For example, the keyword this in
an event handler that belongs to the first element of the first form in a docu-
ment can be safely replaced by document.form[0].element[0].
Using the object this is very convenient when you use a single function
to refer to different form elements.
You can use this in an event handler script for purposes other than a
function’s argument. You can also hand any property of the this object to a
function, as demonstrated by the following script segment:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function display(str)
{
alert(str)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="myField1" VALUE="d" onChange="display(this.value)">
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="myField2" VALUE="f" onChange="display(this.value)">
</FORM>
 Forms n 321

þ Note: Object, property, and method references can be passed as function

arguments. Just like assigning any other value, they can be assigned to a
variable as well. For example, you can use the following script segment instead
of a window.document.write statement:
var obj = window.document
obj.write("Cool<BR>")
Be careful not to enclose an object reference in quotation marks—it is not a
string.

Until now, the special object this was used as a substitute for a form ele-
ment’s full path. JavaScript also allows you to reference a form from an
element’s event handler script via the form property of this object. The pre-
vious source can be rewritten in the following form:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function process(callingElement)
{
callingElement.elements[0].value = "thank you"
}
// -->

Chapter 18
</SCRIPT>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="myField" VALUE="email..." onChange=
"process(this.form)">
</FORM>

The object representing the form is equivalent to document.forms[0].

Generally speaking, every form element includes a form property that
enables reverse access; that is, the ability to reach the form from its element
(although the element is really the form’s property). Therefore, you can use
any one of the following expressions to access the first element of the first
form in a given document:
document.forms[0].elements[0]
document.forms[0].elements[0].form.elements[0]
document.forms[0].elements[0].form.elements[0].form.elements[0]

You will probably never use this property independently in a script, because
you can always refer to a form directly as a property of a window’s document
object. However, such a reference is used often with forms, because an
event handler’s script references the event handler as this, and the form
property enables you to reference the form through a back door.
In addition to event handlers associated with form elements, you can
also use this with event handlers of the <FORM> tag. In this case, this
represents the object encompassing the entire form (such as docu-
ment.forms[0]). Suppose you want to call a function from an onSubmit
322 n Chapter 18

event handler. You can use the following outline to hand an object reference
representing the form object to the function:
<FORM ... onSubmit="functionName(this)">

In this case, the expression this.form has no logical meaning.

Utilizing the form Property

In this chapter we discuss the various objects reflecting HTML form ele-
ments. Each form element is a direct property of the form to which it
belongs. Take a look at the following example:
<FORM NAME="myForm">
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="myField" SIZE=10>
</FORM>

In this simple example, the text object may be referenced as docu-

ment.myForm.myField. This top-to-bottom hierarchy enables you to access
any form element object if you already have access to the form object itself.
However, you may encounter a situation in which you pass a form element
object to a function, for instance, and you want to reference the form object
through a back door. JavaScript enables you to do so with the form property.
For example, suppose you have a variable myField that holds a form element
object. (For now, simply ignore how the object was assigned to the variable.)
Assume the variable is named objRef and the object reference was explicitly
assigned to it by the following statement:
var objRef = document.myForm.myField

Bear in mind that you do not have this statement in the script—all you have
is the variable objRef, and you are attempting to reference the form object,
myForm. You can use the form property to do so:
var formObjRef = objRef.form

form is a property of every form element object, with no exceptions. It is

very convenient to invoke a function from an event handler with this as an
argument. For example, consider the following script segment:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function getValue(otherElement)
{
alert(otherElement.form.elements[1].value)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="click me" onClick="getValue(this)">
<INPUT TYPE="text" VALUE="Baruch Spinoza" SIZE=10>
</FORM>
 Forms n 323

The output of this script is shown in Figure 18-4.

Figure 18-4. Form elements

The first text object (form element) invokes the getValue function with
this object as the argument. The function is designed to print the value of
the second element, elements[1]. The only relation between the value
handed to the function (the object representing the first form element) and
the second form element is that they are both “children” of the same “par-
ent.” The function accepts the object reflecting the first element, so it must
access the second element through the common parent, the form object.

Chapter 18
Therefore, the correct syntax must include the form property (which is an
object as well):
firstElement.form.secondElement

The form property acts like a connector in this case. If you implement a
function that references various elements of a form, you may want to ini-
tially use this.form as the function’s argument. You should then use the
following code in place of the preceding script segment:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function getValue(form)
{
alert(form.elements[1].value)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="click me" onClick="getValue(this.form)">
<INPUT TYPE="text" VALUE="Baruch Spinoza" SIZE=10>
</FORM>
324 n Chapter 18

text Object
HTML Syntax
A text object is defined by the following plain HTML syntax:
<INPUT
TYPE="text"
NAME="textName"
[VALUE="contents"]
[SIZE="integer"]
[MAXLENGTH="integer"]
[onBlur="handlerStatement"]
[onChange="handlerStatement"]
[onFocus="handlerStatement"]
[onSelect="handlerStatement"]>

The NAME attribute enables you to assign this HTML object a name that
identifies it in both server-side queries and JavaScript scripts. The VALUE
attribute accepts the initial string that should appear in the box when the
page loads. Not only is this string the initial one in the text box, but it is also
the default string. When you reset the form via a Reset button or the
reset() method, this string reappears in the text box. The SIZE attribute is
essential because it determines the size (in characters) of the text box. The
MAXLENGTH attribute specifies the maximum input length allowed in this
field. If the user enters a string that is longer than MAXLENGTH, only the first
MAXLENGTH characters are entered. This option is especially handy when
requesting a specific string, such as a password, which is naturally limited to
a given length. The following script segment demonstrates the use of the
text object in an HTML document:
Processor: <INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="comp" SIZE=15 MAXLENGTH=20
VALUE="Intel Xeon">

A text object can hold a maximum of one line. You can use a textarea
object to display multiple lines.

JavaScript Access
There are basically four ways to access a text object via JavaScript:
[window.]document.formName.textName
[window.]document.formName.elements[index]
[window.]document.forms[index].textName
[window.]document.forms[index].elements[index]

You already know that a form can be accessed through its name or via the
forms object when the form’s index is known. Similarly, you can access a
form’s element by its name or through the elements array if the element’s
index is known.
 Forms n 325

The preceding expressions show how to access a text object by itself.

Usually, you will not access the text object, but rather its properties, meth-
ods, or event handlers.

Event Handlers
The text object is a very convenient means for both input and output. A
text object has a wealth of event handlers you can use.
onBlur
A blur event occurs when a text field loses focus. A field gains focus when
the user clicks inside the text box, and the focus is lost when the user clicks
outside the box, anywhere on the page. The onBlur event handler executes
JavaScript code when a blur event occurs. Take a look at the following form
and function:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function checkInput(element)
{
if (element.value == "")
alert("Please enter a value!")
}
// -->

Chapter 18
</SCRIPT>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="myField" VALUE="" onBlur="checkInput(this)">
</FORM>

The output of this script is shown in Figure 18-5.

Figure 18-5. Working with the element value property

If the box is left empty, an alert dialog box informs the user that he or she
must enter a value. The dialog box is displayed only if the user first accesses
the field and then exits it without entering any value.
onChange
A change event occurs when a blur event occurs and the value of the text
object has been modified. The onChange event handler, also defined as an
HTML tag attribute, executes JavaScript code when a change event occurs.
The onChange event handler is probably the most commonly used event
handler with the text object (box or field). You can use this event handler
326 n Chapter 18

when validating data entered by the user. That is, when the user modifies
the text box content, a function is invoked to validate the changes. Validation
via JavaScript instead of CGI or LiveWire saves precious network transmis-
sion time.
In order to demonstrate the onBlur event handler, a simple form ele-
ment and a corresponding function have been implemented. The problem
with this example is that the value of the text box is validated whenever it
loses focus. It is generally better to validate the form only after changes are
made. Therefore, the onChange event handler is superior for such tasks. The
previous example is much better when rewritten as follows:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function checkInput(element)
{
if (element.value == "")
alert("Please enter a value!")
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="myField1" VALUE="" onChange="checkInput(this)">
</FORM>

The following dual rule is very important in order to fully understand this
event handler:
n A blur event naturally takes place whenever a change event occurs.
n A change event takes place only when a blur event occurs and the value
of the text object has been modified and gained focus.
onFocus
A focus event occurs when a field receives input focus by tabbing on the
keyboard or clicking with the mouse. The onFocus event handler obviously
executes a prespecified code when a focus event occurs.
In addition, a focus event occurs in many browsers when the page loads.
This behavior is not common to all browsers, so you should check the script
with the various browsers you use to make sure it works the way you want.
The following script scrolls a T-banner in a text object. It starts when
the user clicks somewhere inside the text box (text object), triggering the
onFocus event handler. Here is the script:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>T-banner</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// set speed of banner (pause in milliseconds between characters)
var speed = 100 // decrease value to increase speed (must be positive)
// set pause between completion of message and beginning of following one
var pause = 1000 // increase value to increase pause
 Forms n 327

// set initial values

var timerID = null
var bannerRunning = false
// create global array
var ar = new Array()
// assign the strings to the array's elements
ar[0] = "Welcome to our JavaScript page"
ar[1] = "We hope you enjoy the T-banner script"
ar[2] = "It is designed to be more stable than regular banners"
ar[3] = "Don't forget to check out my other scripts"
// set index of first message to be displayed first
var currentMessage = 0
// set index of last character to be displayed first
var offset = 0
// stop the banner if it is currently running
function stopBanner()
{
// if banner is currently running
if (bannerRunning)
// stop the banner
clearTimeout(timerID)
// timer is now stopped
bannerRunning = false
}
// start the banner

Chapter 18
function startBanner()
{
// make sure the banner is stopped
stopBanner()
// start the banner from the current position
showBanner()
}
// type in the current message
function showBanner()
{
// assign current message to variable
var text = ar[currentMessage]
// if current message has not finished being displayed
if (offset < text.length)
{
// if last character of current message is a space
if (text.charAt(offset) == " ")
// skip the current character
offset++
// assign the up-to-date to-be-displayed substring
// second argument of method accepts index of last character plus one
var partialMessage = text.substring(0, offset + 1)
// display partial message in text field
document.bannerForm.bannerField.value = partialMessage
// increment index of last character to be displayed
offset++ // IE sometimes has trouble with "++offset"
// recursive call after specified time
timerID = setTimeout("showBanner()", speed)
// banner is running
328 n Chapter 18

bannerRunning = true
} else
{
// reset offset
offset = 0
// increment subscript (index) of current message
currentMessage++
// if subscript of current message is out of range
if (currentMessage == ar.length)
// wrap around (start from beginning)
currentMessage = 0
// recursive call after specified time
timerID = setTimeout("showBanner()", pause)
// banner is running
bannerRunning = true
}
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM NAME="bannerForm">
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="bannerField" VALUE="Click here..." SIZE=50
onFocus="if (!bannerRunning) { startBanner() }">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-2 (ex18-2.htm). A T-banner starts in a text box when the user clicks in
the box

First of all, notice the form named bannerForm in the HTML body. The form
consists of only one element, a text object named bannerField. Its size is
set to 50 characters, and its default value is the string "Click here...".
The onFocus event handler is provided. When the user clicks inside the text
box, a focus event occurs and the startBanner() function is invoked to start
the scrolling. Notice that this statement is executed only if the banner is not
running. The variable bannerRunning holds the banner’s current state and is
already true when the page loads.
The only difference between the original status bar-based T-banner
script earlier in this book and the text box-based one in Example 18-2 is that
the property window.status is replaced by document.bannerForm.banner-
Field.value, which is the reference to the text object’s content-reflecting
property.
onSelect
A select event occurs when the user selects part of the text within a text
field. The onSelect event handler enables you to respond to such an event.
 Forms n 329

Here is the general syntax for implementing this event handler:

<INPUT TYPE="text" VALUE="" NAME="valueField" onSelect="selectState()">

Since the select event is rather rare and insignificant, this event handler is
not commonly used. It was also broken in some versions of Navigator prior
to version 4.5.

Methods
blur()
You already know what a blur event is. You can explicitly blur a text object
using the object’s blur() method, which removes focus from the field. This
method deselects any text that might be selected in the field and removes
the text insertion pointer from the field. At this point, no fields or form ele-
ments are focused. A manual way to blur a text object is to press the Tab
key, which advances focus to the next field in order and removes it from the
current field (blurring it). However, the JavaScript blur() method only
removes focus from its object, without giving focus to any other field in the
form or in the page.
A read-only text field is a classic example for using the blur() method.
The algorithm to create such a field is very simple. When the user explicitly
gives focus to a field in order to write in it, an event handler (onFocus)

Chapter 18
invokes the blur() method to instantly remove the focus. Here is a
read-only text field example:
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="myField" VALUE="" SIZE=15 onFocus="this.blur()">

You can consider the expression onFocus="this.blur()" an attribute of a

read-only <INPUT TYPE="text"> element.
focus()
The focus() method focuses on a text object (or other form element
object). Focusing on a form element usually means that the window scrolls
until the text field is viewable and the cursor is positioned at the beginning
of the text in the field.
Although not mandatory, it is a good practice to give focus to a text
object before accessing it. It will have a positive contribution to the script’s
robustness.
When the page contains many fields, you can use the script-driven
focus() method to emphasize one of them, thus “attracting” the user to it.
The focus() method resembles the camera’s focus: It emphasizes a specific
object and prepares it for further use.
The following HTML tag can be used to maintain focus on a text object
(it may be useful if you have multiple text objects and the user is allowed to
modify only one of them):
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="myField" VALUE="" SIZE=15 onBlur="this.focus()">
330 n Chapter 18

When the text field loses focus, a blur event occurs, the onBlur event han-
dler is triggered, and focus is given once again to the field.
The focus() method usually belongs to text objects (fields), but, as will
be explained later in this chapter, other kinds of objects use it as well.
select()
The most useful method of the text object is the select() method. When
you select a field via JavaScript, all the text in the field is selected.
In Navigator on some platforms, you must give focus to a text field
before selecting it. Suppose you have a document with one form that con-
tains one element, a text object. The following script segment is needed in
order to select that text field via JavaScript:
document.forms[0].elements[0].focus()
document.forms[0].elements[0].blur()

The select() method is extremely useful and very convenient when vali-
dating a form on the client side. For example, let’s say you have a form that
accepts inputs from the user for several elements and validates each ele-
ment in turn before submitting the data to the server. The most basic way to
report an error is to display a message in an alert dialog box. More sophisti-
cated error reporting includes automatic preparation of the form for the
user’s corrections. Such preparation can be implemented by using the
focus() and select() methods together. When the script encounters a text
field that contains invalid data, you can direct the cursor to that field and
automatically highlight the interior text. The user can then write the new,
correct value without having to delete the invalid entry. Sounds quite com-
plicated on the programmer’s behalf, but it is actually very simple. The
following script and form demonstrate simple validation and handy error
reporting:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Simple form validation</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function checkName(field)
{
if (field.value == "")
{
alert("Value is required")
field.focus()
field.select()
} else
if (field.value.split(" ").length < 2)
{
alert("Enter full name")
field.focus()
field.select()
}
 Forms n 331

}
function checkEmail(field)
{
if (field.value.indexOf("@") == –1)
{
alert("Enter a valid e-mail address")
field.focus()
field.select()
}
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<BODY>
<FORM>
Full name: <INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="userName" VALUE="" SIZE=15
onChange="checkName(this)">
<BR>
Email address: <INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="email" VALUE="" SIZE=15
onChange="checkEmail(this)">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-3 (ex18-3.htm). A simple form validation and error handling script

The form in Example 18-3 includes two text objects: the user’s full name

Chapter 18
and e-mail address. The element (text field) object is passed as an argument
to the two different event handler functions. The value property reflects the
current string in the text field.
checkName() checks that the value of its calling object (text field) is not
empty and that it contains exactly two words (with a separating space). If
one of these rules is violated, an appropriate message is displayed, and the
calling element (the userName text object) is focused and selected, indicat-
ing the invalid text field.
checkEmail() checks if the value of its calling text object contains an
“at” character (@). If one is not found, an appropriate message is displayed,
and the calling element (the email text object) is focused and selected. The
text within the field is highlighted by the select() method of the second
text object in the form. As you can see, the script conveniently uses this for
all references to the form element objects. Also notice that the field check-
ing is done per mouse click anywhere inside the window.

Properties
defaultValue
The defaultValue property is a string indicating the default value of a text
object. The default value is initially assigned to the VALUE attribute of the
HTML tag, reflected also by JavaScript’s defaultValue property. Setting
this property in JavaScript overrides the initial HTML values. You can set
and read the defaultValue property at any time, even after layout has been
completed. Since it reflects the field’s default value only (the one seen when
332 n Chapter 18

the page loads or after resetting the form), this property cannot be used to
dynamically update the text in the field.
If the HTML attribute VALUE is not specified, defaultValue defaults to
an empty string, as if explicitly specifying VALUE="".
The following script segment demonstrates a simple use of the
defaultValue property to reset only a specific form element (a text object
in this case), rather than resetting the entire form with the Reset button or
the reset() method. Note that this script uses the value property, which
we discuss later.
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function resetField(sub)
{
document.forms[0].elements[sub].value = document.forms[0]
.elements[sub].defaultValue
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<FORM NAME="fields">
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="field1" VALUE="enter first" SIZE=15>
<A HREF="javascript:resetField(0)">reset</A><BR>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="field2" VALUE="enter second" SIZE=15>
<A HREF="javascript:resetField(1)">reset</A><BR>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="field3" VALUE="enter third" SIZE=15>
<A HREF="javascript:resetField(2)">reset</A><BR>
</FORM>

Since we haven’t discussed buttons yet, this script uses links for invoking
JavaScript functions. A link is not a form element, so you cannot refer to
this or this.form inside the resetField() function. To work around this
problem, each link is identified by the index of the corresponding text
object and is handed to the function as an argument. The first link, for exam-
ple, is responsible for resetting the first text object in the form, so it hands
a 0 to the resetField() function. Instead of resetting the form element, the
function sets the current value of the corresponding text field to its default
value.
name
It is generally a good practice to name every form element, especially the
text objects. Names are mandatory for CGI scripts, which use them for field
identification and value extraction. Since it allows more logical and conve-
nient access to JavaScript text objects, identifying text objects by name
contributes significantly to the script’s robustness and ease of maintenance.
All names, therefore, should be meaningful and adhere to JavaScript’s nam-
ing conventions.
The name property initially reflects the value of the HTML’s NAME attrib-
ute. Changing the value of this property overrides the initial HTML setting.
By assigning a new string to the name property, you can set the name of a
text object at any time.
 Forms n 333

Do not confuse this property with the text that appears in the field. A
field’s content is represented by the VALUE attribute, rather than the NAME
attribute. Hence, if you modify the value of name, you will notice no change
in the page’s appearance.
You should recall that a form element can be referenced by its index or
by its name. If a form contains multiple elements with identical names, they
form an array. Although this situation is especially common to radio buttons,
as you will see later in this chapter, you may encounter it with text objects
as well. The following example demonstrates the use of such arrays to han-
dle complex forms:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Form element arrays</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function correctName()
{
for (var i = 0; i < document.fields.username.length; ++i)
{
var field = document.fields.username[i]
field.value = field.value.charAt(0).toUpperCase() + field
.value.substring(1, field.value.length)
}

Chapter 18
}
function checkEmail()
{
for (var i = 0; i < document.fields.email.length; ++i)
{
var field = document.fields.email[i]
if (field.value.indexOf("@") == –1)
{
alert("Error in email address!")
field.focus()
field.select()
return
}
}
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM NAME="fields">
Employee #1: <INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="username" VALUE="first name" SIZE=10>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="username" VALUE="last name" SIZE=10>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="email" VALUE="email" SIZE=10><BR>
Employee #2: <INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="username" VALUE="first name" SIZE=10>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="username" VALUE="last name" SIZE=10>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="email" VALUE="email" SIZE=10><BR>
Employee #3: <INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="username" VALUE="first name" SIZE=10>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="username" VALUE="last name" SIZE=10>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="email" VALUE="email" SIZE=10><BR>
334 n Chapter 18

<P>
<A HREF="javascript:checkEmail()">Check email addresses</A>.
<A HREF="javascript:correctName()">Correct names</A>.
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-4 (ex18-4.htm). A form validation script based on arrays reflecting ele-
ments with identical names

In order to understand this listing you must be aware of the page’s initial
appearance:

Figure 18-6. A form that collects data about several people

As you can see, this form is divided into nine text objects. All six text
objects for entering first and last names are named username. The value of
document.forms[0].elements[0].name, for example, is equal to the string
"username". The three text objects for entering e-mail addresses are
named email.
There are basically two element groups, username and email. Since all
form elements are named fields, you can reference these two groups as
arrays via the following syntax:
document.fields.username
document.fields.email

Both arrays have a length property, representing the number of elements

sharing the given name. The length and elements of the username array, for
example, can be referenced as follows:
document.fields.username.length // number of name-related elements
document.fields.username[0] // first First Name object
document.fields.username[1] // first Last Name object
document.fields.username[2] // second First Name object
document.fields.username[3] // second Last Name object
document.fields.username[4] // third First Name object
document.fields.username[5] // third Last Name object
 Forms n 335

The same syntax is also used to reference elements of the email array. Take
another look at the script in Example 18-4. It includes two functions, one for
handling name input fields and one for e-mails. The first function,
correctName(), loops through all username elements and capitalizes their
first letters. The second function uses the same technique to alert the user
if any of the e-mail addresses do not include the “at” character (@). If such a
field is found, the function focuses on and selects it, in order to attract the
user’s attention to the invalid field.
You should normally assign a distinct name to each and every form ele-
ment. Example 18-4 demonstrates that in some cases, however, it is much
more convenient to reuse a specific name in order to enable a loop-based
processing of elements that share similar characteristics.
value
The value property reflects the current text located in a given text object
(field). It is not equivalent to any HTML attribute. You can read and set this
property at any time. The field’s content is updated immediately upon set-
ting. Although we have been using this property throughout this chapter,
here is another example that shows how to reference the value attribute of
the first element of the first form in a page:
document.forms[0].elements[0].value

Chapter 18
password Object
HTML Syntax
Another possible value for the TYPE attribute is "password". It is similar to
the "text" option except that, instead of displaying the user’s input, it
responds to any typed character with a predefined single character, such as
an asterisk (*). The general syntax of this object is as follows:
<INPUT
TYPE="password"
NAME="passwordName"
[VALUE="contents"]
[SIZE="integer"]
[MAXLENGTH="integer"]
[onBlur="handlerStatement"]
[onChange="handlerStatement"]
[onFocus="handlerStatement"]
[onSelect="handlerStatement"]>

The value property is an asterisk character (or any other character chosen
by the browser). The additional properties are identical to those of the text
input type. Here is a simple password box code:
Password: <INPUT TYPE="password" NAME="pswrd" SIZE=15 MAXLENGTH=20 VALUE="">
336 n Chapter 18

The value of the password box is the typed-in string, not the asterisks (or
other characters) that appear. The value is hidden so it cannot be seen by
someone near the user.

JavaScript Access
Like all other elements, there are four ways to access a password object via
JavaScript:
[window.]document.formName.passwordName
[window.]document.formName.elements[index]
[window.]document.forms[index].passwordName
[window.]document.forms[index].elements[index]

All methods and element references adhere to one of these alternatives.

Event Handlers
The password event handlers are identical to those of the text object in all
aspects. Refer to earlier discussion in this and other chapters.

Properties and Methods

The password object’s properties are:
n defaultValue
n name
n value

The password object’s methods are identical to those of the text object:
n focus
n blur
n select

The password object was not very useful in Netscape Navigator 2.0 because
JavaScript was not allowed to access its value. Starting with version 3.0,
JavaScript on Navigator and Internet Explorer can freely access the VALUE
attribute as if it were a text object. In terms of JavaScript, the password
object is identical to the text object. The only difference is that the value of
the password field is never displayed.

textarea Object
HTML Syntax
Multiple lines of text can be entered into a form via text areas, which are
defined by the <TEXTAREA></TEXTAREA> tag pair. You should always name a
text area and specify its size. The general syntax of the <TEXTAREA> tag is as
follows:
 Forms n 337

<TEXTAREA
NAME="textareaName"
ROWS="integer"
COLS="integer"
WRAP="off | virtual | physical"
[onBlur="handlerStatement"]
[onChange="handlerStatement"]
[onFocus="handlerStatement"]
[onSelect="handlerStatement"]>
textToDisplay
</TEXTAREA>

The attributes are:

n NAME—specifies the name (label) of the text area element. It is very dif-
ficult to work with unnamed text areas, so always name your text areas
according to JavaScript naming conventions.
n ROWS—specifies the number of text rows in the text area. Since
Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer use different size
fonts in text fields, you cannot set the text area size in pixels by setting
ROWS.
n COLS—specifies the number of text columns in the text area. It is equal
to the number of characters in one text line.
It is possible to initialize the text area by placing text between the

Chapter 18
<TEXTAREA> and </TEXTAREA> tags in the following fashion:
<TEXTAREA NAME="comments" COLS=35 ROWS=5>
Write any comments regarding this page here.
Don't forget to mention your e-mail address.
</TEXTAREA>

Carriage return characters are interpreted as new lines in this text zone.
Netscape Navigator enables you to write HTML tags in the text area by sim-
ply placing the script between the opening and closing <TEXTAREA> tags.
Another attribute accepted by the <TEXTAREA> tag is WRAP. It can be set
to one of the following values:
n off—do not wrap lines (default value).
n virtual—wrap lines on the screen but refer to them as one line
otherwise.
n physical—insert actual line breaks (CR characters) in the string.

JavaScript Access
There are four ways to access a textarea object via JavaScript:
[window.]document.formName.textareaName
[window.]document.formName.elements[index]
[window.]document.forms[index].textareaName
[window.]document.forms[index].elements[index]
338 n Chapter 18

Event Handlers
The textarea object’s event handlers are identical to those of the text
object.

Properties and Methods

Like the event handlers, all properties and methods of the textarea object
are exactly the same as those of the text object and password object. Please
refer to previous listings for the text object in order to learn about its prop-
erties, methods, and event handlers.

Inserting New Line Characters

A text area field is actually a multiline text field. Printing output to a
textarea object is somewhat more complicated than printing to a text
object due to the extra complication of new line insertion. This is especially
important when the WRAP attribute is set to off and you are interested in
avoiding a long horizontal text span.
Since the new line character is not uniform across different platforms,
inserting a new line is not as simple as inserting any other printable charac-
ter. The new line character on Unix- and Macintosh-based machines is "\n",
while Windows operating systems require the "\r\n" pair. The simplest way
to work around the problem is to test the actual platform and insert the cor-
responding new line character. Here is a function that automatically returns
the correct string for the user’s platform:
function getNL()
{
if (navigator.appVersion.lastIndexOf('Win') != –1)
return "\r\n"
/* else */
return "\n"
}

You can assign the new line character in the following fashion:
var NL = getNL()

Now, you can use the function’s return value to place multiple-line text in a
textarea object. Here is a simple example:
document.forms[0].elements[0].value = "line 1" + NL + "line 2"

þ Important Note:
on all platforms.
Netscape Navigator supports "\n" as a new line character
 Forms n 339

Handling textareas by Line

In general, you cannot deal with specific lines of text area content. The fol-
lowing function overcomes this deficiency by assigning the text to an array,
line by line:
function getLines(textareaReference)
{
var str = escape(textareaReference.value)
var ar = str.split("%0D%0A") // "%0D%0A" <=> "\r\n"
if (ar.length == 0)
ar = str.split("%0A") // "%0A" <=> "\n"
for (var i = 0; i < ar.length; ++i)
{
ar[i] = unescape(ar[i])
}
return ar
}

The function is a bit tricky. It first encodes the textarea’s value via the
escape function and assigns the “escaped” string to a local variable, str. You
may recall that after escape, any nonalphanumeric characters are repre-
sented in a “%XX” format. The escape sequence "\n" is represented as
"%0A" (zero + A), whereas "\r" is converted to "%0D" (zero + D). The
entire encoded string is then spliced with the split() method, using either

Chapter 18
the "%0D%0A" or the "%0A" string as the delimiter. The “trick” is to use the
second delimiter ("%0A") only after the first one ("%0D%0A") fails to split the
text. At the end, each element of the ar array is decoded back by the
unescape function and the final array of lines is returned.

hidden Object
HTML Syntax
A hidden form field is one that is not displayed on an HTML page. It is used
for passing unique identification values upon submission. Since the user can-
not modify or interact with a hidden element, the initial value given when
the page loads stays the same throughout the life of the page. The hidden
object, then, is not useful for the user but rather for the programmer. For
example, on a large web site, a server-side application can use a hidden
object to distinguish between different forms submitted to the server.
Except that it is not viewable, you should basically treat the hidden ele-
ment exactly like the text type. The element’s general syntax is:
<INPUT
TYPE="hidden"
NAME="hiddenName"
[VALUE="textValue"]>
340 n Chapter 18

The NAME property specifies the name of the hidden object, whereas VALUE
specifies the value of the field. Although not viewable, they are part of the
form’s content, as any other element type’s attributes.

JavaScript Access
There are four ways to reference a hidden object:
[window.]document.formName.hiddenName
[window.]document.formName.elements[index]
[window.]document.forms[index].hiddenName
[window.]document.forms[index].elements[index]

Event Handlers
Since a hidden object cannot be seen on a page, no events can be associated
with it, and hence there is no support for event handlers for hidden objects.

Properties and Methods

Since all methods associated with form element objects emulate events, a
hidden object does not have any methods.
A hidden object does have several properties that you can access via
JavaScript. The object’s properties are:
n defaultValue
n name
n value

These properties are equivalent to those of the text, password, and

textarea objects. You can read and set the value property, for example, at
any time. The value property can be used to earmark forms submitted to
the server for identification by a server-side application.

button, submit, and reset Objects

HTML Syntax
The most precise input event is a button click. submit, reset, and button
objects are all buttons that feature identical properties and attributes. The
general syntax of a button object is as follows:
<INPUT
TYPE="button" | "submit" | "reset"
NAME="buttonName"
VALUE="buttonText"
[onClick="handlerText"]>

Although a plain button (<INPUT TYPE="button">) does not have any

explicit meaning in HTML, it is extremely useful in JavaScript scripts. A
 Forms n 341

Submit button plays a very important role in all forms that are submitted to
a server. A Reset button resets the form in which it is located.
A button’s style depends on the client’s platform. Macintosh buttons, for
example, are different from Windows buttons. The only control you have
over a button’s appearance is by determining its label, initially defined by
the VALUE attribute. Since the button size is determined solely by the label
string, you can only modify its width by padding it with spaces on both ends.
This “sophisticated” technique may be very annoying, but it is the only way
to explicitly control a button’s size.
A Submit button’s syntax differs from plain buttons and Reset buttons
only in the value assigned to the TYPE attribute, "submit". This button is
primarily designed for server-side applications. When the user clicks such a
button, the form’s data is sent to the URL specified in the <FORM> tag’s
ACTION attribute. A Reset button’s TYPE is "reset" and, when clicked, it
resets the entire form. A plain button (with no HTML meaning) is defined
by assigning "button" to the TYPE attribute.

JavaScript Access
The four ways you can reference a button via JavaScript are:
[window.]document.formName.buttonName
[window.]document.formName.elements[index]

Chapter 18
[window.]document.forms[index].buttonName
[window.]document.forms[index].elements[index]

Event Handlers
All button objects (button, reset, and submit) are associated with a single
event, and therefore support only one event handler. This event handler is
probably the most important of all form-related event handlers.
onClick
A button, by definition, has only one designation—to be clicked. Its event
handler, therefore, responds only to a click event. Such an event occurs
when the user presses the button and then releases it while the pointer is
still atop the button. The event does not take place immediately when the
user presses the button, in order to give the user a chance to cancel the
clicking action by releasing it outside the button area.
You can also use this event handler with Submit and Reset buttons. The
onClick event handler script is executed prior to performing the built-in
action associated with a button. You can use this event, for example, to com-
pute a certain expression and assign its value to the value property of an
existing form element object.
The general syntax for this event handler is as follows:
<INPUT TYPE=... onClick="handlerScript">

Netscape Navigator supports an option to cancel a click event. This is also

supported in Mozilla Firefox. This can be done by having the event handler
342 n Chapter 18

return false, much the same way you cancel a form’s submission or reset-
ting. The canceled action is the one defined by the button (or other objects
that support this event handler). Canceling a click event of a Submit button,
for example, cancels the form’s submission.
Example 18-5 demonstrates the usage of the onClick event handler for
invoking a function that handles other elements of the form:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Expression evaluator</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function compute(form)
{
form.result.value = eval(form.expression.value)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="expression" VALUE="" SIZE=15> =
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="result" VALUE="" SIZE=8 onFocus="this.blur()">
<P>
<INPUT TYPE="button" NAME="computeButton" VALUE="compute" onClick=
"compute(this.form)">
<INPUT TYPE="button" NAME="clear" VALUE="clear result" onClick=
"this.form.result.value = ''">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-5 (ex18-5.htm). A simple expression evaluation script

The user types any numeric expression (such as 4 + 6 * 15) in the upper-
left field, and, after pressing “compute,” the result appears in the upper-
right field. The “clear result” button deletes the value in that field.
The form contains four elements. The first two are text objects—each
with its own unique attributes. The first button, named computeButton,
uses an onClick event handler to call the compute function with the object
reflecting the entire form. The second button provides the only means for
clearing the result field (the upper-right one).
The onClick event handler of this object is a single, immediate state-
ment. Its onFocus event handler creates a read-only field by calling the blur
method.
Since the entire form object is assigned to compute’s form parameter,
the property form.result.value refers to the content of the top-right text
object, whereas form.expression.value refers to the text inside the first
field. The text in the first field is evaluated, and the numeric result becomes
its value. If the left field contains the expression 5 * 3 – 2, for example,
 Forms n 343

then eval returns 13, which is placed in the second text object by assigning
13 to its value property.

Methods
click()
A button’s click() method simulates the user’s action of clicking that but-
ton. It causes the same action as would a human click, except that the
button’s onClick event handler is not triggered. Since their only usefulness
is in triggering the onClick event handler, this method is not useful for
TYPE="button" buttons. On some platforms, a visual border effect is created
when invoking this method.
You will probably never need to use this method, but here is an example
for your reference:
document.forms[0].elements[0].click()

Properties
name
A button’s name property is an exact reflection of the NAME attribute and is
read-only. In order to respond correctly to an event, the onClick event han-

Chapter 18
dler function commonly uses this property to figure out which button was
clicked. Here is an example of how to reference this property:
var buttonName = document.forms[0].elements[0].name

value
A button’s value is the visual label you give the button by assigning it to the
VALUE attribute of the <INPUT> tag. All form elements defined by the
<INPUT> tag feature this attribute. As far as buttons are concerned, the
length of the string determines the button’s size. The VALUE attribute can be
more than one word, and should generally be enclosed by quotation marks.
The VALUE attribute is reflected in JavaScript by the value property.
Although it is unlikely you will ever need to extract the property’s value, its
modification may be useful. Suppose you have a single button on a web page,
and you want its label to change whenever the user clicks the button. You
can implement such behavior by modifying the value property as a response
to the click event. Netscape Navigator began enabling explicit JavaScript
setting of event handlers in version 3.0, so you can even modify the event
handler’s script along with the button’s label to create a “new” button on the
fly (without reloading the page). Example 18-6 uses these features to create
a simple stopwatch.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>stopwatch (timer)</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
344 n Chapter 18

// set initial values

var timerRunning = false
var timerID = null
// create instance of Date object representing current time
var initial = new Date()
// start timer
function start()
{
// set the button's label to "stop"
document.forms[0].general.value = "stop"
// assign the stop function reference to the button's onClick event handler
document.forms[0].general.onclick = stop
// ask if the user wants to reset the timer
if (confirm("Would you like to reset the timer?"))
// set global variable to new time
initial = new Date()
// assign milliseconds since 1970 to global variable
startTime = initial.getTime()
| // make sure the timer is stopped
stopTimer()
// run and display timer
showTimer()
}
// set button to initial settings
function stop()
{
// set the button's label to "start"
document.forms[0].general.value = "start"
// assign the start function reference to the button's onClick event handler
document.forms[0].general.onclick = start
// stop timer
stopTimer()
}
// stop timer
function stopTimer()
{
// if the timer is currently running
if (timerRunning)
// clear the current timeout (stop the timer)
clearTimeout(timerID)
// assign false to global variable because timer is not running
timerRunning = false
}
function showTimer()
{
// create instance of Date representing current timer
var current = new Date()
// assign milliseconds since 1970 to local variable
var curTime = current.getTime()
// assign difference in milliseconds since timer was cleared
var dif = curTime – startTime
// assign difference in seconds to local variable
var result = dif / 1000
// if result is not positive
 Forms n 345

if (result < 1)
// attach an initial "0" to beginning
result = "0" + result
// convert result to string
result = result.toString()
// if result is integer
if (result.indexOf(".") == –1)
// attach ".00" to end
result += ".00"
// if result contains only one digit after decimal point
if (result.length – result.indexOf(".") <= 2)
// add a second digit after point
result += "0"
// place result in text field
document.forms[0].display.value = result
// call function recursively immediately (must use setTimeout to
// avoid overflow)
timerID = setTimeout("showTimer()", 0)
// timer is currently running
timerRunning = true
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>

Chapter 18
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="display" VALUE="" onFocus="this.blur()">
<INPUT TYPE="button" NAME="general" VALUE="start" onClick="start()">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-6 (ex18-6.htm). A simple timer with an adjusting button

Look through the script for a few minutes, and make sure you understand
the recursive flow and the handling of time-related features. Since most of
the features in this script should be well known to you by now, we’ll just
cover the new and difficult ones.
Take a look at the following statements from the start() function:
// set the button's label to "stop"
document.forms[0].general.value = "stop"
// assign the stop function reference to the button's onClick event handler
document.forms[0].general.onclick = stop

The first statement adjusts the button’s label by assigning it a new value—
stop. The second statement assigns a function reference (no parentheses
because it is a function reference, not a function call) to the button’s onClick
event handler. Notice that the event handler must be specified in lowercase
letters. These statements convert the Start button to a Stop button. The fol-
lowing statements from the stop() function convert the Stop button back to
a Start button, on the fly:
346 n Chapter 18

// set the button's label to "start"

document.forms[0].general.value = "start"
// assign the start function reference to the button's onClick event handler
document.forms[0].general.onclick = start

Notice that the button is labeled “stop” when the timer is running and is
labeled “start” otherwise.
The form in Example 18-6 consists of two elements. The first one is a
read-only text object (set via an event handler), whereas the second one is a
simple button.
Setting the value of a button is somewhat problematic. First, the button
size is not adjusted to the new label, so any excess text is dropped on both
sides. Another problem is that since the button label is centered, you do not
have control over its alignment with other buttons of different form ele-
ments. If you initialize a button to a very long string via its HTML attribute
(try assigning a string with many spaces to VALUE), you can even run a
T-banner on the button!

checkbox Object
HTML Syntax
A check box is a small box that reflects an “on” or “off” state. An HTML
check box is a form element that closely resembles a check box on a paper
form. If a mark is placed in the box, the current state is considered true. If
the check box is unchecked, the current state is false.
Check boxes are used a lot in server-based forms. If a box is checked, it
is included in the submitted data, whereas if it is empty it is excluded from
the data submitted to the server. Since a check box is an individual form ele-
ment that is not grouped with other elements, you should apply a distinct
name to every check box in a form. The user can check or uncheck a box at
any time after the page has been laid out.
The general syntax of a checkbox object is as follows:
<INPUT
TYPE="checkbox"
NAME="checkboxName"
VALUE="checkboxValue"
[CHECKED]
[onClick="handlerText"]>

Both the NAME and VALUE attributes specify internal values that are not dis-
played on the page. In order to label a check box, you should simply place
the label directly after the check box, so it appears as if connected to the
object. The following piece of code demonstrates this trick:
 Forms n 347

Select all the computers used at your business:

<P>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="PC">PC
<P>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Mac">Macintosh
<P>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" NAME="Unix">Unix (X-Windows)

In order to create a check box that is initially checked, you simply specify
the CHECKED attribute, without assigning it any value. Its presence deter-
mines the initial state of the check box when the page loads.
A JavaScript checkbox provides a wide variety of functionality, but you
should not use it as a regular button (supporting, for example, an onClick
event handler); rather use it only as a yes/no selection interface. You can,
however, use the click event to trigger a side-effect statement. It is impor-
tant to recognize that a check box is primarily a toggle switch.

JavaScript Access
There are basically four ways to reference a checkbox:
[window.]document.formName.checkboxName
[window.]document.formName.elements[index]
[window.]document.forms[index].checkboxName

Chapter 18
[window.]document.forms[index].elements[index]

Event Handlers
onClick
Since a check box responds to only the click event, the checkbox object does
not support event handlers other than onClick. Use this event handler
when you want to invoke a function or execute a statement immediately
when the user clicks a check box. A click event occurs when the user clicks
a check box, regardless of whether it is checked or empty.
Again, be extremely conservative when using this event handler. A
check box should be used only for yes/no selection.

Methods
click()
The checkbox object supports only the click() method, which is equivalent
to manually clicking the check box. You can use this method to implement a
nonmodifiable check box, for example, by clicking the check box whenever
the user clicks it, thus always reversing the user’s action and leaving the
check box untouched. Here is how to define such a “read-only” check box:
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" onClick="this.click()">

Another useful implementation of this method is to open an invisible con-

nection between two or more check boxes. Here is an example script that
always keeps two check boxes at the same state (checked or unchecked):
348 n Chapter 18

<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function connectMe(destination)
{
document.forms[0].elements[destination].click()
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" onClick="connectMe(1)"> Number 1<BR>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" onClick="connectMe(0)"> Number 2
</FORM>

Each check box’s onClick event handler invokes the connectMe() function
with the target check box’s index as the argument. The second check box’s
event handler, for example, calls connectMe() with a 0 value because it is
connected to the first check box (its index is 0). The connectMe() function
simply emulates a click event for the form element at the given index.
The click() method does not trigger the onClick event handler so you
should not worry about the script getting into an infinite loop here. You can
generalize the connectMe() function to handle an array of check boxes with
a for loop.

Properties
checked
The checkbox’s Boolean property checked reflects the button’s current
state. A true value means that the specified check box is checked, whereas a
false one represents an unchecked box. Of the properties supported by the
checkbox object, this property is both the simplest and the most useful. You
can read and adjust this property at any time, even after layout has been
completed.
Checking and unchecking a check box is accomplished by simply assign-
ing the corresponding Boolean value to the object’s checked property. The
following statement unchecks a box:
document.forms[0].elements[0].checked = false

Since a check box can be set to either of the two possible states regardless
of the current one, you do not have to use an if statement to determine the
current state and then invoke the action accordingly. Be aware that setting
the state of a check box by assigning checked is much more efficient than
probing the current state and calling the check box’s click() method.
Example 18-7 demonstrates the use of the checked property in a simple
game. It features both reading the checked property as well as setting it.
The objective of the game is to check as many boxes as possible within 20
seconds (20,000 milliseconds). The accumulated number of currently
checked boxes is displayed in a text object at the top. When the time has
 Forms n 349

elapsed, all check boxes become read-only, and a Start button is placed at the
bottom for restarting the game.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Checkbox game</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// assign initial values to global variables
var total = 0
var play = false
// react to a click in a checkbox (element == clicked checkbox object)
function display(element)
{
// assign instance of Date object representing current time
var now = new Date()
// if the game has not started yet
if (!play)
{
// game starts now
play = true
// milliseconds since 1970 for time at beginning
startTime = now.getTime()
}
// if more than 20 seconds have passed since startTime was last set

Chapter 18
if (now.getTime() – startTime > 20000)
{
// reject modification (make "read-only")
element.checked = !element.checked
// terminate function
return
}
// if the clicked checkbox is now checked
if (element.checked)
// increment total
total++
else
// decrement total
total--
// display total in text object
element.form.num.value = total
}
function restart(form)
{
// set global variables back to initial values
total = 0
play = false
// uncheck all 100 check boxes
for (var i = 1; i <= 100; ++i)
{
// uncheck current check box
form.elements[i].checked = false
}
}
350 n Chapter 18

// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// immediate script (executed before the other script because it is deferred)
document.write("<FORM><CENTER>")
document.write('<INPUT TYPE="text" VALUE="0" NAME="num" SIZE=10 onFocus=
"this.blur()"><BR>')
document.write("<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=40%>")
// use loop to create a 10 x 10 square of check boxes
for (var i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
{
for (var j = 0; j < 10; ++j)
{
// write check box with "display(this)" as event handler script
document.write('<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" onClick="display(this)">')
}
document.write("<BR>")
}
document.write("<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=40%>")
// create button to call restart function to restart game
document.write('<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="restart" onClick=
"restart(this.form)">')
document.write("</CENTER></FORM>")
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-7 (ex18-7.htm). A game demonstrating the use of check boxes

The global statements in the <HEAD></HEAD> portion define the variable

total, which holds the accumulated number of checked check boxes, and
the variable play, which holds a Boolean indication as to whether or not the
game is currently being played (timer is running).
Since its statements are all immediate ones, the first script segment to
be executed is the one within the <BODY></BODY> portion of the page. That
script simply prints the HTML interface of the game: a text object, 100
check boxes, a button, and two horizontal rules. All check boxes have an
onClick event handler that calls the display() function with the checkbox
object itself (this) as an argument.
The display() function accepts one argument—the triggered checkbox
object. First, an instance of the Date object, representing the time at which
the display() function was called, is assigned to the local variable now. The
next segment of the function checks if the game is already being played. If
not, play is set to true and the number of milliseconds since 1970 is assigned
to the global variable startTime. If the difference between the current time
and the time at the beginning of the game is greater than 20 seconds, the
checked property of the calling checkbox is reversed (rejecting the user’s
attempts to continue playing after time is out), and the function terminates
 Forms n 351

immediately. The rest of the function deals with a normal event of the user
clicking the check box. The total number of check boxes is incremented if
the calling check box is currently checked, and is decremented if the check
box is currently unchecked. The total number of checked check boxes is
assigned to element.form.num.value, the text object’s value property.
The restart() function simply resets all global variables and checkbox
states to their initial settings.
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" onClick="this.checked = !this.checked">

defaultChecked
A check box definition may include a CHECKED specification to signal that the
default state of the check box is “on,” or true. If you do not specify this
HTML attribute, it defaults to false. You can access a check box’s default
state via JavaScript’s defaultChecked property. You can set default-
Checked at any time, thus overriding the CHECKED attribute. Use the
following statement to reset a check box’s state to its default:
this.checked = this.defaultChecked

this is the specific check box you want to reset.

name
A checkbox object’s name property reflects the NAME attribute of the <INPUT>

Chapter 18
element definition. It is a read-only property, so you cannot modify it. You
should be as descriptive as possible when choosing a NAME attribute, espe-
cially for server-side applications that access the box’s value only through its
name. If your form is primarily for JavaScript processing, you can use the
NAME attribute to mimic the functionality of a second VALUE attribute.
value
The value property initially reflects the VALUE attribute of the <INPUT>
definition, but it can be adjusted via a JavaScript script at any time.
Just like a text object’s string value, the value property represents
the checkbox object’s value, and as such is very important for forms pro-
cessed by the server. By setting the VALUE attribute, you explicitly affect the
content of the form submitted to the server.
Although you can accomplish many tasks without using the value prop-
erty, it is sometimes very convenient to use this property instead. The
following example demonstrates how to use a check box list to print all
operating systems your business uses:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Checkbox value property</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function displayList(list)
{
var total = ""
352 n Chapter 18

for (var i = 0; i < list.length; ++i)

{
if (list[i].checked)
total += list[i].value + "\r"
}
if (total == "")
alert("No OS selected!")
else
alert(total)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" VALUE="DOS / Windows" NAME="computer">DOS /
Windows XP<BR>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" VALUE="Windows Vista" NAME="computer">Windows Vista<BR>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" VALUE="Macintosh" NAME="computer">Macintosh<BR>
<INPUT TYPE="checkbox" VALUE="Linux" NAME="computer">Linux<BR>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="display list" onClick=
"displayList(this.form.computer)">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

First of all, notice that the form consists of four check boxes and one button.
The button’s onClick event handler invokes the displayList() function,
passing the computer form element as an argument. Since there are four
elements matching that name, this.form.computer is actually an array of
four check box elements. A checkbox’s VALUE attribute specifies the operat-
ing system associated with that check box.
The displayList() function is based on a simple for loop that concate-
nates the check box values inside the local variable total, inserting new
line characters as delimiters. When the loop terminates, total holds a list of
all the operating systems that the user checked. If the value of total is an
empty string, the user did not check any of the boxes, and an appropriate
message is displayed. Otherwise, the list of the checked operating systems
is displayed in an alert box.

radio Object
HTML Syntax
A radio button provides an interface to select an option among multiple
choices. Unlike check boxes, which are rectangular in shape, radio buttons
are circular. Another difference between the two types of buttons is that
radio buttons belong to a group of buttons and are not independent. A group
of radio buttons behaves exactly like the station buttons on an old car radio.
It has two possible states: one button is pressed (on) or all buttons are
 Forms n 353

released (off). When a button is pressed, the button that was pressed is auto-
matically released.
All buttons of the same group share the same name. In fact, the identical
name is an indication to the browser to restrict the number of checked radio
buttons to one. Clicking a button automatically deselects the currently
selected button of the same group. The general syntax of a single radio but-
ton is as follows:
<INPUT
TYPE="radio"
NAME="groupName"
VALUE="buttonValue"
[CHECKED]
[onClick="handlerText"]>

Keep in mind that you should only use this type of button to enable a single
selection among multiple choices. The following construct, for example, pro-
vides the means to choose a computer type from three options:
What computer do you most often use:
<P>
<INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="computers" VALUE="unix">Unix (X-Windows)
<P>
<INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="computers" VALUE="pc">PC
<P>

Chapter 18
<INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="computers" VALUE="mac">Macintosh

JavaScript Access
Although a radio button is a simple form element, its reference is an unusual
one. You can reference a radio button group via one of the following
expressions:
[window.]document.formName.radioGroupName
[window.]document.formName.elements[ElementIndex]
[window.]document.forms[FormIndex].radioGroupName
[window.]document.forms[FormIndex].elements[ElementIndex]

As explained at the beginning of this chapter, elements with the same names
are combined and indexed into a single array. Therefore, the above refer-
ences are actually arrays, where each element is a single radio button.
Hence, the four ways to reference a specific radio button are as follows:
[window.]document.formName.radioGroupName[ButtonIndex]
[window.]document.formName.elements[ElementIndex][ButtonIndex]
[window.]document.forms[FormIndex].radioGroupName[ButtonIndex]
[window.]document.forms[FormIndex].elements[ElementIndex][ButtonIndex]

You can look up the number of radio buttons in a group by accessing the
group’s LENGTH attribute. For more details, check the section about the name
property of the text object earlier in this chapter.
Some versions of Internet Explorer do not work perfectly with the
radio object, so be sure to test your script.
354 n Chapter 18

When a radio button group consists of only one radio button, it is not
considered a group. Therefore, you cannot access the array, and references
such as the following ones are not valid:
[window.]document.formName.radioGroupName[index]
[window.]document.formName.radioGroupName.length

Instead, you must access the radio button directly, without an array:
[window.]document.formName.radioButtonName

The difference in referencing a single button and a multiple-button group

complicates scripts quite a bit. If the radio buttons are created with plain
HTML, you obviously know if the number of radio buttons is greater than
one and access them accordingly. If the radio buttons are automatically gen-
erated by a script, then you have to add a counter that will indicate if the
number of buttons is greater than one.

Event Handlers
onClick
A radio object supports only one event handler—the onClick event. When
the user checks (fills) a radio button, a click event occurs, and the specified
statements are executed. See the listings for the checkbox object for more
details, syntax, and examples.

Methods
click()
The click() method emulates a button click on the calling radio object. It
does not, however, trigger the button’s onClick event handler. Example
18-8 demonstrates the use of this method to create a “Christmas lights”
effect.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Blinking lights</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY onLoad="animate()">
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// create row of radio buttons
lay(20)
// set index of lamp to start animation
var current = 0
// set speed (pause in milliseconds between each movement)
var speed = 100
function lay(num)
{
// assign "greater than" character to variable
var gt = unescape("%3e")
// open form
 Forms n 355

document.write("<FORM NAME='animation'" + gt)

// use loop to lay radio buttons down (all buttons in same group)
for (var i = 0; i < num; ++i)
{
document.write("<INPUT TYPE='radio' NAME='lamps'" + gt)
}
// close form
document.write("</FORM" + gt)
}
function animate()
{
// click next radio button
document.animation.lamps[current].click()
// if radio button is the last one reset variable to 0 (otherwise increment)
current = (current == document.animation.lamps.length – 1) ? 0 : ++current
// recursive call after speed milliseconds
timerID = setTimeout("animate()", speed)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-8 (ex18-8.htm). A radio button animation

The function lay() prints a form with a given number of radio objects.

Chapter 18
Notice a very important technique to encode the greater than character.
This character (>) is assigned to the variable gt via the unescape() func-
tion. You may recall from Chapter 2, “Getting Started with JavaScript,” that
Netscape uses a different HTML comment than other browsers. While stan-
dard browsers terminate a comment with a greater than character (>),
Navigator uses a three-character string (-->) instead. Therefore, if a greater
than character is really placed in the script, it terminates the comment that
hides the script from browsers that do not support JavaScript (specified by
the <SCRIPT> tag). When creating a JavaScript-powered web page, you
should be sure to use this technique whenever possible, especially to close
HTML tags that are printed via document.write. You can also use less than
operators instead of greater than operators, simply by reversing the order of
the operands of a conditional statement. If your page is based on JavaScript,
though, you may choose to disregard other browsers because they probably
won’t be able to display the page anyway. Nevertheless, if you are using
JavaScript only to add some special effects, you should use this technique to
make it clearly viewable with any browser, even with those that do not fea-
ture JavaScript. Yahoo!, for example, used this technique to create a “Yahoo
Remote” for its page. The button that launched this JavaScript device was
printed by a script, so browsers without JavaScript didn’t even see the but-
ton. Had the greater than character not been encoded, the whole page (not
just one button) would have been scrambled for users without
JavaScript-enabled browsers.
Back to the lay() function. It is important to name the form for later
access—animation is chosen. A simple for loop is executed to print num
356 n Chapter 18

(the parameter) radio objects named lamps (belong to the same group).
Notice that all HTML tags are printed in the following fashion:
document.write("<TAG ATTRIBUTES" + gt)

As explained above, the value of gt is a greater than character (a one-charac-

ter string). See the previous page for a complete explanation on the
motivation for this encoding.
The second function, animate(), is responsible for the actual animation.
A global variable, current, is already defined and initialized to 0. The func-
tion’s main task is to invoke the click() method associated with the radio
object of index current. Note that all radio objects are elements of a unique
array—document.animation.lamps. The second statement handles the
boundary case when the checking loop needs to advance from the last button
of the row to the first one (wraparound). The expression current == docu-
ment.animation.lamps.length – 1 evaluates to true when the value of
current is equal to the index of the last element in the document.anima-
tion.lamps array (the last radio button). In this case, current is set to 0,
forcing the first button on the row to be checked next. In all other cases, the
value of current is incremented, advancing the checked radio button. Note
that when a radio button belonging to a group is clicked, any previously
selected button is deselected. The last statement of the function recursively
calls itself after a pause of speed milliseconds (speed is a global variable).

Properties
checked
The checked property evaluates to a Boolean value. If its calling radio
object is checked (highlighted), the value of checked is true; otherwise it is
false. Due to the structure of a radio object group, the checked property of
a single radio object in a group is always true.
You can set the value of checked in order to modify the radio object’s
display. Since all buttons of a group can be deselected, setting a checked
property to false simply deselects the calling radio object, without causing
any side effects to the other buttons. Checking an empty radio object, how-
ever, does deselect any previously highlighted member of the group. See the
section on the checkbox object for full coverage of this property.
defaultChecked
The defaultChecked property reflects the HTML CHECKED attribute. Refer
to the section on the checkbox object for further details.
name
The name property initially reflects the NAME attribute in the HTML defini-
tion. See the section on the checkbox object’s name property for a complete
explanation.
 Forms n 357

value
The value property initially corresponds to the VALUE attribute of a radio
button HTML tag, but it can be adjusted to any valid string. Once again,
refer to the section on the checkbox object for the syntax and a full
description.

select Object
HTML Syntax
Scrolling menus are a flexible means of input you can use on your forms.
The <SELECT> tag is used to create various types of scrolling menus. This is
the common way to enable the user to select an option from a list.
The <SELECT> tag is specified by a <SELECT></SELECT> pair. You should
always specify the menu’s name in the following fashion:
<SELECT NAME="anyName">

It is preferred to use a name that meets the JavaScript identifier naming con-
ventions. As you might expect, the interior of the <SELECT></SELECT>
portion includes the list’s options. An option is specified in the following
form:

Chapter 18
<OPTION VALUE="optionValue">optionText

For example, the following element creates a simple menu of computer

firms:
<SELECT NAME="comp">
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.microsoft.com/">Microsoft
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.mozilla.org//">Firefox
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.sun.com/">Sun
</SELECT>

You can use the SELECTED attribute (no value is necessary) to automatically
select a default option when the page loads. For example, the following
script creates a menu, where the default option (which is also the value that
appears highlighted in the box) is “Sun”:
<SELECT NAME="comp">
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.microsoft.com/">Microsoft
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.mozilla.org//">Firefox
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.sun.com/" SELECTED>Sun
</SELECT>

The text in the box is not the VALUE attribute specified inside the <OPTION>
tag, but rather the string placed outside the <OPTION> tag. The string has no
effect other than being the menu label.
358 n Chapter 18

The main advantage of this menu is that, due to its pop-up configuration,
it does not take up much space on the page. Its disadvantage is that the user
can select only one option. To work around this deficiency, you can specify
the MULTIPLE attribute, but, since all options are laid out instead of popping
up, you lose the space advantage. Here is a simple example:
<SELECT NAME="comp" MULTIPLE>
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.microsoft.com/">Microsoft
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.mozilla.org/">Firefox
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.sun.com/" SELECTED>Sun
</SELECT>

You can select multiple options by holding the Shift key down and selecting
or deselecting options from the menu. The Control key can also be held in
order to select each option individually. These keys are commonly used in all
major operating systems.
The complete syntax for the select object is as follows:
<SELECT
NAME="selectName"
[SIZE="integer"]
[MULTIPLE]
[onBlur="handlerText"]
[onChange="handlerText"]
[onFocus="handlerText"]>
<OPTION VALUE="optionValue" [SELECTED]>textToDisplay
[…<OPTION VALUE="optionValue" [SELECTED]>textToDisplay]
</SELECT>

You should recognize all attributes except for the event handlers, which are
explained later.

JavaScript Access
There are several ways to reference a select object:
[window.]document.formName.selectName
[window.]document.formName.elements[index]
[window.]document.forms[index].selectName
[window.]document.forms[index].elements[index]

You can access a specific option in a select object by appending an options

property to its reference. This property is actually an array of options start-
ing at index 0. You can reference, for example, the first option of a select
object in the following fashion:
[window.]document.formName.selectName.options[0]

The options array is discussed later as one of the select object’s

properties.
 Forms n 359

Event Handlers
onBlur
A blur event occurs when a select object loses focus. The onBlur event
handler’s script executes upon a blur event. There are a few ways to gener-
ate a blur event:
n Select an option from the list and then click outside the select object,
either on the page’s body or in another form element.
n Select an option from the menu and then send the browser’s window to
the background. The new window you focus on may be a different
browser window or a window associated with any foreign application.
This event handler is not very useful because it relies on the user to remove
focus from the object, which is not that intuitive.
onChange
A change event associated with a select object occurs when the user
changes the selected option. Unlike change events associated with other
objects, the select object does not have to lose focus in order to generate
the event. The onChange event handler executes when a change event
occurs.
The onChange event handler is commonly used for exchanging informa-

Chapter 18
tion with the user. We will demonstrate this event handler in later examples,
when we discuss the select object’s methods and properties.
onFocus
A focus event associated with a select object occurs when the user gives it
focus; that is, when the user attempts to select an option from the menu, but
before the menu pops up or modifies the currently selected option. The
onFocus event handler responds to a focus event. When the user clicks
somewhere inside the select object, you can, for example, pop up an alert
box with user instructions for that particular menu. The following source
demonstrates this suggestion:
<FORM>
<SELECT NAME="comp" onFocus="alert('Simply select the desired home')">
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.microsoft.com/">Microsoft
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.mozilla.org//">Firefox
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.sun.com/" SELECTED>Sun
</SELECT>
</FORM>

Methods
blur, focus
The only explicit methods of the select object are blur() and focus(). See
the listings for the text object at the beginning of this chapter for complete
coverage of these methods.
360 n Chapter 18

Properties (select Object)

The select object features various properties, but the most useful are actu-
ally properties of the options array, as you will find out later. In this section
we discuss only the properties that belong directly to the select object.
length
You can access the number of options in a select object through the length
property. Since this value is also referenced as the length property of the
options array, you have the freedom to choose which length to use. Since
length is known to be a standard property of all arrays in JavaScript, we per-
sonally prefer referencing length via the options array. Netscape Navigator
accepts any of the following references to the number of options in the
select object:
selectName.length
selectName.options.length
selectName.options.options.length
selectName.options.options.options.length

Microsoft Internet Explorer (since version 3.0) has accepted only the first
two, but, since the third one does not make any sense, you should avoid
using it anyway.
The value of the length property should not be assigned by a script. It
is dynamic, so it changes whenever an option is added to the corresponding
select object.
name
The name property reflects the NAME attribute of the <SELECT> tag. You can
modify this property freely. Adjusting it via a script overrides the initial
HTML setting. The following script segment shows how to display the name
property (“products”) via an alert dialog box:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function sayName(selectObject)
{
alert(selectObject.name)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<FORM>
<SELECT NAME="products" onChange="sayName(this)">
<OPTION VALUE="sny">Sony
<OPTION VALUE="jvc">JVC
<OPTION VALUE="tsh">Toshiba
</SELECT>
</FORM>
 Forms n 361

options
You can reference the options in a select object by the options property.
Generally speaking, this array contains an entry for each option (<OPTION>)
in a select object (<SELECT>). Suppose the first element of the first form in
a document is a select object with three options. These options can be ref-
erenced in JavaScript as:
document.forms[0].elements[0].options[0]
document.forms[0].elements[0].options[1]
document.forms[0].elements[0].options[2]

As always, the length of the array, which is equal to the number of options in
the given select object, is stored in the array’s length property. In the pre-
ceding examples that would be:
document.forms[0].elements[0].options.length

Elements of the options array are read-only. Although it does not generate
a JavaScript error, assigning a value to any of the elements has no effect.
The bare-bones selectObject.options reference evaluates to the full
HTML syntax used to create the specified selectObject.
Note that you can also access the properties of the select object as if
they were direct properties of the options array.

Chapter 18
selectedIndex
The selectedIndex property is an integer specifying the index of the
selected option in a select object. Options in a select object are indexed in
the order of definition, i.e., in the same order they are entered in the
options array. You can also set the value of selectedIndex in a script to
immediately update the state (the selected option) of a select object.
The selectedIndex property is not useful with multiple select objects
because it can only refer to the first selected option in the list. You can work
around this problem by using the selected property of the options array
and a simple loop. See the selected property in the next section, “Prop-
erties (options Array)” for further details.
Example 18-9 demonstrates the selectedIndex property. Although we
have not discussed the value property yet, its role is obvious. If needed,
refer to its description later in this chapter.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>URL option</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function loadPage(list)
{
location.href = list.options[list.selectedIndex].value
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
362 n Chapter 18

<BODY>
<FORM>
<SELECT onChange="loadPage(this)">
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.cnn.com/">CNN
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.msnbc.com/">MSNBC
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.usatoday.com/">USA TODAY
</SELECT>
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example18-9 (ex18-9.htm). A URL picker

When the user selects an option in the select object, the loadPage() func-
tion is invoked by the onChange event handler, passing the select object as
an argument. The URL associated with each option is stored as the option’s
VALUE attribute, or value property in terms of JavaScript. The selected
option is list.options[list.selectedIndex] because list.selected-
Index is an integer representing the index of the selected option. The value
property is used to access the URL of the selected object, which is then
assigned to location.href, in order to load that page to the browser win-
dow. You may prefer to use a button in place of the onChange event handler:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>URL option with button</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function loadPage(list)
{
location.href = list.options[list.selectedIndex].value
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
<SELECT>
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.cnn.com/">CNN
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.msnbc.com/">MSNBC
<OPTION VALUE="http://www.usatoday.com/">USA TODAY
</SELECT>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="load page" onClick=
"loadPage(this.form.elements[0])">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-10 (ex18-10.htm). Another version of the URL picker—this one uses a
button

The only difference between Example 18-9 and Example 18-10 is that in
Example 18-9 the event handler is attached to a select object, while in
Example 18-10 it is attached to a button object. In order to avoid changing
 Forms n 363

the function, we have modified the argument handed to the function to keep
passing the select object. The expression this.form references the form
and elements[0] references the select object, which is the first element in
the form.

Properties (options Array)

An element in the options array reflects a select object’s option defined by
the <OPTION> tag in HTML. Properties of the options array are properties
of specific options in a select object.
defaultSelected
The defaultSelected property evaluates to a Boolean value. If the speci-
fied option is defined with a SELECTED attribute (<OPTION...SELECTED>), the
value of defaultSelected is true. Otherwise, it is false.
defaultSelected initially reflects whether the SELECTED attribute is
used within an <OPTION> tag. Setting the defaultSelected property via a
script overrides the initial HTML setting.
In a select object without a MULTIPLE specification you can only have
one option selected by default. Therefore, setting the defaultSelected
property of a given option to true clears any previous default selections,
including those set with SELECTED. Nevertheless, if you set default-

Chapter 18
Selected in a select object defined with the MULTIPLE attribute, previous
default selections are not cleared.
index
The index property of a single option in a select object is the number iden-
tifying the position of the object in the selection list, starting from zero.
Under normal circumstances, there is no justification for the existence of
the index property, because in order to reference an option, you need to
know its index:
document.selectObject.options[indexValue]

and when you reference the index property, you supposedly know the index
already:
document.selectObject.options[indexValue].index

length
See the listings for the length property in the preceding section—“Prop-
erties (select Object).”
selected
The selected property is a Boolean value specifying the current selection
state of an option in a select object. Its general syntax is as follows:
selectName.options[index].selected
364 n Chapter 18

If an option in a select object (selectName.options[index]) is selected,

the selected property evaluates to true. Otherwise, it evaluates to false.
You can set this property at any time, which immediately affects the display
of the select object.
The selected and defaultSelected properties are very useful. Sup-
pose you want to create a button by which the user can reset the select
object. Using the Reset button is not desirable because it resets the entire
form, not just the select object. You can solve the problem by using a sim-
ple JavaScript function to revert the select object to its default state. Here
is the function that the button should invoke:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Reset select object</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function setDefault(selectName)
{
for (var i = 0; i < selectName.options.length; ++i)
{
selectName.options[i].selected = selectName.options[i].defaultSelected
}
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
<SELECT NAME="myMenu" MULTIPLE>
<OPTION> First option
<OPTION SELECTED> Second option
<OPTION> Third option
<OPTION> Fourth option
<OPTION SELECTED> Fifth option
</SELECT>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="reset menu" onClick="setDefault(this.form.myMenu)">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-11 (ex18-11.htm). A simple function to reset a select object

The setDefault() function works with any type of select object, whether
it is a multiple one or not. It simply loops through the options of the select
object and sets the selected property of each to its defaultSelected prop-
erty, reverting all options to their default selection state. The value handed
to the function is the select object, referenced as this.form.myMenu.
 Forms n 365

þ Note: Microsoft Internet Explorer does not fully support the select object.
This entire discussion is based on Navigator because it simply does not work
for Microsoft’s browser. As you can see, Microsoft has focused on the user
interface of its browser but did not pay much attention to script-level access via
JavaScript. The average web surfer does not feel the disadvantages because
web content providers use only features that are supported by both browsers.

text
There is no HTML attribute that defines the option’s label. Take a look at
Example 18-11. The strings “First option,” “Second option,” and so forth are
not specified in any HTML attribute as you could expect. They are simply
appended to the <OPTION> definitions.
The text property can be set at any time, immediately affecting the dis-
play. Example 18-12 demonstrates the use of this property. When the user
selects an option from the list, that option is automatically placed at the top
of the list, shifting all other options downward. See the listings for the value
property if this is not completely clear.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Swapping options</TITLE>

Chapter 18
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
var choiceIndex = –1
function swap(opt1, opt2)
{
var tempText = opt1.text
var tempValue = opt1.value
var tempDefault = opt1.defaultSelected
opt1.text = opt2.text
opt1.value = opt2.value
opt1.defaultSelected = opt2.defaultSelected
opt2.text = tempText
opt2.value= tempValue
opt2.defaultSelected = tempDefault
}
function shift(selectName)
{
if (choiceIndex == –1)
{
choiceIndex = selectName.selectedIndex
swap(selectName.options[choiceIndex], selectName.options[0])
}
else
{
swap(selectName.options[choiceIndex], selectName.options[0])
choiceIndex = selectName.selectedIndex
swap(selectName.options[choiceIndex], selectName.options[0]
}
366 n Chapter 18

selectName.options[0].selected = true
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
<SELECT onChange="shift(this)">
<OPTION VALUE="val1"> First option
<OPTION VALUE="val2" SELECTED> Second option
<OPTION VALUE="val3"> Third option
<OPTION VALUE="val4"> Fourth option
<OPTION VALUE="val5"> Fifth option
</SELECT>
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-12 (ex18-12.htm). You can swap options in a select object by swap-
ping their values.

When the user selects an option from the select object, the top option is
swapped back to its original position and then the selected option is swapped
with the top option that the first swap yielded.
At first, when the page loads and the select object has not been
through layout yet, the global variable choiceIndex is initialized to –1. Since
the index of an option in a select object is always non-negative, –1 is used
to indicate that this is the first execution and that the current state of the
select object is its initial one.
The swap() function accepts two options associated with a select
object and simply swaps them by swapping their three properties:
n text
n value
n defaultSelected

You cannot directly swap two options because the options array is
read-only.
The shift() function accepts one argument—a select object. If the
value of choiceIndex is –1, then choiceIndex is assigned the index of the
selected option, and the selected option is swapped with the option at the
top of the list (index is 0). Since choiceIndex is a global variable, its value
will remain intact until the next invocation of the shift() function. When
the value of choiceIndex is not –1, the function runs a different set of state-
ments. First, it swaps the option at the top of the menu with option number
choiceIndex. Since choiceIndex has not been set yet during the current
execution of the function, it holds the index of the option that the user
selected on the previous round. That is, the function simply returns the
select object to the state that preceded the previous function’s execution.
The following two statements are identical to those executed when the
value of choiceIndex is –1. It is unnecessary to specify these statements
 Forms n 367

twice. Instead, you may conditionally execute the first statement (if
choiceIndex is not –1) and then unconditionally execute the other two.
value
The value property initially reflects the VALUE attribute of an <OPTION> defi-
nition. You can override the initial setting at any given time by assigning this
property a value. We have seen this property in action before. For working
examples, see the listings for the defaultSelected property of the select
object and the preceding listings for the text property.

The Option Object—Adding Options Using the Option

Constructor
JavaScript for Netscape Navigator (beginning back with version 3.0) enables
you to explicitly create options via the Option constructor. Options you cre-
ate are instances of the option object. The syntax for creating an option is
as follows:
var optionName = new Option([optionText, optionValue, defaultSelected,
selected])

Here is a brief explanation of the arguments you should normally hand to the
constructor function:

Chapter 18
n optionText—a string representing the option’s text property.
n optionValue—a string representing the option’s value property.
n defaultSelected—a string representing the option’s defaultSelected
property.
n selected—a string representing the option’s selected property.

See the listings for each of these properties for more details.
You can add an option to an existing select object in the following
fashion:
selectName.options[index] = optionName

After you create an option and add it to a select object, you must refresh
the document. You can do that via JavaScript using the following statement:
history.go(0)

You can also refresh a document using the browser control options either by
clicking in the Location box and pressing Enter, or by selecting Refresh from
the View menu.
You can delete an option from a select object by assigning it a null
value. The general syntax is as follows:
selectName.options[index] = null

Once again, you must refresh the document via history.go(0) in order to
see the updated appearance of the select object.
An option created as an instance of the option object includes the same
properties as an option associated with a select object.
368 n Chapter 18

Example 18-13 demonstrates the use of the Option constructor to cre-

ate a nested select object structure.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Nested select structure</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
var menu = new Array(3)
for (var i = 0; i < menu.length; ++i)
{
menu[i] = new Array()
}
menu[0][0] = new Option("Option 1-1", "", true, true)
menu[0][1] = new Option("Option 1-2")
menu[0][2] = new Option("Option 1-3")
menu[0][3] = new Option("Option 1-4")
menu[0][4] = new Option("Option 1-5")
menu[1][0] = new Option("Option 2-1", "", true, true)
menu[1][1] = new Option("Option 2-2")
menu[1][2] = new Option("Option 2-3")
menu[2][0] = new Option("Option 3-1", "", true, true)
menu[2][1] = new Option("Option 3-2")
menu[2][2] = new Option("Option 3-3")
menu[2][3] = new Option("Option 3-4")
function updateSub(index, subMenu)
{
// delete all options in submenu
for (var j = 0; j < subMenu.options.length; ++j)
{
subMenu.options[j] = null
}
// add options to submenu
for (var k = 0; k < menu[index].length; ++k)
{
subMenu.options[k] = menu[index][k]
}
history.go(0)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
<SELECT NAME="main" onChange= "updateSub(this.selectedIndex, this.form.sub)">
<OPTION SELECTED> Option 1
<OPTION> Option 2
<OPTION> Option 3
</SELECT>
<SELECT NAME="sub">
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
for (var ind = 0; ind < menu[0].length; ++ind)
{
 Forms n 369

document.write("<OPTION> Option 1-" + (ind + 1))

}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</SELECT>
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 18-13 (ex18-13.htm). “Nested” select objects connected via JavaScript

When the page first loads, two select objects are created. The first one
includes three options and is not modified at any stage. The second one is a
dynamic select object, i.e., its options and length change. The script in the
<HEAD></HEAD> portion of the page defines a two-dimensional array. The
first index is of the first select object (an integer from 0 to 2). The second
index is an integer between 0 and the index of the last option of the second
select object. The number of options in the second select object depends
on the option selected from the first select object.
Sounds difficult, but it’s not! First you must understand what the script
does. When the user selects an option from the first menu (select object),
the second select object is updated with the corresponding option list. For
example, if the second option in the main menu is selected, the script uses
its index (1) to determine the array of elements (menu[1]) that should con-

Chapter 18
stitute the options of the second select object. For the sake of the example,
we used text properties to identify the structure (1-1, 0-3, etc.).
When the user first loads the page, the first select object is laid out
according to its HTML definition, while the second select object is gener-
ated via a JavaScript for loop that iterates over the menu[0] array and writes
out its elements.
The first select object includes an onChange event handler that invokes
the updateSub() function, passing, as arguments, the form and the selected
index. The function is based on two loops. The first one deletes the current
options of the second menu by assigning each a null value. The second loop
adds new options to the second menu, according to the elements of the
selected menu array. Notice that we did not add properties for all options,
but rather only for the first option of each menu array (a value, a default
property, and a defaultSelected property). The elements of the menu
array are obviously instances of the option object. The document is
refreshed by history.go(0).
An instance of the option object has the same structure as an element
of a select object’s element array. Both objects include the same properties
and none have methods.
370 n Chapter 18

fileUpload Object
HTML Syntax
A file upload element of an HTML form enables the user to supply a local
file as input. Generally speaking, its syntax is as follows:
<INPUT
TYPE="file"
NAME="fileUploadName">

Note that fileUploadName is not the name of the file, but rather the name of
the form element that enables the user to supply the file.

JavaScript Access
The regular syntax is as follows:
[window.]document.formName.fileUploadName
[window.]document.formName.elements[index]
[window.]document.forms[index].fileUploadName
[window.]document.forms[index].elements[index]

Event Handlers and Methods

A discussion of the various event handlers and methods for this object are
out of the scope of this book.

Properties
The fileUpload object includes these two properties.
name
The name property initially reflects the NAME attribute of the HTML defini-
tion. You may set its value at any time.
value
This read-only property reflects the current value of the fileUpload ele-
ment’s field—the name of the file to upload.

Summary
You deserve a reward if you had the motivation to read through this lengthy
chapter. I believe that you have already been rewarded with the knowledge
to implement interactive forms including their event handlers. Forms are a
convenient means of collecting user’s input without producing annoying dia-
log boxes. Some form elements such as text and textarea objects also
come in handy when you need to display changing output, such as a clock or
 Forms n 371

a banner. Don’t worry if you do not remember every single method and
property of the objects discussed in this chapter. This book will serve as an
easy-to-use reference when you actually need to create a JavaScript-
powered form. At this point, you should know the basics of and how to use
form elements in JavaScript, and the properties, methods, and event han-
dlers of text objects and regular buttons.

Chapter 18
372 n Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Links, Anchors, and Image

Maps

Defining a Link
A link is basically a piece of HTML code that allows you to redirect the
browser to a different resource on the Internet. That redirection can be to
another page on your site, a different site entirely, an e-mail address, or even
an FTP address for file download. Here is the general HTML syntax:
<A HREF="locationOrURL"
[NAME="anchorName"]
[TARGET="windowName"]>
linkText
</A>

The HREF attribute defines the document or anchor to which you are linking.
HREF literally stands for HyperText Reference. The NAME attribute specifies
a tag that becomes an available hypertext target within the current docu-
ment. If this attribute is present, the link object is also an anchor object.
The TARGET attribute specifies the window the linked document should load
(e.g., a name of a window, a name of a frame, a special literal frame name
such as _top, _parent, _self, and _blank).
You can create a link with a plain HTML tag as shown above, but you
can also use JavaScript for that. The following script segment demonstrates
how to create a link with JavaScript:
document.write(linkText.link(hrefAttribute))

This statement uses the link() method of the String object. See Chapter
12, “Handling Strings,” for instructions on using this method.
Another obvious way to create a link with JavaScript is by printing the
plain HTML syntax via document.write in the following form:
document.write('<A HREF="locationOrURL" [NAME="anchorName"]
[TARGET="windowName"]>linkText</A>')
 Links, Anchors, and Image Maps n 373

Although this syntax works on a JavaScript-enabled browser, it contains sev-

eral flaws that will spoil the appearance of the page when viewed with a
browser that does not support JavaScript. The problem is that greater than
(>) characters in a script terminate code hiding. Most of the common
browsers currently support JavaScript, however.

Defining an Anchor
The plain HTML definition of an anchor is as follows:
<A [HREF=locationOrURL]
NAME="anchorName"
[TARGET="windowName"]>
anchorText
</A>

The attributes are the same as those of a link.

You can also use the String object’s anchor() method to create an
anchor using the following format:
text.anchor(nameAttribute)

Defining an Image Map Area

The general syntax of a client-side image map is as follows:
<MAP NAME="mapName">
<AREA
[NAME="areaName"]
COORDS="x1,y1,x2,y2,..." | "x-center,y-center,radius"
HREF="location"

Chapter 19
[SHAPE="rect" | "poly" | "circle" | "default"]
[TARGET="windowName"]>
</MAP>

The first NAME attribute specifies the name of the image map that contains
various areas, whereas the second one specifies the name of a single area in
the image map. An image map can consist of any number of areas. The
COORDS attribute specifies the coordinates of a specific area in a map. This
attribute consists of either four coordinates, if the area is defined as a rectan-
gle (an x and y for the top-left and bottom-right corners), or three
coordinates, if the area is a circle (x and y for the center and the radius). HREF
specifies the URL of the document to load when the user clicks the area.
Any area of the image map that does not have this attribute does not act as a
hypertext link. You can use any scheme (protocol) for the location, including
a JavaScript statement via javascript:. The SHAPE attribute determines the
shape of an area in an image map. If not specified, the shape defaults to rect.
TARGET specifies the window or frame in which the destination document is
loaded. See the section above on link definition for additional information
regarding this attribute.
374 n Chapter 19

links Array
The only way to reference a link object in your code is by using the links
array. This array is similar to the forms array you saw in the previous chap-
ter. It is also a property of the document object, so you can access this array
in the following fashion:
[window.]document.links

This links array contains an entry for each link (<A HREF="...">) and
area (<AREA HREF="...">) object in the document. Suppose you have a doc-
ument containing three links. You can reference these links using the
following syntax:
document.links[0]
document.links[1]
document.links[2]

These references can equally apply to a document with three area objects
(within a single map or multiple image maps), as well as for a document with
two links and one image map area. The total number of qualifying links and
image map areas is reflected by the length property of the array:
document.forms.length

This is probably the most useful link-related property. Elements in the

links array are obviously read-only, but assigning a value to a given element
does not cause an error—it simply doesn’t work.

anchors Array
You can reference the anchors in your code via the anchors array. This
array contains an entry for each tag containing a NAME attribute in a docu-
ment, in source order. If a document contains three named anchors, for
example, these anchors are reflected as document.anchors[0], docu-
ment.anchors[1], and document.anchors[2]. You can use this array in one
of two ways, exactly like you use the links array or the forms array:
document.anchors[index]
document.anchors.length

Each element of the document.anchors array holds a null value and does
not feature any methods or properties. The value of document.anchors[0],
for example, is null, regardless of whether there are anchors in the docu-
ment. The anchors array does not play a role in any script, but its length
property occasionally does. If you use a systematic naming scheme for all
anchors in a document, you can take advantage of the length property (doc-
ument.anchors.length). Suppose a document contains a variable number of
anchors. You can name these anchors anchor0, anchor1, anchor2, and so
forth, or, alternatively, test0, test1, and test2, if you so desire. The latter
anchors would use the following syntax:
 Links, Anchors, and Image Maps n 375

<A ... NAME="test0" ...></A>

<A ... NAME="test1" ...></A>
<A ... NAME="test2" ...></A>

Take a look at the following function:

function goAnchor(num)
{
if (num >= document.anchors.length)
alert("Anchor does not exist!")
else
location.hash = "test" + num
}

This function accepts an existing anchor’s index and scrolls the page to that
anchor by assigning its name to the location.hash property. It also demon-
strates a possible usage of the anchors array, or its length property, to be
exact. See Chapter 16, “URLs and JavaScript,” for details on the loca-
tion.hash property.

Link and Area Event Handlers

Anchors do not feature any event handlers, but links and image map areas do
provide them. Some of the event handlers are very useful, so it is important
that you know how to use them.

Calling Event Handlers Explicitly

Since the document.links array holds an entry for every link and image
map area in a document, it is fairly straightforward to explicitly call an event
handler for a specific link or area by assigning it to the corresponding array

Chapter 19
element. You can use the following statement to explicitly call the event
handler doSomething for the first link or area (whichever is first in source
order):
document.links[0].onmouseover = doSomething

onClick
You can add an onClick event handler in the following fashion:
<A ... onClick="validJavaScriptCode">
<AREA ... onClick="validJavaScriptCode">

A click event associated with a link object or an area object occurs when
the user clicks the content of the link, which can be plain text, an image, and
so forth. In the case of an area object, the link content is (usually) a portion
of an image.
The JavaScript statements you specify for the onClick event handler
are executed prior to loading the URL defined by the HREF attribute. They
can be used to do any last-minute preparations.
376 n Chapter 19

Usually, you simply want a link or image map area to execute a

JavaScript code when the user clicks it. You can accomplish this task by sim-
ply using a URL based on a javascript: scheme with the HREF attribute.
When the user clicks it, the following link calls a function named register:
<A HREF="javascript:register()">Register Profile</A>

If you wish to create a link that does not respond at all to a link but still
enables onMouseOver and onMouseOut event handlers, you can use the void
operator (only compatible with Netscape Navigator 3.0 and above and
Internet Explorer 5.5. and above):
<A HREF="javascript:void(0)">Register Profile</A>

onMouseOver
A mouseOver event occurs each time the mouse pointer moves into an
object or an area from outside that object or area. Upon this event, the
onMouseOver event handler executes JavaScript code. The syntax of a gen-
eral script to do this is as follows:
<A ... onMouseOver="validJavaScriptCode">
<AREA ... onMouseOver="validJavaScriptCode">

If the mouse moves from one area of a client-side image map to another, it is
the onMouseOver event handler of the destination area (the one you are
moving to) that is being triggered.
Instead of having its URL displayed by default in the status bar when-
ever the user places the mouse over it, this event handler is often used to
display a message associated with a link. (You must return true from the
event handler.) The following link, for example, displays “Cool shareware
stuff” in the status bar when the user places the mouse over the link labeled
“Jumbo”:
<A HREF="http://www.jumbo.com" onMouseOver="window.status = 'Cool
shareware stuff'; return true">Jumbo</A>

If you prefer to use a function, you should return true in the following
fashion:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function displayStatus(str)
{
window.status = str
return true
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<A HREF="http://www.jumbo.com" onMouseOver="return displayStatus('Cool
shareware stuff')">Jumbo</A>

Alternatively, you may choose to explicitly return a true value by adding a

statement to the event handler code.
 Links, Anchors, and Image Maps n 377

onMouseOut
A mouseOut event occurs each time the mouse pointer leaves an area
within a client-side image map or a link from inside that area or link. The
onMouseOut event handler executes JavaScript code upon this event.
If the mouse moves from one area to another in a client-side image map,
the onMouseOut event handler of the source area is triggered, and the
onMouseOver event handler of the destination area is triggered.
If you want an area to use the onMouseOut or the onMouseOver event
handler, you should specify the HREF attribute of the <AREA> tag. Nice effects
can be achieved by using onMouseOver and onMouseOut together. Upon plac-
ing the pointer over a link or an image map area, for example, you can
display a message in the status bar, and then, instead of waiting for an arbi-
trary number of seconds, you can delete it immediately upon the removal of
the mouse pointer. The following code demonstrates how to implement such
an effect:
<A HREF="http://www.jumbo.com" onMouseOver="window.status = 'Cool
shareware stuff'; return true" onMouseOut="window.status
= ''; return true">Jumbo</A>

Note that a similar effect can be achieved with an image map area instead
of a link. Example 19-1 demonstrates both onMouse event handlers for a
client-side image map. The image map is shown in Figure 19-1.

Chapter 19
Figure 19-1. The image used for the client-side image map

When the user clicks the “H” area, the word “Hyper” is displayed in an alert
box. When he or she clicks the “T” area, “Text” is displayed, and so forth
with “Markup” and “Language.” When the mouse pointer is over a certain
letter, the corresponding word (“Hyper,” “Text,” “Markup,” “Language”) is
displayed in the status bar. When the mouse pointer is removed from the
image map, the status bar is blanked. Now, take a look at Example 19-1 to
find out how this works.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Client-side image map</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff">
378 n Chapter 19

<IMG SRC="img19-1.gif" HEIGHT=69 WIDTH=194 ALT="HTML" BORDER=0

USEMAP="#html_map">
<MAP NAME="html_map">
<AREA
NAME="H"
COORDS="0, 0, 55, 69"
HREF="javascript:alert('Hyper')"
SHAPE="rect"
onMouseOver="window.status = 'Hyper'; return true"
onMouseOut="window.status = ''; return true">
<AREA
NAME="T"
COORDS="56, 0, 101, 69"
HREF="javascript:alert('Text')"
SHAPE="rect"
onMouseOver="window.status = 'Text'; return true"
onMouseOut="window.status = ''; return true">
<AREA
NAME="M"
COORDS="102, 0, 161, 69"
HREF="javascript:alert('Markup')"
SHAPE="rect"
onMouseOver="window.status = 'Markup'; return true"
onMouseOut="window.status = ''; return true">
<AREA
NAME="L"
COORDS="161, 0, 194, 69"
HREF="javascript:alert('Language')"
SHAPE="rect"
onMouseOver="window.status = 'Language'; return true"
onMouseOut="window.status = ''; return true">
</MAP>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 19-1 (ex19-1.htm). JavaScript to handle the image map areas

First, notice the HTML tag that creates the image:

<IMG SRC="img19-1.gif" HEIGHT=69 WIDTH=194 ALT="HTML" BORDER=0
USEMAP="#html_map">

Except for the last one, all attributes are self-explanatory. USEMAP specifies
the name of the image map definition (<MAP>) for the image, preceded by a
hash character. The image map definition itself uses the following opening
tag:
<MAP NAME="html_map">

You should set the name of the map as shown above; otherwise, the image
won’t be able to refer to it. There are basically four areas in Figure 19-1’s
image map, one for each letter of the “HTML” banner. Since, except for the
triggered message and coordinates, all four areas are alike, only one will be
discussed here. Let’s take a look at the last area:
 Links, Anchors, and Image Maps n 379

<AREA
NAME="L"
COORDS="161, 0, 194, 69"
HREF="javascript:alert('Language')"
SHAPE="rect"
onMouseOver="window.status = 'Language'; return true"
onMouseOut="window.status = ''; return true">

First, notice that this area is defined as a rectangle (SHAPE="rect"). The x

and y coordinates of the upper-left corner are 161 and 0, respectively. Coor-
dinates are measured in pixels starting at (0, 0), the first pixel in the image.
The x and y coordinates of the bottom-right corner are 194 and 69, respec-
tively, which are the HEIGHT and WIDTH attributes of the image. When the
user places the mouse pointer over this area, the status bar displays the
string “Language” (for “L”) (the string is assigned to the status property),
and the Boolean value true is returned. When the user removes the
mouse from this area, the status bar is blanked (assigned an empty string).
Since the onMouseOver event handler of the destination area immediately
overtakes the onMouseOut operation of the source area, the user usually
won’t notice this interim state when moving the pointer to one of the adja-
cent image map areas. When the user removes the mouse pointer from this
area to outside of the entire image, the status bar is cleared and remains
empty, until either a different value is explicitly assigned to the status bar or
the mouse moves back into the image map area. When the user clicks this
area, the location specified in HREF is loaded, and since the value of this
attribute is a JavaScript statement preceded by the javascript: scheme, it
does not load a new document but rather pops up an alert dialog box with
the string “Language.”

Chapter 19
Link and Area Properties
Location-Equivalent Properties
Most of the properties that belong to a link or an area object (docu-
ment.links[index]) are associated with the URL of the HREF definition.
These are all properties of the window.location object, which we describe
briefly below. The only way to reference a property of a link or an area
object is to use the following syntax:
document.links.propertyName

Note that links do not have any methods.

Here is the equivalence list between the properties of document.links
and those of window.location:
n hash specifies an anchor name in the URL.
n host specifies the hostname:port portion of the URL.
n hostname specifies the host and domain name, or IP address, of a net-
work host.
380 n Chapter 19

n href specifies the entire URL.

n pathname specifies the url-path portion of the URL.
n port specifies the communications port that the server uses for commu-
nications (80 by default).
n protocol specifies the beginning of the URL, including the colon (also
known as the scheme).
n search specifies a query.

target
The target property initially reflects the TARGET attribute of the <A
HREF="..."> or <AREA HREF="..."> HTML definitions. Setting the value of
this property overrides the initial definition.
The target property (document.links[index].target) cannot be
assigned a JavaScript expression or variable.

Referring Documents
When a user clicks a link in one document and causes a new page to load in
the same or another window, the calling document is known as the referring
document. When a user arrives at a page via a link from another page (and
not from his or her bookmark, history list, favorites, etc.), the URL of the
referring page is reflected in the new page as a read-only property, docu-
ment.referrer. A referring document is also called the source document,
whereas the new page the referrer document links to is known as the desti-
nation document.
The property document.referred is very useful for tracking a user’s
movement inside a large site you maintain by yourself. It is not helpful at all
if the user surfs to foreign pages, so, unless Playboy provides a link to your
page, you won’t be able to greet the user with a message such as “Naughty
boy—Playboy is for grown-ups only!”
Suppose you have a page on your site, C.html, that is linked from two
different pages, A.html and B.html. Let’s say A.html includes important
copyright information on a shareware product available on C.html, and
B.html provides important instructions on installing the software package.
You can use the following JavaScript script on C.html to check where the
user came from and to print a link to the third page:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!-- begin JavaScript *immediate* script
// assign greater than character without literally displaying it
var gt = unescape("%3E")
if (document.referred.indexOf("A.html") == –1)
document.write('<A HREF="A.html"' + gt + 'Copyright notice</A>' + gt)
 Links, Anchors, and Image Maps n 381

if (document.referred.indexOf("B.html") == –1)
document.write('<A HREF="B.html"' + gt + 'Installation instructions
</A>' + gt)
// -->
</SCRIPT>

This script prints links to the documents the user has not come from. It
prints A.html it the user has not come from A.html, B.html if the user has
not come from B.html, or both links if the user has apparently arrived from a
different document or not from a link at all.

Summary
In this chapter, we discussed the link, area, and anchor objects. You
learned that the only way to reference one of these objects is by either doc-
ument.links or document.anchors. There are three important concepts you
should remember from this chapter:
n The javascript: protocol specifies a JavaScript statement for the HREF
attribute of a link or image map area.
n The onMouseOver event handler of links and image map areas can exe-
cute a JavaScript statement. When the user places the mouse pointer
over the link, it is an indication of his or her interest in it, so displaying
related information in the status bar may be very helpful in such a
scenario.
n The onMouseOut event handler is also an attribute of a link or image
map area. Its usage is similar to that of the onMouseOver event handler.

Chapter 19
382 n Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Implementing Cookies

Maintaining a State
When you create a web site, you expect the user to load HTML documents,
view them, navigate from one page to another, etc. Occasionally, it is impor-
tant to enable the web page to maintain a state. That is, the page “remem-
bers” certain actions executed by the user during previous sessions.
A classic example of maintaining a given state is a shopping cart applica-
tion, as you might see on almost any commercial web site. The user travels
from one product review to another via simple HTML links. When he or she
comes across an interesting product, clicking a button puts the selected
product’s data in a “shopping cart.” The shopping cart, which is sometimes
displayed visually on the page, is basically a name for a storage mechanism.
Since it is not possible to store the data for each user on the server, the data
is kept on the client side, in what is called a shopping cart.
Cookies are a general mechanism that server-side applications (such as
CGI) and client-side JavaScript scripts can use to store textual data on the
client side for the purpose of retrieving it later. The name “cookies” does
not have any technically significant meaning. It is simply a name that the
inventors thought was cool. You probably are aware that cookies have gained
a bad reputation in recent years. Some unscrupulous web site developers
have created cookies to store information that many people feel should be
private. A common tactic for legitimate web developers is to put a policy
statement on their web sites stating exactly what the site stores in cookies
and why it does so, which may help alleviate customer concerns. As you will
see in this chapter, cookies are a very useful tool.
Cookies are tidbits of information, stored in a browser-dependent format
on the client machine. Netscape Navigator, for example, holds all cookies in
a regular text file named cookies.txt (in the directory where Navigator is
installed), whereas Internet Explorer stores cookies in multiple files, located
in a user-provided directory.
 Implementing Cookies n 383

Cookies and HTTP

The connection established between the server and the client uses Hyper-
text Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Although this protocol is very complicated at
the implementation level, it is fairly easy to understand conceptually. When a
user requests a page, an HTTP request is sent to the server, specifying the
user’s exact request with some additional attributes. As a user, you are not
aware of any data sent to the server as a result of your request. Among its
elements, an HTTP request includes a header that defines the most impor-
tant attributes, such as the URL of the requested page. An HTTP request
includes all valid cookies as well.
When the server replies to the client’s request, it returns an HTTP
response that also features a header. This header contains important informa-
tion about the file being returned, such as its MIME type (discussed in detail
in Chapter 25).
The general syntax of an HTTP header is as follows:
Field-name: Information

When the server returns an HTTP object to the client, it may also transmit
some state information for the client to store as cookies. Since a cookie is
basically simple text, the server-side script does not have the ability to
abuse the client machine in any way. In addition to its textual value, a cookie
contains several attributes, such as the range of URLs for which the cookie
is valid. Any future HTTP requests from the client to one of the URLs in the
above range will transmit back to the server the current cookie’s value on
the client.

Setting an HTTP Cookie

An HTTP cookie is introduced to the client in an HTTP request, usually by
a CGI script, using the following syntax:
Set-Cookie: NAME=VALUE; expires=DATE; path=pathName; domain=DOMAIN_NAME; secure

The attributes are as follows:

n name=value—name is the name of the cookie by which you can refer-
ence it later. Notice that the only way to access the cookie is by this
Chapter 20

name. value is the regular string to be stored as a cookie. It is recom-

mended that the string be encoded using the “%XX” style (equivalent to
JavaScript’s escape function’s output). Generally speaking, the
name=value is the only required attribute of the Set-Cookie field.
n expires=date—expires is an optional attribute that specifies the expi-
ration date of the cookie. The cookie will no longer be stored or
retrieved beyond that date. The date string is formatted as follows:
Wdy, DD-Mon-YYYY HH:MM:SS GMT
384 n Chapter 20

You will see later that this date format is equivalent to the value
returned by the toGMTString() date’s method. If expires is not spec-
ified, the cookie will expire when the user’s session ends.
n path=pathName—path specifies a subset of URLs in a domain for which
a cookie is valid. After domain matching, the pathname component of
the URL is compared with the path attribute, and, if successful, the
cookie is considered valid and is sent along with the URL requests. The
path /foo, for example, would match /foobar and /foo/bar/html. The
path / is the most general one. If the path is not specified, it is assumed
to be the same path as the document specified in the cookie’s header.
n domain=domainName—When searching for valid cookies, your browser
compares the domain attributes of each cookie to the Internet domain
name of the host from which the URL will be retrieved. If there is a tail
match, then the cookie will go through a full path matching. Tail match-
ing means that the domain attribute is matched against the tail of the
fully qualified domain name of the host. A domain attribute of ac.il, for
example, would tail match mis.study.ac.il as well as
mba.haifa.ac.il.
The domain attribute makes sure that only hosts within the specified
domain can set a cookie for the domain. There are seven common
top-level domains—“com”, “edu”, “net”, “org”, “gov”, “mil”, and
“int”—along with several others that have been proposed recently.
The default value of domain is the host name of the server that gen-
erated the cookie response.
n secure—If a cookie is marked secure, it will only be transmitted across
a secured communication channel between the client and the host. If
secure is not specified, the cookie will be sent over unsecured
channels.

Getting an HTTP Cookie

When a script (client-side or server-side) requests a URL from an HTTP
server, the browser will match the URL against all cookies, and if any of
them matches, a line containing the name and value pairs of all matching
cookies will be included in the HTTP request. The format is
straightforward:
Cookie: name1=value1; name2=value2 ...

Notice that the Cookie field in a request header contains only the names and
values of all valid cookies. The Set-Cookie field in the response header
includes additional attributes such as expiration date. These attributes are
not actually part of the cookie, but rather are used to determine if a specific
cookie is valid for the purpose of entering the HTTP request header.
 Implementing Cookies n 385

Notes and Limitations

The only way to overwrite a cookie is by creating another cookie with the
same name and path as an existing one. Creating a cookie with the same
name but with a different path than that of an existing one will add an addi-
tional cookie. The only way to instantly delete a cookie is by overwriting it
with an expired cookie. A cookie may be deleted by the browser before its
expiration date but only if the number of cookies exceeds its internal limit.
When sending cookies to a server, all cookies with more specific path
mapping should be sent before cookies with less-specific path mapping. If
both are sent, the cookie name1=foo with a path mapping of /, for example,
should be sent after the cookie name1=foo2 with a path mapping of /bar.
There are several extremely important limitations on the size and num-
ber of cookies a client can store at any given time:
n The client can hold up to 300 cookies.
n A cookie can be up to 4KB, including its name and values. Cookies that
exceed this length are trimmed to fit, so remember to keep within this
length.
n A maximum of 20 cookies per server or domain are allowed.

A client is not expected to exceed these limits. The oldest cookies are
deleted in case this rule is violated.
Proxy servers should propagate the Set-Cookie header to the client,
regardless of whether the response was 304 (“not modified”) or 200 (“OK”).
Proxy servers work fine with cookies.

Examples
Here are some sample exchanges from Netscape documentation that illus-
trate the use of cookies.
First Transaction Sequence Example
Client requests a document and receives in the response:
Set-Cookie: CUSTOMER=WILE_E_COYOTE; path=/; expires=Wednesday,
09-Nov-11 23:12:40 GMT

When client requests a URL in the path / on this server, it sends:

Chapter 20

Cookie: CUSTOMER=WILE_E_COYOTE

Client requests a document and receives in the response:

Set-Cookie: PART_NUMBER=ROCKET_LAUNCHER_0001; path=/

When client requests a URL in the path / on this server, it sends:

Cookie: CUSTOMER=WILE_E_COYOTE; PART_NUMBER=ROCKET_LAUNCHER_0001

Client receives:
Set-Cookie: SHIPPING=FEDEX; path=/foo
386 n Chapter 20

When client requests a URL in the path / on this server, it sends:

Cookie: CUSTOMER=WILE_E_COYOTE; PART_NUMBER=ROCKET_LAUNCHER_0001

When client requests a URL in the path /foo on this server, it sends:
Cookie: CUSTOMER=WILE_E_COYOTE; PART_NUMBER=ROCKET_LAUNCHER_0001; SHIPPING=FEDEX

Second Transaction Sequence Example

Assume all mappings from above have been cleared.
Client receives:
Set-Cookie: PART_NUMBER=ROCKET_LAUNCHER_0001; path=/

When client requests a URL in the path / on this server, it sends:

Cookie: PART_NUMBER=ROCKET_LAUNCHER_0001

Client receives:
Set-Cookie: PART_NUMBER=RIDING_ROCKET_0023; path=/ammo

When client requests a URL in the path /ammo on this server, it sends:
Cookie: PART_NUMBER=RIDING_ROCKET_0023; PART_NUMBER=ROCKET_LAUNCHER_0001

Note that there are two attributes named PART_NUMBER due to the two differ-
ent paths, / and /ammo.

Cookies and JavaScript

Setting and getting cookies with a server-side application relies on HTTP
headers. You cannot set a cookie or retrieve one after the page has loaded.
However, a JavaScript script is a client-side application and thus enables you
to process cookies at any time, without contacting the server.
The cookie property of the document object reflects all cookies that are
valid for the web page hosting the script; that is, document.cookie is equiv-
alent to the Cookie field in the HTTP request header.
In the same way you set a cookie via the Set-Cookie field in an HTTP
response header, you can do so with JavaScript, by assigning a value to doc-
ument.cookie.

Cookie Functions
You should have noticed that we neither demonstrated nor emphasized the
usage of cookies with JavaScript. The reason for this is that it is difficult and
almost useless to explicitly deal with the document.cookie property. Fur-
thermore, there are only three defined actions related to cookies:
n Retrieving the value of a cookie according to its name
n Setting a cookie to a desired attribute
n Deleting a cookie
 Implementing Cookies n 387

You may find the following functions useful when you want to perform one of
the above actions. All functions are self-explanatory and are fully
commented:
// Boolean variable specified if alert should be displayed if cookie exceeds 4KB
var caution = false
// name - name of the cookie
// value - value of the cookie
// [expires] - expiration date of the cookie (defaults to end of current
session)
// [path] - path for which the cookie is valid (defaults to path of calling
document)
// [domain] - domain for which the cookie is valid (defaults to domain of
calling document)
// [secure] - Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires
a secure transmission
// * an argument defaults when it is assigned null as a placeholder
// * a null placeholder is not required for trailing omitted arguments
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure)
{
var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
((secure) ? "; secure" : "")
if (!caution || (name + "=" + escape(value)).length <= 4000)
document.cookie = curCookie
else
if (confirm("Cookie exceeds 4KB and will be cut!"))
document.cookie = curCookie
}
// name - name of the desired cookie
// * return string containing value of specified cookie or null if cookie does
not exist
function getCookie(name)
{
var prefix = name + "="
var cookieStartIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(prefix)
if (cookieStartIndex == –1)
return null
Chapter 20

var cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(";", cookieStartIndex +

prefix.length)
if (cookieEndIndex == –1)
cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.length
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(cookieStartIndex +
prefix.length, cookieEndIndex))
}
// name - name of the cookie
// [path] - path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
// [domain] - domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create
cookie)
// * path and domain default if assigned null or omitted if no explicit
argument proceeds
388 n Chapter 20

function deleteCookie(name, path, domain)

{
if (getCookie(name))
{
document.cookie = name + "=" +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
"; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT"
}
}
// date - any instance of the Date object
// * you should hand all instances of the Date object to this function for
"repairs"
// * this function is taken from Chapter 10, "Time and Date in JavaScript,"
in " Advanced JavaScript, Third Edition"

function fixDate(date)
{
var base = new Date(0)
var skew = base.getTime()
if (skew > 0)
date.setTime(date.getTime() – skew)
}

Read through the functions and comments so you understand how to use
them. The most basic demonstration of these functions is a script that
counts the number of times a user has visited the page that hosts the code:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Remember number of visits</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// Boolean variable specified if alert should be displayed if cookie exceeds 4KB
var caution = false
// name - name of the cookie
// value - value of the cookie
// [expires] - expiration date of the cookie (defaults to end of current
session)
// [path] - path for which the cookie is valid (defaults to path of calling
document)
// [domain] - domain for which the cookie is valid (defaults to domain of
calling document)
// [secure] - Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires a
secure transmission
// * an argument defaults when it is assigned null as a placeholder
// * a null placeholder is not required for trailing omitted arguments
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure)
{
var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
((secure) ? "; secure" : "")
 Implementing Cookies n 389

if (!caution || (name + "=" + escape(value)).length <= 4000)

document.cookie = curCookie
else
if (confirm("Cookie exceeds 4KB and will be cut!"))
document.cookie = curCookie
}
// name - name of the desired cookie
// * return string containing value of specified cookie or null if cookie does
not exist
function getCookie(name)
{
var prefix = name + "="
var cookieStartIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(prefix)
if (cookieStartIndex == –1)
return null
var cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(";", cookieStartIndex +
prefix.length)
if (cookieEndIndex == –1)
cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.length
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(cookieStartIndex +
prefix.length, cookieEndIndex))
}
// name - name of the cookie
// [path] - path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
// [domain] - domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create
cookie)
// * path and domain default if assigned null or omitted if no explicit
argument proceeds
function deleteCookie(name, path, domain)
{
if (getCookie(name))
{
document.cookie = name + "=" +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
"; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT"
}
}
// date - any instance of the Date object
// * you should hand all instances of the Date object to this function for
Chapter 20

"repairs"
function fixDate(date)
{
var base = new Date(0)
var skew = base.getTime()
if (skew > 0)
date.setTime(date.getTime() – skew)
}
var now = new Date()
fixDate(now)
now.setTime(now.getTime() + 365 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)
var visits = getCookie("counter")
if (!visits)
visits = 1
390 n Chapter 20

else
visits = parseInt(visits) + 1
setCookie("counter", visits, now)
document.write("You have been here " + visits + " time(s).")
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
</HTML>

Example 20-1 (ex20-1.htm). A simple cookie-based counter

You can see the output of this script in Figure 20-1.

Figure 20-1. A cookie-based counter

Bear in mind that this script does not emulate a regular counter that counts
the number of visitors to a given site. Because cookies are stored on the cli-
ent side, they can only be used to count the number of visits by a specific
client. At first, an instance of the Date object reflecting the current date is
assigned to the variable now. The instance is then handed to the fixDate()
function, which is needed to properly format the date values for Macintosh
OS users. The now.setTime(now.getTime() + 365 * 24 * 60 * 60 *
1000) statement sets the cookie expiration date to one year in the future.
This expiration date is used later when setting the cookie. The script gets a
cookie named counter and retrieves the number of visits from it. If there is
no cookie by the specified name, the variable visits is initialized to one;
otherwise, the number of visits in the cookie is incremented by one. The
script then writes the new number of visits back to the cookie by
setCookie(). The last statement of the script informs the user how many
visits the user had in the current page.
The following script is similar to the preceding one, but it asks the user
for his or her name and “remembers” it. Here is the script:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Remember user's name</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// Boolean variable specified if alert should be displayed if cookie exceeds 4KB
var caution = false
// name - name of the cookie
// value - value of the cookie
// [expires] - expiration date of the cookie (defaults to end of current
 Implementing Cookies n 391

session)
// [path] - path for which the cookie is valid (defaults to path of calling
document)
// [domain] - domain for which the cookie is valid (defaults to domain of
calling document)
// [secure] - Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires a
secure transmission
// * an argument defaults when it is assigned null as a placeholder
// * a null placeholder is not required for trailing omitted arguments
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure)
{
var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
((secure) ? "; secure" : "")
if (!caution || (name + "=" + escape(value)).length <= 4000)
document.cookie = curCookie
else
if (confirm("Cookie exceeds 4KB and will be cut!"))
document.cookie = curCookie
}
// name - name of the desired cookie
// * return string containing value of specified cookie or null if cookie does
not exist
function getCookie(name)
{
var prefix = name + "="
var cookieStartIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(prefix)
if (cookieStartIndex == –1)
return null
var cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(";", cookieStartIndex +
prefix.length)
if (cookieEndIndex == –1)
cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.length
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(cookieStartIndex +
prefix.length, cookieEndIndex))
}
// name - name of the cookie
// [path] - path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
Chapter 20

// [domain] - domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create

cookie)
// * path and domain default if assigned null or omitted if no explicit argument
proceeds
function deleteCookie(name, path, domain)
{
if (getCookie(name))
{
document.cookie = name + "=" +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
"; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT"
}
}
392 n Chapter 20

// date - any instance of the Date object

// * you should hand all instances of the Date object to this function for
"repairs"
function fixDate(date)
{
var base = new Date(0)
var skew = base.getTime()
if (skew > 0)
date.setTime(date.getTime() - skew)
}
var now = new Date()
fixDate(now)
now.setTime(now.getTime() + 31 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)
var name = getCookie("name")
if (!name)
name = prompt("Please enter your name:", "John Doe")
setCookie("name", name, now)
document.write("Hello " + name + "!")
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
</HTML>

Example 20-2 (ex20-2.htm). A script that remembers the user’s name and displays a
greeting each time

Figure 20-2. Asking for the user name

Figure 20-3. Displaying a greeting

The output of this example is shown in Figures 20-2 and 20-3.

The differences between this script and the previous one are confined to
the last five statements of the script. In the current script, the name of the
cookie is name and it is the user’s name that is being retrieved from it.
Notice that the variable to which you assign the value of getCookie() does
not have to have the same name as the cookie, as is done here. If the cookie
is not found, the user is prompted for his or her name. The script then sets
 Implementing Cookies n 393

the cookie with the user’s name and prints a personalized welcome
message.
Examples 20-1 and 20-2 were rather simple, because they only set and
read a cookie. Example 20-3 demonstrates using cookies in a slightly differ-
ent way. It creates a calendar that enables the user to enter reminders for
specific days of the month. This reminder calendar stores the data for the
entire month, even if the user turns off his or her computer. Since there are
up to 31 days in a month, and since you are limited to 20 cookies per domain
or server, the script stores all reminders in a single cookie, with special
delimiting sequences. Assuming a reminder does not exceed 100 characters,
storing 31 values takes up 31 * 100, or 3100 characters, which is less than
the 4KB upper limit. Here is the script:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>
JavaScript calendar
</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
//
// Cookie functions to store and retrieve cookies
//
// Boolean variable specified if alert should be displayed if cookie exceeds 4KB
var caution = false
// name - name of the cookie
// value - value of the cookie
// [expires] - expiration date of the cookie (defaults to end of current
session)
// [path] - path for which the cookie is valid (defaults to path of calling
document)
// [domain] - domain for which the cookie is valid (defaults to domain of
calling document)
// [secure] - Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires a
secure transmission
// * an argument defaults when it is assigned null as a placeholder
// * a null placeholder is not required for trailing omitted arguments
Chapter 20

function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure)

{
var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
((secure) ? "; secure" : "")
if (!caution || (name + "=" + escape(value)).length <= 4000)
document.cookie = curCookie
else
if (confirm("Cookie exceeds 4KB and will be cut!"))
document.cookie = curCookie
}
394 n Chapter 20

// name - name of the desired cookie

// * return string containing value of specified cookie or null if cookie does
not exist
function getCookie(name)
{
var prefix = name + "="
var cookieStartIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(prefix)
if (cookieStartIndex == –1)
return null
var cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(";", cookieStartIndex
+ prefix.length)
if (cookieEndIndex == –1)
cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.length
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(cookieStartIndex +
prefix.length, cookieEndIndex))
}
// name - name of the cookie
// [path] - path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
// [domain] - domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create
cookie)
// * path and domain default if assigned null or omitted if no explicit
argument proceeds
function deleteCookie(name, path, domain)
{
if (getCookie(name))
{
document.cookie = name + "=" +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
"; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT"
}
}
// date - any instance of the Date object
// * you should hand all instances of the Date object to this function for
"repairs"
function fixDate(date)
{
var base = new Date(0)
var skew = base.getTime()
if (skew > 0)
date.setTime(date.getTime() – skew)
}
function initCookie(monthName)
{ // initializes cookie with the following format:
// ^1^^2^^3^^4^...^30^^31^
// initialize accumulative variable
var text = ""
for (var i = 1; i <= 31; ++i)
{
text += "^" + i + "^"
}
var now = new Date()
fixDate(now)
// set time to one month (31 days) in the future
 Implementing Cookies n 395

now.setTime(now.getTime() + 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 31)

setCookie(monthName + "Calendar", text, now)
}
function getSpecificReminder(num, monthName)
{
var prefix = "^" + num + "^"
var totalCookie = getCookie(monthName + "Calendar")
var startIndex = totalCookie.indexOf(prefix, 0)
var startData = totalCookie.indexOf("^", startIndex + 1) + 1
if (num == 31)
var endData = totalCookie.length
else
var endData = totalCookie.indexOf("^", startData)
return totalCookie.substring(startData, endData)
}
function setSpecificReminder(num, monthName, newValue)
{
var prefix = "^" + num + "^"
var totalCookie = getCookie(monthName + "Calendar")
var startIndex = totalCookie.indexOf(prefix, 0)
var startData = totalCookie.indexOf("^", startIndex + 1) + 1
if (num == 31)
var endData = totalCookie.length
else
var endData = totalCookie.indexOf("^", startData)
var now = new Date()
fixDate(now)
// set time to one month (31 days) in the future
now.setTime(now.getTime() + 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 31)
setCookie(monthName + "Calendar", totalCookie.substring(0, startData)
+ newValue + totalCookie.substring(endData, totalCookie.length), now)
}
function getInput(num, monthName)
{
if (!getCookie(monthName + "Calendar"))
initCookie(monthName)
var newValue = prompt("Enter reminder for current date:",
getSpecificReminder(num, monthName))
if (newValue) // user did not cancel
setSpecificReminder(num, monthName, newValue)
Chapter 20

}
function getTime()
{
// initialize time-related variables with current time settings
var now = new Date()
var hour = now.getHours()
var minute = now.getMinutes()
now = null
var ampm = ""
// validate hour values and set value of ampm
if (hour >= 12)
{
hour –= 12
ampm = "PM"
396 n Chapter 20

}
else
ampm = "AM"
hour = (hour == 0) ? 12 : hour
// add zero digit to a one-digit minute
if (minute < 10)
minute = "0" + minute // do not parse this number!
// return time string
return hour + ":" + minute + " " + ampm
}
function leapYear(year)
{
if (year % 4 == 0) // basic rule
return true // is leap year
return false // is not leap year
}
function getDays(month, year)
{
// create array to hold number of days in each month
var ar = new Array(12)
ar[0] = 31 // January
ar[1] = (leapYear(year)) ? 29 : 28 // February
ar[2] = 31 // March
ar[3] = 30 // April
ar[4] = 31 // May
ar[5] = 30 // June
ar[6] = 31 // July
ar[7] = 31 // August
ar[8] = 30 // September
ar[9] = 31 // October
ar[10] = 30 // November
ar[11] = 31 // December
// return number of days in the specified month (parameter)
return ar[month]
}
function getMonthName(month)
{
// create array to hold name of each month
var ar = new Array(12)
ar[0] = "January"
ar[1] = "February"
ar[2] = "March"
ar[3] = "April"
ar[4] = "May"
ar[5] = "June"
ar[6] = "July"
ar[7] = "August"
ar[8] = "September"
ar[9] = "October"
ar[10] = "November"
ar[11] = "December"
// return name of specified month (parameter)
return ar[month]
}
 Implementing Cookies n 397

function setCal()
{
// standard time attributes
var now = new Date()
var year = now.getYear()
var month = now.getMonth()
var monthName = getMonthName(month)
var date = now.getDate()
now = null
// create instance of first day of month, and extract the day
on which it occurs
var firstDayInstance = new Date(year, month, 1)
var firstDay = firstDayInstance.getDay()
firstDayInstance = null
// number of days in current month
var days = getDays(month, year)
// call function to draw calendar
drawCal(firstDay + 1, days, date, monthName, 1900 + year)
}
function drawCal(firstDay, lastDate, date, monthName, year)
{
// constant table settings
var headerHeight = 50 // height of the table's header cell
var border = 2 // 3D height of table's border
var cellspacing = 4 // width of table's border
var headerColor = "midnightblue" // color of table's header
var headerSize = "+3" // size of table's header font
var colWidth = 60 // width of columns in table
var dayCellHeight = 25 // height of cells containing days of the
// week
var dayColor = "darkblue" // color of font representing weekdays
var cellHeight = 40 // height of cells representing dates in the
// calendar
var todayColor = "red" // color specifying today's date in the
// calendar
var timeColor = "purple" // color of font representing current time
// create basic table structure
var text = "" // initialize accumulative variable to
// empty string
text += '<CENTER>'
Chapter 20

text += '<TABLE BORDER=' + border + ' CELLSPACING=' + cellspacing + '>'

// table settings
text += '<TH COLSPAN=7 HEIGHT=' + headerHeight + '>'
// create table header cell
text += '<FONT COLOR="' + headerColor + '" SIZE=' + headerSize+ '>'
// set font for table header
text += monthName + ' ' + year
text += '</FONT>' // close table header's font settings
text += '</TH>' // close header cell
// variables to hold constant settings
var openCol = '<TD WIDTH=' + colWidth + ' HEIGHT=' + dayCellHeight + '>'
openCol += '<FONT COLOR="' + dayColor + '">'
var closeCol = '</FONT></TD>'
// create array of abbreviated day names
398 n Chapter 20

var weekDay = new Array(7)

weekDay[0] = "Sun"
weekDay[1] = "Mon"
weekDay[2] = "Tues"
weekDay[3] = "Wed"
weekDay[4] = "Thu"
weekDay[5] = "Fri"
weekDay[6] = "Sat"
// create first row of table to set column width and specify week day
text += '<TR ALIGN="center" VALIGN="center">'
for (var dayNum = 0; dayNum < 7; ++dayNum)
{
text += openCol + weekDay[dayNum] + closeCol
}
text += '</TR>'
// declaration and initialization of two variables to help with tables
var digit = 1
var curCell = 1
for (var row = 1; row <= Math.ceil((lastDate + firstDay – 1) / 7);++row)
{
text += '<TR ALIGN="right" VALIGN="top">'
for (var col = 1; col <= 7; ++col)
{
if (digit > lastDate)
break
if (curCell < firstDay)
{
text += '<TD></TD>';
curCell++
}
else
{
if (digit == date) { // current cell represents today's date
text += '<TD HEIGHT=' + cellHeight + '>'
text += '<FONT COLOR="' + todayColor + '">'
text += '<A HREF="javascript:getInput(' + digit +
', \'' + monthName + '\')"onMouseOver
="window.status = \'Store or retrieve data
for ' + monthName + ' ' + digit + '\';
return true"><FONT COLOR="' + todayColor +
'">' + digit + '</FONT></A>'
text += '<BR>'
text += '<FONT COLOR="' + timeColor + '" SIZE=2>'
text += '<CENTER>' + getTime() + '</CENTER>'
text += '</FONT>'
text += '</TD>'
}
else
text += '<TD HEIGHT=' + cellHeight + '><A HREF=
"javascript:getInput(' + digit + ', \'' +
monthName + '\')" onMouseOver="window.
status = \'Store or retrieve data for
' + monthName + ' ' + digit + '\';
return true">' + digit + '</A></TD>'
 Implementing Cookies n 399

digit++
}
}
text += '</TR>'
}
// close all basic table tags
text += '</TABLE>'
text += '</CENTER>'
// print accumulative HTML string
document.write(text)
}
setCal()
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 20-3 (ex20-3.htm). A cookie-based reminder calendar

The setCal() function creates the calendar. The calendar is created by the
same functions as those in Example 10-3 (Chapter 10, “Time and Date in
JavaScript”). The only difference is the following:
if (digit == date)
{ // current cell represents today's date
text += '<TD HEIGHT=' + cellHeight + '>'
text += '<FONT COLOR="' + todayColor + '">'
text += '<A HREF="javascript:getInput(' + digit + ', \'' + monthName +
'\')" onMouseOver="window.status = \'Store or retrieve
data for ' + monthName + ' ' + digit + '\'; return true">
<FONT COLOR="' + todayColor + '">' + digit + '</FONT></A>'
text += '<BR>'
text += '<FONT COLOR="' + timeColor + '" SIZE=2>'
text += '<CENTER>' + getTime() + '</CENTER>'
text += '</FONT>'
text += '</TD>'
}
else
text += '<TD HEIGHT=' + cellHeight + '><A HREF="javascript:getInput('
+ digit + ', \'' + monthName + '\')" onMouseOver="window
.status = \'Store or retrieve data for ' + monthName + ' '
Chapter 20

+ digit + '\'; return true">' + digit + '</A></TD>'

This statement differs from its corresponding one in Example 10-3 in that,
instead of writing the date as a plain number, it makes each number a link
that invokes the getInput() function, using the javascript:getInput()
URL. The exact syntax of the URL is as follows:
javascript:getInput(digit, monthName)

The first argument is the digit that serves as a link (an integer from 1 to 28,
29, 30, or 31). The second argument is a string—the full name of the current
month reflected by the calendar.
400 n Chapter 20

Note that when the user places the mouse pointer over a link, a related
message is assigned to the status bar. We will only discuss the functions that
are responsible for the cookie handling and storage because the functions
that create the calendar are discussed in Chapter 10, “Time and Date in
JavaScript.”

getInput(num, monthName)
function getInput(num, monthName)
{
if (!getCookie(monthName + "Calendar"))
initCookie(monthName)
var newValue = prompt("Enter reminder for current date:",
getSpecificReminder(num, monthName))
if (newValue) // user did not cancel
setSpecificReminder(num, monthName, newValue)
}

The getInput() function, in general, reads the reminder from the cookie,
asks the user to modify it or enter it for the first time, and then saves the
reminder back to the cookie. First, it gets the reminder text from the cookie,
the name of which is composed of the name of the current month and the
“Calendar” string. The name selection algorithm prevents mixing cookies
between different months or different applications. If the cookie is not found,
the function initCookie() is called to create a cookie with empty remind-
ers, one for each day of the month. The script then prompts the user for a
reminder, displaying the old one in the form’s input field. Notice that the
reminder is displayed in the field of a prompt dialog box by specifying the
value returned by getSpecificReminder(), as the second argument for the
prompt() method. If the user did not press Cancel as a response to the
request form, the new information is saved in the cookie by the
setSpecificReminder() function.

initCookie(monthName)
function initCookie(monthName)
{
// initializes cookie with the following format:
// ^1^^2^^3^^4^...^30^^31^
// initialize accumulative variable
var text = ""
for (var i = 1; i <= 31; ++i)
{
text += "^" + i + "^"
}
var now = new Date()
fixDate(now)
// set time to one month (31 days) in the future
now.setTime(now.getTime() + 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 31)
setCookie(monthName + "Calendar", text, now)
}
 Implementing Cookies n 401

The initCookie() function creates a cookie with empty reminders, one for
every day of the month. The cookie’s text is a string concatenation of all 31
reminders, delimited by "^" from each other. The function builds the empty
string, fixes the date for Mac computers, computes the time, and finally sets
the cookie, saving the empty reminders, date, and time in it.

getSpecificReminder(num, monthName)
function getSpecificReminder(num, monthName)
{
var prefix = "^" + num + "^"
var totalCookie = getCookie(monthName + "Calendar")
var startIndex = totalCookie.indexOf(prefix, 0)
var startData = totalCookie.indexOf("^", startIndex + 1) + 1
if (num == 31)
var endData = totalCookie.length
else
var endData = totalCookie.indexOf("^", startData)
return totalCookie.substring(startData, endData)
}

This function retrieves the specific reminder of the month from the cookie.
It first builds the “search key” in prefix. It is built of a "^" followed by the
day number of the month and another "^". After getting the cookie and read-
ing the string into the totalCookie string object, the function searches for
the position of the relevant reminder, according to prefix “search key,”
yielding the startIndex position. Looking for the next "^" skips over the
number of the day itself and leaps onto the string index of the reminder’s
first character, startData. The last character of the reminder is found via a
search for the next "^" character or by reaching the end of the cookie. Once
the startData and endData are known, the substring between these two
indices is returned. Note that because the indexing relies on "^" characters,
that character should not be provided by the user in a reminder text.

setSpecificReminder(num, monthName, newValue)

function setSpecificReminder(num, monthName, newValue)
{
Chapter 20

var prefix = "^" + num + "^"

var totalCookie = getCookie(monthName + "Calendar")
var startIndex = totalCookie.indexOf(prefix, 0)
var startData = totalCookie.indexOf("^", startIndex + 1) + 1
if (num == 31)
var endData = totalCookie.length
else
var endData = totalCookie.indexOf("^", startData)
var now = new Date()
fixDate(now)
// set time to one month (31 days) in the future
now.setTime(now.getTime() + 1000 * 60 * 60 * 24 * 31)
setCookie(monthName + "Calendar", totalCookie.substring(0,
402 n Chapter 20

startData) + newValue + totalCookie.substring

(endData, totalCookie.length), now)
}

As in setSpecificReminder(), the first section determines the indices of

the first and last character of the relevant reminder (startData and
endData, respectively). An instance of the Date object is then created and
fixed for Mac computers. The expiration date is computed to one month in
the future. The last statement of the function sets the cookie. The first
parameter is the name of the cookie, while the second one is the reminder
string, composed of the substring before the new reminder (all previous
days are not modified), the newValue of the current day, and the rest of the
old string (all following days are not modified as well). The expiration date is
handed to the function as the last argument.

Outliner
As you have seen in this chapter, you can use JavaScript to store data in the
form of client-side cookies. The outliner is another example for using cook-
ies. It is an expanding/collapsing structure used to store an index or table of
contents. The user can expand or collapse items in the outline. Outliners
first became popular in Windows 3.1 and are still used today. An outliner
written in JavaScript enables the user to take advantage of the structure for
convenient navigation among many web pages and anchors. The main topics
of a web site are the topmost items in the outline, while the more detailed
items are usually deeply nested. Take a look at the following:

Figure 20-4. A fully expanded outline

Figure 20-4 illustrates a fully expanded outline. When the user clicks the
downward triangle to the left of “software,” the icon becomes a triangle fac-
ing right. The “Netscape” and “Microsoft” items then disappear, because
their parent was collapsed. The basic idea should be clear. You can toggle a
single item (only if it is a parent) between two different states (either
expanded or collapsed).
 Implementing Cookies n 403

Before we discuss the script itself, it is important that you understand

exactly what the script does and how it differs from other JavaScript
outliners available. Compared to other variants you might find on the web,
our outliner script has the following advantages:
n You can use any HTML tag for an item. You can use colored text, hyper-
text links, and even small images.
n The current state of the outline structure is stored in the form of a
cookie, so it is safe, even if you leave the page.
n You can use as many nested items as you wish. Some outline designs
limit you to two levels, which is very restrictive.
n The outliner design is not limited to frame documents. Since you can
use any HTML for the text of an item, you can target any link to any
frame or window you wish.
First, study the script (Example 20-4) and try to understand as much as you
can:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Outliner</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// Boolean variable specified if alert should be displayed if cookie exceeds 4KB
var caution = false
// name - name of the cookie
// value - value of the cookie
// [expires] - expiration date of the cookie (defaults to end of current
session)
// [path] - path for which the cookie is valid (defaults to path of calling
document)
// [domain] - domain for which the cookie is valid (defaults to domain of
calling document)
// [secure] - Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires a
secure transmission
// * an argument defaults when it is assigned null as a placeholder
// * a null placeholder is not required for trailing omitted arguments
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure)
{
Chapter 20

var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +

((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
((secure) ? "; secure" : "")
if (!caution || (name + "=" + escape(value)).length <= 4000)
document.cookie = curCookie
else
if (confirm("Cookie exceeds 4KB and will be cut!"))
document.cookie = curCookie
}
// name - name of the desired cookie
// * return string containing value of specified cookie or null if
cookie does not exist
404 n Chapter 20

function getCookie(name)
{
var prefix = name + "="
var cookieStartIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(prefix)
if (cookieStartIndex == –1)
return null
var cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(";", cookieStartIndex +
prefix.length)
if (cookieEndIndex == –1)
cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.length
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(cookieStartIndex + prefix.length,
cookieEndIndex))
}
// name - name of the cookie
// [path] - path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
// [domain] - domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create
cookie)
// * path and domain default if assigned null or omitted if no explicit
argument proceeds
function deleteCookie(name, path, domain)
{
if (getCookie(name))
{
document.cookie = name + "=" +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
"; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT"
}
}
// date - any instance of the Date object
// * you should hand all instances of the Date object to this function for
"repairs"
function fixDate(date)
{
var base = new Date(0)
var skew = base.getTime()
if (skew > 0)
date.setTime(date.getTime() – skew)
}
// constructor function to create an entry (parent or child)
function item(parent, text, depth)
{
this.parent = parent // is this item a parent?
this.text = text // text for link (may include HTML)
this.depth = depth // nested depth
}
// constructor function to create array (compatible with all browsers)
function makeArray(length)
{
this.length = length // length of array (integer)
}
// create items of outline
function makeDatabase()
{
 Implementing Cookies n 405

outline = new makeArray(9) // create global object

// create items in outline
outline[0] = new item(true, 'computer companies', 0)
outline[1] = new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.intel.com">Intel</A>', 1)
outline[2] = new item(true, 'software', 1)
outline[3] = new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.netscape.com">
Netscape</A>', 2)
outline[4] = new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.microsoft.com">
Microsoft</A>', 2)
outline[5] = new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.apple.com">Apple</A>', 1)
outline[6] = new item(true, 'shareware web sites', 0)
outline[7] = new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.jumbo.com">Jumbo</A>', 1)
outline[8] = new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.tucows.com">
Tucows.com</A>', 1)
// determine current state of each item and assign to state properties
setStates()
// set image for each item (only items with true state)
setImages()
}
function setStates()
{
// assign current cookie to local variable
var storedValue = getCookie("outline")
// if desired cookie not found (null)
if (!storedValue)
{
// set states to default if no cookie found
for (var i = 0; i < outline.length; ++i)
{
// only topmost level is visible by default
if (outline[i].depth == 0)
outline[i].state = true
else
outline[i].state = false
}
}
else
{
// extract current states from cookie (0 => false, 1 => true)
for (var i = 0; i < outline.length; ++i)
Chapter 20

{
if (storedValue.charAt(i) == '1')
outline[i].state = true
else
outline[i].state = false
}
}
}
function setImages()
{
// loop through all elements of the outline "array" (object)
for (var i = 0; i < outline.length; ++i)
{
if (outline[i].state)
406 n Chapter 20

if (outline[i].parent) // outline[i] is a parent

if (outline[i + 1].state) // outline[i] is exploded
outline[i].pic = '<A HREF="javascript:toggle(' +
i + ')"><IMG SRC="exploded.gif" BORDER=0></A>'
else // outline[i] is collapsed
outline[i].pic = '<A HREF="javascript:toggle(' +
i + ')"><IMG SRC="collapsd.gif" BORDER=0></A>'
else // outline[i] is only a child (not a parent)
outline[i].pic = '<IMG SRC="child.gif" BORDER=0>'
}
}
// change from expanded to collapsed and vice versa
function toggle(num)
{
// loop starts at item following argument
// terminate loop when:
// a) last element of outline "array" reached
// b) current item (outline[i]) is not deeper than toggled item
(outline[num])
for (var i = num + 1; i < outline.length && outline[i].depth >=
outline[num].depth + 1; ++i)
{
// if current item (outline[i]) is a direct child of
outline[num]
if (outline[i].depth == outline[num].depth + 1)
outline[i].state = !outline[i].state // toggle state
}
// store new states in cookie
setStorage()
// reload page
history.go(0)
}
function setStorage()
{
// initialize local variable to empty string
var text = ""
// loop through all properties of outline "array"
for (var i = 0; i < outline.length; ++i)
{
// use "1" character to represent true state, and "0" for
false state
text += (outline[i].state) ? "1" : "0"
}
// create cookie named "outline" with "binary" string
setCookie("outline", text)
}
// update database
makeDatabase()
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
 Implementing Cookies n 407

// use <PRE> to enable indentation via spaces

document.write('<PRE><H4>')
// loop through elements of outline "array"
for (var i = 0; i < outline.length; ++i)
{
// if current item's state is true
if (outline[i].state)
{
// place three spaces for each nesting (depth * 3 spaces)
for (var j = 0; j < outline[i].depth * 3; ++j)
{
document.write(' ')
}
// follow indentation with picture, another space, text, and
new line
document.write(outline[i].pic, ' ', outline[i].text, '<BR>')
}
else
{
// current item's state is false (skip all its children)
var previous = i
for (var k = i + 1; k < outline.length && outline[k].depth >=
outline[previous].depth; ++k)
{
++i
}
}
}
// end <PRE> to return to normal formatting
document.write('</H4></PRE>')
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 20-4 (ex20-4.htm). The outliner script includes deferred script and
immediate script.

A quick look at Example 20-4 is enough to conclude that the script uses
cookies. Our set of cookie-related functions is embedded in the script.
Although not all are invoked, we feel that you should always provide all the
Chapter 20

functions, regardless of whether you require all of them. Also notice that the
HTML document includes two scripts—one in the <HEAD></HEAD> portion
and one in the <BODY></BODY> portion. The first script is responsible for set-
ting up the outline-style table and contents, and for performing the
calculations and manipulations. The second script simply interprets the data
and prints it to the web page. First let’s take a look at the script in the
<HEAD></HEAD> portion.
408 n Chapter 20

item(parent, text, depth)

// constructor function to create an entry (parent or child)
function item(parent, text, depth)
{
this.parent = parent // is this item a parent?
this.text = text // text for link (may include HTML)
this.depth = depth // nested depth
}

The constructor function item() accepts three arguments and creates three
properties with the same names as the function’s parameters: parent, text,
and depth. The first parameter (and property), parent, accepts a Boolean
value indicating whether or not the item is a parent. An item is considered a
parent only if it has children, or nested items. The function’s second argu-
ment, text, accepts an HTML-valid string such as <A HREF="http://
www.jumbo.com">Jumbo</A> for the “Jumbo” entry in Figure 20-4. You can
use virtually any HTML-valid string such as plain text, a link (as in the
“Jumbo” example), or even a small image. The last argument, depth, is the
depth of the item being created, i.e., it specifies how deep the item is
nested. The topmost level item’s depth property is 0, whereas its children’s
depth property is 1, and so forth.

makeArray(length)
// constructor function to create array (compatible with all browsers)
function makeArray(length)
{
this.length = length // length of array (integer)
}

This function is an alternative to the built-in Array() constructor of Naviga-

tor and Internet Explorer. We decided to write an array constructor on our
own in order to make the script compatible with all JavaScript-enabled
browsers. We used JavaScript’s support for adding properties to an object to
explicitly create length, which holds the number of elements in the array, or
the number of its properties (not counting length itself), to be exact.

makeDatabase()
// create items of outline
function makeDatabase()
{
outline = new makeArray(9) // create global object
// create items in outline
outline[0] = new item(true, 'computer companies', 0)
outline[1] = new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.intel.com">Intel</A>', 1)
outline[2] = new item(true, 'software', 1)
outline[3] = new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.netscape.com">
Netscape</A>', 2)
outline[4] = new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.microsoft.com">
 Implementing Cookies n 409

Microsoft</A>', 2)
outline[5] =
new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.apple.com">Apple</A>', 1)
outline[6] =
new item(true, 'shareware web sites', 0)
outline[7] =
new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.jumbo.com">Jumbo</A>', 1)
outline[8] =
new item(false, '<A HREF="http://www.tucows.com">
Tucows.com</A>', 1)
// determine current state of each item and assign to state properties
setStates()
// set image for each item (only items with true state)
setImages()
}

This function creates the main array used for the outline structure. Notice
that the outline array is declared without the keyword var and thus is
global. Try adding var to this statement to find out how important “one
small word” can be. The next portion of this function deals with the proper-
ties (elements) of the outline array. Each property becomes an instance of
the item object. The order of the elements in the array is very important.
An item’s children should immediately follow the item, so the order in the
outline array is the order in which the entries appear, from top to bottom,
in a fully expanded table of contents.
The function then calls setStates() and setImages().

setStates()
function setStates()
{
// assign current cookie to local variable
var storedValue = getCookie("outline")
// if desired cookie not found (null)
if (!storedValue)
{
// set states to default if no cookie found
for (var i = 0; i < outline.length; ++i)
{
// only topmost level is visible by default
if (outline[i].depth == 0)
outline[i].state = true
else
Chapter 20

outline[i].state = false
}
}
else
{
// extract current states from cookie (0 => false, 1 => true)
for (var i = 0; i < outline.length; ++i)
{
if (storedValue.charAt(i) == '1')
outline[i].state = true
else
outline[i].state = false
}
410 n Chapter 20

}
}

The setStates() function adds a state property to all properties of the

outline object (array). If no cookie by the name of “outline” is found, the
default states are used, i.e., the entire outline structure is collapsed, and
only the topmost level is viewable. If the desired cookie is found, the current
states are extracted. The cookie is basically a string of “0” and “1” charac-
ters, the first representing a false state, and the latter representing a true
one. The first character of the string is associated with the first element of
the array (outline[0].state), and so on. An item’s state determines
whether or not that item’s parent is expanded. Therefore, on a two-level
outline-style table of contents, if an item has a true state it is viewable.

setImages()
function setImages()
{
// loop through all elements of the outline "array" (object)
for (var i = 0; i < outline.length; ++i)
{
if (outline[i].state)
if (outline[i].parent) // outline[i] is a parent
if (outline[i + 1].state) // outline[i] is exploded
outline[i].pic = '<A HREF="javascript:toggle
(' + i + ')"><IMG SRC="exploded.gif"
BORDER=0></A>'
else // outline[i] is collapsed
outline[i].pic = '<A HREF="javascript:toggle
(' + i + ')"><IMG SRC="collapsd.gif"
BORDER=0></A>'
else // outline[i] is only a child (not a parent)
outline[i].pic = '<IMG SRC="child.gif" BORDER=0>'
}
}

This function loops through all elements of the outline object and assigns
an image to the pic property of each element whose state is true. Note that
this property is an extension of the original instance of the item object. If an
element is a parent, there are two possible images—one to represent an
expanded item and the other to reflect a collapsed one. Notice that if the
Boolean expression outline[i + 1].state is true, outline[i] is
expanded. You may recall that an element’s state property is true if its par-
ent is expanded (by definition). Since outline[i] is surely a parent in this
case (if (outline[i].parent)...), outline[i + 1] is its child. If out-
line[i + 1]’s current state is false, the image representing a collapsed
item is chosen. If outline[i] is not a parent at all, there is only one option
for the image—the one representing a child item. The immediate conclusion
 Implementing Cookies n 411

from this function is that in order to use the outliner, you must have three
images:
n exploded.gif
n collapsd.gif
n child.gif

toggle(num)
// change from expanded to collapsed and vice versa
function toggle(num)
{
// loop starts at item following argument
// terminate loop when:
// a) last element of outline "array" reached
// b) current item (outline[i]) is not deeper than toggled
item (outline[num])
for (var i = num + 1; i < outline.length && outline[i].depth >=
outline[num].depth + 1; ++i)
{
// if current item (outline[i]) is a direct child of
outline[num]
if (outline[i].depth == outline[num].depth + 1)
outline[i].state = !outline[i].state // toggle state
}
// store new states in cookie
setStorage()
// reload page
history.go(0)
}

When the user clicks an image (exploded.gif or collapsd.gif), the item associ-
ated with it either collapses or explodes, depending on its current status.
The toggle() function accepts an integer reflecting the index of the item
whose icon the user clicked, and then toggles the state property of all the
item’s direct children. By definition, when an item has no children with a
true state, the item is collapsed, and when all children of an item have a true
state, the item is expanded. Therefore, toggling the state property of the
selected item’s children toggles that item’s current status (exploded or col-
Chapter 20

lapsed). After all manipulations, the function invokes the setStorage()

function to store the current status in a cookie, overwriting any previous
cookie used for the outliner. After the cookie is written, the function reloads
the page via the history.go() method, with the argument 0 to indicate that
the current page should be loaded. We chose to use go(0) rather than
reload() because it works with all JavaScript-compatible browsers, and it is
perfect for refreshing a document, which is exactly what the script does.
412 n Chapter 20

setStorage()
function setStorage()
{
// initialize local variable to empty string
var text = ""
// loop through all properties of outline "array"
for (var i = 0; i < outline.length; ++i)
{
// use "1" character to represent true state, and "0" for false state
text += (outline[i].state) ? "1" : "0"
}
// create cookie named "outline" with "binary" string
setCookie("outline", text)
}

The setStorage() function creates a string with binary characters (0s and
1s). The first character of the string is associated with the first element of
the outline array, and so forth. The character "0" indicates that the value of
the item’s state property is false, and a "1" character means that the item’s
state property is true. The last statement of this function sets the cookie
via the setCookie() function, using “outline” as the name and the accumu-
lative string as the value. No path or expiration date is specified, so the
cookie is specific to the creating page and expires at the end of the user’s
current session.

Global Statements
The only global statement in the first script is the one invoking the
makeDatabase() function. The second script, on the other hand, consists of
global statements only and is responsible for printing the outline-style table
of contents. The <PRE></PRE> tags are important because they enable us to
use regular spaces for indentation.
The most important statement in the second script is the loop itself,
which iterates through all elements of the global outline array (created by
the makeDatabase() function in the first script). Each indentation level con-
sists of three spaces and can be configured to any other integer for
customized indentation. The topmost level items are not indented at all
(0 * 3 = 0), the second level is indented by three spaces (1 * 3 = 3), the
third level by six spaces (2 * 3 = 6), and so on. Note that an item is only
printed if the value of its state property is true (by definition, if it is false,
its parent is collapsed so you are not supposed to see the item). Each
printed item consists of its small image (outline[i].pic), followed by one
space and its text (outline[I].text). A new line (<BR>) is appended to each
item. When an element whose state property is false is encountered, i is
incremented the desired amount of times until its index is that of the next
item at its level or a higher one. It passes over all items at lower levels
because they do not appear.
 Implementing Cookies n 413

Summary
In this chapter you have learned the fundamentals and usage of cookies, one
of the most powerful features of JavaScript. It enables the programmer of a
web page to store information in one session and retrieve it later in another
session. I have provided three important functions by which you can get a
cookie, set a cookie, and delete a cookie. All operations, as well as storage,
are handled on the client side. Cookies are transparent to the server. The
client imposes two limitations on cookies: a maximum of 20 cookies per
server or domain that are 4KB each. I have shown several scripts in this
chapter: one using cookies to remember the number of visits to a web site,
one using cookies to store the user name, and one using cookies to remem-
ber a user’s reminders for every day of the month. I also included an
advanced collapsing/expanding outline-style table of contents that uses
cookies as well.

Chapter 20
414 n Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Images and Graphics

Defining Images in HTML

Without images web pages would be pretty dull. In fact, it is hard to imagine
a modern web site without graphics. Inserting images into HTML is very
simple. However, the images inserted via HTML simply sit there; they don’t
do anything dynamic. Thankfully, adding that dynamic behavior with
JavaScript is not a difficult task. The syntax to define an image in HTML is
as follows:
<IMG
[NAME="imageName"]
SRC="Location"
[LOWSRC="Location"]
[HEIGHT="Pixels" | "Value"%]
[WIDTH="Pixels" | "Value"%]
[SPACE="Pixels"]
[BORDER = "Pixels"]
[ALIGN = "left" | "right" |"top" | "absmiddle" | "absbottom"
|"texttop" | "middle" | "baseline" | "bottom" ]
[ISMAP]
[USEMAP="Location#MapName"]
[onAbort="handlerText"]
[onError="handlerText"]
[onLoad="handlerText"]>

The attributes are:

n NAME="imageName" specifies the name of the image object.
n SRC="Location" specifies the URL of the image to be displayed in the
document.
n LOWSRC="Location" specifies the URL of a low-resolution version of the
image to be displayed in the document. When this argument is provided,
the smaller image is loaded first, and is then replaced by the larger
image specified by SRC. Loading a low-resolution version first gives the
user the impression of a shorter turnaround time.
 Images and Graphics n 415

n HEIGHT="Pixels" | "Value"% specifies the height of the image, either

in pixels or as a percentage of the window height. If necessary, the
image is scaled to fit the space specified by this attribute.
n WIDTH="Pixels" | "Value"% specifies the width of the image, either in
pixels or as a percentage of the window width. If necessary, the image is
scaled to fit the space specified by this attribute.
n HSPACE="Pixels" specifies the margin in pixels between the left and
right edges of the image and the surrounding text. This attribute applies
only to images that use "left" or "right" as the value of the ALIGN
attribute.
n VSPACE="Pixels" specifies the margin in pixels between the top and
bottom edges of the image and the surrounding text. This attribute
applies only to images that use "top" or "bottom" as the value of the
ALIGN attribute.
n BORDER="Pixels" specifies the width in pixels of the image border. You
can suppress the border by setting its value to 0. If, however, it appears
within an anchor, users will not see the colored border indicating a
hyperlink.
n ALIGN specifies the alignment of the image in relation to the
surrounding text. Images that are aligned left or right float into the next
available space on the left or right side of the page, respectively, while
text fills the empty space next to the image. The rest of the ALIGN val-
ues specify the alignment of the image with respect to a line of text in
which it is placed (no filling). If omitted, "bottom" is used, which means
that the bottom of the image is aligned with the line of text.
n ISMAP specifies the image as a server-side image map.
n USEMAP="Location#MapName" specifies the image as a client-side image
map. This attribute must specify the URL of the file that contains the
map definition, followed by a # symbol, and then the name of the map.
For example, USEMAP="http://www.HomeWorld.com/maplist.html
#areamap". The URL can be omitted if the image map specifications
reside in the same document as the reference.

The image Object

The image object enables you to create instances that reflect a given image
in any supported format (usually GIF or JPG). By introducing movement and
animation, the image object immensely increased JavaScript’s capabilities.
You can take advantage of this object to create an animation, for example,
with full control over timing and order of events. You can also create anima-
Chapter 21

tion-based games such as Tetris, MineSweeper, and so forth.

The primary incentive for using the image object is to accelerate image
displaying in the browser window. Instead of waiting for the image to be
transmitted from the server to the client when the display is needed, it is
loaded and stored in the browser’s cache ahead of time, and displayed
416 n Chapter 21

immediately upon request. In order to use the image object, you must create
an instance associated with a given image. The general syntax is as follows:
var imageName = new Image([width, height])

width is the width of the image in pixels, and height is its height.
An instance of the image object can be associated with one image at any
given time. In order to associate an instance with an existing image, you
must assign it a source in the following fashion:
var imageName = new Image([width, height])
imageName.src = "imageLocation"

imageLocation is the full URL of the image. The second statement in the
preceding script segment assigns a value to the instance’s src property. The
browser will retrieve the image from the server and will keep it in the cache
until needed. Note that the width and height attributes are optional.

The images Array

When you create an HTML document you usually include several images
(defined by the <IMG> definition). JavaScript features an array that reflects
all images in a document—document.images. Each element of the array
reflects an existing image. The first image in a document, for example, is
document.images[0]. Obviously, the total number of images in a document
is stored in the length property—document.images.length. Using the
array within a deferred script ensures that all images have been loaded and
the array reflects all images of a document.
An alternative way to reference an image is by its name, which is
defined by the NAME attribute of the <IMG> HTML tag. See Example 21-5 for
further details and explanations.
The size and position of an image in a document are set when the docu-
ment is displayed in the browser window, and cannot be changed. Therefore,
when creating an animation, you should generally use images of the same
height and width. You can only change the image itself by setting the src
and lowsrc properties. (See the description of SRC and LOWSRC in the previ-
ous section, “Defining Images in HTML.”)
Consider the following HTML document:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>images</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function swapImages(a, b)
{
var asource = document.images[a].src
document.images[a].src = document.images[b].src
document.images[b].src = asource
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
 Images and Graphics n 417

</HEAD>
<BODY>
<IMG SRC="comp1.gif" HEIGHT=60 WIDTH=70>
<IMG SRC="comp2.gif" HEIGHT=60 WIDTH=70><P>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="swap" onClick="swapImages(0, 1)">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 21-1 (ex21-1.htm). A button enables the user to swap two given images.

You can see the output of this script in Figure 21-1.

Figure 21-1. Swapping images

When the user clicks the button, the swapImages() function is invoked with
two arguments: 0 and 1. The src property of the image whose index is the
first argument is assigned to the local variable asource. The src property of
the second image is assigned to the src property of the first image, and the
src property of the second image is assigned the previous src property of
the first image, stored locally in asource.
The document.images array is read-only—you cannot explicitly assign a
value to any of its elements. Nevertheless, you can assign values to proper-
ties of an array element, as the preceding example demonstrates with the
src property.
As mentioned earlier, an animation should consist of images of the same
size. Example 21-2 demonstrates a simple animation with seven images of
identical dimensions. Note that recent browser developments may make this
example not function in some browsers.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>images</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
Chapter 21

var pause = 250

var on = new Array()
on[0] = new Image(12, 12)
on[1] = new Image(12, 12)
on[2] = new Image(12, 12)
on[3] = new Image(12, 12)
418 n Chapter 21

on[2] = new Image(12, 12)

on[3] = new Image(12, 12)
on[4] = new Image(12, 12)
on[5] = new Image(12, 12)
on[6] = new Image(12, 12)
for (var i = 0; i < 7; ++i)
{
on[i].src = "1" + i + ".gif"
}
timerID = setTimeout("", 0)
function animate(num, imageIndex)
{
document.images[imageIndex].src = on[num].src
num = (num == on.length – 1) ? 0 : (++num)
var str = "animate(" + num + ", " + imageIndex + ")"
timerID = setTimeout(str, pause)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY onLoad="timerID = setTimeout('animate(1, 0)', pause)">
<IMG SRC="&{on[0].src};" HEIGHT="&{on[0].height};" WIDTH="&{on[0].width};">
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 21-2 (ex21-2.htm). A simple animation with images of identical size

The script consists of a few immediate statements as well as a deferred

code. First, an array named on is created to store the images of the anima-
tion. Each element is actually an instance of the image object.
Take a look at the following statement:
timerID = setTimeout("", 0)

This statement sets the value of timerID to null, but it does not explicitly
assign that value. This syntax is useful with Internet Explorer because it
generates an error if you use clearTimeout() with a variable that holds a
null value.
function animate(num, imageIndex)
{
document.images[imageIndex].src = on[num].src
num = (num == on.length – 1) ? 0 : (++num)
var str = "animate(" + num + ", " + imageIndex + ")"
timerID = setTimeout(str, pause)
}

The animate() function accepts two arguments. The first specifies the
index of the first image in the animation according to the on array. Take a
look at the following statement from animate(), which is the most impor-
tant one:
document.images[imageIndex].src = on[num].src
 Images and Graphics n 419

The current image that appears in the document at the imageIndex index of
the document.images array is replaced by the image in the on array whose
index is equal to the first argument handed to the function. The second
statement in this function sets the value of num to 0 if the current value
exceeds the index of the last entry in the on array. Otherwise, it increments
the value of num, so the next image is displayed during the next execution of
the function.

Properties
Instances of the image object feature many properties, some of which are
more useful than others. You can also add more properties by creating proto-
types. This section describes each property in depth.
border
An image’s border appears only when the image is used in a hypertext link
and when the value of the BORDER attribute is set to a positive integer. The
general reference is as follows:
imageName.border

imageName is either the name of an image object’s instance or an element in

the document.images array. The border property is read-only. The following
function displays the image’s border if it is not 0:
function checkBorder(theImage)
{
if (theImage.border == 0)
alert('The image has no border!')
else
alert('The image's border is ' + theImage.border)
}

complete
The complete property is a Boolean value that indicates whether the
browser has completed its attempt to load an image. The general specifica-
tion is as follows:
imageName.complete

imageName is either the name of an image object’s instance or an element in

the document.images array.
height
The height property specifies the height of an image, either in pixels or as a
percentage of the window’s total height. The general syntax is as follows:
Chapter 21

imageName.height

imageName is either the name of an image object’s instance or an element in

the document.images array. The height property reflects the HEIGHT attrib-
ute of the <IMG> tag. For images created with the Image() constructor, the
420 n Chapter 21

value of the height property is the actual height, not the displayed height.
The height property is read-only.
The script in Example 21-3 shows how an alert box can display, upon
clicking a button, the height, width, and space around an image.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>images</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function showImageSize(theImage)
{
alert('height=' + theImage.height +
'; width=' + theImage.width +
'; hspace=' + theImage.hspace +
'; vspace=' + theImage.vspace)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<IMG SRC="computer2.jpg" HEIGHT=60 WIDTH=70 VSPACE=30 HSPACE=10>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="show image size" onClick=
"showImageSize(document.images[0])">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 21-3 (ex21-3.htm). A script to display the height, width, and space around
an image

Figure 21-2. An alert box that displays the height, width, and
space around an image
 Images and Graphics n 421

hspace
The hspace property specifies the margin in pixels between the left and
right edges of an image and the surrounding text. The general syntax is as
follows:
imageName.hspace

imageName is either the name of an image object’s instance or an element in

the document.images array. The hspace property reflects the HSPACE attrib-
ute of the <IMG> tag. For images created with the Image() constructor, the
value of the hspace property is 0. The hspace property is read-only. The
script in Example 21-3 shows how an alert box can display, upon clicking a
button, the height, width, and space around an image.
lowsrc
lowsrc is a string specifying the URL of a low-resolution version of an
image to be displayed in a document. The general syntax is as follows:
imageName.lowsrc

imageName is either the name of an image object’s instance or an element in

the document.images array. The lowsrc property initially reflects the
LOWSRC attribute of the <IMG> tag. The browser loads the smaller image
specified by lowsrc and then replaces it with the larger image specified by
the src property. You can change the lowsrc property at any time.
The script in Example 21-4 lets the user display one image out of three
available ones. There are two versions ready for each of the three selec-
tions: low resolution and high resolution. When loading the requested
selection, the low-resolution image is loaded first and then the high-resolu-
tion one:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Aircraft</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function displayImage(lowRes, highRes)
{
document.images[0].lowsrc = lowRes
document.images[0].src = highRes
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM NAME="imageForm">
Chapter 21

<B>Choose an image:</B>
<BR><INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="imageChoice" VALUE="image1" CHECKED
onClick="displayImage('img1l.gif', 'img1h.gif')"> IMAGE 1
422 n Chapter 21

<BR><INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="imageChoice" VALUE="image2"

onClick="displayImage('img2l.gif', ‘img2h.gif')"> IMAGE 2
<BR><INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="imageChoice" VALUE="image3"
onClick="displayImage('img3l.gif', 'img3h.gif')"> IMAGE 3
<BR>
<IMG NAME="firstImage" SRC="img1h.gif" LOWSRC="img1l.gif" ALIGN="left"
VSPACE="10"><BR>
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 21-4 (ex21-4.htm). A script to display one of three images, with low-resolu-
tion images loaded first

name
The name property reflects the NAME attribute of the <IMG> HTML definition.
The name property is read-only. As with forms, you can use an image’s name
to reference it. If the first image in a document is defined by the following
syntax, for instance, you can reference it as document.myImage as well as
document.images[0]:
<IMG SRC="myPicture.gif" NAME="myImage">

src
src specifies the URL of an image to be displayed in a document. The gen-
eral syntax is:
imageName.src

imageName is either the name of an image object’s instance or an element in

the document.images array. The src property is used in almost all this chap-
ter’s examples. Consider the following statement:
var myImage = new Image()

An instance of the image object, named myImage, is created with the

Image() constructor. When you create an instance of the image object in this
fashion, it is not associated with any image. In order to associate it with an
existing image, you must assign a value to its src property in the following
manner:
myImage.src = "myPicture.gif"

You can use either a full or relational URL. When you associate an image
with an instance in this fashion, the image is cached. Since it is already
stored on the client side (where the cache normally is), the user does not
have to wait for the image to be received from the server when you decide
to display the image. When you adjust the src property of an element from
the document.images array (or an image that is viewable on the page), the
image immediately changes to the image at the new URL.
 Images and Graphics n 423

vspace
This property is a string specifying the margin in pixels between the top and
bottom edges of an image and the surrounding text. The general syntax is as
follows:
imageName.vspace

imageName is either the name of an image object’s instance or an element in

the document.images array. The vspace property reflects the VSPACE attrib-
ute of the <IMG> tag. For images created with the Image() constructor, the
value of the vspace property is 0. The vspace property is read-only. The
script in Example 21-3 shows how an alert box can display, upon clicking a
button, the height, width, and space around an image.
width
width is a string specifying the width of an image either in pixels or as a per-
centage of the window width. The general syntax is as follows:
imageName.width

imageName is either the name of an image object’s instance or an element in

the document.images array. The width property reflects the WIDTH attribute
of the <IMG> tag. For images created with the Image() constructor, the value
of the width property is the actual, not the displayed, width of the image.
The width property is read-only. The script in Example 21-3 shows how an
alert box can display, upon clicking a button, the height, width, and space
around an image.

Event Handlers
onAbort
An abort event occurs when the user aborts the loading of an image (for
example, by clicking a link or the Stop button). The onAbort event handler
executes JavaScript code when an abort event occurs. In Example 21-5, an
onAbort handler belonging to an image object displays a message when the
user aborts the image’s loading:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Aircraft</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function displayImage(lowRes, highRes)
{
document.images[0].lowsrc = lowRes
document.images[0].src = highRes
Chapter 21

}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
424 n Chapter 21

<FORM NAME="imageForm">
<B>Choose an image:</B>
<BR><INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="imageChoice" VALUE="image1" CHECKED
onClick="displayImage('img1l.gif', 'img1h.gif')"> IMAGE 1
<BR><INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="imageChoice" VALUE="image2"
onClick="displayImage('img2l.gif', 'img2h.gif')"> IMAGE 2
<BR><INPUT TYPE="radio" NAME="imageChoice" VALUE="image3"
onClick="displayImage('img3l.gif', 'img3h.gif')"> IMAGE 3
<BR>
<IMG NAME="onAbort" SRC="img1h.gif" LOWSRC="img1l.gif" ALIGN="left"
VSPACE="10" onAbort="alert('You didn\'t get to see the
image!')"><BR>
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 21-5 (ex21-5.htm). The script from Example 21-4 with the onAbort event
handler

onError
An error event occurs when the loading of an image causes an error. The
onError event handler executes JavaScript code when an error event
occurs.
The onError event handler can be assigned a null value to suppress all
error dialogs. When you set imageName.onerror to null, your user won’t see
any JavaScript errors caused by the image.
An error event occurs only when a JavaScript syntax or run-time error
occurs, and not when a browser error occurs. If you try to set image-
Name.src = 'notThere.gif', for instance, and notThere.gif does not
exist, the resulting error message is a Navigator error message, and an
onError event handler would not intercept that message.
In the following <IMG> tag, the onError event handler calls the function
badImage if errors occur when the image loads:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function badImage(theImage)
{
alert('Error: ' + theImage.name + ' did not load properly.')
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
<IMG NAME="imageBad2" SRC="orca.gif" ALIGN="left" BORDER=2
onError="badImage(this)">

onLoad
The onLoad event handler is triggered when an image is displayed. Do not
confuse displaying an image with loading one. You can load several images
and then, by setting the instance’s src property, you can display them one
by one in the same image object instance. If you change a displayed image
 Images and Graphics n 425

this way, the onLoad event handler executes every time an image is dis-
played, not just when the image is loaded into memory.
If you specify an onLoad event handler for an image object that displays
a looping GIF animation (multi-image GIF), each loop of the animation trig-
gers the onLoad event, and the event handler executes once for each loop.
By repeatedly setting the src property of an image’s JavaScript reflec-
tion, you can use the onLoad event handler to create a JavaScript animation.

Demonstration 1: Updating Digital Clock

The following JavaScript script displays a digital clock on your page that is
updated every minute. The clock includes two digits for the hour, delimiting
colon, two digits for the minute, and am/pm subscript:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>
JavaScript clock
</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<!-- JavaScript immediate script -->
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// create array of all digit images
var digit = new Array()
digit[0] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[1] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[2] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[3] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[4] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[5] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[6] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[7] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[8] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[9] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[10] = new Image(16, 21) // am
digit[11] = new Image(16, 21) // pm
digit[12] = new Image(9, 21) // colon
digit[13] = new Image(9, 21) // blank
// assign sources to digit image objects (0 - 9)
for (var i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
{
digit[i].src = getPath(location.href) + "dg" + i + ".gif"
}
// assign sources to other image objects
Chapter 21

digit[10].src = getPath(location.href) + "dgam.gif"

digit[11].src = getPath(location.href) + "dgpm.gif"
digit[12].src = getPath(location.href) + "dgc.gif"
digit[13].src = getPath(location.href) + "dgb.gif"
// set initial time values to impossible ones
426 n Chapter 21

var hour1 = getHour(0)

var hour2 = getHour(1)
var minute1 = getMinute(0)
var minute2 = getMinute(1)
var ampm = getAmpm()
var colon = false
// get array substring of first clock image in document.images array
var start = document.images.length // number of images in document
// print initial clock
var openImage = "<IMG SRC=\"" + getPath(location.href) + "dg"
var closeImage = ".gif\" HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=16>"
document.write(openImage + hour1 + closeImage)
document.write(openImage + hour2 + closeImage)
document.write(openImage + "c.gif\" HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=9>")
document.write(openImage + minute1 + closeImage)
document.write(openImage + minute2 + closeImage)
document.write(openImage + ((ampm == 10) ? "am" : "pm") + closeImage)
var timerID = null
var timerRunning = false
update()
function setClock()
{
if (getHour(0) != hour1)
{
// not getHours()!
hour1 = getHour(0)
document.images[start].src = digit[hour1].src
}
if (getHour(1) != hour2)
{
// not getHours()!
hour2 = getHour(1)
document.images[start + 1].src = digit[hour2].src
}
colon = !colon
if (!colon)
document.images[start + 2].src = digit[13].src
else
document.images[start + 2].src = digit[12].src
if (getMinute(0) != minute1)
{
// not getMinutes()!
minute1 = getMinute(0)
document.images[start + 3].src = digit[minute1].src
}
if (getMinute(1) != minute2)
{
// not getMinutes()!
minute2 = getMinute(1)
document.images[start + 4].src = digit[minute2].src
}
if (getAmpm() != ampm)
{
 Images and Graphics n 427

ampm = getAmpm()
document.images[start + 5].src = digit[ampm].src
}
timerID = setTimeout("setClock()",1000)
timerRunning = true
}
function update()
{
stopClock()
setClock()
}
function stopClock()
{
if (timerRunning)
clearTimeout(timerID)
timerRunning = false
}
function getHour(place)
{
var now = new Date()
var hour = now.getHours()
if (hour >= 12)
hour –= 12
hour = (hour == 0) ? 12 : hour
if (hour < 10)
hour = "0" + hour // do not parse number!
hour += ""
return parseInt(hour.charAt(place))
}
function getMinute(place)
{
var now = new Date()
var minute = now.getMinutes()
if (minute < 10)
minute = "0" + minute // do not parse number!
minute += ""
return parseInt(minute.charAt(place))
}
function getAmpm()
{
var now = new Date()
var hour = now.getHours()
if (hour >= 12)
return 11 // pm
/* else */
return 10 // am
}
function getPath(url)
Chapter 21

{
lastSlash = url.lastIndexOf("/")
return url.substring(0, lastSlash + 1)
}
// -->
428 n Chapter 21

</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 21-6 (ex21-6.htm). An updating clock

Global Statements
The script starts by creating the digits array, holding 14 instances of the
image object, for the digits 0 through 9, am, pm, colon, and blank symbols.
All images are 21 pixels high and 16 pixels wide, except for the colon and
the blank images, which are thinner (9 pixels):
// create array of all digit images
var digit = new Array()
digit[0] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[1] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[2] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[3] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[4] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[5] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[6] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[7] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[8] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[9] = new Image(16, 21)
digit[10] = new Image(16, 21) // am
digit[11] = new Image(16, 21) // pm
digit[12] = new Image(9, 21) // colon
digit[13] = new Image(9, 21) // blank

Since the artistic representation of each symbol is given in a GIF format, we

assign a GIF filename to the src property of each element of the digit
array. The GIF files are located in the same directory as the URL, and the
naming algorithm is based on concatenating the dg substring to the charac-
ters represented by the image (0 to 9, am, pm). The colon symbol is denoted
by a “c” character, and the blank by a “b.”
// assign sources to digit image objects (0 - 9)
for (var i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
{
digit[i].src = getPath(location.href) + "dg" + i + ".gif"
}
// assign sources to other image objects
digit[10].src = getPath(location.href) + "dgam.gif"
digit[11].src = getPath(location.href) + "dgpm.gif"
digit[12].src = getPath(location.href) + "dgc.gif"
digit[13].src = getPath(location.href) + "dgb.gif"

Then, we find the current time and store it in six variables, four digits for
the hour and minute, one for the ampm value, and one Boolean variable for
the blinking colon. After initializing the time variables, the script turns off
the colon, ready to be turned on next time:
 Images and Graphics n 429

// set initial time values to current time

var hour1 = getHour(0)
var hour2 = getHour(1)
var minute1 = getMinute(0)
var minute2 = getMinute(1)
var ampm = getAmpm()
var colon = false

We need to probe and remember the number of images already displayed in

the document:
// get array substring of first clock image in document.images array
var start = document.images.length // number of images in document

When the page is loaded, the script displays the clock. Since JavaScript does
not support image creation, all images are constructed via HTML:
// print initial clock
var openImage = "<IMG SRC=\"" + getPath(location.href) + "dg"
var closeImage = ".gif\" HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=16>"
document.write(openImage + hour1 + closeImage)
document.write(openImage + hour2 + closeImage)
document.write(openImage + "c.gif\" HEIGHT=21 WIDTH=9>")
document.write(openImage + minute1 + closeImage)
document.write(openImage + minute2 + closeImage)
document.write(openImage + ((ampm == 10) ? "am" : "pm") + closeImage)

The timerID variable, which holds the elapsed time before the next clock
updating, is initialized to null before the clock starts running. For the same
reason, the timerRunning variable is set to false. The update() function
starts the infinite loop of running the clock:
var timerID = null
var timerRunning = false
update()

setClock()
function setClock()
{
if (getHour(0) != hour1)
{
// not getHours()!
hour1 = getHour(0)
document.images[start].src = digit[hour1].src
}
if (getHour(1) != hour2)
{
// not getHours()!
Chapter 21

hour2 = getHour(1)
document.images[start + 1].src = digit[hour2].src
}
colon = !colon
if (!colon)
document.images[start + 2].src = digit[13].src
430 n Chapter 21

else
document.images[start + 2].src = digit[12].src
if (getMinute(0) != minute1)
{
// not getMinutes()!
minute1 = getMinute(0)
document.images[start + 3].src = digit[minute1].src
}
if (getMinute(1) != minute2)
{
// not getMinutes()!
minute2 = getMinute(1)
document.images[start + 4].src = digit[minute2].src
}
if (getAmpm() != ampm)
{
ampm = getAmpm()
document.images[start + 5].src = digit[ampm].src
}
timerID = setTimeout("setClock()",1000)
timerRunning = true
}

This function retrieves the current value of each digit (and symbol) in the
clock and updates only the necessary images, i.e., only those digits that have
been changed since the previous iteration. The blinking colon effect is
accomplished by simply reversing the value of colon. Notice that the index
of the images array is an offset from the last image of the document, not
counting the clock’s images. The variable timerID is now modified to recur-
sively execute the function setClock() after 1000 milliseconds.

update()
function update()
{
stopClock()
setClock()
}

The function update() stops the clock and then restarts it.

stopClock()
function stopClock()
{
if (timerRunning)
clearTimeout(timerID)
timerRunning = false
}

This function clears the timeout and sets the timerRunning variable to false,
indicating that the timer is not running because no timeout is set.
 Images and Graphics n 431

getHour(place)
function getHour(place)
{
var now = new Date()
var hour = now.getHours()
if (hour >= 12)
hour –= 12
hour = (hour == 0) ? 12 : hour
if (hour < 10)
hour = "0" + hour // do not parse number!
hour += ""
return parseInt(hour.charAt(place))
}

The getHour() function has been mentioned a lot before. It finds the digit in
place position of a two-digit hour representation. Notice the computation to
convert a 24-hour military time notation to 12-hour notation. Pay attention,
also, to the concatenation of a null string to force the conversion to a string,
which is needed for the charAt() method. The returned value is converted
back to integer format.

getMinute(place)
function getMinute(place)
{
var now = new Date()
var minute = now.getMinutes()
if (minute < 10)
minute = "0" + minute // do not parse number!
minute += ""
return parseInt(minute.charAt(place))
}

This function is similar to the getHour() function. See the listings for that
function.

getAmpm()
function getAmpm()
{
var now = new Date()
var hour = now.getHours()
if (hour >= 12)
return 11 // pm
/* else */
return 10 // am
Chapter 21

The getAmpm() function returns 11 if the current time is P.M., and 10 if it is

A.M. Notice that, since a return statement immediately terminates a func-
tion, the else keyword is not needed here and is commented out.
432 n Chapter 21

getPath(url)
function getPath(url)
{
lastSlash = url.lastIndexOf("/")
return url.substring(0, lastSlash + 1)
}

The script’s last function, getPath(), extracts the full URL of the docu-
ment’s directory (or folder). It simply finds the last slash in the URL and
returns the substring, starting at the beginning of the URL and ending at its
last slash.

Demonstration 2: LED Sign

You have probably seen LED signs in airports and ticker-type bulletin
boards. This LED sign displays a given number of messages, one after the
other, and returns to the first one when the list is exhausted. Each character
is built of on and off dots, where each dot (or light) is a small 5 x 5 GIF
image.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>LED sign</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// set messages (specify backslash in double form (i.e., \\)
var messages = new Array()
messages[0] = "welcome to my page"
messages[1] = "free scripts are available"
messages[2] = "new scripts by request"
messages[3] = "this site is updated..."
messages[4] = "almost every day"
messages[5] = "I love javascript..."
messages[6] = "And I love..."
messages[7] = "wordware publishing!!!"
messages[8] = "contact me for more info"
// number of milliseconds to pause between two messages
var pause = 3000
// set normal spacing between two characters (no whitespace in between)
var space = 1
// set height and width of each character
var height = 5
var width = 3
// create object of all supported characters in font
var letters = new letterArray()
// initialize image variables
var on = new Image(5, 5)
var off = new Image(5, 5)
// set image URLs
 Images and Graphics n 433

on.src = "on.gif"
off.src = "off.gif"
// get number of images already laid out in page
var imageNum = document.images.length
// compute width of board
// var boardWidth = longest * (width + space) – space
// set maximum message length in images
var boardWidth = 0
for (var i = 0; i < messages.length; ++i)
{
var lengthWithNoSpaces = messages[i].split(" ").join("").length
var numberOfSpaces = messages[i].length – lengthWithNoSpaces
var currentBoardWidth = lengthWithNoSpaces * (width + space) –
space + numberOfSpaces * space * 2
if (boardWidth < currentBoardWidth)
boardWidth = currentBoardWidth
}
// sign is currently not running
var running = false
var timerID = null
function letterArray()
{
this.a = new Array(height)
this.a[0] = " * "
this.a[1] = "* *"
this.a[2] = "***"
this.a[3] = "* *"
this.a[4] = "* *"
this.b = new Array(height)
this.b[0] = "** "
this.b[1] = "* *"
this.b[2] = "** "
this.b[3] = "* *"
this.b[4] = "** "
this.c = new Array(height)
this.c[0] = "***"
this.c[1] = "* "
this.c[2] = "* "
this.c[3] = "* "
this.c[4] = "***"
this.d = new Array(height)
this.d[0] = "** "
this.d[1] = "* *"
this.d[2] = "* *"
this.d[3] = "* *"
this.d[4] = "** "
this.e = new Array(height)
this.e[0] = "*** "
Chapter 21

this.e[1] = "* "

this.e[2] = "***"
this.e[3] = "* "
this.e[4] = "***"
this.f = new Array(height)
this.f[0] = "***"
434 n Chapter 21

this.f[1] = "* "

this.f[2] = "***"
this.f[3] = "* "
this.f[4] = "* "
this.g = new Array(height)
this.g[0] = "***"
this.g[1] = "* "
this.g[2] = "***"
this.g[3] = "* *"
this.g[4] = "***"
this.h = new Array(height)
this.h[0] = "* *"
this.h[1] = "* *"
this.h[2] = "***"
this.h[3] = "* *"
this.h[4] = "* *"
this.i = new Array(height)
this.i[0] = "***"
this.i[1] = " * "
this.i[2] = " * "
this.i[3] = " * "
this.i[4] = "***"
this.j = new Array(height)
this.j[0] = " *"
this.j[1] = " *"
this.j[2] = " *"
this.j[3] = "* *"
this.j[4] = "***"
this.k = new Array(height)
this.k[0] = "* *"
this.k[1] = "* *"
this.k[2] = "** "
this.k[3] = "* *"
this.k[4] = "* *"
this.l = new Array(height)
this.l[0] = "* "
this.l[1] = "* "
this.l[2] = "* "
this.l[3] = "* "
this.l[4] = "***"
this.m = new Array(height)
this.m[0] = "* *"
this.m[1] = "***"
this.m[2] = "***"
this.m[3] = "* *"
this.m[4] = "* *"
this.n = new Array(height)
this.n[0] = "* *"
this.n[1] = "***"
this.n[2] = "***"
this.n[3] = "***"
this.n[4] = "* *"
this.o = new Array(height)
this.o[0] = "***"
 Images and Graphics n 435

this.o[1] = "* *"

this.o[2] = "* *"
this.o[3] = "* *"
this.o[4] = "***"
this.p = new Array(height)
this.p[0] = "** "
this.p[1] = "* *"
this.p[2] = "** "
this.p[3] = "* "
this.p[4] = "* "
this.q = new Array(height)
this.q[0] = "***"
this.q[1] = "* *"
this.q[2] = "* *"
this.q[3] = "***"
this.q[4] = "***"
this.r = new Array(height)
this.r[0] = "** "
this.r[1] = "* *"
this.r[2] = "** "
this.r[3] = "* *"
this.r[4] = "* *"
this.s = new Array(height)
this.s[0] = "***"
this.s[1] = "* "
this.s[2] = "***"
this.s[3] = " *"
this.s[4] = "***"
this.t = new Array(height)
this.t[0] = "***"
this.t[1] = " * "
this.t[2] = " * "
this.t[3] = " * "
this.t[4] = " * "
this.u = new Array(height)
this.u[0] = "* *"
this.u[1] = "* *"
this.u[2] = "* *"
this.u[3] = "* *"
this.u[4] = "***"
this.v = new Array(height)
this.v[0] = "* *"
this.v[1] = "* *"
this.v[2] = "* *"
this.v[3] = "* *"
this.v[4] = " * "
this.w = new Array(height)
this.w[0] = "* *"
Chapter 21

this.w[1] = "* *"

this.w[2] = "***"
this.w[3] = "***"
this.w[4] = "***"
this.x = new Array(height)
this.x[0] = "* *"
436 n Chapter 21

this.x[1] = "* *"

this.x[2] = " * "
this.x[3] = "* *"
this.x[4] = "* *"
this.y = new Array(height)
this.y[0] = "* *"
this.y[1] = "* *"
this.y[2] = "***"
this.y[3] = " * "
this.y[4] = " * "
this.z = new Array(height)
this.z[0] = "***"
this.z[1] = " *"
this.z[2] = " * "
this.z[3] = "* "
this.z[4] = "***"
this['!'] = new Array(height)
this['!'][0] = " * "
this['!'][1] = " * "
this['!'][2] = " * "
this['!'][3] = " "
this['!'][4] = " * "
this[':'] = new Array(height)
this[':'][0] = " "
this[':'][1] = " * "
this[':'][2] = " "
this[':'][3] = " * "
this[':'][4] = " "
this['.'] = new Array(height)
this['.'][0] = " "
this['.'][1] = " "
this['.'][2] = " "
this['.'][3] = " "
this['.'][4] = " * "
this['='] = new Array(height)
this['='][0] = " "
this['='][1] = "***"
this['='][2] = " "
this['='][3] = "***"
this['='][4] = " "
this['='] = new Array(height)
this['='][0] = " "
this['='][1] = "***"
this['='][2] = " "
this['='][3] = "***"
this['='][4] = " "
this['+'] = new Array(height)
this['+'][0] = " "
this['+'][1] = " * "
this['+'][2] = "***"
this['+'][3] = " * "
this['+'][4] = " "
this['-'] = new Array(height)
this['-'][0] = " "
 Images and Graphics n 437

this['-'][1] = " "

this['-'][2] = "***"
this['-'][3] = " "
this['-'][4] = " "
this['/'] = new Array(height)
this['/'][0] = " *"
this['/'][1] = " *"
this['/'][2] = " * "
this['/'][3] = "* "
this['/'][4] = "* "
this['\\'] = new Array(height)
this['\\'][0] = "* "
this['\\'][1] = "* "
this['\\'][2] = " * "
this['\\'][3] = " *"
this['\\'][4] = " *"
this['\\'] = new Array(height)
this['\\'][0] = "* "
this['\\'][1] = "* "
this['\\'][2] = " * "
this['\\'][3] = " *"
this['\\'][4] = " *"
this['"'] = new Array(height)
this['"'][0] = "* *"
this['"'][1] = "* *"
this['"'][2] = "* *"
this['"'][3] = " "
this['"'][4] = " "
this["'"] = new Array(height)
this["'"][0] = " * "
this["'"][1] = " * "
this["'"][2] = " * "
this["'"][3] = " "
this["'"][4] = " "
this['('] = new Array(height)
this['('][0] = " *"
this['('][1] = " * "
this['('][2] = " * "
this['('][3] = " * "
this['('][4] = " *"
this[')'] = new Array(height)
this[')'][0] = "* "
this[')'][1] = " * "
this[')'][2] = " * "
this[')'][3] = " * "
this[')'][4] = "* "
this['*'] = new Array(height)
this['*'][0] = " "
Chapter 21

this['*'][1] = "***"
this['*'][2] = "***"
this['*'][3] = "***"
this['*'][4] = " "
this['?'] = new Array(height)
this['?'][0] = "** "
438 n Chapter 21

this['?'][1] = " *"

this['?'][2] = " * "
this['?'][3] = " "
this['?'][4] = " * "
this['0'] = new Array(height)
this['0'][0] = " * "
this['0'][1] = "* *"
this['0'][2] = "* *"
this['0'][3] = "* *"
this['0'][4] = " * "
this['1'] = new Array(height)
this['1'][0] = " * "
this['1'][1] = " * "
this['1'][2] = " * "
this['1'][3] = " * "
this['1'][4] = " * "
this['2'] = new Array(height)
this['2'][0] = "***"
this['2'][1] = " *"
this['2'][2] = "***"
this['2'][3] = "* "
this['2'][4] = "***"
this['3'] = new Array(height)
this['3'][0] = "***"
this['3'][1] = " *"
this['3'][2] = "***"
this['3'][3] = " *"
this['3'][4] = "***"
this['4'] = new Array(height)
this['4'][0] = "* *"
this['4'][1] = "* *"
this['4'][2] = "***"
this['4'][3] = " *"
this['4'][4] = " *"
this['5'] = new Array(height)
this['5'][0] = "***"
this['5'][1] = "* "
this['5'][2] = "***"
this['5'][3] = " *"
this['5'][4] = "** "
this['6'] = new Array(height)
this['6'][0] = "** "
this['6'][1] = "* "
this['6'][2] = "***"
this['6'][3] = "* *"
this['6'][4] = "***"
this['7'] = new Array(height)
this['7'][0] = "***"
this['7'][1] = " *"
this['7'][2] = " * "
this['7'][3] = "* "
this['7'][4] = "* "
this['8'] = new Array(height)
this['8'][0] = "***"
 Images and Graphics n 439

this['8'][1] = "* *"

this['8'][2] = "***"
this['8'][3] = "* *"
this['8'][4] = "***"
this['9'] = new Array(height)
this['9'][0] = "***"
this['9'][1] = "* *"
this['9'][2] = "***"
this['9'][3] = " *"
this['9'][4] = "***"
}
function drawBlank()
{
// assign greater than symbol to variable
var gt = unescape("%3e")
document.write('<TABLE BORDER=2 CELLPADDING=8' + gt + '<TR' + gt +
'<TD BGCOLOR ALIGN="center" VALIGN="center"' + gt)
// print entire board of off images
for (var y = 0; y < height; ++y)
{
for (var x = 0; x < boardWidth; ++x)
{
document.write('<IMG SRC="' + off.src + '" HEIGHT=5
WIDTH=5' + gt)
}
document.write('<BR' + gt)
}
document.write('</TD>' + gt + '</TR>' + gt + '</TABLE>' + gt)
}
function setLight(state, x, y)
{
// set a specific light in sign to on (true) or off (false)
if (state)
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = on.src
else
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = off.src
}
function drawLetter(letter, startX)
{
// draws a letter at the given x coordinate
for (var x = 0; x < width; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < height; ++y)
{
setLight(letters[letter][y].charAt(x) == "*", startX + x, y)
}
}
}
Chapter 21

function drawSpace(startX)
{ // create a small space between each two characters
for (var x = 0; x < space; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < height; ++y)
{
440 n Chapter 21

setLight(false, startX + x, y)
}
}
}
function computeIndex(x, y)
{
// compute the document index of an image in the sign, based on the x-y
coordinates
return (y * boardWidth + x) + imageNum
}
function floodBoard(startX)
{
// set all lights from startX to off
for (var x = startX; x < boardWidth; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < height; ++y)
{
setLight(false, x, y)
}
}
}
function drawMessage(num)
{
// initialize variable to current message
var text = messages[num]
// initialize two counters (j - current character in message, i -
current x coordinate)
var i = 0
var j = 0
while (1)
{
if (text.charAt(j) != " ")
{
// draw current letter
drawLetter(text.charAt(j), i)
// increment i by the constant width of an image
i += width
} else
{
// add an extra space (do not advance j yet)
drawSpace(i)
i += space
}
// if j is less than index of last character
if (j < text.length – 1)
{
drawSpace(i)
i += space
} else // j is the index of the last character (last character already
printed)
break
// increment j by one because one letter was printed
++j
}
 Images and Graphics n 441

// flood the remaining piece of the sign (turn it off)

floodBoard(i)
// if message printed this time was not the last one in the array
if (num < messages.length – 1)
// val *must* be a global variable for use with the timeout
val = ++num
else
val = 0 // start cycle over again
// recursive call after waiting 3 seconds (some of the time already
passed during printing)
timerID = setTimeout("drawMessage(val)", pause)
}
function startSign()
{
running = true
// wait 3 seconds and then call function to print first message
drawMessage(0)
}
function stopSign()
{
if(running)
clearTimeout(timerID)
running = false
}
// open form
document.write('<FORM>')
// create initial sign (all signs are off)
drawBlank()
document.write('<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="start" onClick="startSign()">')
document.write('<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="stop" onClick="stopSign();
floodBoard(0)">')
document.write('</FORM>')
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 21-7 (ex21-7.htm). A JavaScript-only LED sign

Global Statements
The script starts by filling the messages array with nine messages:
// set messages (specify backslash in double form (i.e., \\)
var messages = new Array()
messages[0] = "welcome to my page"
messages[1] = "free scripts are available"
messages[2] = "new scripts by request"
messages[3] = "this site is updated..."
Chapter 21

messages[4] = "almost every day"

messages[5] = "I love javascript..."
messages[6] = "And I love..."
messages[7] = "wordware publishing!!!"
messages[8] = "contact me for more info"
442 n Chapter 21

Note that all messages must be written in lowercase.

The definition of the following variables are documented inline:
// number of milliseconds to pause between two messages
var pause = 3000
// set normal spacing between two characters (no whitespace in between)
var space = 1
// set height and width of each character
var height = 5
var width = 3
// create object of all supported characters in font
var letters = new letterArray()
// initialize image variables
var on = new Image(5, 5)
var off = new Image(5, 5)

The on and off images represent the on and off lights. The artistic presenta-
tions of these dots are stored in on.gif and off.gif:
on.src = "on.gif"
off.src = "off.gif

As in Demonstration 1, we load all images to the browser before we start to

display the LED sign:
// get number of images already laid out in page
var imageNum = document.images.length

The next section computes the length of the longest message by multiplying
the number of nonblank characters with the combined width of a normal
character and an intercharacter space, and then adding the width of blanks.
The number of nonblank characters is computed by first splitting the mes-
sage on blanks, then joining the pieces, and finally extracting the
concatenated length:
// set maximum message length in images
var boardWidth = 0
for (var i = 0; i < messages.length; ++i)
{
var lengthWithNoSpaces = messages[i].split(" ").join("").length
var numberOfSpaces = messages[i].length – lengthWithNoSpaces
var currentBoardWidth = lengthWithNoSpaces * (width + space) –
space + numberOfSpaces * space * 2
if (boardWidth < currentBoardWidth)
boardWidth = currentBoardWidth
}

After setting the running variable to false and timerID to null (see Demon-
stration 1), we define the dots of each character of the alphabet by the
function letterArray().
 Images and Graphics n 443

letterArray()
letterArray() is a constructor function. The general syntax to create an
instance of this object is as follows:
var instanceName = new letterArray()

This object has many properties but no methods. Each property represents a
single character supported by the script. For example, the “A” character is
defined as follows:
this.a = new Array(height)
this.a[0] = " * "
this.a[1] = "* *"
this.a[2] = "***"
this.a[3] = "* *"
this.a[4] = "* *"

Notice that each property is defined as an array of five three-character

strings. You will see how to use an instance of this object later in the
chapter.

drawBlank()
function drawBlank()
{
// assign greater than symbol to variable
var gt = unescape("%3e")
document.write('<TABLE BORDER=2 CELLPADDING=8' + gt + '<TR' + gt +
'<TD BGCOLOR ALIGN="center" VALIGN="center"' + gt)
// print entire board of off images
for (var y = 0; y < height; ++y)
{
for (var x = 0; x < boardWidth; ++x)
{
document.write('<IMG SRC="' + off.src + '" HEIGHT=5 WIDTH=5' + gt)
}
document.write('<BR' + gt)
}
document.write('</TD>' + gt + '</TR>' + gt + '</TABLE>' + gt)
}

The next function, drawBlank(), draws the border around the LED sign and
then covers the entire board with off dots (GIF images). Notice that the
board’s width and height are stored in global variables and thus are not
passed as arguments to the drawBlank() function. Also, notice how
unescape() is used to avoid the “>” literal.
Chapter 21

setLight(state, x, y)
function setLight(state, x, y)
{
// set a specific light in sign to on (true) or off (false)
if (state)
444 n Chapter 21

document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = on.src

else
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = off.src
}

The setLight() function accepts three arguments. The first one is either a
Boolean value or a binary digit (0 or 1). The second parameter accepts the x
coordinate of the light, and the third specifies its y coordinate. For example,
the following statement replaces the second image from the left and third
from the top of the LED sign with an on image, regardless of which image is
currently displayed there:
setLight(true, 1, 2)

It is correct to define this function as one that turns on or off a specific light
in the LED sign.

drawLetter(letter, startX)
function drawLetter(letter, startX)
{
// draws a letter at the given x coordinate
for (var x = 0; x < width; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < height; ++y)
{
setLight(letters[letter][y].charAt(x) == "*", startX + x, y)
}
}
}

This function accepts two arguments:

n The letter that it is supposed to draw
n The x coordinate of the letter in the entire LED sign

This function reads the letter’s coordinates by scanning the appropriate

properties of the letters object.
The LED sign is updated by adding characters consecutively, creating
the effect of a top-to-bottom, left-to-right motion.

drawSpace(startX)
function drawSpace(startX)
{
// create a small space between each two characters
for (var x = 0; x < space; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < height; ++y)
{
setLight(false, startX + x, y)
}
}
}
 Images and Graphics n 445

This function is very similar to the drawLetter() function. It simply creates

space columns of off images, mimicking the space characters of the
message.

computeIndex()
function computeIndex(x, y)
{
// compute the document index of an image in the sign, based on the
// x-y coordinates
return (y * boardWidth + x) + imageNum
}

The computeIndex() function accepts x and y coordinates of a dot and

returns the corresponding index of the image in the document.images 1D
array.

floodBoard(startX)
function floodBoard(startX)
{
// set all lights from startX to off
for (var x = startX; x < boardWidth; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < height; ++y)
{
setLight(false, x, y)
}
}
}

The function floodBoard() sets all dots (images) to the right of a given
coordinate, one column at a time, from top to bottom and from left to right.

drawMessage(num)
function drawMessage(num)
{
// initialize variable to current message
var text = messages[num]
// initialize two counters (j - current character in message,
i - current x coordinate)
var i = 0
var j = 0
while (1)
{
if (text.charAt(j) != " ")
Chapter 21

{
// draw current letter
drawLetter(text.charAt(j), i)
// increment i by the constant width of an image
i += width
} else
446 n Chapter 21

{
// add an extra space (do not advance j yet)
drawSpace(i)
i += space
}
// if j is less than index of last character
if (j < text.length – 1)
{
drawSpace(i)
i += space
} else // j is the index of the last character (last character already
printed)
break
// increment j by one because one letter was printed
++j
}
// flood the remaining piece of the sign (turn it off)
floodBoard(i)
// if message printed this time was not the last one in the array
if (num < messages.length – 1)
// val *must* be a global variable for use with the timeout
val = ++num
else
val = 0 // start cycle over again
// recursive call after waiting 3 seconds (some of the time already
passed during printing)
timerID = setTimeout("drawMessage(val)", pause)
}

The next function, drawMessage(), is probably the most important but is

still straightforward. After initializing some variables, the while statement
loops over the message characters and displays them with the drawLet-
ter() or the drawSpace() functions. After the message is exhausted, the
rest of the board is flooded with off dots. The function ends, after determin-
ing the index of the next message to be displayed (either next or first one),
by recursively calling itself after a pause of pause milliseconds.

startSign()
function startSign()
{
running = true
// wait 3 seconds and then call function to print first message
drawMessage(0)
}

This function simply sets the value of the global variable running to true,
indicating that the ticker has started, and then invokes the drawMessage()
function to actually start displaying the first message (0).
 Images and Graphics n 447

stopSign()
function stopSign()
{
if(running)
clearTimeout(timerID)
running = false
}

This function stops the LED ticker by clearing the last timeout via the
clearTimeout() method. Reflecting the status of the banner, the value of
running is set to false. Note that the stopSign() function does not clear the
current LED sign display.

More Global Statements

// open form
document.write('<FORM>')
// create initial sign (all signs are off)
drawBlank()
document.write('<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="start" onClick="startSign()">')
document.write('<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="stop" onClick="stopSign();
floodBoard(0)">')
document.write('</FORM>')

The second segment of global statements at the end of the script creates the
form where the Start and Stop buttons reside (they are form elements). We
then define the buttons and their onClick event handler script. Notice that
the Stop button event handler includes two function calls, one to stop the
LED sign and the other to clear (flood) it. It is important to open the form
before the drawBlank() function creates the LED sign, because the <FORM>
tag starts a new line with some vertical space from the HTML elements
above it. In order to assure that the buttons touch the border of the LED
sign, we include the LED sign in the form itself.
To get rid of the buttons and make the LED sign start on its own, simply
delete the lines that open and close the form, as well as the lines that define
the buttons:
1. document.write('<FORM>')
2. document.write('<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="start"
onClick="startSign()">')
3. document.write('<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="stop"
onClick="stopSign(); floodBoard(0)">')
4. document.write('</FORM>')

You should then use an onLoad event handler to start the LED sign when
the document finishes loading:
Chapter 21

<BODY onLoad="startSign()">
448 n Chapter 21

Figure 21-3. An LED sign

Demonstration 3: Netris Deluxe

“Netris Deluxe” is the name of our JavaScript-only Tetris game. The Netris
Deluxe script is approximately 1,000 lines of code, including comments, and
we suggest you read its entire description. Although we have more efficient
versions, we decided to include the original version because it demonstrates
a larger variety of JavaScript features and concepts. First, take a look at the
script and find functions you are familiar with:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Tetris</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// array to hold number of shapes used from each type
var statistics = new Array(7)
for (var shapeNum = 0; shapeNum < 7; ++shapeNum)
{
statistics[shapeNum] = 0
}
// set pause to false
var paused = false
// game is currently running
var timerRunning = false
// no shape currently falling
var shape = –1
// timer is not running
var timerID = null
// initialize image variables for seven shapes
var on = new Array()
on[0] = new Image(12, 12)
 Images and Graphics n 449

on[1] = new Image(12, 12)

on[2] = new Image(12, 12)
on[3] = new Image(12, 12)
on[4] = new Image(12, 12)
on[5] = new Image(12, 12)
on[6] = new Image(12, 12)
// create a transparent block
var off = new Image(12, 12)
// set image URLs
on[0].src = "10.gif"
on[1].src = "11.gif"
on[2].src = "12.gif"
on[3].src = "13.gif"
on[4].src = "14.gif"
on[5].src = "15.gif"
on[6].src = "16.gif"
off.src = "0.gif"
// get number of images already laid out in the page
var firstImage = document.images.length
// create initial screen
drawScreen()
// array of screen (10 x 19)
var ar = new Array()
for (var i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
{
ar[i] = new Array(19)
for (var j = 0; j < 19; ++j)
{
ar[i][j] = 0
}
}
// draw initial empty screen
function drawScreen()
{
with (document)
{
// center entire game
write('<CENTER>')
// start main table
write('<TABLE BORDER=1 CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0><TR><TD>')
// create board (10 x 19)
for (var i = 0; i < 19; ++i)
{
for (var j = 0; j < 10; ++j)
{
write('<IMG SRC=' + off.src + ' HEIGHT=' + off.height +
' WIDTH=' + off.width + '>')
}
Chapter 21

write('<BR>')
}
// close table cell
write('</TD><TD VALIGN="top" ALIGN="center">')
// make small header ("Netris Deluxe")
write('<B><FONT SIZE=+2>N</FONT>ETRIS <FONT SIZE=+2>D</FONT>
450 n Chapter 21

ELUXE</B><BR>')
// create form for lines and level displays
write('<FORM NAME="lineslevel"><TABLE BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=5
CELLSPACING=0>')
// make "LINES" table cell and header
write('<TR><TD WIDTH=100 ALIGN="center"><FONT SIZE=2>LINES</FONT>
<BR><INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="lines" VALUE="" SIZE=5></TD>')
// make "LEVEL" table cell and header
write('<TD WIDTH=100 ALIGN="center"><FONT SIZE=2>LEVEL</FONT><BR>
<INPUT TYPE="text" NAME="level" VALUE="" SIZE=5></TD></TR>')
// create start button link
write('<TR><TD WIDTH=100 ALIGN="center"><A HREF="javascript:start()"
onMouseOver="window.status=\'Start game\'; return true">')
// create start button image
write('<IMG SRC="start.gif" WIDTH=72 HEIGHT=24 BORDER=0></A></TD>')
// create pause button link
write('<TD WIDTH=100 ALIGN="center"><A HREF="javascript:pause()"
onMouseOver="window.status=\'Pause / unpause game\'; return true">')
// create pause button image
write('<IMG SRC="pause.gif" WIDTH=72 HEIGHT=24 BORDER=0></A></TD></TR>')
// close start + pause table and form
write('</TABLE></FORM>')
// create table for shape statistics (two rows, seven columns)
write('<FORM NAME="stats"><TABLE BORDER=0 CELLPADDING=5
CELLSPACING=0><TR>')
// put one block of each type in each cell of upper row
for (var k = 0; k < 7; ++k)
{
write('<TD ALIGN="center"><IMG SRC="' + on[k].src + '" HEIGHT='
+ on[k].height + ' WIDTH=' + on[k].width + '></TD>')
}
// start new table row
write('</TR><TR>')
// create 7 text fields named "0", "1", "2", ..., "6"
for (var l = 0; l < 7; ++l)
{
write('<TD ALIGN="center"><INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE=2 VALUE="0" NAME="'
+ l + '"></TD>')
}
// close statistics table and form
write('</TR></TABLE></FORM>')
// close table cell for header, start + pause buttons, and statistics,
and start new row in main table
write('</TD></TR><TR><TD>')
// center control panel (left, right, down, rotate)
write('<CENTER>')
// organize control panel in a table
write('<TABLE BORDER=0>')
// create left table cell and button
write('<TR><TD><A HREF="javascript:moveX(–1)" onMouseOver="window
.status=\'Move left\'; return true" onMouseOut="window.
status=\'\'; return true"><IMG SRC="left.gif" WIDTH=24
HEIGHT=24 BORDER=0></A></TD>')
// create rotate table cell and button
 Images and Graphics n 451

write('<TD><A HREF="javascript:rotate()" onMouseOver="window

.status=\'Rotate\'; return true" onMouseOut="window.
status=\'\'; return true"><IMG SRC="rotate.gif" WIDTH=24
HEIGHT=24 BORDER=0></A></TD>')
// create right table cell and button
write('<TD><A HREF="javascript:moveX(1)" onMouseOver="window
.status=\'Move right\'; return true" onMouseOut="window.
status=\'\'; return true"><IMG SRC="right.gif" WIDTH=24
HEIGHT=24 BORDER=0></A></TD></TR>')
// create down table cell and button, preceded and proceeded by a
black cell (placeholder)
write('<TR><TD></TD><TD><A HREF="javascript:moveY()" onMouseOver=
"window.status=\'Move down\'; return true" onMouseOut=
"window.status=\'\'; return true"><IMG SRC="down.gif"
WIDTH=24 HEIGHT=24 BORDER=0></A></TD><TD></TD></TR>')
// close table for control panel
write('</TABLE>')
// close center of control panel
write('</CENTER>')
// close control panel table cell (main table) and create another
main table cell with credits
write('</TD><TD ALIGN="center">JavaScript code: Tomer Shiran<BR>
<FONT SIZE=2>Graphics: Dr. Clue</FONT><BR><FONT SIZE=2>
Music: Brian Kobashikawa</FONT></TD></TR></TABLE>')
// close center of main table
write('</CENTER>')
}
}
// return index of image according to given x and y coordinates
function computeIndex(x, y)
{
return (y * 10 + x) + firstImage
}
// returns state of square (true / false)
function state(x, y)
{
// assign URL of image at given coordinates to local variable
var source = document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src
// expression evaluates to 0 or 1
return (source.charAt(source.lastIndexOf('/') + 1) == '0') ? false : true
}
// set square to 1 / 0
function setSquare(x, y, state)
{
if (state == 0)
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = off.src
else
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = on[shape].src
Chapter 21

// if state is 1 square is active, so 1 is assigned to ar[x][y]

// otherwise square is not active so 0 is assigned to ar[x][y]
ar[x][y] = state
}
// clear array so no active squares exist
function clearActive()
452 n Chapter 21

{
// scan entire array and assign 0 to all elements (no active squares)
for (var i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
{
for (var j = 0; j < 19; ++j)
{
ar[i][j] = 0
}
}
// no shape is currently in screen
shape = –1
}
// check if specified move (left or right) is valid
function checkMoveX(step)
{
// scan screen (direction does not matter)
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
// if current square is active
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
{
// check all conditions:
// not out of range and not colliding with existing not
// block
if (x + step < 0 || x + step > 9 || (state(x + step, y) &&
ar[x + step][y] == 0))
// return false if move (new situation) is not legal
return false
}
}
}
// return true if no invalid state has been encountered
return true
}
// check if specified move (down) is valid
function checkMoveY()
{
// only possible step is one to the bottom
var step = 1
// scan screen (direction does not matter)
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
// if current square is active
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
{
// check all conditions:
// not out of range and not colliding with existing notactive block
if (y + step > 18 || (state(x, y + step) && ar[x][y + step] == 0))
// return false if move (new situation) is not legal
return false
 Images and Graphics n 453

}
}
}
// return true if no invalid state has been encountered
return true
}
// move all active squares step squares on the x axis
function moveX(step)
{
// if specified move is not legal
if (!checkMoveX(step))
// terminate function (active blocks are not moved)
return
// if left movement then scan screen from left to right
if (step < 0)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
// if current square is active
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
// call function to handle movement
smartX(x, y, step)
}
}
} else
// if right movement then scan screen from right to left
if (step > 0)
{
for (var x = 9; x >= 0; --x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
// if current square is active
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
// call function to handle movement
smartX(x, y, step)
}
}
}
}
// responsible for the blocks' horizontal movement
function smartX(x, y, step)
{
// if moving one step to the left
if (step < 0)
// if the destination square needs to be turned on explicitly
Chapter 21

if (ar[x + step][y] == 0)
// if there is a block to the right of the current block
if (x != 9 && ar[x – step][y] == 1)
// set square to the left on without clearing current block
setSquare(x + step, y, 1)
else
454 n Chapter 21

// clear current block and turn square to the left on

warp(x, y, x + step, y)
else
// if there is no block to the right of the current block
if (x == 9 || ar[x – step][y] == 0)
// clear current block
setSquare(x, y, 0)
// if moving one step to the right
if (step > 0)
// if the destination square needs to be turned on explicitly
if (ar[x + step][y] == 0)
// if there is a block to the left of the current block
if (x != 0 && ar[x – step][y] == 1)
// set square to the right on without clearing current block
setSquare(x + step, y, 1)
else
// clear current block and turn square to the right on
warp(x, y, x + step, y)
else
// if there is no block to the left of the current block
if (x == 0 || ar[x – step][y] == 0)
// clear current block
setSquare(x, y, 0)
}
// move all active squares step squares on the y axis
function moveY()
{
// if specified move is not legal (shape is laid down on block or bottom
panel)
if (!checkMoveY())
{
// active squares are not active anymore (should not be moved later)
clearActive()
// terminate function (active blocks are not moved)
return
}
// scan screen from bottom to top
for (var y = 18; y >= 0; --y)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
// if current square is active
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
// call function to handle movement
smartY(x, y)
}
}
}
// responsible for the blocks' vertical (downward) movement
function smartY(x, y)
{
// if the destination square needs to be turned on explicitly
if (ar[x][y + 1] == 0)
// if there is a block above current block
 Images and Graphics n 455

if (y != 0 && ar[x][y – 1] == 1)
// set square below on without clearing current block
setSquare(x, y + 1, 1)
else
// clear current block and turn square below on
warp(x, y, x, y + 1)
else
// if there is no block above the current block
if (y == 0 || ar[x][y – 1] == 0)
// clear current block
setSquare(x, y, 0)
}
// construct object containing shape
function shapeMap()
{
// set minimum and maximum coordinates to opposite (minimum and maximum
// found thus far)
var minX = 9
var minY = 18
var maxX = 0
var maxY = 0
// scan screen to find actual minimum and maximum coordinates of active
squares
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
// if current coordinates reflect active square
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
{
if (x < minX)
minX = x
if (x > maxX)
maxX = x
if (y < minY)
minY = y
if (y > maxY)
maxY = y
}
}
}
// create a length property representing the x coordinate span
this.length = maxX – minX + 1
// create properties to hold minimum coordinates of both axes
this.offsetX = minX
this.offsetY = minY
// construct minimum array containing all active squares respectively
for (x = 0; x <= maxX – minX; ++x)
Chapter 21

{
this[x] = new Array()
for (y = 0; y <= maxY – minY; ++y)
{
this[x][y] = ar[x + minX][y + minY]
}
456 n Chapter 21

}
}
// random function to return an integer from 0 to 6
function getRandom()
{
// use random number method to find integer from 0 to 8
var randomNum = Math.round(Math.random() * 8)
// call function again if random number is 0 or 8.
if (randomNum == 0 || randomNum == 8)
return getRandom()
// 1 to 7 => 0 to 6
randomNum--
// update selected shape's statistics
statistics[randomNum]++
// update statistics display form (update *all* fields so user cannot
// enter any value in fields)
for (var shape = 0; shape < 7; ++shape)
{
document.stats[shape].value = statistics[shape]
}
// return the random number
return randomNum
}
// inserts a shape when there is no active shape
function insertShape()
{
// initialize *global* variable
shape = getRandom()
// The following segment checks if the selected shape has room to enter.
// If there is no room, the game is over (function returns false).
// If there is room, the function inserts the shape by setting its initial
coordinates.
if (shape == 0)
{
if (state(3, 2) || state(3, 2) || state(3, 2) || state(3, 2))
return false
setSquare(3, 2, 1)
setSquare(4, 2, 1)
setSquare(5, 2, 1)
setSquare(6, 2, 1)
} else
if (shape == 1)
{
if (state(4, 2) || state(5, 2) || state(4, 3) || state(5, 3))
return false
setSquare(4, 2, 1)
setSquare(5, 2, 1)
setSquare(4, 3, 1)
setSquare(5, 3, 1)
} else
if (shape == 2)
{
if (state(3, 2) || state(4, 2) || state(5, 2) || state(3, 3))
return false
 Images and Graphics n 457

setSquare(3, 2, 1)
setSquare(4, 2, 1)
setSquare(5, 2, 1)
setSquare(3, 3, 1)
} else
if (shape == 3)
{
if (state(3, 2) || state(4, 2) || state(4, 3) || state(5, 3))
return false
setSquare(3, 2, 1)
setSquare(4, 2, 1)
setSquare(4, 3, 1)
setSquare(5, 3, 1)
} else
if (shape == 4)
{
if (state(4, 2) || state(5, 2) || state(3, 3) || state(4, 3))
return false
setSquare(4, 2, 1)
setSquare(5, 2, 1)
setSquare(3, 3, 1)
setSquare(4, 3, 1)
} else
if (shape == 5)
{
if (state(3, 2) || state(4, 2) || state(5, 2) || state(4, 3))
return false
setSquare(3, 2, 1)
setSquare(4, 2, 1)
setSquare(5, 2, 1)
setSquare(4, 3, 1)
} else
if (shape == 6)
{
if (state(3, 2) || state(4, 2) || state(5, 2) || state(5, 3))
return false
setSquare(3, 2, 1)
setSquare(4, 2, 1)
setSquare(5, 2, 1)
setSquare(5, 3, 1)
}
// return true because shape was able to enter screen
return true
}
// warp several squares if possible
// initial x1, initial y1, destination x1, destination y1, initial x2, initial
// y2, destination x2, destination y2, etc.
function complexWarp()
Chapter 21

{
// loop through arguments checking that each warp is valid
for (var i = 0; i < arguments.length; i += 4)
{
// if warp is not valid
if (!checkWarp(arguments[i], arguments[i + 1], arguments[i + 2],
458 n Chapter 21

arguments[i + 3]))
// terminate the function -- no squares warped
return
}
// loop through arguments again -- warp squares
for (var i = 0; i < arguments.length; i += 4)
{
// call function to warp the current square corresponding to argument
//coordinates
warp(arguments[i], arguments[i + 1], arguments[i + 2], arguments[i + 3])
}
}
// check if warp is valid (used by complexWarp function)
function checkWarp(startX, startY, endX, endY)
{
// if a destination coordinate is invalid or destination square is off
// state(endX, endY) must be last due to short-circuit evaluation
if (endX < 0 || endX > 9 || endY < 0 || endY > 18 || state(endX, endY))
// return false because warp is invalid
return false
// return true because warp has not been proved to be invalid (it is valid)
return true
}
// rotate the current active shape
function rotate()
{
// create instance of shapeMap object (similar to minimum 2D array
// reflecting active shape)
var curMap = new shapeMap()
// note: all arguments handed to complexWarp are explained in that function
// if shape is 4 x 1 line
if (shape == 0)
// if line is in horizontal state
if (curMap.length == 4) complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX + 2,
curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY – 1,
curMap.offsetX + 3, curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 1,
curMap.offsetY – 2)
// else line is in vertical state
else
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 3, curMap.offsetX – 1,
curMap.offsetY + 2, curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 1,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 2, curMap.offsetX,
curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY + 2)
// if shape is square
if (shape == 1)
// do not rotate shape because square does not change appearance after
rotation
return
// if shape is L
if (shape == 2)
// if shape is L tilted 90 degrees to the right
if (state(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY) && curMap.length == 3)
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX + 1,
 Images and Graphics n 459

curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY,

curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY – 1, curMap.offsetX,
curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY – 1)
else
// if shape is L tilted 180 degrees
if (state(curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY) && curMap.length == 2)
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 2, curMap.offsetX,
curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY,
curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX,
curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY + 1)
else
// if L is tilted 90 degrees to the left
if (curMap.length == 3)
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 1,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 2,
curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY + 2,
curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY + 1,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 2)
// else L is not tilted
else
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 1,
curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 2,
curMap.offsetX – 1, curMap.offsetY + 2,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 2,
curMap.offsetX – 1, curMap.offsetY + 1)
if (shape == 3)
if (curMap.length == 3)
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 1,
curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX + 2,
curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY – 1)
else
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 2,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 2,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY,
curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY + 2)
if (shape == 4)
if (curMap.length == 3)
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 1,
curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 2,
curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY – 1)
else
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 2,
curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 1,
curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 2)
if (shape == 5)
if (curMap.length == 3 && state(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY))
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX
Chapter 21

+ 1, curMap.offsetY – 1)
else
if (curMap.length == 2 && state(curMap.offsetX + 1,
curMap.offsetY))
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 2,
curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY + 1)
460 n Chapter 21

else
if (curMap.length == 3)
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 1,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 2)
else
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY, curMap
.offsetX – 1, curMap.offsetY + 1)
if (shape == 6)
if (curMap.length == 3 && state(curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY))
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX,
curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY + 1,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX + 2,
curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY – 1)
else
if (curMap.length == 2 && state(curMap.offsetX + 1,
curMap.offsetY + 1))
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 2,
curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 1,
curMap.offsetY + 2, curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 1,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 2,
curMap.offsetY + 1)
else
if (curMap.length == 3)
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY + 1,
curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 2,
curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY + 2)
else
complexWarp(curMap.offsetX, curMap.offsetY, curMap.offsetX + 1,
curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX + 1, curMap.offsetY,
curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY + 1, curMap.offsetX,
curMap.offsetY + 2, curMap.offsetX + 2, curMap.offsetY + 2)
}
// flood entire screen with given state
function flood(state)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
if (state == 0)
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = off.src
else
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = on[3].src
}
}
}
// return true if no active squares are found and false otherwise
function noActive()
{
// scan board from top to bottom
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++ x)
{
 Images and Graphics n 461

if (ar[x][y] == 1)
return false
}
}
// no active square found on the board
return true
}
// return true if the line with the given coordinate is completed
function isLine(y)
{
// horizontal scan of current line
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
// if a square is off the line is not completed
if (!state(x, y))
return false
}
// no square was found off
return true
}
// move block from one position to another
function warp(startX, startY, endX, endY)
{
document.images[computeIndex(endX, endY)].src = document.images
[computeIndex(startX, startY)].src
document.images[computeIndex(startX, startY)].src = off.src
// block in new position is now active
ar[endX][endY] = 1
// previous position is no longer active
ar[startX][startY] = 0
}
// function that starts game (*works with global variables only*)
function start()
{
// accept level from user (no validation to save space)
tempLevel = prompt("Enter level to begin game (0 – 10):", "0")
// if user cancelled prompt
if (!tempLevel)
// abort function
return
// tempLevel is the actual level
level = tempLevel
// clear states, blocks, and timer
clearActive()
flood(0)
clearTimeout(timerID)
// clear statistics
for (var i = 0; i < 7; ++i)
Chapter 21

{
statistics[i] = 0
}
// convert input from string to integer
level = parseInt(level)
// calculate speed
462 n Chapter 21

speed = 800 – (level * 80)

// game begins with no lines completed!
lines = 0
// game starts
timerRunning = true
// game is not paused for sure
paused = false
// start actual playing
play()
}
// check if lines have been completed and drop accordingly
function dropLines()
{
// on line has been found
var aLine = –1
// scan screen from top to bottom and stop when first complete line is found
and assigned
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
if (isLine(y))
{
aLine = y
break
}
}
// if a complete line has been found
if (aLine != –1)
{
// increment lines
lines++
// if enough lines have been made increment level
if (lines > level * 10 + 9)
level++
if (level == 11)
alert("You are a champion!")
// scan screen from one line above the complete one to top of screen
for (y = aLine – 1; y >= 0; --y)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
// if current square is on
if (state(x, y))
// call function to warp it down
warp(x, y, x, y + 1)
else
{
// clear square below (similar to a warp because
// initial square is off)
setSquare(x, y + 1, 0)
}
}
}
// recursive call (maybe more than one line was completed)
dropLines()
 Images and Graphics n 463

}
// no square should be active
clearActive()
}
// main function responsible for game action
function play()
{
// place values in form fields (display)
document.lineslevel.lines.value = lines
document.lineslevel.level.value = level
// if no shape is falling
if (noActive())
{
// check for line completions and drop them
dropLines()
// insert a new shape (if shape is not able to enter)
if (!insertShape())
{
// flood screen to black
flood(1)
// flood screen to blank
flood(0)
// display final results
alert('Game over!\r\rlevel = ' + level + '\rlines = '+ lines)
// clear timeout
clearTimeout(timerID)
// timer is not running
timerRunning = false
// terminate function (and game)
return
}
} else
// a shape is currently falling so move it one square downward
moveY()
// call after speed milliseconds
timerID = setTimeout('play()', speed)
}
// constructs an object representing a specific position
function characteristics(x, y)
{
// create property to hold status (block or empty)
this.state = state(x, y)
// if block found in specified position
if (state(x, y))
{
// local variable to hold URL of image at specified location
var src = document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src
// local variable to hold color (0, 1, 2, ..., 6)
Chapter 21

var color = src.charAt(src.lastIndexOf('/') + 2)

} else
// no color because no block found at specified position
color = –1
// convert color from string to integer and assign to property
this.color = parseInt(color)
464 n Chapter 21

// create property to hold square's current state (active or not, 1 or 0)

this.activity = ar[x][y]
}
// contructs a map of entire board and status
function fullMap()
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
this[x] = new Array(10)
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
this[x][y] = new characteristics(x, y)
}
}
this.shape = shape
}
// pause and unpause game
function pause()
{
// if game is not paused
if (!paused)
{
// stop timer
clearTimeout(timerID)
// game is now paused
paused = true
// create global map of board
map = new fullMap()
// flood board so player cannot see current status
flood(1)
// no active blocks so user cannot move anything with buttons
clearActive()
alert('Oh no, not the boss...')
} else
{
// return board to status before game was paused, according to the map object
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
if (!map[x][y].state)
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = off.src
else
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = on[map
[x][y].color].src
ar[x][y] = map[x][y].activity
}
}
shape = map.shape
// game is no longer paused
paused = false
// play ball!
play()
}
 Images and Graphics n 465

}
// -->
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</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 21-8 (ex21-8.htm). A 1,000-line script creates a Tetris game on a web

page.

Global Statements
// array to hold number of shapes used from each type
var statistics = new Array(7)
for (var shapeNum = 0; shapeNum < 7; ++shapeNum)
{
statistics[shapeNum] = 0
}

Tetris is based on seven shapes, so an array of seven elements named sta-

tistics is created first, and its elements are zero-initialized. The first
element, statistics[0], is associated with the first shape, and so forth.
The array holds the shape statistics from the beginning of the game, so the
element statistics[2], for example, holds the number of times shape 3
appeared.
// set pause to false
var paused = false
// game is currently running
var timerRunning = false
// no shape currently falling
var shape = –1
// timer is not running
var timerID = null

Since the game is paused only when the user clicks the Pause button, we set
the paused variable to false. The second variable, timerRunning, is also set
to false, as no timeout has been set by the setTimeout() method. The
shape variable normally holds the index of the shape that is currently falling
down on the screen. It is initialized to –1, indicating that no shape is falling
yet (the game has not started). Another global variable, timerID, is initial-
ized to null.
// initialize image variables for seven shapes
var on = new Array()
on[0] = new Image(12, 12)
Chapter 21

on[1] = new Image(12, 12)

on[2] = new Image(12, 12)
on[3] = new Image(12, 12)
on[4] = new Image(12, 12)
on[5] = new Image(12, 12)
on[6] = new Image(12, 12)
466 n Chapter 21

// create a transparent block

var off = new Image(12, 12)

Like the LED sign, Netris Deluxe is based on image manipulations. In this
script we create a seven-element global array named on and a variable
named off, and assign an instance of the image object to each element of the
array and to the variable. Notice that all images are the same size, 12 pixels
by 12 pixels. The off variable holds a transparent GIF image for the
background.
// set image URLs
on[0].src = "10.gif"
on[1].src = "11.gif"
on[2].src = "12.gif"
on[3].src = "13.gif"
on[4].src = "14.gif"
on[5].src = "15.gif"
on[6].src = "16.gif"
off.src = "0.gif"

After creating the Image instances, we set the src property of each instance
to the URL of its image. The images for the seven color blocks (those used
to construct shapes) are 10.gif through 16.gif. The URL of the transpar-
ent image is 0.gif. Notice that the first character of all block images is “1”,
whereas the first character of the “off image” (the transparent one) is “0”.
// get number of images already laid out in the page
var firstImage = document.images.length
// create initial screen
drawScreen()
// array of screen (10 x 19)
var ar = new Array()
for (var i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
{
ar[i] = new Array(19)
for (var j = 0; j < 19; ++j)
{
ar[i][j] = 0
}
}

Once the essential instances of the image object are ready, we compute the
document index of the first image. Since the document.images array starts
from index 0, the index of the last image in the document, before loading the
game, is document.images.length – 1. The value assigned to firstImage,
then, is the index of the first image of the game and is equal to docu-
ment.images.length. The function drawScreen() creates the initial screen
of the game.
The last portion of the global statements creates a simple 10 x 19 2D
array. Since the actual height of a Tetris screen is 17 squares instead of 19,
all shapes enter two lines above the top. This two-line margin enables the
 Images and Graphics n 467

user to see the entire shape, even if he or she rotates it immediately upon
entering the game (17th row).

drawScreen()
The drawScreen() function simply uses document.write() statements to
generate the game. Notice that we use the with(document) construct so
that we can use write() rather than document.write(). The function
creates several forms and buttons:
n The first form includes the LINES and LEVEL text fields, referenced as
document.lineslevel.lines and document.lineslevel.level,
respectively.
n The Start and Pause buttons are images linked with the start() and
pause() functions, respectively.
n The second form is named “stats.” It includes seven two-character text
fields, named 0 through 6.
n The control panel includes direction and rotation buttons as well. The
left movement button calls moveX() with the argument –1, the right
movement button invokes moveX() with the argument 1, the downward
movement button calls the moveY() function with no argument, and the
rotation button calls the rotate() function.

computeIndex(x, y)
See the listings for Demonstration 2 for a detailed explanation of this
function.

state(x, y)
// returns state of square (true / false)
function state(x, y)
{
// assign URL of image at given coordinates to local variable
var source = document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src
// expression evaluates to 0 or 1
return (source.charAt(source.lastIndexOf('/') + 1) == '0') ? false : true
}

This function first finds the URL of the image located at the given x and y
coordinates and assigns it to the local variable source. You may recall from
the beginning of our discussion that the filename of an image starts with
either a “0” (for the off image) or a“1” (for a color block). Since
source.lastIndexOf('/') + 1 is the index of the first character of the
image’s filename, the following expression evaluates to either a “1” or a “0”:
Chapter 21

source.charAt(source.lastIndexOf('/') + 1)

This computation also applies to the case when the images are stored in the
same directory in which the document resides (there is no slash in the URL
expression). The source.lastIndexOf('/') evaluates to –1, and
468 n Chapter 21

source.lastIndexOf('/') + 1 yields a 0 value, the index of the first

character.
The state() function returns true if the image at the given coordinates
is a block (its filename starts with a “1”), and false if it is a transparent
image (its filename starts with a “0”).

setSquare(x, y, state)
// set square to 1 / 0
function setSquare(x, y, state)
{
if (state == 0)
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = off.src
else
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = on[shape].src
// if state is one square is active, so 1 is assigned to ar[x][y]
// otherwise square is not active so 0 is assigned to ar[x][y]
ar[x][y] = state
}

The setSquare() function accepts three arguments: the x coordinate of a

square, its y coordinate, and a state (0 or 1) assignment. If the value of state
is 0, the square at the given position is cleared by assigning off.src to its
src property. On the other hand, if state is 1 (or any other value), the box at
the given position is assigned the block image whose index is shape, where
shape is a global integer from 0 to 6. The current state of the square, at the
specified position, is stored in the global array ar. See the inline comments
for additional explanations regarding this statement.

clearActive()
// clear array so no active squares exist
function clearActive()
{
// scan entire array and assign 0 to all elements (no active squares)
for (var i = 0; i < 10; ++i)
{
for (var j = 0; j < 19; ++j)
{
ar[i][j] = 0
}
}
// no shape is currently in screen
shape = –1
}

The ar array, which is 10 x 19, keeps track of all current “active” blocks, i.e.,
those that belong to a falling shape. Moving blocks around is done simply by
visiting all active ones and assigning their next locations. Whenever a block
hits the bottom of the board or lies on top of another block, the falling shape
is inactivated by the clearActive() function, which clears the entire board.
 Images and Graphics n 469

The last statement of the function sets shape to –1, signaling that there is
no falling shape on the board.

checkMoveX(step)
// check if specified move (left or right) is valid
function checkMoveX(step)
{
// scan screen (direction does not matter)
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
// if current square is active
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
{
// check all conditions:
// not out of range and not colliding with existing not active block
if (x + step < 0 || x + step > 9 || (state(x + step,
y) && ar[x + step][y] == 0))
// return false if move (new situation) is notlegal
return false
}
}
}
// return true if no invalid state has been encountered
return true
}

This function accepts one argument, either 1 or –1, and checks if it is possi-
ble to move the active shape one square to the right (if the argument is 1) or
to the left (if the argument is –1). The function looks for all active squares
on the board and the following condition is evaluated for each active one:
x + step < 0 || x + step > 9 || (state(x + step, y) && ar[x + step]
[y] == 0)

This expression yields true if the active square, after moving it step posi-
tions to the right, finds itself out of the board’s range or in the territory of an
inactive block (an active block obviously belongs to the same shape). If the
specified movement is not valid, the function returns false. Otherwise, it
returns true.
The efficiency of this function can be improved in two ways. First, to
reduce the number of checks, the function can be spliced into
CheckMoveXright() and CheckMoveXleft(). Second, instead of searching
the whole board for active squares, a more localized algorithm that takes
advantage of the current shape and position information can be devised.
Chapter 21
470 n Chapter 21

checkMoveY()
// check if specified move (down) is valid
function checkMoveY()
{
// only possible step is one to the bottom
var step = 1
// scan screen (direction does not matter)
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
// if current square is active
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
{
// check all conditions:
// not out of range and not colliding with existing not active block
if (y + step > 18 || (state(x, y + step) && ar[x]
[y + step] == 0))
// return false if move (new situation) is not legal
return false
}
}
}
// return true if no invalid state has been encountered
return true
}

This function is very similar to checkMoveX(), except that, since the move-
ment is always downward, it does not accept any argument. The step
variable appears in this function for historical reasons; it could have been
replaced by 1.

moveX(step)
// move all active squares step squares on the x axis
function moveX(step)
{
// if specified move is not legal
if (!checkMoveX(step))
// terminate function (active blocks are not moved)
return
// if left movement then scan screen from left to right
if (step < 0)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
// if current square is active
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
// call function to handle movement
smartX(x, y, step)
 Images and Graphics n 471

}
}
} else
// if right movement then scan screen from right to left
if (step > 0)
{
for (var x = 9; x >= 0; --x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
// if current square is active
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
// call function to handle movement
smartX(x, y, step)
}
}
}
}

The moveX() function accepts one argument, specifying the number of posi-
tions that all active squares need to be moved. A positive value means that
they should be moved to the right, while a negative value means that they
should be moved to the left. The scanning algorithm is coordinated with the
movement direction, so it does not visit the same square again (after it has
been moved). The movement itself is accomplished by the smartX() func-
tion. Refer to the inline comments for statement-specific notes.

smartX(x, y, step)
// responsible for the blocks' horizontal movement
function smartX(x, y, step)
{
// if moving one step to the left
if (step < 0)
// if the destination square needs to be turned on explicitly
if (ar[x + step][y] == 0)
// if there is a block to the right of the current block
if (x != 9 && ar[x – step][y] == 1)
// set square to the left on without clearing current block
setSquare(x + step, y, 1)
else
// clear current block and turn square to the left on
warp(x, y, x + step, y)
else
// if there is no block to the right of the current block
if (x == 9 || ar[x – step][y] == 0)
// clear current block
Chapter 21

setSquare(x, y, 0)
// if moving one step to the right
if (step > 0)
// if the destination square needs to be turned on explicitly
if (ar[x + step][y] == 0)
// if there is a block to the left of the current block
472 n Chapter 21

if (x != 0 && ar[x – step][y] == 1)

// set square to the right on without clearing current block
setSquare(x + step, y, 1)
else
// clear current block and turn square to the right on
warp(x, y, x + step, y)
else
// if there is no block to the left of the current block
if (x == 0 || ar[x – step][y] == 0)
// clear current block
setSquare(x, y, 0)
}

The smartX() function is responsible for the horizontal movement of the

affected blocks. Notice that when you move a horizontal bar (four blocks)
shape to the right, for example, you only need to move the far-right block to
the right of the shape and clear the pre-movement far-left block. Moving a
shape consisting of four blocks one step to the right requires the setting of
two blocks and the clearing of two other blocks.

moveY()
// move all active squares step squares on the y axis
function moveY()
{
// if specified move is not legal (shape is laid down on block or bottom
panel)
if (!checkMoveY())
{
// active squares are not active anymore (should not be moved later)
clearActive()
// terminate function (active blocks are not moved)
return
}
// scan screen from bottom to top
for (var y = 18; y >= 0; --y)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
// if current square is active
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
// call function to handle movement
smartY(x, y)
}
}
}

The moveY() function is identical to the moveX() function, except that if a

move is not possible, the clearActive() function is called, inactivating the
whole board. Also, since the movement is always downward, no argument is
needed.
 Images and Graphics n 473

smartY(x, y)
// responsible for the blocks' vertical (downward) movement
function smartY(x, y)
{
// if the destination square needs to be turned on explicitly
if (ar[x][y + 1] == 0)
// if there is a block above current block
if (y != 0 && ar[x][y – 1] == 1)
// set square below on without clearing current block
setSquare(x, y + 1, 1)
else
// clear current block and turn square below on
warp(x, y, x, y + 1)
else
// if there is no block above the current block
if (y == 0 || ar[x][y – 1] == 0)
// clear current block
setSquare(x, y, 0)
}

This function is the y axis equivalent of the smartX() function presented

earlier. See the listing for that function.

shapeMap()
// construct object containing shape
function shapeMap()
{
// set minimum and maximum coordinates to opposite (minimum and maximum
found thus far)
var minX = 9
var minY = 18
var maxX = 0
var maxY = 0
// scan screen to find actual minimum and maximum coordinates of active
squares
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
// if current coordinates reflect active square
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
{
if (x < minX)
minX = x
if (x > maxX)
maxX = x
Chapter 21

if (y < minY)
minY = y
if (y > maxY)
maxY = y
}
474 n Chapter 21

}
}
// create a length property representing the x coordinate span
this.length = maxX – minX + 1
// create properties to hold minimum coordinates of both axes
this.offsetX = minX
this.offsetY = minY
// construct minimum array containing all active squares respectively
for (x = 0; x <= maxX – minX; ++x)
{
this[x] = new Array()
for (y = 0; y <= maxY – minY; ++y)
{
this[x][y] = ar[x + minX][y + minY]
}
}
}

Before the script rotates a shape, it must know which shape is currently
active and its exact position. The shapeMap() constructor builds the mini-
mum 2D array that encloses the current shape.
In addition to the array elements, an instance of shapeMap features the
board’s x and y coordinates (offsetX and offsetY) of the shape-enclosing
rectangle’s top-left square (shapeMapInstance[0][0]). The 2D array and
these two properties are enough to determine the current active shape and
its location. For a complete discussion of each statement in the function,
refer to the comments.

getRandom()
// random function to return an integer from 0 to 6
function getRandom()
{
// use random number method to find integer from 0 to 8
var randomNum = Math.round(Math.random() * 8)
// call function again if random number is 0 or 8.
if (randomNum == 0 || randomNum == 8)return getRandom()
// 1 to 7 => 0 to 6
randomNum--
// update selected shape's statistics
statistics[randomNum]++
// update statistics display form (update *all* fields so user cannot enter
any value in fields)
for (var shape = 0; shape < 7; ++shape)
{
document.stats[shape].value = statistics[shape]
}
// return the random number
return randomNum
}

The getRandom() function returns a random integer from 0 to 6. First, it

uses the Math object’s random() method to generate a random number.
 Images and Graphics n 475

Peculiarly enough, we found out that the random generator prefers the inner
integers (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5) over the boundary ones (0 and 6). To remedy the
situation, we decided to generate random integers from 0 to 8, and then do
some juggling to fit the result into the 0 to 6 range. If the integer is 0 or 8,
the function invokes itself recursively until an integer from 1 to 7 is ran-
domly generated. The number then decrements by 1 to fit the 0 to 6 range,
and is returned by the function. After updating the statistics array, the
text fields, representing the number of appearances of each shape, are
updated as well.

insertShape()
This function inserts a new shape whose index is a random integer stored in
the global variable shape. Take a look at the following code segment:
if (shape == 4)
{
if (state(4, 2) || state(5, 2) || state(3, 3) || state(4, 3))
return false
setSquare(4, 2, 1)
setSquare(5, 2, 1)
setSquare(3, 3, 1)
setSquare(4, 3, 1)
}

The insertShape() function includes such a script segment for each of the
seven supported shapes.
The conditional statement uses the function state() to check whether
all four squares are empty. If one of the four is blocked, the insertShape()
function returns false and terminates. Otherwise, the function proceeds by
invoking the setSquare() function four times, one for each block of the new
shape.

complexWarp()
// warp several squares if possible
// initial x1, initial y1, destination x1, destination y1, initial x2,
initial y2, destination x2, destination y2, etc.
function complexWarp()
{
// loop through arguments checking that each warp is valid
for (var i = 0; i < arguments.length; i += 4)
{
// if warp is not valid
if (!checkWarp(arguments[i], arguments[i + 1], arguments[i + 2],
arguments[i + 3]))
Chapter 21

// terminate the function -- no squares warped

return
}
// loop through arguments again -- warp squares
for (var i = 0; i < arguments.length; i += 4)
{
476 n Chapter 21

// call function to warp the current square corresponding to

argument coordinates
warp(arguments[i], arguments[i + 1], arguments[i + 2],
arguments[i + 3])
}
}

This function moves a shape’s blocks from their current positions to their
new ones. The argument list includes sets of four coordinates: x and y val-
ues of these positions. Since the number of sets depends on the shape type,
the arguments are accessed via the arguments array, rather than as
parameters.
First, the function calls checkWarp() to check if the destination squares
are populated or not. The complexWarp() function terminates immediately
whenever one of the squares is occupied. The warping itself is accomplished
by calling the warp() function, once for each set of four arguments.

checkWarp(startX, startY, endX, endY)

// check if warp is valid (used by complexWarp function)
function checkWarp(startX, startY, endX, endY)
{
// if a destination coordinate is invalid or destination square is off
// state(endX, endY) must be last due to short-circuit evaluation
if (endX < 0 || endX > 9 || endY < 0 || endY > 18 || state(endX,endY))
// return false because warp is invalid
return false
// return true because warp has not been proved to be invalid (it is valid)
return true
}

Out of the four arguments this function accepts, it uses the last two (endX,
endY) to check if the given position is occupied.

rotate()
First, rotate() assigns an instance of the shapeMap object to a local vari-
able, curMap. The shapeMap object is used to find out the current angle of
the shape. The “L” shape, for example, has four different angles, whereas a
“square” (2 x 2) shape has only one. It then calls the complexWarp() func-
tion with the coordinates of the blocks that need to be “warped” during
rotation.

flood(state)
// flood entire screen with given state
function flood(state)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
 Images and Graphics n 477

if (state == 0)
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = off.src
else
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = on[3].src
}
}
}

When its argument is 0, the flood() function clears the entire board by set-
ting the URL of all images to off.src. If the argument is not 0, all board
images are replaced with on[3].src. Note that, instead of the doubly nested
loop, you can use a single loop to fill the document.images 1D array. Since
you would not have to invoke the computeIndex() function for each posi-
tion, the flooding would have been more efficient.

noActive()
// return true if no active squares are found and false otherwise
function noActive()
{
// scan board from top to bottom
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++ x)
{
if (ar[x][y] == 1)
return false
}
}
// no active square found on the board
return true
}

This function is self-explanatory.

isLine(y)
// return true if the line with the given coordinate is completed
function isLine(y)
{
// horizontal scan of current line
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
// if a square is off the line is not completed
if (!state(x, y))
return false
}
// no square was found off
Chapter 21

return true
}

This function looks for complete lines, i.e., lines with all squares checked.
478 n Chapter 21

warp(startX, startY, endX, endY)

// move block from one position to another
function warp(startX, startY, endX, endY)
{
document.images[computeIndex(endX, endY)].src = document.images
[computeIndex(startX, startY)].src
document.images[computeIndex(startX, startY)].src = off.src
// block in new position is now active
ar[endX][endY] = 1
// previous position is no longer active
ar[startX][startY] = 0
}

The warp() function “warps” a block from one position to another by setting
the URL of the destination image to that of the source image, and then set-
ting the URL of the source image to that of the transparent one, off.src.
The ar array is also being updated with the recent changes in square
assignments.

start()
// function that starts game (*works with global variables only*)
function start()
{
// accept level from user (no validation to save space)
tempLevel = prompt("Enter level to begin game (0 – 10):", "0")
// if user cancelled prompt
if (!tempLevel)
// abort function
return
// tempLevel is the actual level
level = tempLevel
// clear states, blocks, and timer
clearActive()
flood(0)
clearTimeout(timerID)
// clear statistics
for (var i = 0; i < 7; ++i)
{
statistics[i] = 0
}
// convert input from string to integer
level = parseInt(level)
// calculate speed
speed = 800 – (level * 80)
// game begins with no lines completed!
lines = 0
// game starts
timerRunning = true
// game is not paused for sure
paused = false
 Images and Graphics n 479

// start actual playing

play()
}

This function is very well documented and explained. Use it as an example

for how to comment a script.

dropLines()
// check if lines have been completed and drop accordingly
function dropLines()
{
// on line has been found
var aLine = –1
// scan screen from top to bottom and stop when first complete
// line is found and assigned
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
if (isLine(y))
{
aLine = y
break
}
}
// if a complete line has been found
if (aLine != –1)
{
// increment lines
lines++
// if enough lines have been made increment level
if (lines > level * 10 + 9)
level++
if (level == 11)
alert("You are a champion!")
// scan screen from one line above the complete one to top of screen
for (y = aLine – 1; y >= 0; --y)
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
// if current square is on
if (state(x, y))
// call function to warp it down
warp(x, y, x, y + 1)
else
{
// clear square below (similar to a warp because
// initial square is off)
setSquare(x, y + 1, 0)
Chapter 21

}
}
}
// recursive call (maybe more than one line was completed)
480 n Chapter 21

dropLines()
}
// no square should be active
clearActive()
}

The dropLines() function loops over the board rows, from top to bottom,
searching for fully blocked rows to clear. After finding a line, all blocks above
the line are warped one position downward, and the dropLines() function is
called recursively to search and clear other rows. Since there are no active
shapes after clearing, the clearActive() function is invoked to clear all
board squares. The script also checks if the user has completed enough lines
to up the current level of play.

play()
// main function responsible for game action
function play()
{
// place values in form fields (display)
document.lineslevel.lines.value = lines
document.lineslevel.level.value = level
// if no shape is falling
if (noActive())
{
// check for line completions and drop them
dropLines()
// insert a new shape (if shape is not able to enter)
if (!insertShape())
{
// flood screen to black
flood(1)
// flood screen to blank
flood(0)
// display final results
alert('Game over!\r\rlevel = ' + level + '\rlines = '+lines)
// clear timeout
clearTimeout(timerID)
// timer is not running
timerRunning = false
// terminate function (and game)
return
}
} else
// a shape is currently falling so move it one square downward
moveY()
// call after speed milliseconds
timerID = setTimeout('play()', speed)
}
 Images and Graphics n 481

characteristics(x, y)
// constructs an object representing a specific position
function characteristics(x, y)
{
// create property to hold status (block or empty)
this.state = state(x, y)
// if block found in specified position
if (state(x, y))
{
// local variable to hold URL of image at specified location
var src = document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src
// local variable to hold color (0, 1, 2, ..., 6)
var color = src.charAt(src.lastIndexOf('/') + 2)
} else
// no color because no block found at specified position
color = –1
// convert color from string to integer and assign to property
this.color = parseInt(color)
// create property to hold square's current state (active or not, 1 or 0)
this.activity = ar[x][y]
}

fullMap()
// contructs a map of entire board and status
function fullMap()
{
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
this[x] = new Array(10)
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
this[x][y] = new characteristics(x, y)
}
}
this.shape = shape
}

pause()
// pause and unpause game
function pause()
{
// if game is not paused
if (!paused)
{
// stop timer
Chapter 21

clearTimeout(timerID)
// game is now paused
paused = true
// create global map of board
map = new fullMap()
482 n Chapter 21

// flood board so player cannot see current status

flood(1)
// no active blocks so user cannot move anything with buttons
clearActive()
alert('Oh no, not the boss...')
}
else
{
// return board to status before game was paused, according to the map
object
for (var x = 0; x < 10; ++x)
{
for (var y = 0; y < 19; ++y)
{
if (!map[x][y].state)
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src = off.src
else
document.images[computeIndex(x, y)].src=
on[map[x][y].color].src
ar[x][y] = map[x][y].activity
}
}
shape = map.shape
// game is no longer paused
paused = false
// play ball!
play()
}
}

The pause() function is responsible for pausing and unpausing the game,
depending on its current state.

Music
The background music featured by Netris Deluxe is embedded via an HTML
statement:
<EMBED SRC="tetris1a.mid" AUTOSTART=TRUE LOOP=TRUE HIDDEN=TRUE>

Summary
In this chapter I discussed the image object, and how it is implemented in
client-side JavaScript. Mastering the usage of the image object and the doc-
ument.images array is not trivial, but will become easier with experience.
This is the reason I included three image-based comprehensive demonstra-
tions, including a 1,000-line script (Netris Deluxe). JavaScript is very useful
when you want to interact with the user (as in games), or when the anima-
tion is customized (as in the updating clock and in the LED sign). Plain
animation is better created with gif89, rather than with JavaScript.
 Frames n 483

Chapter 22

Frames

What Are Frames?

Frames provide the ability to divide the browser’s window into several
sections, each containing a distinct HTML document. Although some devel-
opers and web development books recommend avoiding the use of frames,
they are a perfectly valid and quite easy to use method for organizing a web
site and allowing easy navigation. There are many different ways to use
frames. You can display, for instance, the table of contents on one side of the
window, and the content itself on the other side. You can then direct all links
in the table of contents to load documents in the other frame, thus ensuring
that the table of contents is present at all times. While surfing the web, you
can occasionally recognize a frame-separated window by the frame’s bor-
ders. Borderless frames, though, have become much more popular.

Creating Frames
Frames are basically plain HTML that is loaded by a parent document. In
order to specify the frames in the top-level document, you must use the
<FRAMESET> definition. This tag specifies how to divide the window. A single
<FRAMESET> tag can divide a document into a set of rows or columns,
depending on the desired design. For example, the following definition
divides a document into two frames:
<FRAMESET COLS="50, *">

These two frames are organized in columns. The left frame is 50 pixels
wide, whereas the other frame fills the rest of the document. An asterisk (*)
represents the remaining space in a document, after allocating space for the
other frames.
You can also specify the percentage width of a column frame out of the
window’s width, or the percentage height of a row frame out of the window’s
height. The following definition, for instance, divides a document into two
frames (laid out as rows), where the upper one takes up one-quarter of the
document, and the bottom one takes up three-quarters of it:
484 n Chapter 22

<FRAMESET ROWS="25%, *">

The following tags are equivalent to the preceding one:

<FRAMESET ROWS="*, 75%">
<FRAMESET ROWS="25%, 75%">

The <FRAMESET> tag must always be specified along with its closing counter-
part, </FRAMESET>. The basic attributes of the <FRAMESET> tag are COLS and
ROWS (they cannot be present simultaneously). Netscape Navigator 3.0 intro-
duced two more attributes:
n FRAMEBORDER
n BORDERCOLOR

The FRAMEBORDER attribute accepts either a no or a yes. Alternatively, you

can replace no with a 0 digit, and yes with a 1 digit. This attribute enables
you to create a document that consists of frames with invisible borders. The
BORDERCOLOR attribute accepts a color, either in the form of a hexadecimal
triplet or a recognized color name. Since there is a plain gray transition line
between two borderless frames, you should specify a white border even
when setting FRAMEBORDER to no.
The <FRAMESET> tag specifies a set of frames, each defined by a <FRAME>
tag and usually a URL that reflects the initial document in the frame. The
following construct creates a document consisting of two frames:
<FRAMESET COLS="100, *">
<FRAME SRC="frame1.html">
<FRAME SRC="frame2.html">
</FRAMESET>

The SRC attribute specifies the URL of the document in the frame. You can
always load a different document in that frame by clicking a link, submitting
a form, and so forth. The preceding source requires three documents: the
parent HTML document that includes the <FRAMESET> definition,
frame1.html, and frame2.html (note that you can use either a relative or
absolute URL). Take a look at the following documents:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Frames</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<FRAMESET COLS="150, *">
<FRAME SRC="example22-01a.htm">
<FRAME SRC="example22-01b.htm">
</FRAMESET>
<NOFRAMES>
You must download a frame-capable browser in order to view this document.
</NOFRAMES>
</HTML>

Example 22-1 (ex22-1.htm). The top-level <FRAMESET> document

 Frames n 485

You can see the output of this in Figure 22-1.

Chapter 22
Figure 22-1. The top level of the frameset

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>First frame</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="white">
Frame #1
<HR>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 22-1a—first frame (ex22-1a.htm). The initial document for the left frame

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Second frame</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="white">
Frame #2
<HR>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 22-1b—second frame (ex22-1b.htm). The initial document for the right
frame
486 n Chapter 22

You can delete the borders by replacing the <FRAMESET> tag in Example 22-1
with the following definition:
<FRAMESET COLS="150, *" FRAMEBORDER="no" FRAMESPACING=0 BORDER="0"
BORDERCOLOR="#ffffff">

Now take another look at Example 22-1, and notice the <NOFRAMES>
</NOFRAMES> portion. These tags enclose alternative content for browsers
that do not support frames. They are similar to the <NOSCRIPT></NOSCRIPT>
tags that specify alternative content for browsers that do not support
JavaScript or have their JavaScript disabled by the user.
Besides the SRC attribute, the <FRAME> tag features several other attrib-
utes, the NAME attribute being the most important. You can target a link or a
form submission return by a frame’s name. Names must start with an alpha-
numeric character.
There are two attributes that deal with a frame’s margin:
n MARGINHEIGHT
n MARGINWIDTH

The margin is the spacing between the frame’s content and its borders. The
minimum value for a margin’s width or height is 1, and its maximum value is
the frame’s thickness. Both MARGINHEIGHT and MARGINWIDTH specify the
margin value (height or width, respectively) in pixels.
The SCROLLING attribute is another important one. It accepts one of
three values:
n "yes"
n "no"
n "auto"

The default value "auto" instructs the browser to make a scrolling frame
(with a scroll bar) whenever needed. The browser’s algorithm is very sim-
ple—if the length or width of the frame’s content exceeds the frame’s
physical size, a scroll bar is provided. The other options, "yes" and "no",
force a decision on the browser.
A powerful feature of frames is that the user can resize them by drag-
ging. You can disable this option by specifying the NORESIZE option.

Targeting Frames
Frames are powerful because they enable the content provider to direct var-
ious documents to specific frames. Directing a document to a frame is
referred to as targeting. Targeting is supported in HTML via the TARGET
attribute, which you can add to a variety of tags in the following fashion:
TARGET="windowName"
 Frames n 487

Since frames act as independent browser windows, they are often called as

Chapter 22
such. The classic usage of the TARGET attribute is with hypertext links,
according to the following syntax:
<A HREF="URL" TARGET="windowName">text or image</A>

You should place such a link in a document that resides within a frame.
windowName is the name of the frame in which the URL document should
load.
You can use the <BASE> tag’s TARGET attribute for targeting most of a
document’s links to a single common frame. The TARGET attribute estab-
lishes a default windowName to which all links in a document will be targeted.
This default can be overridden by specific instances of the TARGET attribute
in individual anchor tags. The general syntax of the <BASE> tag’s TARGET
attribute is as follows:
<BASE TARGET="windowName">

Note that this definition should be placed at the beginning of the HTML
document.
As you can see, it is possible to target a document to a named frame.
There are reserved names that define specific locations:
n TARGET="_blank" loads a new, empty window.
n TARGET="_self" loads the same window the anchor was clicked in.
n TARGET="_parent" loads the <FRAMESET> (parent) document.
n TARGET="_top" loads the full body of the browser window.

Nested Frames
There are basically two ways to nest frames.
The easiest way is to use a simple <FRAMESET> tag in the top-level docu-
ment to define several rows or columns of frames, and then use another
<FRAMESET> tag in one or more of the frame documents to further divide it.
Suppose you want to divide a window into two columns, where the second
column is divided into two rows. You can define a two-frame <FRAMESET
COLS="..."> construct in the parent document as follows:
<FRAMESET COLS="50%, *">
<FRAME SRC="left.html" NAME="left">
<FRAME SRC="right.html" NAME="right">
</FRAMESET>

The document right.html would then need to be subdivided into frames by

including the following definition:
<FRAMESET ROWS="50%,50%">
<FRAME SRC="topRight.html" NAME="topRight">
<FRAME SRC="bottomRight.html" NAME="bottomRight">
</FRAMESET>
488 n Chapter 22

You can see the output of this in Figure 22-2, which demonstrates the deeply
nested frame hierarchy:

Figure 22-2. Nested frameset

A more convenient way to nest frames is as follows:

<FRAMESET COLS="50%, *">
<FRAME SRC="left.html" NAME="left">
<FRAMESET ROWS="50%,50%">
<FRAME SRC="topRight.html" NAME="topRight">
<FRAME SRC="bottomRight.html" NAME="bottomRight">
</FRAMESET>
</FRAMESET>

In this code we define a set of two frames, where the second one is not spec-
ified via a <FRAME> tag but rather as another inner <FRAMESET> definition.
Notice that this technique differs from the previous one because all
frames are directly defined in the top-level document. Figure 22-3 illustrates
the structure of such a document.

Figure 22-3. Frameset structure

 Frames n 489

Notice that frames in a document are not directly connected to each other.

Chapter 22
However, HTML enables you to reference one frame directly from another
one.

JavaScript and Frames

In JavaScript, each frame acts as a full-fledged window object. A frame con-
sists of a complete set of browser objects, including its own document object,
status object (which is a bit tricky), and so forth.

self
The self object is similar to the “this” term in object-oriented languages. It
refers to the window you are in. The background color of a document in a
single-frame window can be referenced in one of the following ways:
window.document.bgcolor
self.document.bgcolor
document.bgcolor

Although it is technically possible to combine multiple references within a

single-frame window, as in window.self.document.bgcolor, you should use
such references only in a multiple-frame window.
Suppose you have a multiple-frame document, and you want to refer-
ence an object that belongs to a specific frame from that same frame. One
option is to simply specify that object using a common syntax. Specifying
the self object, however, can make the script crystal clear and its debugging
much easier. You can use the following code, for instance, to display the title
of that frame:
alert(self.document.title)

In summary, when the HTML document appears in one frame of a multiple-

frame document, it is recommended to precede all window object references
with the self object.
Note that you can also precede all function calls with the self object
specification:
self.functionName()

parent
A script running in a frame of a multiple-frame document can reference
objects or properties of its parent document (the one that sets the frames)
via the parent property.
Note that the window object of the frame-setting document is equivalent
to the window.parent (or self.parent or parent) of a document in one of
490 n Chapter 22

the frames. In a way, since it points to a higher level of hierarchy, the parent
property may seem to violate the object hierarchy rules.
A child window can also call a function of the parent window. The refer-
ence would be as follows:
parent.functionName([arguments])

The parent property of a frame’s window object does not always point to the
top-level window. If one of the children of the top-level window is also a
frame-setting window, then you wind up with three levels of hierarchies.
The parent property of the bottom level of hierarchy points to the second
one.
I recommend that you draw flowcharts when you design a site with
deeply nested frames. (See the section called “Nested Frames” earlier in
this chapter for a discussion of the different types of nesting.)

top
The window object’s top property refers to the topmost window in a
JavaScript hierarchy. For a single-frame window, top is equivalent to window,
which in turn is equivalent to self and parent. In a multiple-frame window,
the top object always reflects the topmost window that defines the first
frameset. In a window that contains several frames, where at least one of the
frames also contains a frameset, the top property of all window objects
(including all generations in the hierarchy) refers to the window with the
first frameset. In terms of flowcharts, the top property always refers to the
highest rectangle.
The top-level window can be referenced from the “youngest” child as
parent.parent, top, window.top, or self.top.

frames
In a multiple-frame window, all frames act like full-fledged window objects.
The frames property plays an important role when a statement in one frame
must access an object or property located in a different frame.
The frames property is an array that reflects all direct children of a
given window object. The property window.frames.length reflects the num-
ber of direct children from the point of view of that window object.
The browser stores information about all visible frames in an indexed
array, where the first frame is stored in index 0:
window.frames[0]

Since you should never deeply nest frames using several frame-setting doc-
uments, the frames array should usually be referenced as parent.frames or
top.frames. Suppose you have a window divided into three frames. You can
access the title of the second frame from a script in the first frame as par-
ent.frames[1].document.title.
 Frames n 491

You can also access frames by their names. You can use the following

Chapter 22
syntax to retrieve (from any frame) the background color of a document in a
frame named myFrame:
parent.myFrame.document.bgcolor

You can also refer to the frames array as an associative array, in the follow-
ing fashion:
parent.frames["myFrame"].document.bgcolor

An Example: The Color Center

The Color Center is a JavaScript application that enables the user to test a
variety of colors in order to find the best configurations for his or her web
site. There are five distinct attributes that play a role in this tool:
n bgcolor—the background color
n link—the color of standard links
n alink—the color of active links
n vlink—the color of visited links
n text—the color of plain text

The Color Center is compatible with both Internet Explorer and Navigator.
It is divided into three frames. The upper frame includes the red, green, and
blue text fields that display the RGB values of the current color. It also fea-
tures a menu enabling the user to select the attribute (one of five) that he or
she wants to customize. A Save button stores the settings in a cookie, and a
Load button retrieves them from the cookie.
The left frame displays the color cube—a complete set of 216 non-dith-
ering colors. The user can select a color from the color cube and assign it to
the attribute selected in the upper frame.
The right frame is the most simple one. Its initial document does not
contain any data besides the basic HTML tags. Its content is generated by
document.write() statements, executed in the parent frame-setting
document.

The Frame-setting Window

Example 22-2 shows the frame-setting document.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Color Center</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// Boolean variable specified if alert should be displayed if cookie exceeds 4KB
var caution = false
deleteCookie("slot")
// name - name of the cookie
// value - value of the cookie
492 n Chapter 22

// [expires] - expiration date of the cookie (defaults to end of current

session)
// [path] - path for which the cookie is valid (defaults to path of calling
document)
// [domain] - domain for which the cookie is valid (defaults to domain of
calling document)
// [secure] - Boolean value indicating if the cookie transmission requires a
secure transmission
// * an argument defaults when it is assigned null as a placeholder
// * a null placeholder is not required for trailing omitted arguments
function setCookie(name, value, expires, path, domain, secure)
{
var curCookie = name + "=" + escape(value) +
((expires) ? "; expires=" + expires.toGMTString() : "") +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
((secure) ? "; secure" : "")
if (!caution || (name + "=" + escape(value)).length <= 4000)
document.cookie = curCookie
else
if (confirm("Cookie exceeds 4KB and will be cut!"))
document.cookie = curCookie
}
// name - name of the desired cookie
// * return string containing value of specified cookie or null if cookie does
not exist
function getCookie(name)
{
var prefix = name + "="
var cookieStartIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(prefix)
if (cookieStartIndex == –1)
return null
var cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(";", cookieStartIndex +
prefix.length)
if (cookieEndIndex == –1)
cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.length
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(cookieStartIndex + prefix.length,
cookieEndIndex))
}
// name - name of the cookie
// [path] - path of the cookie (must be same as path used to create cookie)
// [domain] - domain of the cookie (must be same as domain used to create
cookie)
// * path and domain default if assigned null or omitted if no explicit
argument proceeds
function deleteCookie(name, path, domain)
{
if (getCookie(name))
{
document.cookie = name + "=" +
((path) ? "; path=" + path : "") +
((domain) ? "; domain=" + domain : "") +
"; expires=Thu, 01-Jan-70 00:00:01 GMT"
 Frames n 493

Chapter 22
}
// date - any instance of the Date object
// * you should hand all instances of the Date object to this function for
"repairs"
function fixDate(date)
{
var base = new Date(0)
var skew = base.getTime()
if (skew > 0)
date.setTime(date.getTime() – skew)
}
// updates the R, G, and B text fields (invoked as a method)
function display()
{
frames[0].document.forms[0].red.value = this.r
frames[0].document.forms[0].green.value = this.g
frames[0].document.forms[0].blue.value = this.b
}
// constructs an attribute
function makeAttribute(r, g, b)
{
this.r = r + ""
this.g = g + ""
this.b = b + ""
this.display = display
}
// create instances for all attributes
var link = new makeAttribute("00", "00", "00") // black
var alink = new makeAttribute("00", "00", "00") // black
var vlink = new makeAttribute("00", "00", "00") // black
var text = new makeAttribute("00", "00", "00") // black
var bgcolor = new makeAttribute("FF", "FF", "FF") // white
// invoked when user selects a color from swatches
function select(r, g, b)
{
// assign string reflecting selected attribute ("text", "bgcolor", etc.)
var attribute = curAttribute()
// assign new descriptors
eval(attribute).r = r
eval(attribute).g = g
eval(attribute).b = b
// display new descriptors in R, G, and B text fields
eval(attribute).display()
// update main frame
update()
}
// return string reflecting selected attribute ("text", "bgcolor", etc.)
function curAttribute()
{
var list = frames[0].document.forms[0].attribute
return list.options[list.selectedIndex].value
}
494 n Chapter 22

// returns <BODY> tag (excluding ">" and "<") reflecting all selections
function bodyDefinition()
{
var str = 'BODY '
str += 'BGCOLOR="#' + bgcolor.r + bgcolor.g + bgcolor.b + '" '
str += 'LINK="#' + link.r + link.g + link.b + '" '
str += 'ALINK="#' + alink.r + alink.g + alink.b + '" '
str += 'VLINK="#' + vlink.r + vlink.g + vlink.b + '" '
str += 'TEXT="#' + text.r + text.g + text.b + '"'
return str
}
// update main window
function update()
{
var bodyDef = bodyDefinition()
var result = ""
result += '<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Main</TITLE></HEAD>'
result += '<' + bodyDef + '>'
result += '<CENTER>'
result += 'Text <B>Text</B><HR WIDTH=50%>'
result += '<FONT COLOR="#' + link.r + link.g + link.b + '">
Link <B>Link</B><HR WIDTH=50%></FONT>'
result += '<FONT COLOR="#' + alink.r + alink.g + alink.b + '">
Alink <B>Alink</B><HR WIDTH=50%></FONT>'
result += '<FONT COLOR="#' + vlink.r + vlink.g + vlink.b + '">
Vlink <B>Vlink</B><HR WIDTH=50%></FONT>'
result += '<BR><FONT SIZE=2>&lt;' + bodyDef + '&gt;</FONT>'
result += '</CENTER></HTML>'
// assign document object of main frame to local variable
var doc = frames[2].document
// close data stream to document
doc.close()
// open new data stream to document (text/html)
doc.open('text/html')
// print HTML content
doc.write(result)
// close data stream to document
doc.close()
}
// stores all selections as a cookie
function save()
{
var slot = link.r + link.g + link.b +
alink.r + alink.g + alink.b +
vlink.r + vlink.g + vlink.b +
text.r + text.g + text.b +
bgcolor.r + bgcolor.g + bgcolor.b
var now = new Date()
fixDate(now)
now.setTime(now.getTime() + 31 * 22 * 60 * 60 * 1000) // one month
setCookie("slot", slot, now)
}
// load values from cookie (concatenation order in save() matters!)
 Frames n 495

function load()

Chapter 22
{
var slot = getCookie("slot")
if (slot != null)
{
link.r = slot.substring(0, 2)
link.g = slot.substring(2, 4)
link.b = slot.substring(4, 6)
alink.r = slot.substring(6, 8)
alink.g = slot.substring(8, 10)
alink.b = slot.substring(10, 12)
vlink.r = slot.substring(12, 14)
vlink.g = slot.substring(14, 16)
vlink.b = slot.substring(16, 18)
text.r = slot.substring(18, 20)
text.g = slot.substring(20, 22)
text.b = slot.substring(22, 24)
bgcolor.r = slot.substring(24, 26)
bgcolor.g = slot.substring(26, 28)
bgcolor.b = slot.substring(28, 30)
eval(curAttribute()).display()
update()
}
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<FRAMESET
ROWS="50, *"
BORDER="0"
FRAMEBORDER="no"
FRAMESPACING="0"
BORDERCOLOR="#ffffff">
<FRAME
NAME="control"
SRC="ex22-3.htm"
NORESIZE
SCROLLING="no">
<FRAMESET
COLS="80, *"
BORDER="0"
FRAMEBORDER="no"
FRAMESPACING="0"
BORDERCOLOR="#ffffff">
<FRAME
NAME="swatches"
SRC="ex22-4.htm"
NORESIZE
SCROLLING="no">
<FRAME
NAME="main"
SRC="ex22-5.htm"
NORESIZE>
496 n Chapter 22

</FRAMESET>
</FRAMESET>
<NOFRAMES>Please download a frames-capable browser!</NOFRAMES>
</HTML>

Example 22-2 (ex22-2.htm). Using the frame center as a control center

The first portion of the script in Example 22-2 consists of a complete set of
cookie functions, which are not repeated here. This chapter focuses on func-
tions that are specific to the Color Center application.
display(r, g, b)
// updates the R, G, and B text fields (invoked as a method)
function display()
{
frames[0].document.forms[0].red.value = this.r
frames[0].document.forms[0].green.value = this.g
frames[0].document.forms[0].blue.value = this.b
}

All attributes are defined as instances supporting the display() method.

You can call this function, for example, to display the color of bgcolor:
bgcolor.display()

The display() method sets the values of the R, G, and B fields in the upper
frame to the corresponding RGB values of the calling instance. Those val-
ues, named r, g, and b, are stored as properties of the calling instance.
The upper frame is the first frame to be defined, so we reference it as
frames[0]. You can alternatively use self.frames[0], window.frames[0],
parent.frames[0], or top.frames[0].
makeAttribute(r, g, b)
// constructs an attribute
function makeAttribute(r, g, b)
{
this.r = r + ""
this.g = g + ""
this.b = b + ""
this.display = display
}

makeAttribute() is a constructor function. All attributes are created as

instances of this object, so each attribute has three properties (r, g, and b)
and one method (display()). The function accepts three arguments repre-
senting the red, green, and blue descriptors. Just to be on the safe side, the
arguments are converted to strings.
Global Statements
// create instances for all attributes
var link = new makeAttribute("00", "00", "00") // black
var alink = new makeAttribute("00", "00", "00") // black
 Frames n 497

var vlink = new makeAttribute("00", "00", "00") // black

Chapter 22
var text = new makeAttribute("00", "00", "00") // black
var bgcolor = new makeAttribute("FF", "FF", "FF") // white

We define five global variables in this script segment. All variables are
defined as instances of the makeAttribute object. The arguments handed to
the makeAttribute() function reflect the default colors for each attribute.
select(r, g, b)
// invoked when user selects a color from swatches
function select(r, g, b)
{
// assign string reflecting selected attribute ("text", "bgcolor", etc.)
var attribute = curAttribute()
// assign new descriptors
eval(attribute).r = r
eval(attribute).g = g
eval(attribute).b = b
// display new descriptors in R, G, and B text fields
eval(attribute).display()
// update main frame
update()
}

The select() function is invoked when the user selects a color from the
swatches in the left frame, and it accepts the red, green, and blue
descriptors of the selected color. The function first assigns the currently
selected attribute to the local variable attribute. For example, if the cur-
rent attribute (chosen from the menu in the upper frame) is “Visited link,”
the value of attribute is "vlink". Therefore, eval(attribute) is an
instance of the makeAttribute object, holding the red, green, and blue
descriptors of the attribute.
curAttribute()
// return string reflecting selected attribute ("text", "bgcolor", etc.)
function curAttribute()
{
var list = frames[0].document.forms[0].attribute
return list.options[list.selectedIndex].value
}

This function returns the currently selected attribute in the form of a string.
First, the object representing the select element of the form in the upper
frame is assigned to the local variable list. The text value of the selected
option is then returned. As shown above, it is often convenient to assign an
object reference to a local variable, especially when that reference is
extremely lengthy. In this case, we specify the variable list twice, instead
of specifying the entire object reference (frames[0].docu-
ment.forms[0].attribute) twice.
498 n Chapter 22

bodyDefinition()
// returns <BODY> tag (excluding ">" and "<") reflecting all selections
function bodyDefinition()
{
var str = 'BODY '
str += 'BGCOLOR="#' + bgcolor.r + bgcolor.g + bgcolor.b + '" '
str += 'LINK="#' + link.r + link.g + link.b + '" '
str += 'ALINK="#' + alink.r + alink.g + alink.b + '" '
str += 'VLINK="#' + vlink.r + vlink.g + vlink.b + '" '
str += 'TEXT="#' + text.r + text.g + text.b + '"'
return str
}

The bodyDefinition() function constructs and returns a complete <BODY>

tag, based on the current values of the descriptors of each attribute. For
instance, the function might return the following string:
BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFCC" LINK="#FF00CC" ALINK="#00FF99" VLINK="#006633"
TEXT="#0000FF"

Notice that we do not include the less than (<) and greater than (>) charac-
ters in the final string.
update()
// update main window
function update()
{
var bodyDef = bodyDefinition()
var result = ""
result += '<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>Main</TITLE></HEAD>'
result += '<' + bodyDef + '>'
result += '<CENTER>'
result += 'Text <B>Text</B><HR WIDTH=50%>'
result += '<FONT COLOR="#' + link.r + link.g + link.b + '">
Link <B>Link</B><HR WIDTH=50%></FONT>'
result += '<FONT COLOR="#' + alink.r + alink.g + alink.b + '">
Alink <B>Alink</B><HR WIDTH=50%></FONT>'
result += '<FONT COLOR="#' + vlink.r + vlink.g + vlink.b + '">
Vlink <B>Vlink</B><HR WIDTH=50%></FONT>'
result += '<BR><FONT SIZE=2>&lt;' + bodyDef + '&gt;</FONT>'
result += '</CENTER></BODY></HTML>'
// assign document object of main frame to local variable
var doc = frames[2].document
// close data stream to document
doc.close()
// open new data stream to document (text/html)
doc.open('text/html')
// print HTML content
doc.write(result)
// close data stream to document
doc.close()
}
 Frames n 499

The update() function generates the HTML content of the main frame (the

Chapter 22
right one). The first portion of the function simply assigns the new HTML
document to the local variable result. We then assign the document object
of that frame window to the local variable doc. In order to replace the old
HTML content with the newly generated content, we close the current data
stream to the right frame document and reopen a new one to it. Since there
is no apparent reason for the current data stream to be open, its closing is
optional, and is done here just to be on the safe side. Forgetting to reopen
the data stream, though, will crash the browser under certain situations.
Since we are printing ASCII text with HTML formatting, we specify the
MIME type as text/html, which is also the default MIME value. After print-
ing the entire HTML content to the frame’s document via the write()
method, we close the data stream. Note that it is very important to open a
stream before printing to a document, and to close the stream afterward.
The close() method displays text or images that were previously sent to
layout.
save()
// stores all selections as a cookie
function save()
{
var slot = link.r + link.g + link.b +
alink.r + alink.g + alink.b +
vlink.r + vlink.g + vlink.b +
text.r + text.g + text.b +
bgcolor.r + bgcolor.g + bgcolor.b
var now = new Date()
fixDate(now)
now.setTime(now.getTime() + 31 * 22 * 60 * 60 * 1000) // one month
setCookie("slot", slot, now)
}

This function combines the descriptors of all attributes into one string and
stores it as a cookie, set to expire one month later. Since the load() func-
tion relies on the order in which the descriptors are concatenated, the order
cannot be altered.
load()
// load values from cookie (concatenation order in save() matters!)
function load()
{
var slot = getCookie("slot")
if (slot != null)
{
link.r = slot.substring(0, 2)
link.g = slot.substring(2, 4)
link.b = slot.substring(4, 6)
alink.r = slot.substring(6, 8)
alink.g = slot.substring(8, 10)
alink.b = slot.substring(10, 12)
500 n Chapter 22

vlink.r = slot.substring(12, 14)

vlink.g = slot.substring(14, 16)
vlink.b = slot.substring(16, 18)
text.r = slot.substring(18, 20)
text.g = slot.substring(20, 22)
text.b = slot.substring(22, 24)
bgcolor.r = slot.substring(24, 26)
bgcolor.g = slot.substring(26, 28)
bgcolor.b = slot.substring(28, 30)
eval(curAttribute()).display()
update()
}
}

The load() function retrieves the descriptors for each attribute stored in
the cookie. If the cookie does not exist, the function is terminated. Other-
wise, the function extracts each descriptor from the string and assigns it to
the corresponding property. The function then displays the new values in
the upper frame and updates the main frame accordingly.

HTML
<FRAMESET
ROWS="50, *"
BORDER="0"
FRAMEBORDER="no"
FRAMESPACING="0"
BORDERCOLOR="#ffffff">
<FRAME
NAME="control"
SRC="ex22-3.htm"
NORESIZE
SCROLLING="no">
<FRAMESET
COLS="80, *"
BORDER="0"
FRAMEBORDER="no"
FRAMESPACING="0"
BORDERCOLOR="#ffffff">
<FRAME
NAME="swatches"
SRC="ex22-4.htm"
NORESIZE
SCROLLING="no">
<FRAME
NAME="main"
SRC="ex22-5.htm"
NORESIZE>
</FRAMESET>
</FRAMESET>
<NOFRAMES>Please download a frames-capable browser!</NOFRAMES>
 Frames n 501

As you can see, all frames are defined in one frame-setting document. The

Chapter 22
upper frame is named "control", the bottom left frame is named
"swatches", and the bottom right frame is named "main". Their URLs are
ex22-3.htm, ex22-4.htm, and ex22-5.htm, respectively. Notice the configura-
tions used to create “borderless” frames.

The “control” Frame

Example 22-3 shows that the upper frame consists of very little JavaScript.
The only JavaScript in this document is used to interact with the JavaScript
objects in the frame-setting window (self.top or self.parent).
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Control Panel</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function display()
{
top[top.curAttribute()].display()
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff" onLoad="self.display()">
<FORM>
<FONT SIZE=2>
<FONT COLOR="#ff0000">R</FONT>:
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE=3 VALUE="" NAME="red" onFocus="this.blur()">
<FONT COLOR="#00ff00">G</FONT>:
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE=3 VALUE="" NAME="green" onFocus="this.blur()">
<FONT COLOR="#0000ff">B</FONT>:
<INPUT TYPE="text" SIZE=3 VALUE="" NAME="blue" onFocus="this.blur()">
Attribute:
<SELECT NAME="attribute" onChange="self.display()">
<OPTION VALUE="bgcolor">Background
<OPTION VALUE="text">Text
<OPTION VALUE="link">Link
<OPTION VALUE="alink">Active link
<OPTION VALUE="vlink">Visited link
</SELECT>
Save settings:
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="save" onClick="top.save()">
Load settings:<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="load" onClick="top.load()">
</FONT>
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 22-3 (ex22-3.htm). The “control” frame

502 n Chapter 22

display()
function display()
{
top[top.curAttribute()].display()
}

The script in the "control" frame’s document consists of just one function,
display(). There is a function named display() in the frame-setting docu-
ment as well, but due to JavaScript’s object hierarchy, each function is
actually a method of a different object. The display() function in the "con-
trol" frame document invokes the display() function of the frame-setting
document as a method of the selected attribute’s instance. For example, if
the selected attribute is “Background,” the function’s statement is equiva-
lent to:
top.bgcolor.display()

Event Handlers
The "control" frame’s document features an onLoad event handler that
invokes the local display() function. This is why the text fields in the
upper frame are not empty when you first load the Color Center application.
When the user selects a new option, the onChange event handler, associated
with the select object, invokes the local display() function.
Notice that the text fields in this frame are read-only, thanks to the
onFocus event handler which, whenever the user attempts to gain focus,
immediately issues the blur() method to remove focus from the field.

The “swatches” Frame

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Swatches</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#ffffff">
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// create 6-element array
var hex = new Array(6)
// assign non-dithered descriptors
hex[0] = "FF"
hex[1] = "CC"
hex[2] = "99"
hex[3] = "66"
hex[4] = "33"
hex[5] = "00"
// accept triplet string and display as background color
function display(triplet)
{
// set color as background color
self.document.bgColor = '#' + triplet
 Frames n 503

// display the color hexadecimal triplet

Chapter 22
self.alert('Background color is now ' + triplet)
}
// draw a single table cell based on all descriptors
function drawCell(red, green, blue)
{
// open cell with specified hexadecimal triplet background color
self.document.write('<TD BGCOLOR="#' + red + green + blue + '">')
// open a hypertext link with javascript: scheme to call display function
self.document.write('<A HREF="javascript:top.select(\'' + (red + '\',
\'' + green + '\', \'' + blue) + '\')">')
// print transparent image (use any height and width)
self.document.write('<IMG SRC="place.gif" BORDER=0 HEIGHT=7 WIDTH=7>')
// close link tag
self.document.write('</A>')
// close table cell
self.document.write('</TD>')
}
// draw table row based on red and blue descriptors
function drawRow(red, blue)
{
// open table row
self.document.write('<TR>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descripters as green hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
drawCell(red, hex[i], blue)
}
// close current table row
self.document.write('</TR>')
}
// draw table for one of six color cube panels
function drawTable(blue)
{
// open table (one of six cube panels)
self.document.write('<TABLE CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=0 BORDER=0>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descripters as red hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
drawRow(hex[i], blue)
}
// close current table
self.document.write('</TABLE>')
}
// draw all cube panels inside table cells
function drawCube()
{
// open table
self.document.write('<TABLE CELLPADDING=0 CELLSPACING=5 BORDER=0>')
// loop through all non-dithered color descripters as blue hex
for (var i = 0; i < 6; ++i)
{
// open table cell with white background color
504 n Chapter 22

self.document.write('<TR><TD>')
// call function to create cube panel with hex[i] blue hex
drawTable(hex[i])
// close current table cell
self.document.write('</TD></TR>')
}
// close table row and table
self.document.write('</TABLE>')
}
// call function to begin execution
drawCube()
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 22-4 (ex22-4.htm). The “swatches” frame

The “main” Frame

Here is the complete source for the "main" frame:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Main</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY onLoad="top.update()">
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 22-5 (ex22-5.htm). The “main” frame

Notice the onLoad event handler, which invokes the update() function of
the frame-setting document’s script.

Frames, Events, and Event Handlers

Using Event Handlers in a Frame
A child frame normally contains an HTML document. As opposed to a
frame-setting document, an HTML document in a child frame is structured
as a standard HTML document:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE></TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
</BODY>
</HTML>

You can load any document in a frame, regardless of its content. If a frame
does not contain another frame-setting document, you can use any event
handler in its document. You can issue, for example, an onLoad event
 Frames n 505

handler in the <BODY> tag, an onSubmit event handler in a <FORM> tag, and so

Chapter 22
forth.
HTML documents that users see in frames of a multiple-frame browser
window are different from the frame-setting document, in that the latter
remains in memory and is not otherwise visible to the user. It only instructs
the browser to divide the window into sections, and assigns a visible docu-
ment to each one of them. Since a child frame’s document is visible, it can
consist of forms, links, image maps, images, etc., which are rich in events
and event handlers. As a document in a frame behaves exactly like a docu-
ment in a single-frame browser window, the common event handler rules
apply.

Using Event Handlers in a Frame-Setting Document

A frame-setting document differs from a regular HTML document in that it
is not visible, and therefore does not include any output-generating HTML
tags. Nevertheless, a frame-setting document can feature several event han-
dlers that are very important for a frameset.
All event handlers that you normally issue within a <BODY> tag can be
issued within a <FRAMESET> tag. An onLoad event handler within a
<FRAMESET> tag, for example, specifies a JavaScript code to be executed
when all frames defined in that frameset have finished loading. Therefore,
the onLoad event handler in the <BODY> tag of a child frame triggers before
the onLoad event handler in the <FRAMESET> tag. When all frames under its
control have finished loading, the frameset that governs the frames receives
a separate load event.
onFocus and onBlur
Netscape Navigator 3.0 introduced a new functionality to the onFocus and
onBlur event handlers. You can use these event handlers to capture focus
and blur events that are associated with a frame. A frame gains focus when
the user clicks anywhere in that frame or issues a focus event in an element
of that frame. A frame’s blur event occurs when the frame loses focus.
There are two equivalent ways to specify an onFocus or an onBlur
event handler for a single frame:
n In the <BODY> tag of the frame’s document.
n In the <FRAMESET> tag of the frame-setting document. You can execute,
for example, the statement frames[0].onfocus = display from a
script within the frame-setting document. An event handler specified
using this technique overrides an event handler issued in the child
frame’s <BODY> tag.
Never use an alert() method or any other dialog box within a frame’s
onFocus event handler. Doing so results in an endless loop: When you press
OK to dismiss the alert, the underlying window gains focus again, and pro-
duces another focus event.
506 n Chapter 22

The following <BODY> definition of a frame’s document demonstrates a

common usage of the onBlur and onFocus event handlers:
<BODY BGCOLOR="lightgray" onBlur="document.bgColor='lightgray'"
onFocus="document.bgColor='antiquewhite'">

The frame’s background color depends on whether or not the frame has
focus.

Emulating Events
As with many other events, you can emulate the blur and focus events via
their corresponding methods. You can use, for instance, the following state-
ment to focus on the first frame from the point of view of another frame:
self.parent.frames[0].focus()

The same applies to the blur() method:

self.parent.frames[0].blur()

Since it is barely noticeable when a frame gains or loses focus, these meth-
ods are not that useful.

Targeting Multiple Frames

Creating a link in one frame to load a document in a different frame requires
a simple HTML attribute—TARGET. Consider the following frameset:
<FRAMESET ROWS="150, *">
<FRAME NAME="one" SRC="docA.htm">
<FRAMESET COLS="120, *">
<FRAME NAME="two" SRC="docB.htm">
<FRAME NAME="three" SRC="docC.htm">
</FRAMESET>
</FRAMESET>

A link in docA.htm that loads Netscape’s home page in the right frame
("three") would use the following syntax:
<A HREF="http://www.netscape.com/" TARGET="three">Netscape</A>

Now suppose you want a single link in docA.htm to load both Netscape’s
page in the frame named "three" and Microsoft’s page in the frame named
"two". JavaScript’s object hierarchy enables such operations:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function loadPages()
{
parent.two.location.href = 'http://www.microsoft.com/'
parent.three.location.href = 'http://www.netscape.com/'
}
 Frames n 507

// -->

Chapter 22
</SCRIPT>
<A HREF="javascript:loadPages()">Microsoft and Netscape</A>

Summary
While some prefer to avoid frames completely, they are widely used by oth-
ers. And there is absolutely no logical reason not to use them. Frames are
widely used because they enable web site designers to organize data in a
pleasant, structured format. Frames are very easy to handle with JavaScript.
An understanding of the JavaScript object model is required in order to take
advantage of the language’s powerful frame-handling features. Some frame
operations can be accomplished only by JavaScript. The only way, for exam-
ple, to load several documents in different frames when the user clicks a link
is by scripting the link’s event handler via JavaScript. Referencing objects in
JavaScript can be done with self, window, or no prefix at all. Mastering
frames requires practice. After creating a few JavaScript applications with
frames, you will have the knowledge to do virtually anything with frames.
508 n Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Evaluation and
Compilation

JavaScript is replete with functions that allow you to evaluate various items.
The basic idea is that these built-in functions will allow you to extract data
about something, such as a string. This is a somewhat advanced topic and
many JavaScript developers work for years without ever having to use these
functions. So if you have trouble with the functions in this chapter, don’t
worry—just do the best you can with them. In time as you encounter places
to use them, their use will become more clear.

Evaluating a String
The eval function executes the JavaScript contained within the brackets. In
some cases, this may return a value that can be assigned to a variable. It is
used to evaluate whatever is passed to it and then to run it. The eval()
function is the easiest way to evaluate a string expression. There are, how-
ever, several other ways:
var abc = "def"
document.write(abc) // 1
document.write("<BR>")
document.write(eval("abc")) // 2
document.write("<BR>")
document.write(window.abc) // 3
document.write("<BR>")
document.write(window["abc"]) // 4
document.write("<BR>")
document.write(window.eval("abc")) // 5

In the preceding script segment, all five lines (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) print the same
output: def (except for the fifth one in versions of Internet Explorer prior to
5.0).
n Line 1 The document.write() method automatically evaluates its argu-
ment, whether it is stored in a variable or handed to the function in the
form of a literal. In this particular case, I hand the function a data
 Evaluation and Compilation n 509

structure (a variable), which evaluates to def. This method always eval-

uates the argument, so you must surround a string literal with quotes
(of any type).
n Line 2 The eval() function evaluates its argument and returns it as is.
Unlike the document.write() function, eval() does not do anything
with the value except return it. In this case, the function returns abc
(not "abc"), and document.write(eval("abc")) is then equivalent to
document.write(abc), which outputs def, as explained above.

Chapter 23
n Line 3 Since all variables in a document are actual properties of the
window object, the variable abc can be specified with a complete object
reference, as shown on this line.
n Line 4 You can use the array notation instead of the dot syntax (win-
dow["abc"] is equivalent to window.abc). Since the square brackets
evaluate their content, you should place a quoted string inside.
n Line 5 Based on the preceding discussion, window.eval("abc") is
equivalent to window.abc.
Here is another set of slightly more complicated statements:
var abc = "def"
var def = "abc"
document.write(eval('eval("abc")')) // 1
document.write("<BR>")
document.write(eval(eval("abc"))) // 2
document.write("<BR>")
document.write(eval('window.eval("def")')) // 3
document.write("<BR>")
document.write(eval(window.eval("def"))) // 4
document.write("<BR>")
document.write(window[eval("def")]) // 5
document.write("<BR>")
document.write(eval(window[eval("def")])) // 6

These statements output different strings, as explained below.

n Line 1 eval('eval("abc")') evaluates to eval("abc") because the
top-level eval() removes the quotes. The expression eval("abc")
evaluates to abc, so the output of this statement is "def".
n Line 2 eval("abc") is evaluated first, because the innermost function
call is always evaluated before any other function call in the same
expression. (In the previous statement, as the “inner” function call is
actually a string, there is only one function call besides the docu-
ment.write() statement.) Therefore, eval("abc") evaluates to abc,
and eval(eval("abc")) evaluates to eval("def"), which, in turn, eval-
uates to def. The statement’s output is then "def".
n Line 3 You should have guessed that the output of this statement differs
from browser to browser (Internet Explorer and Mozilla). On both
browsers, eval('window.eval("def")') evaluates to win-
dow.eval("def"). This statement evaluates to "def" on Internet
510 n Chapter 23

Explorer, and "abc" on Netscape Navigator. (See the explanation for the
last statement in the previous script segment.)
n Line 4 I already know that window.eval("def") evaluates to "def" on
Internet Explorer, and "abc" on Netscape Navigator. Therefore,
eval(window.eval("def")) evaluates to the exact opposite: "abc" on
Internet Explorer, and "def" on Netscape Navigator.
n Line 5 eval("def") evaluates to def, so window[eval("def")] evalu-
ates to window[def], which evaluates to window["abc"]. Therefore,
this statement prints "def".
n Line 6 eval(window[eval("def")]) is actually the value handed to the
document.write() method in the previous statement, evaluated by
another eval() function call. Therefore, it evaluates to eval("def"),
which evaluates to def, so this statement prints "abc".

Function References and Calls

Take a look at the following function definition:
function multiply(op1, op2)
{
var result = op1 * op2
return result
}

A function call is an expression that invokes a function. The following state-

ment, for example, consists of a function call:
var num = multiply(5, 8)

Function calls are very convenient because you can specify arguments for
the function and accept the returned value. JavaScript, however, does not
always permit function calls. You cannot, for example, use a function call as a
constructor function’s method. Instead, you should use a function reference:
function makeOperator()
{
this.multiply = multiply // not multiply()
}

All functions in JavaScript are objects, so a function reference is actually an

object reference. Suppose you want to use a function in one window as a
method in a constructor function located in a different window. You should
specify the full function reference, using the following format:
this.methodName = windowReference.functionName

A function reference, as opposed to a function call, is not a command—the

JavaScript interpreter cannot execute it. You should treat a function like any
other object in JavaScript: Assign it to a variable, hand it to a function, and so
forth. Here’s an example:
 Evaluation and Compilation n 511

function myAlert(msg)
{
alert("*** " + msg + " ***")
}
function test(func)
{
func("Hello!")
}
test(myAlert)

Chapter 23
In this script segment I invoke the test() function with the function
myAlert (a reference) as an argument. I then refer to the function myAlert
as func, because the parameter is named func. Since func is equivalent to
myAlert, I can call it in the same fashion I would call the myAlert()
function.

Compiling Code as a Function

The function object specifies a string of JavaScript code to be compiled as a
function. The general syntax is:
var functionTarget = new Function ([arg1, arg2, ..., argn], functionBody)

functionTarget is the name of a variable or a property of an existing object.

It can also be a browser object followed by an event handler such as win-
dow.onerror.
arg1, arg2, ..., argn are string arguments to be used by the func-
tion as formal parameter names.
functionBody is a string specifying the JavaScript code to be compiled
as the function body.
The function object is supported in early versions of Netscape and
Internet Explorer. An instance of the function object is evaluated each time
it is used. This is much less efficient than declaring a function and invoking
it within your code, because declared functions are compiled. Declared func-
tions are evaluated as the page loads, and are stored in memory as machine
code. Instances of the function object are stored in memory as objects
(consisting of strings), and are converted to machine code for each
execution.

Specifying the Function’s Body

The function body, functionBody, is a string consisting of JavaScript state-
ments. You could use, for example, the following string:
"document.bgColor='antiquewhite'"

Things become more complicated when you want to create an instance with
a body of several statements. The string should then include all statements
separated by semicolons. Although you will rarely use this feature, I show
512 n Chapter 23

you how to write the function according to your personal preferences and
have a distinct script convert it to valid, one-line JavaScript code.
Take a look at the following function:
function getCookie(name)
{
var prefix = name + "="
var cookieStartIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(prefix)
if (cookieStartIndex == –1)
return null
var cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(";", cookieStartIndex +
prefix.length)
if (cookieEndIndex == –1)
cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.length
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(cookieStartIndex + prefix.length,
cookieEndIndex))
}

Example 23-1 prints the body of this function on one line, including semico-
lons where needed.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Function body string</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function getCookie(name)
{
var prefix = name + "="
var cookieStartIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(prefix)
if (cookieStartIndex == –1)
return null
var cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.indexOf(";", cookieStartIndex +
prefix.length)
if (cookieEndIndex == –1)
cookieEndIndex = document.cookie.length
return unescape(document.cookie.substring(cookieStartIndex + prefix.length,
cookieEndIndex))
}
// print function body
document.write(getCookie)
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 23-1 (ex23-1.htm). You can print a function reference to see its one-line
equivalent.
 Evaluation and Compilation n 513

Using the function Object with a Variable

The following statement assigns a function to a variable:
var setBGColorBeige = new Function("document.bgColor = 'beige'")

Since it serves as a function, it is a good practice to include a verb form in

the variable’s name. You can call the variable as if it were a regular function:
setBGColorBeige()

Chapter 23
Assigning a function to a variable is similar to declaring a function, with
some differences, as expressed in Table 23-1.
Table 23-1. The differences between declaring a function and assigning a function to a vari-
able

Assigning a function to a variable Declaring a function

functionName = new Function("…") function functionName() {…}
functionName is a variable for which functionName is the name of a function,
the current value is a reference to the not a variable.
function created with new Function().
The function’s body is evaluated each The function’s body is evaluated only
time you call the function. once—when the browser parses the
script.
The function’s parameters and body The function’s parameters and body are
are specified as strings. plain code, not an explicit data type.

Specifying Arguments
As you already know, you can create an instance of the function object that
takes arguments. Take a look at the following statement:
var multiply = new Function("x", "y", "return x * y")

The last argument handed to the Function() constructor is the function’s

body (in the form of a string). Preceding string arguments are formal param-
eter names that are used in the function’s body. Although they do not act as
strings in the function, the arguments must be specified as strings. If you do
not specify them as string literals, JavaScript attempts to evaluate them. If
you use the following statement, for example, JavaScript will look for two
variables named x and y:
var multiply = new Function(x, y, "return x * y")

You can invoke a function reference created with the Function() construc-
tor as if it were a declared function.
514 n Chapter 23

Using the function Object with an Event Handler

You have already seen how to assign a function reference to an event han-
dler. Here is a simple example:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
function bye()
{
alert("Bye!")
}
window.onunload = bye
// -->
</SCRIPT>

I assign the window’s onunload event handler a function reference, not a

function call. Note that you cannot use arguments with an event handler.
When you want to assign a statement to an event handler with this tech-
nique, you must use a function reference even if you want to specify only a
single statement as demonstrated in the preceding script. It may seem very
annoying to create a function for each event handler. Therefore, you can
assign a function reference to an event handler via the Function() construc-
tor. The preceding script would then be much more simple and organized:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
window.onunload = new Function('alert("Bye!")')
// -->
</SCRIPT>

When the user unloads a document containing such a script, an alert dialog
box pops up. When you assign a function reference to an event handler in
this fashion, the event handler becomes a reference to a function object.
When you use it as a function, the event handler method will be converted
from an object to a function:
window.onunload()

Properties of the function Object

Instances of the function object do not feature any properties. But, like all
other dynamic objects in JavaScript, you can use its prototype property to
extend the object by adding properties to it. Here is an interesting example:
function execute(x, y)
{
var now = new Date()
if (now.getDay() == 5 && now.getDate() == 13) // Friday 13
alert("This function does not execute on Friday the 13th")
else
this(x, y)
}
 Evaluation and Compilation n 515

Function.prototype.exec = execute
var add = new Function("x", "y", "alert(x + y)")
add.exec(3, 4)

I use a function reference, execute, as a property (method) of Func-

tion.prototype, so the function execute() becomes a method of all
instances of the function object. Note that I could have used Function()
directly, instead of declaring a function and assigning its reference. Now, let’s
take a look at the execute() function. It first creates an instance of the Date

Chapter 23
object reflecting the current time and date. I check if the current date hap-
pens to be Friday the 13th, and if so, a corresponding message is displayed
via the window.alert() method. If it is not Friday the 13th, the statement
this(x, y) executes. I’ll refer to our specific instance, add, in order to
make this clear. When I assign an instance of the function object to the
variable add, it becomes an object. You can invoke that object as a function:
add(3, 4)

You can also invoke its method, exec(), in the following fashion:
add.exec(3, 4)

When you call exec() as a method of the add object, its calling object is
obviously add. Therefore, the keyword this refers to add, and this(x, y)
is equivalent to add(x, y).

Summary
In this chapter, I dealt mostly with the eval function and function refer-
ences. Bear in mind that all functions are objects, and parentheses are used
only to invoke a function. As you will find out with practice, there are many
things you can do with functions besides calling them.
516 n Chapter 24

Chapter 24

JavaScript Authoring
Tools

Introduction
Frankly, I am an old-school programmer and do my HTML, JavaScript, Java,
and even C in a simple text editor. However, this is not for everyone. Many
people prefer an authoring tool to help smooth out the development process.
Several authoring tools have shown up recently. These tools aim at helping
you ramp up faster on HTML and JavaScript. Let’s look at a couple of
JavaScript authoring tools that are widely available today.

ScrypTik
This editor, which can be downloaded at http://www.scryptik.com/, is very
easy to use. The main screen is shown in Figure 24-1. It has a simple inter-
face with a work area that looks and behaves much like any basic text editor.

Figure 24-1. ScrypTik user interface

 JavaScript Authoring Tools n 517

The toolbar, shown in Figure 24-2, is easy to work with and most of the tools
are self-explanatory, but we will discuss a few of the less familiar here. Once
you have typed in your HTML and JavaScript, simply click on the check
mark button in the toolbar and ScrypTik will check your JavaScript code and
give you the line numbers of any errors along with descriptive error mes-
sages. The V button you see on the toolbar allows you to view the output of
your script in a web browser.

Figure 24-2. ScrypTik toolbar

In addition to the toolbar, the drop-down menus allow you to select a variety
of settings. Particularly important is the Options menu, which allows you to
set colors and properties of the visual interface. The Options window also

Chapter 24
allows you to choose the Errors and Warnings tab from which you can set
the way the editor will handle errors. This screen is shown in Figure 24-3.

Figure 24-3. Errors and Warnings settings

ScrypTik is very easy to use and working with it for just a short time will
allow you to be completely competent in its use. Tools like ScrypTik can be
very useful in reducing debugging time.
518 n Chapter 24

Komodo
This product, available from ActiveState (www.activestate.com), is also
available as a free trial download version. The opening page of Komodo,
shown in Figure 24-4, has a number of useful links to things like an FAQ
page and various helpful Komodo information links.

Figure 24-4. Komodo main screen

To start a new page, you simply go to the File menu and select New. At that
point you simply type in your HTML and JavaScript. As you work with this
tool you will notice that it takes a bit more time to learn. You may also dis-
cover that some of the features in this product may not be pertinent to you
because they are designed for larger development teams. For example,
under File you can integrate Komodo with source code control tools. This
tool is probably not the tool of choice for the beginner, but might be a solu-
tion for teams that are looking for a JavaScript editing solution.
 JavaScript Authoring Tools n 519

1st JavaScript Editor Pro

You can get this product at http://www.yaldex.com/JSFactory_Pro.htm. The
opening screen is shown in Figure 24-5. As you can see, this editor, like
most editors, starts you off with a shell HTML/JavaScript page. It also dis-
plays line numbers to the left, which can be invaluable in debugging large
scripts.

Chapter 24
Figure 24-5. 1st JavaScript Editor Pro

Perhaps the most important feature of this tool is that as you type it gives
you tips. So if you forget a particular keyword or the specific syntax for a
given function, it is shown to you (see Figure 24-6).

Figure 24-6. Assistance for

JavaScript is displayed as you type
520 n Chapter 24

Even more helpful are the menus at the top. If you select the Functions
menu you get a drop-down list of common functions such as focus, alert,
and document.write that you can simply insert into your script. The State-
ments menu gives you similar functionality with statements (e.g., if-end
if, etc.). The HTML menu does the same thing for HTML tags (bold, ital-
ics, etc.).
Because of these helpful tools for inserting HTML and JavaScript
directly into your code, I feel that this is one of the best tools for the novice.
Beginners frequently forget proper syntax and spend time looking through
books or web pages to remind themselves of how a particular thing should
be written. With this tool, a lot of that is done for you.

Summary
Clearly, one can simply use any text editor to write HTML and JavaScript;
however, many programmers find editors are useful in helping them write
code quicker and debug it faster. In this chapter we have briefly examined a
few JavaScript editing tools you can download from the web. Hopefully, one
of these will meet your editing needs. A simple search of the web will reveal
many more products like these that you can use to edit HTML and
JavaScript.
 Plug-ins n 521

Chapter 25

Plug-ins

Plug-ins are very common parts of web pages. For example, you have proba-
bly seen Flash animations inserted into HTML pages. There are a variety of
things that can be plugged into HTML. In this chapter we will discuss some
of the more common plug-ins and methods of incorporating plug-in objects.

Embedding a Plug-in Object in HTML

A plug-in is a piece of software that the browser calls to process data refer-
enced in an HTML document. In order to reference such data in an HTML
tag, you must use the <EMBED> tag. This tag’s general syntax is as follows:
<EMBED
SRC=source
NAME=appletName
HEIGHT=height
WIDTH=width>
[<PARAM NAME=parameterName VALUE=parameterValue>]
[...</PARAM>]
</EMBED>

SRC=source specifies the URL containing the source content to be inter-

preted by the plug-in.
NAME=appletName specifies the name of the embedded object in the
document.
HEIGHT=height specifies the height of the applet in pixels within the
browser window.
WIDTH=width specifies the width of the applet in pixels within the
browser window.
<PARAM> defines a parameter for the embedded object.
NAME=parameterName specifies the name of the parameter.
VALUE=parameterValue specifies a value for the parameter (an
argument).
We will refer to such <EMBED> definitions as plug-ins, although that is
not entirely correct.
522 n Chapter 25

Referencing Plug-ins in JavaScript

You can reference the plug-ins in your code by using the embeds array, a
property of the document object. This array contains an entry for each
plugin object (<EMBED> tag) in a document, in source order. That is, the first
plugin object in the document is reflected by the first element of the array,
for example, document.embeds[0]. The length property of this array, docu-
ment.embeds.length, holds the number of plugin objects in the document.
Elements in the embeds array are read-only, so a statement such as the fol-
lowing has no effect:
document.embeds[0]="myVideo.avi"

It is important to understand that each element of the embeds array is a

plugin object. As you will see later in this chapter, referencing a plugin
object is very useful, because some plug-ins feature JavaScript methods.
You can also reference a plugin object by its name. Take a look at the
following HTML definition:
<EMBED SRC="rabin.avi" AUTOSTART=FALSE LOOP=FALSE HEIGHT=120 WIDTH=159
NAME="rabin">

Assuming this is the first plug-in in the HTML document, you can reference
it via JavaScript in two ways:
n document.embeds[0]
n document.rabin

We recommend that you use the second method because it is more conve-
nient. It does not rely on the order in which the plug-ins are defined, so you
do not have to modify your scripts if you choose to change the order of the
plug-ins in the document. Secondly, you can choose meaningful names for
your plug-ins so your code becomes much easier to understand.

Determining Installed Plug-ins with JavaScript

You can use JavaScript to determine if a user has installed a plug-in (the
software). You can then display embedded plug-in data if the plug-in is
installed, or alternative content if it is not. You can also determine whether a
client is capable of handling a particular MIME (Multipart Internet Mail
Extension) type. The navigator object has two properties for checking
installed plug-ins:
n The mimeTypes object is an array of all the MIME types supported by
the client. A MIME type can be supported either internally, via a helper
application, or by plug-ins. Each element of this array is an object that
has properties for its type, description, file extensions, and enabled
plug-ins. The array is named mimeTypes, and each element is a
mimeTypes object.
 Plug-ins n 523

n The plugins object is an array of all the plug-ins installed on the client.
Each element of this array has properties for its name and description as
well as an array of mimeTypes objects for the MIME types supported by
that plug-in. Each element of the plugins array is a plugins object.
In order to check if a plug-in is supported, you must know that plug-in’s
name. The general syntax used to check if a specific plug-in is installed is as
follows:
if (navigator.plugins["name of the plug-in"]) ...

The name often consists of space characters or other nonalphanumeric char-

acters, so it is a common practice to use the array notation, even if the dot
syntax is possible. The following script segment checks if the Shockwave
plug-in is installed, and provides data for that plug-in if it is:
if (navigator.plugins["Shockwave"])
document.writeln("<EMBED SRC='myMovie.dir' HEIGHT=100 WIDTH=100>")
else
document.writeln("You don't have Shockwave installed!")

Once you have installed a plug-in on your computer, it is very easy to find its
name.
Some JavaScript programmers prefer to write a simple Boolean function
to assist in determining whether a given plug-in is installed. Here is an

Chapter 25
example:
function isInstalled(plugName)
{
if (navigator.plugins[plugName])
return true
else
return false
}

The following script checks whether the client is capable of displaying

QuickTime movies.
if (navigator.mimeTypes["video/quicktime"])
document.writeln("Click <A HREF='movie.qt'>here</A> to see a QuickTime
movie")
else
document.writeln("Sorry, can't show you any movies.")

You should use such plug-in detection routines with care, because they often
conflict with LiveConnect routines located in the same document.

Properties of the mimeTypes Object

A mimeTypes object, as found in the mimeTypes array (as an element), fea-
tures the following properties:
n type—the name of the MIME type, such as "video/mpeg" or
"audio/x-wav". This property is obviously a string.
524 n Chapter 25

n description—a description of the MIME type, such as “JPEG image.”

n enabledPlugin—a reference to the plugins object that handles the
MIME type.
n suffixes—a string listing possible filename extensions (suffixes) for
the MIME type. This property is a string consisting of any valid suffix,
typically three letters long, separated by commas.
n length—the number of elements in the array.
Example 25-1 shows a list of the MIME types supported by the browser,
including all three string properties of each mimeTypes object.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Supported MIME types</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// notice that you do not have to issue </TH> and </TD> tags!
document.write("<TABLE BORDER=1><TR VALIGN=TOP>" +
"<TH ALIGN=left><I>i</I>" +
"<TH ALIGN=left><I>type</I>" +
"<TH ALIGN=left><I>description</I>" +
"<TH ALIGN=left><I>suffixes</I></TR>")
for (var i = 0; i < navigator.mimeTypes.length; ++i)
{
document.writeln("<TR VALIGN=TOP><TD>" +
i +
"<TD>" +
navigator.mimeTypes[i].type +
"<TD>" +
navigator.mimeTypes[i].description +
"<TD>" +
navigator.mimeTypes[i].suffixes +
"</TR>")
}
document.writeln("</TABLE>")
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 25-1 (ex25-1.htm). We use tables to organize the list of supported MIME
types.

You can see this demonstrated in Figure 25-1.

Try loading Example 25-1 in your browser. You should see a fairly long
list of MIME types. Figure 25-1 shows the beginning of the list as it
appeared on our computer.
 Plug-ins n 525

Figure 25-1. The plug-ins list

Notice that in Example 25-1 we referred to elements of the mimeTypes array

by indices. You can also use the MIME type’s name, as shown earlier in this
chapter. Here are a few examples:
navigator.mimeTypes["image/jpeg"].type
navigator.mimeTypes["image/jpeg"].description
navigator.mimeTypes["image/jpeg"].suffixes

Properties of the plugins Object

The plugins object features the following properties:
n name—the name of the plug-in.

Chapter 25
n filename—the name of the plug-in file on disk.
n description—a description supplied by the plug-in itself.
n length—the number of elements in the array.
n [...]—array of mimeTypes objects, indexed by number or type, that the
plug-in can handle.
The following statement, for example, assigns shorthand variables for the
predefined Shockwave properties:
var myPlugin = navigator.plugins["Shockwave"].name
var myPluginFile = navigator.plugins["Shockwave"].filename
var myPluginDesc = navigator.plugins["Shockwave"].description

Example 25-2 lists the installed plug-ins, including each plug-in’s name, file-
name, description, and MIME types that it handles.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Installed plug-ins</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
// notice that you do not have to issue </TH> and </TD> tags!
document.write("<TABLE BORDER=1>")
for (i = 0; i < navigator.plugins.length; ++i)
{
document.writeln("<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=2>" +
"<U><B>" + navigator.plugins[i].name + "</B></U><BR>" +
526 n Chapter 25

"<U>Filename:</U> " + navigator.plugins[i].filename + "<BR>" +

"<U>Description:</U> " + navigator.plugins[i].description + "<BR>" +
"<U>MIME types:</U> ")
for (var j = 0; j < navigator.plugins[i].length; ++j)
{
document.write(navigator.plugins[i][j].type + "; ")
}
document.write("</FONT></TD></TR>")
}
document.write("</TABLE>")
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 25-2 (ex25-2.htm). I use navigator.plugins to list the installed plug-ins and
their properties.

The following statement assigns the string "LiveAudio" to a variable:

var audioPlugin = navigator.mimeTypes["audio/basic"].enabledPlugin.name

The name property belongs to a plugins object, because naviga-

tor.mimeTypes["audio/basic"].enabledPlugin is equivalent to
navigator.plugins["LiveAudio"].

LiveAudio and LiveVideo

LiveAudio and LiveVideo are plug-ins that are built into Netscape Navigator
6.0 and above. LiveAudio enables you to embed audio in a web page,
whereas LiveVideo supports various video formats. Since both LiveAudio
and LiveVideo are plug-ins, you include them in an HTML document via the
standard <EMBED> tag.

LiveAudio
LiveAudio plays audio files in WAV, AIFF, AU, and MIDI formats. Audio con-
trols appear according to the size specified in the WIDTH and HEIGHT
parameters in the <EMBED> tag. You can create an audio console with any of
the following controls:
n console—consisting of a Play, Pause, Stop, and volume control lever.
This is the most complete suite of controls.
n smallConsole—consisting of a Play, Stop, and volume control lever. The
buttons in this view are somewhat smaller than those in a console.
n playButton—a button that starts the sound playing.
n pauseButton—a button that pauses (without unloading) the sound while
it is playing.
n stopButton—a button that ends the playing of sound and unloads it.
n volumeLever—a lever that adjusts the volume level for playback of the
sound (and adjusts the system’s volume level).
 Plug-ins n 527

Here is the general HTML syntax for a LiveAudio control:

<EMBED SRC=[URL] AUTOSTART=[TRUE|FALSE] LOOP=[TRUE|FALSE|INTEGER]
STARTTIME=[MINUTES:SECONDS] ENDTIME=[MINUTES:SECONDS] VOLUME=[0-100]
WIDTH=[#PIXELS] HEIGHT=[#PIXELS] ALIGN=[TOP|BOTTOM|CENTER|BASELINE
|LEFT|RIGHT|TEXTTOP|MIDDLE|ABSMIDDLE|ABSBOTTOM] CONTROLS=[CONSOLE
|SMALLCONSOLE|PLAYBUTTON|PAUSEBUTTON|STOPBUTTON|VOLUMELEVER] HIDDEN=[TRUE]
MASTERSOUND NAME=[UNIQUE NAME TO GROUP CONTROLS TOGETHER SO THAT THEY CONTROL
ONE SOUND]...>

The syntax may seem very complicated, but a close look shows that it does
not consist of many attributes. It’s a bit misleading because there are many
different values that can be given to each attribute. Here is a short descrip-
tion of each attribute and the values it accepts:
n SRC=[URL]—The URL of the source sound file. It can be either a rela-
tive URL or a full URL, including the server’s identification.
n AUTOSTART=[TRUE|FALSE]—When set to TRUE, the sound will begin
playing automatically upon loading the web page. The default is FALSE.
n LOOP=[TRUE|FALSE|INTEGER]—When set to TRUE, the sound will play
continuously until the Stop button is clicked on the console or the user
goes to another page. If an INTEGER value is used, the sound repeats the
number of times indicated.
n STARTTIME=[MINUTES:SECONDS]—Use STARTTIME to specify where the

Chapter 25
playback should begin. If you want to begin the sound at 30 seconds, you
would set the value to 00:30.
n ENDTIME=[MINUTES:SECONDS]—Use ENDTIME to specify where in the
sound file you would like playback to end. If you want to stop the sound
at 1.5 minutes, you would set the value to 01:30.
n VOLUME=[0-100]—This value must be a number from 0 to 100 to repre-
sent 0 to 100 percent. This attribute sets the volume for the sound that
is playing or for the entire system if MASTERVOLUME (see NAME attribute
below) is used. The default volume level is the current system volume.
n WIDTH=[#PIXELS]—Use WIDTH to change the width of the console or
console element. For the CONSOLE and SMALLCONSOLE, the default is
WIDTH=144. For VOLUMELEVER, the default is WIDTH=74. For a button, the
default is WIDTH=37 (WIDTH=34 looks much better). We suggest that you
specify this attribute regardless of whether it is the default value.
n HEIGHT=[#PIXELS]—Use HEIGHT to change the height of the console.
For CONSOLE, the default is HEIGHT=60. For the SMALLCONSOLE, the
default is HEIGHT=15. For VOLUMELEVER, the default is HEIGHT=20. For a
button, the default is HEIGHT=22. We strongly recommend specifying
this attribute even if it is the default.
n ALIGN=[TOP|BOTTOM|CENTER|BASELINE|LEFT|RIGHT|TEXTTOP|MIDDLE|
ABSMIDDLE|ABSBOTTOM]—While RIGHT and LEFT specify the position of
the console with respect to the page, the other options tell the browser
how you want to align text as it flows around the consoles. It acts
528 n Chapter 25

similarly to the ALIGN attribute of the <IMG> tag. The default value is
BOTTOM.
n CONTROLS=[CONSOLE|SMALLCONSOLE|PLAYBUTTON|PAUSEBUTTON|
STOPBUTTON|VOLUMELEVER]—Use this attribute to select the control you
want to place on your page. The default for this field is CONSOLE.
n HIDDEN=[TRUE]—The value for this attribute should be TRUE, or it
should not be included in the <EMBED> tag. If it is specified as TRUE, no
controls will load and the sound will act as a background one.
n MASTERSOUND—This value must be used when grouping sounds together
in a NAME group. It takes no value (it must merely be present in the
<EMBED> tag), but tells LiveAudio which file is a genuine sound file and
allows it to ignore any stub files. In order to associate several <EMBED>s
with one sound file, all <EMBED>s should have the same name (see the
NAME attribute). The SRC attribute of one of those <EMBED>s should be
the URL of the actual sound file, whereas the other SRC attributes
should specify the URL of a stub file. A stub file is a text file containing a
single space (that’s the recommended content). Its name should consist
of a sound extension (e.g., .mid, .wav, .aif). To create a page with four
LiveAudio elements (Play, Pause, Stop, and Volume) all controlling the
same file, you need to create three sound stubs and of course have one
legitimate sound file (for a total of four <EMBED>s). Anytime you use the
NAME attribute in a LiveAudio <EMBED>, you must also use a MASTER-
SOUND attribute. LiveAudio will play no sound when a NAME attribute
exists without a corresponding MASTERSOUND attribute, even if that is the
only <EMBED> with that name on the page. Since you do not want
LiveAudio to attempt to play a stub file (it contains no sound data), you
should specify a NAME attribute with no MASTERSOUND attribute. The
<EMBED> reflecting the legitimate sound file, on the other hand, should
feature MASTERSOUND in order to play.
n NAME=[UNIQUE NAME]—This attribute sets a unique ID for a group of
<EMBED>s (each with a distinct CONTROLS attribute), so they all act on the
same sound as it plays. The deficiency of <EMBED>’s syntax is that it
takes only one value for CONTROLS. For example, if a content creator
wishes to have one sound controlled by two embedded objects (a
PLAYBUTTON and a STOPBUTTON), he or she must use two separate
<EMBED>s and group them by the NAME attribute. In this case,
MASTERSOUND is necessary to flag LiveAudio and let it know which of the
two <EMBED> tags actually has the sound file you wish to control.
LiveAudio ignores any <EMBED>(s) with no MASTERSOUND attribute.
If you want one VOLUMELEVER to control multiple NAMEs (or the sys-
tem volume), create an <EMBED> using VOLUMELEVER for CONTROLS. Then
set NAME to "_MASTERVOLUME".
Example 25-3 is a nice summary of the LiveAudio features.
 Plug-ins n 529

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>LiveAudio</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<TABLE BORDER=1><TR>
<TD BGCOLOR="black" ALIGN="center">
<FONT COLOR="white" SIZE=2>Beverly Hills</FONT><BR>
<EMBED SRC="bhl90210.mid"
AUTOSTART=FALSE
LOOP=FALSE
CONTROLS=PLAYBUTTON
WIDTH=34
HEIGHT=22
MASTERSOUND
NAME="90210">
<EMBED SRC="stub1.aif"
AUTOSTART=FALSE
LOOP=FALSE
CONTROLS=STOPBUTTON
WIDTH=34
HEIGHT=22
NAME="90210">
<EMBED SRC="stub2.aif"
AUTOSTART=FALSE

Chapter 25
LOOP=FALSE
CONTROLS=PAUSEBUTTON
WIDTH=34
HEIGHT=22
NAME="90210">
</TD>
<TD BGCOLOR="black" ALIGN="center">
<FONT COLOR="white" SIZE=2>Melrose</FONT><BR>
<EMBED SRC="melrose.mid"
AUTOSTART=FALSE
LOOP=FALSE
CONTROLS=PLAYBUTTON
WIDTH=34
HEIGHT=22
MASTERSOUND
NAME="melrose">
<EMBED SRC="stub1.aif"
AUTOSTART=FALSE
LOOP=FALSE
CONTROLS=STOPBUTTON
WIDTH=34
HEIGHT=22
NAME="melrose">
<EMBED SRC="stub2.aif"
AUTOSTART=FALSE
LOOP=FALSE
CONTROLS=PAUSEBUTTON
WIDTH=34
HEIGHT=22
530 n Chapter 25

NAME="melrose">
</TD>
</TR><TR>
<TD COLSPAN=2 BGCOLOR="black" ALIGN="center">
<FONT COLOR="white" SIZE=2>Master Volume</FONT><BR>
<EMBED SRC="stub1.aif"
CONTROLS=VOLUMELEVER
WIDTH=74
HEIGHT=20
NAME="_MASTERVOLUME">
</TD>
</TR></TABLE>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 25-3 (ex25-3.htm). Two sound files, with three <EMBED>s for each, and
an <EMBED> to control the system volume

Since each <EMBED> statement can specify one control object, we need three
of them to place the PLAYBUTTON, STOPBUTTON, and PAUSEBUTTON. Here’s the
syntax for the Master Volume control:
<EMBED SRC="stub1.aif"
CONTROLS=VOLUMELEVER
WIDTH=74
HEIGHT=20
NAME="_MASTERVOLUME">

Notice that the first character in the object’s name is an underscore.

LiveVideo
LiveVideo plays video files in AVI format. Use the <EMBED> tag to place AVI
movies in your web page. The general syntax for this tag is as follows:
<EMBED SRC=[URL] AUTOSTART=[TRUE|FALSE] LOOP=[TRUE|FALSE] WIDTH=[#PIXELS]
HEIGHT=[#PIXELS] ALIGN=[TOP|BOTTOM|CENTER|BASELINE|LEFT|RIGHT|TEXTTOP|
MIDDLE|ABSMIDDLE|ABSBOTTOM]...>

We discussed the attributes in the LiveAudio section.

Once the AVI video loads, you can start it with a click (only if you didn’t
set AUTOSTART to TRUE). Click the right mouse button over the video panel
for a list of operations.
 Plug-ins n 531

Other Plug-ins
There are currently hundreds of plug-ins besides LiveAudio and LiveVideo.
We decided to focus on these for several reasons:
n They come bundled with Netscape Navigator 6.0 and later, so anyone
running this browser can view audio and video files without down-
loading any external software.
n Both LiveAudio and LiveVideo enable LiveConnect, so you can control
them with JavaScript (and Java).
Live3D lets you access distributed 3D spaces rendered at maximum speed
with adaptive rendering, background processing, hardware acceleration, and
GZIP data compression. This plug-in also matches the preceding features,
but it is beyond the scope of this book because it requires VRML.

Summary
In this chapter we focused on embedding plug-ins in HTML and referencing
them with JavaScript. We also introduced LiveAudio and LiveVideo. Before
you move on, be sure you know how to reference plug-ins with JavaScript,
both with the embeds array and by name.

Chapter 25
532 n Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Style Sheets

Introduction
In early versions of browsers, web page authors had limited control over the
page style. They could not, for example, specify the left margin for their
pages. The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) solved this problem by
introducing standards for defining stylistic attributes for web pages. Cas-
cading style sheets are now a common aspect of many web pages.
Using style sheets, you can specify many such attributes, ranging from
text color, margins, and element alignments to font styles and sizes.
Netscape Communicator supports two types of style sheets: cascading
style sheets (CSS) and JavaScript-accessible style sheets. The W3C has
defined a set of properties and syntax for CSS, and its proposal is posted at
http://www.w3.org/pub/WWW/TR/PR-CSS1. Each style item is defined by a
relevant attribute. The left margin, for example, is set by margin-left, and
the interword spacing by word-spacing.
In this book, the JavaScript-accessible style sheet syntax will be used to
manipulate style sheets. For each stylistic property, there is a JavaScript
equivalent. Generally, property names are the same for both types, with
some minor differences due to JavaScript naming restrictions.
Using JavaScript, you can specify styles for all elements of a particular
kind (all paragraphs should be displayed in green, for example) or you can
declare classes of styles to which you can assign any element you want. You
can define, for instance, a class called BAR whose style is green, bold, large
text. Any document element (paragraph, block quote, heading) can be a
member of the class BAR, and it will be displayed in green, bold, large text.
You can also specify local styles for individual instances of document ele-
ments. You can specify, for example, that the color for a single, particular
paragraph is blue.
 Style Sheets n 533

Content Layout
Using style sheets, you can determine margins for individual elements on a
page, or for all elements on a page. The following code, for instance, speci-
fies that all paragraphs will have a right margin of 20 pixels:
<STYLE>
tags.P.rightmargin=20;
</STYLE>

Font Properties
You can create styles that determine font size and font style (such as bold).
The following code, for example, specifies that all block quote elements will
appear in bold:
<STYLE>
document.blockquote.fontStyle="bold";
</STYLE>

Text Properties
The modifiable attributes of text properties include line height, text attrib-
ute (such as underlined), horizontal and vertical alignment of text, and text
indent (which allows indented and outdented paragraphs). For example:
<STYLE>
// the line height for block quotes is increased by 150 percent
tags.blockquote.lineHeight* = 1.5
// level four headings are underlined

Chapter 26
tags.H4.textDecoration = "underline"
// bold elements are vertically aligned with the top of their parent
tags.B.verticalAlign = "top"
// level five headings are displayed in uppercase
tags.H5.textTransform = "uppercase"
// the text in all paragraphs is centered
tags.P.align = "center"
// the first line of each paragraph is indented 20 pixels
tag.P.indent = 20
</STYLE>

Inheritance of Styles
JavaScript-based style sheets use the notion of parent and child elements.
For example, in the following HTML source, the <H1> element is the parent,
while the <EM> element is a child of the <H1> element.
<H1>The headline <EM>is</EM> important!</H1>
534 n Chapter 26

In general, child elements acquire or inherit the styles of their parent ele-
ments. Look at the following example:
<H1 CLASS="boldBlue">The headline <EM>is</EM> important!</H1>

The child element (the <EM> element) inherits the style of its parent, so the
word “is” will appear emphasized in the boldBlue style. However, if you had
previously set up a style that specified that the <EM> element should be dis-
played in red, then the word “is” would be displayed in red, since properties
set on the child override properties inherited from the parent. Inheritance
starts at the oldest ancestor, at the top-level element. In HTML, this is the
<HTML> element that is followed by <BODY>.
To set default style properties, just define the style before the <BODY>
element. For example, the following code sets the default text color to
green:
<STYLE>document.tags.BODY.color="green";</STYLE>

If you want to change the color in a specific place, you can set styles for dif-
ferent kinds of elements, or you can set up classes of styles. Some style
properties cannot be inherited from the parent, such as background color.

Creating Style Sheets and Assigning Styles

There are three ways to specify styles using JavaScript-based style sheets:
(1) create external style sheets and link them into your document, (2) create
style sheets within a document, or (3) specify specific styles for certain ele-
ments within a document.
The simplest way to assign styles is to apply them to all elements of a
certain type. For example, the following code indicates that all level one
headings will be displayed in green:
<STYLE>document.tags.H1.color = "green"</STYLE>

Setting up classes of styles within a document (boldBlue style, for example)

will allow you to apply styles to some elements but not others. Then, when-
ever you want an element to be displayed in that style, you simply tell the
browser what class of style to use. For example:
<STYLE TYPE="text/javascript">
classes.boldBlue.all.color = "blue";
classes.boldBlue.all.fontlight = "bold";
</STYLE>
<P CLASS="boldBlue">This paragraph appears in bold, blue style</P>
<P>This should be in the normal document color<P>

The rest of this section describes the different ways to assign styles.
 Style Sheets n 535

Defining Styles with the <STYLE> Tag in the Header

You can use the <STYLE> tag within the header of a document to define
styles for specified elements used in the document. You can specify, for
instance, that all level one headings are blue, all block quotes are red, all
paragraphs are emphasized, and so on. For example:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>A Grand Title</TITLE>
<STYLE TYPE="text/javascript">
tags.H1.color = "blue"
</STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<H1>This heading is in blue</H1>

Specifying Styles for Individual Elements

You can use the STYLE attribute to specify a style for a particular instance of
an element. You can specify, for example, that a particular paragraph is green
or a particular block quote is bold. This approach mixes style with content,
as opposed to style sheets where they are separated. For example:
<BODY>
<P STYLE="color = 'green'">This paragraph is green.</P>
<P>This paragraph is in the usual color </P>
</BODY>

Defining Classes of Styles

You can declare classes of styles by using the CLASSES attribute inside the

Chapter 26
<STYLE> tag. You can define, for example, a green, bold class. Whenever you
want an element to be green and bold, you can specify that the element is a
member of the greenbold class. For example:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Title</TITLE>
<STYLE TYPE="text/javascript">
classes.greenbold.all.color = "#00FF00"
classes.greenbold.all.fontlight = "bold"
</STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<H1 CLASS=greenbold>This heading is way too green</H1>

You can use the keyword all to specify that all tags within the class are
affected by the STYLE property, or you can selectively identify which ele-
ments belong to the class. The following code, for instance, creates a class
called red1. Only paragraphs and block quotes will be displayed in this style:
536 n Chapter 26

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Title</TITLE>
<STYLE TYPE="text/javascript">
classes.red1.P.color = "red"
classes.red1.blockquote.color = "red"
</STYLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<H1 CLASS=red1>This paragraph is in red</H1>
<P>This paragraph is in the default color, since it is not a member of
class red1.</P>
<BLOCKQUOTE CLASS="red1">Oh what a beautifully red quote this is.
</BLOCKQUOTE>

Format Properties
JavaScript-accessible style sheets treat each block level element as if it is
surrounded by a box. (Block level elements start on a new line; for example,
<H1> and <P> are block level elements, but <EM> is not.) Each box can have
padding, border, and margins. You can set values for top, bottom, left, and
right padding and margins. The padding area uses the same background as
the element itself (which is set with the background property). The margins
are always transparent, so the parent element shines through. The width of
the box is the sum of the element width (that is, the width of the formatted
text or image), the padding, and the border. Padding and margin properties
are not inherited, but, since the placement of an element is relative to its
ancestors and siblings, the parent’s padding and margin properties affect its
children.

Box Math
Seven length units influence the horizontal dimension of a box: left margin,
left border, left padding, width, right padding, right border, right margin. The
width of the element has to be equal to the sum of these units. Therefore,
you cannot specify values for all seven properties and expect them to be
honored.
By default, the value of the width property is automatically calculated
based on the other properties’ values (auto). If width, however, is assigned
another value, or the dimensions do not add up for other reasons, the prop-
erty with the lowest rank (closest to 7) will automatically be calculated
(auto).

Replaced Elements
A replaced element is an element that is replaced by content pointed to from
the element. For example, in HTML, the <IMG> element is replaced by the
image pointed to by the SRC attribute.
 Style Sheets n 537

Replaced elements often come with their own intrinsic width and
height. If the value for width is auto, the intrinsic width is used as the width
of the element. If a value other than auto is specified in the style sheet, this
value is used and the replaced element should be resized accordingly (the
resize method will depend on the media type). The height of the element is
determined in a similar way.

Setting Margins
You can set the size of the margins for a block level element by specifying
the marginLeft, marginRight, marginTop, and marginBottom properties.
You can also use the predefined margins() method to set all four properties
simultaneously. For example:
// manual assignment
with(tags.P)
{
marginTop = 30;
marginBottom = 40;
marginRight = 50;
marginLeft = 60;
}

The above manual assignment has the same result as the call to the mar-
gins() method shown below:
// assignment using a method
// margins(top, right, bottom, left)
tags.P.margins(30, 50, 40, 60);

To set the default margins for everything in a document, specify the margins
properties for the <BODY> tag. The following code, for example, sets the left

Chapter 26
and right margins to 20:
tags.BODY.margins(0, 20, 0, 20);

The actual distances between boxes is equal to the sum of two adjoining
margins. A box with no border, padding, or content is a legal element and
may be used to increase the margin between two real boxes. If there are
negative margins, the absolute maximum of the negative adjoining margins
is deducted from the maximum of the positive adjoining margins.

Setting Border Width

You can set the width of the border surrounding a block level element by
specifying the borderTopWidth, borderRightWidth, borderBottomWidth,
and borderLeftWidth properties. You can also use the predefined
borderWidths() method to set all four properties simultaneously. The style
of the border can be specified using the borderStyle property.
538 n Chapter 26

Setting the Padding Size

You can set the size of the padding surrounding a block level element by
specifying the paddingTop, paddingRight, paddingBottom, and
paddingLeft properties. You can also use the predefined padding() method
to set all four properties simultaneously.

Summary
In this chapter, I introduced new ways to specify a page’s style via style
sheets. You can specify specific styles for certain element types or
instances. Style sheets can be specified outside the page and linked into it,
or created within a document. The concepts of style class and style inheri-
tance were explained. I described how to specify a page’s padding and
margins, and what the mathematical rules are for governing a page’s set-
tings. If it is your goal to be a professional programmer, I strongly
recommend you delve deeper into the topic of style sheets.
 Security Issues n 539

Chapter 27

Security Issues

Security is a growing concern among all developers because it is a growing

concern among all end users. Any web development tool must also give
some attention to security. Since most of Microsoft’s security efforts have
been centered around ActiveX components rather than JavaScript, this chap-
ter will focus on Netscape Navigator security. Some of the scripts shown will
produce no result at all in Internet Explorer.
Security is every surfer’s top concern when surfing the net or posting
home pages to it. There are several types of security issues. This chapter
deals with those issues related to protecting your private information such
as e-mail address, directory structures, user session history, and objects and
properties of a loaded page.

History
Netscape Navigator 2.0 was the first browser to include support for
JavaScript. The language provided intranet managers with some very power-
ful methods to access user information for beneficial purposes. But
JavaScript also allowed hackers to use these methods for not-so-beneficial
purposes. They intercepted client computer information such as file directo-
ries, user history, and even passwords you may have entered to access
secure sites. The trade and even popular press were all over Netscape for
compromising users’ privacy and security.
Netscape Navigator 3.0 and later warns you when a loaded document is
about to reveal normally hidden information, even if the trigger for this
action is your own action. A classic example is clicking on a Submit button,
which, unless you don’t approve it, will reveal your e-mail address to the
site’s author.
540 n Chapter 27

URL to URL Access Security

When you challenge the security of a URL that resides on a different server,
an error message pops up, specifying your script’s URL and the URL of the
document you are trying to access without permission. Note that you can
still load the document from another domain into any of your windows or
frames, but you won’t be able to read any information from this document,
including its location properties or form element values. Let’s demonstrate
this situation by trying to get the title of Yahoo!’s index page, as shown in
Example 27-1.
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Security</TITLE>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
<!--
var URL = "http://www.yahoo.com/index.html"
function openYahoo()
{
win = window.open(URL, "win")
}
function alertTitle()
{
alert(win.document.title)
}
// -->
</SCRIPT>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FORM>
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="open Yahoo!" onClick="openYahoo()">
<INPUT TYPE="button" VALUE="display title" onClick="alertTitle()">
</FORM>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Example 27-1 (ex27-1.htm). A script that attempts to access properties of a

document on a different server

The alert() function tries to access the title property of Yahoo!’s window
document.

The Concept of Tainting

Obviously, security measures make scripters’ lives difficult, especially if a
site consists of multiple servers, and documents from different servers need
to interact with each other. Security upon demand is Netscape’s answer to
scripters’ needs, and is achieved by the concept of data tainting. This feature
allows the page’s publisher to mark the specific properties he or she wants
to secure. Data tainting is turned off by default and you can turn it on from
 Security Issues n 541

within your script, as will be shown later. When data tainting is enabled,
JavaScript in one window can see properties of another window, no matter
what server the other window’s document was loaded from. However, the
author of the other window taints (marks) property values or other data that
should be secure or private, and JavaScript cannot pass these tainted values
on to any server without the user’s permission. When data tainting is dis-
abled, a script cannot access any properties. Again, notice that the page’s
reader has no control on data tainting; it’s the publisher’s exclusive right.
Obviously, data tainting is supported only by tainting-enabled browsers.
Tainting terminology applies to both the page author and the browser.
The publisher has tainting control over his or her document. The browser
must be manually enabled by the individual browser user before it can rec-
ognize that data has been tainted. If the browser does not have data tainting
enabled, it just ignores the tainting attributes of the document and access to
the document properties is not allowed.
Values derived from tainted data elements are also tainted. If a tainted
value is passed to a function, the return value of the function is tainted. If a
string is tainted, any of its substrings will be tainted. If a script examines a
tainted value in an if, for, or while statement, the script itself accumulates
taint in what will be explained later in the section “Window Taint
Accumulator.”

Enabling Data Tainting

To enable data tainting, the end user sets the NS_ENABLE_TAINT environ-
ment variable as follows:
n On Unix, use the setenv command in csh—setenv NS_ENABLE_TAINT.
n On Windows, use set in autoexec.bat or NT user settings—SET
NS_ENABLE_TAINT=1. Be sure not to include any spaces around the equal
sign. The variable applies to all copies of Navigator (for different
languages).
n On Macintosh, edit the resource with type “Envi” and number 128 in
the Netscape application by removing the two ASCII slashes (//) before
the NS_ENABLE_TAINT text at the end of the resource.
NS_ENABLE_TAINT can have any value; 1 will do. If the end user does not
Chapter 27

enable tainting and a script attempts to access properties of a window on

another URL, a message is displayed, indicating that access is not allowed.
To determine whether tainting is enabled, use the taint Enabled()
method. The following code executes function1() if data tainting is
enabled; otherwise it executes function2():
if (navigator.taintEnabled())
{
function1()
}
else function2()
542 n Chapter 27

You can also enable tainting interactively in your browser. Navigate to

javascript: URL and enter navigator.taintEnabled().

Specific Tainting
Navigator marks a specific set of objects, their properties, and their methods
as tainted. The user should not care about the taint value Navigator assigned
to them. These items are identified as a source for a potential security risk if
abused. The following list shows items that are automatically tainted when
in a document.
window.status document.length
window.defaultStatus document.element
document.forms[]
location.href document.links[]
location.protocol document.title
location.host document.location
location.hostname document.referrer
location.port document.lastModified
location.pathname document.cookie
location.hash document.domain
location.search
location.toString() form.action

history.previous inputObject.name
history.current inputObject.value
history.next inputObject.defaultValue
history.toString() iputObject.status
inputObject.defaultStatus
option.text inputObject.toString()
option.value
option.defaultSelected
option.selected

Taint-enabled browsers can view tainted items, but they cannot send the
information to any location on the Internet that is not on the same domain
and server. If, on the other hand, you want some snoopy scripts to propagate
your home page information (form entries, for example) to wherever they
want, you can use the untaint() method to make an untainted reference of
the object:
var prevHistoryFree = untaint(history.previous)

By making an untainted reference to your previous link, you have given the
world explicit permission to take the data and propagate it wherever it
wants. Of course, the author of such a snoopy script would have to study
your HTML source to figure out how you have named the untainted data.
There are times when you want to secure more than what is tainted by
default. You may have some custom functions or global variables that you do
 Security Issues n 543

not want to share or allow some snoopy scripts to invoke. Sometimes, sensi-
tive information about the document is hidden in one of your document’s
functions. Navigator helps you protect this function or other entities by
tainting them via the taint() method. For example, if you define a function
named mySecretAlgorithm(), you can taint it as follows:
function mySecretAlgorithm ()
{
statements
}
taint(mySecretAlgorithm)

Foreign scripts may use mySecretAlgorithm(), but the result will be

tainted. That is, the function or any result computed by the function must
stay in the foreign script scope and cannot be communicated to other
domains or servers.

Window Taint Accumulator

The browser keeps track of tainted data exchanges between windows by
updating each window’s taint accumulator. The taint accumulator is the
mechanism that watches your window’s tainting status as your scripts inter-
act with items in other windows. When a document is loaded into a window,
its taint accumulator is initialized to identity, which is the null value.
Every time there is a tainted data exchange with another server, the accu-
mulator mixes different taint codes to create new codes that identify the
sources of data origins (server1, server2, server3, …). Notice that all of the
server’s data elements share the same tainted code of the server.
The taint codes in the accumulator are checked whenever there is an
attempt to pass data over the network. Three taint codes are checked: the
script’s accumulated taint, the taint code of the targeted server, and the taint
code of the data. For the transfer operation to succeed, either two taint
codes are equal, or at least one is identity (null). If an incompatibility is
identified, a dialog box pops up, asking for a confirmation or cancellation of
the URL load or form post.
The taint accumulator changes dynamically upon interaction with
another server, but it can also be manipulated by the page author. In general,
Chapter 27

taint accumulates until the document is unloaded, and is reset to identity

only if it contains the current document’s original code. Also, all windows
loading documents from the same server share the same taint accumulator.
To manipulate the taint accumulator, call taint() or untaint() with no
arguments. When calling taint(), JavaScript adds the current document’s
taint code to the accumulator. Calling untaint() removes taint from the
accumulator only if it holds taint from the current window. If the current
window has been tainted by other servers, untaint() will have no effect.
Removing taint from the accumulator will reset the taint code to identity.
544 n Chapter 27

Summary
This chapter described the security issues of the Internet and Netscape’s
tainting mechanism, which answers some of those issues. Tainting can be
applied to specific elements, to the whole document, or to a window. The
concept of a taint accumulator was described. Users of Navigator 3.0 and up
find themselves answering many more dialog boxes than with Navigator 2.0.
There is no way to circumvent this situation except to untaint specific ele-
ments. Security on the web is critical for its growth and commercial usage.
Netscape does not have the last word on it, so you can expect some changes
in this direction. Changes may vary in range from revolutionary (adopting
the digital signature algorithm) to evolutionary (improving on the current
methods of tainting and taint accumulator).
 Debugging Scripts n 545

Chapter 28

Debugging Scripts

The fact is it is impossible to program without some bugs creeping in. Find-
ing those bugs and fixing them is a critical part of any programming project.
This process is called debugging. Knowing how to debug in a given program-
ming language or tool is critical to using that language or tool.
Development environments usually include at least one powerful
debugger, and sometimes a multitude of them. In fact, experienced program-
mers, when introduced to a new language, are concerned first and foremost
about the power and the productivity factor of the debugger. The debugger is
the most powerful tool an advanced computer scientist uses to find his or
her bugs, and we have yet to meet a programmer who does not have bugs in
his or her code. Sources for bugs range from simple ones like typos to logic
problems in very complex applications like the Tetris game.
There are a number of development environments, as we have seen in
previous chapters. Most of these environments provide the programmer
with all language features online, and thus can help you write better code
with fewer bugs. But in the end, you can still end up with a script that has
bugs and no debugger to find them with. You have to revert to the old way
people used to debug their programs: printing messages and progressive
commenting of lines.

Types of Errors
In a traditional language such as C there are two main types of errors: com-
pile-time errors (syntax) and run-time errors. Since JavaScript is not a
compiled language, the boundaries between these two types of errors are
blurred. As the page loads, the first type of errors the browser is looking for
are syntax errors. These are relatively easy to detect and fix. Misspelling
else in the if-else construct is one example of a syntax error. Run-time
errors involve mismatching between function definitions and function calls,
undeclared variables located on the right-hand side of assignment operators,
mismatches between object types, etc. If the script lines execute as the page
loads, undeclared variables will be flagged immediately. Other errors will be
detected when culprit functions execute, which may occur upon loading or
546 n Chapter 28

while responding to user actions. In fact, some errors, if not invoked as a

response to user actions, may never be detected. This kind of issue belongs
to a wider field of coverage analysis. There are methodologies and tools for
mainstream languages that measure the percentage of code covered by a
specific testing suite, where the coverage can be measured by the percent-
age of lines or functions executed by the suite. Such a tool is yet to be
developed for JavaScript.

Error Messages
Navigator and Internet Explorer behave very similarly when detecting a
problem. They produce a large alert box specifying:
n The URL or filename of the document causing the problem
n The line number
n A description of the problem in a very condensed and terse statement
n An extract of the code that JavaScript could not handle
n An arrow marker pointing to the offending word

The line number shown in the alert box is exactly the line count of the code
extract shown in the alert box, where the first line of the file is at line 1.
Some authors mistakenly write that the line number is counted from the
opening <SCRIPT> tag of the group that contains the code extract.

Figure 28-1a. A typical Navigator error alert box

Figure 28-1b. A typical Internet Explorer error alert

box
 Debugging Scripts n 547

Debugging JavaScript may be tricky at times. You have to infer from the
shown code extract what might be the real problem. In Figures 28-1a and 1b,
for example, the problem is a missing closing brace for the function defined
before the shown getAmpm() function. Some error messages, as Figure 28-2
shows, do not provide the code extract but rather the offending element (a
property name, for example) instead.

Figure 28-2. The property ‘abcd’ is provided instead of the code

extract.

There are many error message types. The rest of this chapter discusses the
most important ones with some explanations on proper remedies to the
problems and also provides information on preventing errors in the first
place.

“string is not defined”

This error usually points to an uninitialized variable being referenced to
another variable (two-operand statement) or to itself (unary-operand state-
ment). Obviously, this variable has not been declared or assigned a value
prior to the line provided in the error message window. There may be sev-
eral reasons for this bug:
1. The variable string has been initialized as a local variable in another
function. Search for string in your file and check if this is the case.
2. You have intended to enclose string in quotes but forgot. Check if this is
the case.
3. You have misspelled a variable that has been declared before. Check if
you have a similar name for a variable that has been initialized before the
culprit statement. Also, since JavaScript is case sensitive, see if the
capitalization of the variable name is different from previously defined
variable names. Use the case-insensitive option of your editor to search
for such matches.
4. If the erroneous statement starts with a function, you either have a bug
Chapter 28

in the script above the flagged line (failed to balance braces, for example)
or are calling a function that is defined in another window or frame, but
you forgot to include the reference to that window or frame.
548 n Chapter 28

“string is not a function”

The following problems are the most common sources for such a bug:
1. There is a case mismatch of letters between the calling statement and
function definition.
2. You are reusing a variable or HTML object name by the function name.
Use your editor to search for string.
3. There is a problem in the script above the function named in the error
message window. Do some detective work.

“unterminated string literal”

This error message will usually point to the first quote of a string it thinks is
not terminated. This is a very common error when trying to concatenate
strings or nest them. You can avoid nesting strings by using a pair of in-line
quote symbols (\") or using a variable to indirectly reference a string.

“missing } after function body”

A brace is missing somewhere in the function, but not necessarily where the
error message says. When a function includes several nested items such as
if..else or for loop constructs, it is not so obvious where the brace is
missing. An intelligent editor can be of help here to match braces, pair by
pair.

“string is not a number”

The erroneous line has an operator that requires a number, but a different
type of variable has been found instead. You either have declared the vari-
able (with the var statement) and not initialized it, or have not declared it. It
is always preferred to use parseInt() or parseFloat() to convert strings
to numbers.

“string has no property named property”

JavaScript did not find the property provided for the object referenced on the
specified line number. There may be few explanations for this bug. You
either are trying to reference a property that does not exist for the relevant
object or are failing to reference the right object. The latter often occurs
when you forget to specify the index of an arrayed object. Look closely at
the error message to see if it includes a reference to an entire array rather
than just one of its elements. Common arrays are forms, links, and buttons.

“string has no property indexed by [i]”

This error is the opposite of the previous one. Look at the last item and
prove to yourself that it is not an element of an array. This is a very common
mistake when references become very long and cumbersome, especially
 Debugging Scripts n 549

when creating radio buttons and select options. Just scan the reference ele-
ments one by one, and determine which are simple object names and which
are arrays.

“string cannot be set by assignment”

You are either trying to assign a value to a read-only property or assigning a
value to an object reference that must be created via a constructor function,
rather than by simple assignment.

“test for equality (==) mistyped as assignment (=)?

Assuming equality test”
JavaScript is usually right here. You meant to use the equality comparison
test (==) but had typed a single equal sign.

“function does not always return a value”

JavaScript checks the organization of every function and verifies that a value
is always returned. It is very common to focus on a single logic path while
designing deeply nested if..else loops, and to overlook other cases in
which the decision process “falls through” all the way to the bottom without
returning any value.

“access disallowed from scripts at URL_1 to documents at

URL_2”
This message indicates cross-domain security is being violated.

“Lengthy JavaScript still running. Continue?”

JavaScript provides a safeguard against the infamous infinite loop bug. After
processing a large number of cycles, JavaScript asks the user whether the
script should continue. This safety net is for developers and users both.
Developers use it for debugging infinite loops and freeing up the browser
that would have been locked up forever otherwise. The safety net also pro-
tects users against JavaScript’s harmful hackers.

“syntax error”
This is every compiler’s classic error message. The alert box provides you
with the code extract and a pointer to the exact location of the error.

Manual Debugging Techniques

Chapter 28

Sometimes, the error messages are of no help in finding the bug and you
have to resort to manual and other techniques for debugging. This section
describes some of those techniques.
550 n Chapter 28

Match Those Tag Pairs

Before checking the code itself, go over the document carefully and check
that all tags have matching pairs. Be sure to check that each tag is closed by
a closing angle bracket.

View the Intermediate HTML Source

Just click in a frame to select it and choose Frame Source from the View
menu. The displayed results include the HTML code that the script gener-
ates. Debugging often involves examining intermediate results. The HTML
source code is an excellent means for verifying that the computer does what
you intend it to. You can also print and save this JavaScript-written HTML.

Reopen the File

Sometimes reloading a URL does not free the browser memory from a bug
you are trying to debug. Try reopening the file via the File menu. It may
clear the browser’s memory completely and reload the fixed version of your
source file. If this does not help, try quitting the browser and restarting it
again. Rebooting the computer may also help if you are still not able to load
your fixed source code.

Print Messages
Senior programmers may identify with this method, very popular in the days
when we did not have debuggers. Just put alert dialog boxes in your script
with a brief message that you will recognize (such as alert("Just before
calling function xyz")). These dialog boxes will tell exactly which parts
are working and which parts are disconnected and cannot be reached. You
can either work your way from top to bottom or use the binary search mech-
anism. This method is very popular in classic searching and sorting
algorithms. Insert an alert dialog box in the middle of the script. If the flow
reaches this point of the script, then focus your effort on the second half,
since the problem is somewhere there. If the flow does not reach the script’s
midpoint, insert an alert box in the middle of the first half, and keep going
until you quarantine the bug.

Comment Out Statements

Sometimes, the line number provided by the error message does not exactly
lead to the culprit code. To find the error, start commenting the lines, one by
one, starting from the given line number. Reload the source file after every
additional commented line and observe when the error message goes away
(and usually substituted with the next in order). At this stage, you know
exactly which is the offending source line.
 Debugging Scripts n 551

Watching and Tracing Variables

Watching and tracing variables, as well as single-stepping, are among the
most powerful features of any programming environment. Most serious bugs
occur when a variable holds an unexpected value, and the only way to find it
is to single-step through the code and examine every variable upon its
assignment. Unfortunately, JavaScript does not support these basic features,
and you need to mimic them via alert boxes. Every time you change a vari-
able by an assignment or invocation of a String, Math, or Date method,
insert an alert() method on the following line, and show the content of the
variable in it. Repeat this sequence of edit-save-switch-reload until you find
a variable content that is not what you expected.
This technique may seem very tedious and time-consuming, and indeed
it is. But in some cases, you won’t have any other way to find the bug. These
cases usually involve a value coming back as <undefined> or null. Check for
incomplete object reference (missing the top-level parent), misspelling an
object name, or accessing an undefined property.
Sometimes you are not aware that an object property has been changed.
To look for such cases, use the following function to list all object properties
in your alert box:
function listProperties(object, objectName)
{
var message = “”
for (var i in object)
{
message += objectName + "." + i + " = " + object[i] + "\n"
}
alert(message)
}

You invoke this function with the object type (unquoted) and the name of the
instance (quoted string).

Getting It Right the First Time

Some bug prevention programming techniques are as valid for JavaScript as
they are for any other languages, and they should always be used in order to
prevent bugs in the first place. The lack of sophisticated debuggers in
JavaScript only emphasizes the leverage you can get by using these
techniques.

Build the Script’s Skeleton First

Chapter 28

Build your script in a top-down fashion. Start laying down your HTML parts
first, including all form definitions. After you have designed the page layout,
you can start filling in the JavaScript portions. When beginning a function,
repeat loop, or if statement, fill out the entire structure before entering
552 n Chapter 28

any details. For example, suppose you want to define a showProperties()

function. First, enter the following structure:
function showProperties()
{

and then add the parameters and the for structure

function showProperties(object, objectName)
{
var message = “”
for ( )
{
}
}

and so on. This technique has two advantages. It assures you have the clos-
ing character always attached at the end of the structure, as well as aligning
the indentations. If you want, you can prepare a file with all JavaScript struc-
ture templates to copy from and paste in your document. You can also use
JavaScript editor applications.

Keep Testing While Developing

This technique cannot be overemphasized. Always test your code after an
incremental development. Don’t write pages of code and only then test it.
Test the script whenever you have a new feature, function, algorithm, or any
other complete chunk that can be tested by itself.

Evaluate Expressions Outside Your Source

Instead of printing variable contents via an alert box, it is much faster to
evaluate certain expressions in an independent, isolated environment such
as a separate document you write with a few text or textarea objects in it.
You can also use the internal javascript: URL for testing out expressions.
This technique is especially recommended for beginners who need to gain
confidence in their knowledge of what different methods (such as String,
Math, and Date) yield.

Test Your Functions Outside Your Source

The same arguments presented above for expressions are applicable to func-
tions as well. It is much easier to debug a function in an independent,
isolated environment than inside a complex scripted document. Develop
your function in a separate document that includes the minimum number of
user interface elements you need for the testing. Of course, you will find it
more and more difficult to develop your functions in isolation, because they
are usually tied to numerous objects in the original document. It will
 Debugging Scripts n 553

encourage you, though, to develop much more generalized functions that

have fewer ties to the environment.

Testing Your Script

Writing JavaScript is development and should be treated as such when you
come to test your piece of art. Management bodies of development projects
often allocate 50 percent of the resources for testing. You should anticipate
similar proportions in your own work plans.
Making a script robust for the World Wide Web audience is not an easy
task and should not be taken lightly. You have to anticipate what the user can
do at any point and make sure your code handles it correctly. You should not
make any assumptions on either the sequence of operations the user is
going to follow or the type of data the user is going to enter into forms. You
should assume, on the contrary, that the user is not going to follow your
instructions (accidentally or intentionally). The user will enter characters in
numeric fields, and will fill the form bottom up. Your script should handle all
weird and incorrect data, giving the proper feedback to the user. If a form
field accepts character values only, give the user an error message. Make
sure your script does not crash the system if the input is not valid. Spe-
cifically check for the following items:
n Unexpected reloading. Check how it affects the relationship between
frames.
n Suspending a document loading. Does it affect your script?
n Bad data. Does the script crash when the data is not valid?

Test your pages extensively and on as many browsers as you can. Users
expect the same robustness from your script as from the most professional
software published on earth.

Summary
In this chapter, I gave some tips for debugging JavaScript scripts. I first
listed common error messages, and explained what they mean and how you
can use them to find bugs. I also provided some manual debugging tech-
niques, which are very important in JavaScript, because, unlike other
languages, it does not come with a debugger.
Chapter 28
554 n Appendix A

Appendix A

HTML Primer

This appendix is designed to give you the basics of HTML. If you have no
prior knowledge of HTML, then it is critical that you thoroughly study this
appendix before proceeding. However, if you are an experienced HTML pro-
grammer, you may wish to skim this appendix or skip it entirely. JavaScript
is a scripting language that is embedded into HTML documents in order to
add significant functionality to those web pages. For this reason, a working
knowledge of HTML is integral to understanding and using JavaScript.
HTML, or Hypertext Markup Language, is a relatively simple scripting
language that web browsers can use to display web pages. The beautiful part
of HTML is that you don't need any special software; HTML can be written
in any text editor including Windows Notepad. Just remember to save the
file as an .htm or .html file. HTML has had a long history and has gone
through a number of revisions. Each successive revision added more func-
tionality to HTML, and the current version of HTML (Version 4.1) is a very
powerful language that can take some time to learn. Fortunately, most work
on web pages can be done with just the essentials of HTML and that is what
this appendix will teach you. Now let’s start with the basics of HTML.

HTML Tags
The first question is how do we get the web browser to know that our docu-
ment has HTML codes for it to read? Simply put, there is more to creating a
web page than simply taking a document and changing its extension to .htm.
At the beginning of your document you place the <HTML> command (or tag)
and at the end you put </HTML>; the web browser will know that the codes in
between are supposed to be HTML.
<HTML>
put code here
</HTML>

Now that is pretty simple you must admit. But this web page won’t do much
of anything at all. So let’s do the obligatory “Hello World” sample that every
programming book starts off with. It will show you how to input text with
some basic HTML.
 HTML Primer n 555

<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>My First HTML Page</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<P><CENTER>
<B><FONT SIZE="+2">Hello World</FONT></B>
</CENTER></P>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Believe it or not, this little snippet shows you most of what you need to
know about HTML. To begin with, note that everything is contained
between the <HTML> and </HTML> tags. These two commands define the
beginning and end of the HTML document. The web browser will ignore any
items outside these commands. Next, we have a section that is contained
between the <HEAD> and </HEAD> commands. This is the header portion of
your HTML document. The <TITLE> and </TITLE> commands contain the
title that will actually appear in the title bar of your browser.
Then we have the <BODY> and </BODY> commands. As you might have
guessed, this is the body of your HTML document. This is where all of your
web page’s code (including scripting code like JavaScript) is going to go.
Inside the body section is some text and some additional commands that will
define how the text will appear in the browser. The <P> and </P> commands
define the beginning and end of a paragraph. The <B> and </B> commands
tell the browser to make whatever text is between them bold. The <FONT
SIZE="+2"> tells the browser how big the text should be (there are a variety
of methods for doing this, as we shall see.). The </FONT> command ends the
font section of the HTML code.
By now, I trust you have noticed a pattern. All the above commands
have an opening command and a closing command. This is true for all but a
very few HTML commands. Just remember this rule: You close the com-
mands in the opposite order of how you opened them. In the above sample
code, I opened the commands before the text like this: <P><CENTER><B>
<FONT SIZE="+2">, and then closed them like this: </FONT></B></CENTER>
</P>. This is important to remember. You can think of it as “backing out” of
your commands.
Now this gives you a very simple web page that displays one phrase in
bold. Admittedly not very impressive, but if you understand the concepts
involved with using the HTML commands, then you understand HTML.
Let’s move on to some more HTML. Usually web pages contain more
than simply a title and some text. Other items you might put in a web page
include images and links to other web pages. Placing an image on an HTML
document is rather simple:
<IMG SRC="imagepath\imagename" WIDTH=52 HEIGHT=88 ALIGN=bottom>

You simply provide the path to the image and the name of the image, includ-
ing its file extension (such as .gif, .bmp, .jpg, etc.). The other properties in
556 n Appendix A

this command allow you to alter the placement and size of the image. You
can alter its width and height as well as its alignment.
Placing a hyperlink to another web site or to an e-mail address is just as
simple:
<A HREF="http://www.wordware.com">

This link will connect to the URL (Uniform Resource Locator) contained
inside the quotation marks. In order to use this methodology to create an
e-mail link, simply use this:
<A HREF="mailto:sombody@somemail.com">

You simply have to change the “http://” portion to “mailto:”. Notice that all
three of the preceding methods have one thing in common: They do not
close the command in the typical manner that other HTML commands are
closed. Now let’s examine the source code for a simple but complete HTML
document:
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Example A-1</TITLE>
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="white">
<P><CENTER><B><FONT SIZE="+2">My First web page </FONT></B>
</CENTER></P>
<P>I am learning HTML! I <B><I>LOVE</I></B> HTML!</P>
<P><CENTER><IMG SRC="comp1.gif" WIDTH=52 HEIGHT=88
ALIGN=bottom></CENTER></P>
<P><CENTER>You can e-mail me at</CENTER></P>
<P><CENTER><A HREF="mailto:myemail@someemail.com">Email ME</A>
</CENTER></P>
<P><CENTER>Or go to this publisher's Web Site </CENTER></P>
<P><CENTER><A HREF="http://www.wordware.com">Wordware Publishing</A>
</CENTER></P>
</BODY>
</HTML>

You will note a new command at the beginning:

<BODY BGCOLOR="white">

You can change the background color of your page using this command and
any standard color. You can also set a background image for your HTML doc-
ument with a similar command:
<BODY background="mypicture.gif">

The comp1.gif image is included in the downloadable files. If you entered the
code properly and used the image, your web page should look something
like Figure A-1.
 HTML Primer n 557

Figure A-1. Your first web page

Now I will be the first to admit that this sample web page is very trivial. But
it does contain the basics of HTML. With the material we have covered so
far, you can display images, text, links, e-mail links, background colors, and
background images. Not too bad for just a few short pages. You may also
want to look in the sample HTML folder in the companion files to see sev-
eral sample HTML documents suited for various purposes. These can be
used as templates for your own web pages. Examining these can give you a
deeper understanding of basic HTML.
Let’s examine a few other simple items we can add to our HTML docu-
ments. The first is altering text color. You can set the default text color for
the entire document as well as alter the color of specific text. You alter the
default text color for the entire document using a technique very similar to
the one used to alter the background color of the document:
<BODY TEXT="blue">

This command simply tells the browser that unless otherwise specified, all
text in this document should be blue. In addition to changing the default
color of all text in a document, you may wish to simply change the color of a
specific section of text. This is fairly easy to do as well. Instead of using the
<BODY TEXT> command, we use the <FONT COLOR> command:
<FONT COLOR="red">This is red text</FONT>

This, like the other color commands, can specify any standard color.
There are a wide variety of tags you can use to alter the appearance and
behavior of text and images. Just a few others for you to consider would be
the <BLINK> and </BLINK> tags which, as the name implies, causes the text
to blink (this is only supported by Netscape and will not work in Internet
Explorer). Another example is <STRIKE></STRIKE>, which causes the text to
appear with a line through it, a strikethrough.
The last HTML command we are going to examine is <TABLE>. Tables
are a very good way to organize data on your web page. You can use the
558 n Appendix A

tables with or without a border, and I will explain the various reasons to use
both.
Here is how to create a table with a border:
<TABLE BORDER=1>
<TR>
<TD>
<P>This
</TD><TD>
<P>Is a
</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<P>Table
</TD><TD>
<P>With a border
</TD></TR>
</TABLE></P>

By now you should be able to recognize that the <TABLE> and </TABLE> tags
actually contain the table. Each <TR> tag designates another row in the table.
The <TD> and </TD> tags create a cell within that row. Using those three
tags you can create a table with any number of rows or columns you wish.
Notice in the first line of this code that the BORDER property is set to 1. This
means the border has a width and is therefore visible.
In some instances you may not want the border to show. Tables can be
used simply to hold images and text in relative positions. In cases such as
these you may not wish the border to show. Below is an example of a table
whose borders will not show:
<P><TABLE BORDER=0 CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0>
<TR>
<TD>
<P>This
</TD><TD>
<P>is a
</TD></TR>
<TR>
<TD>
<P>Table
</TD><TD>
<P>With no borders or padding
</TD></TR>
</TABLE></P>

Notice that the BORDER, CELLPADDING, and CELLSPACING properties are all
set to 0. This causes the table itself to not be displayed. However, the con-
tents of the table will display. You should also notice that in both examples I
have placed text in each cell.
Since the entire purpose of this book is to teach you JavaScript, the
obvious question on your mind should be, how do I insert scripts into
HTML? Well, fortunately that is not particularly difficult. The browser deals
 HTML Primer n 559

with script code (including JavaScript) like it handles HTML code, scanning
the source from left to right and from top to bottom. JavaScript has “tags” of
its own by which it instructs the browser and determines the layout. How-
ever, JavaScript is not read exactly like HTML. In HTML, the browser acts
immediately according to the elements it recognizes. Not all JavaScript code
refers to actions that take place while the page is loading. Some parts are
just kept in memory until they are called. For instance, if you write a func-
tion and do not call it, the browser does not do anything with it. This part of
the script stays in memory, and can be invoked later. But the real question
you are wondering is, how do I put scripts into my HTML documents? Any
script can be placed very easily by encasing the script you write inside two
commands:
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE = "whateverscriptlanguageyouareusing">

and
</SCRIPT>

There are many scripting languages available for the web, including
VBScript (based on the Visual Basic programming language), CGI, and, of
course, JavaScript. Below is an example of JavaScript inserted into HTML
code.
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
alert("Wonderful!")
</SCRIPT>

Figure A-2. An alert box

Let me stress that I have only covered the essentials of writing HTML code.
You can find a number of books that go into HTML in more depth than this.
560 n Appendix B

Appendix B

JavaScript Object
Specification Syntax

anchor Object
Creating
<A NAME="anchorName">
textOrImageAnchor
</A>

applet Object
Creating
<APPLET
CODE="AppletURL"
HEIGHT="PixelCount"
NAME="AppletName"
WIDTH="PixelCount"
[ALIGN="AlignmentLocation"]
[ALT="AlternateTextDisplay"]
[CODEBASE="ClassFileDirectory"]
[HSPACE="MarginPixelCount"]
[VSPACE="MarginPixelCount"]>
<PARAM NAME="AppletParameterName” VALUE=”ParameterValue”>
...
<PARAM NAME="AppletParameterName" VALUE=”ParameterValue”>
</APPLET>

Properties
name (string)
(Java variables)
 JavaScript Object Specification Syntax n 561

Event Handlers
onMouseOut=
onMouseOver=

Methods
(Java methods)

area Object
Creating
<MAP NAME="areaMapName">
<AREA
COORDS="x1,y1,x2,y2…." | "x-center,y-center,radius"
HREF="URLorLocation"
[NOHREF]
[SHAPE="rect" | "poly" | "circle" | "default" ]
[TARGET="windowName"]
[onFocus="EventHandlerTextOrFunction"]
[onMouseOut="EventHandlerTextOrFunction"]
[onMouseOver="EventHandlerTextOrFunction"]>
</MAP>

Properties
links[index].target (window name)
[location object properties]

Event Handlers
onMouseOut=
onMouseOver=

Array Object
Creating
var myArray = new Array([integer] | [val1 [ , val2 ... [ , valn]]])

Properties
length (integer)
prototype (expression)

Methods
join("delimiterChar")
reverse()
sort(compareFunc)
562 n Appendix B

button, submit, and reset Objects

Creating
<FORM>
<INPUT
TYPE="button" | "submit" |"reset"
[NAME="buttonName]
[VALUE="labelText"]
[onClick="EventHandlerTextOrFunction"]
[onFocus="EventHandlerTextOrFunction"]
[onLoad="EventHandlerTextOrFunction"]
[onUnLoad="EventHandlerTextOrFunction"]>
</FORM>

Properties
name (string)
type (string)
value (string)

Methods
click()

Event Handlers
onClick=

checkbox Object
Creating
<FORM>
<INPUT
TYPE="checkbox"
[CHECKED]
[NAME="boxName]
[VALUE="buttonValue"]
[onClick="EventHandlerTextOrFunction"]>
buttonText
</FORM>

Properties
checked (Boolean)
defaultChecked (Boolean)
name (string)
type (string)
value (string)
 JavaScript Object Specification Syntax n 563

Methods
click()

Event Handlers
onClick=

Date Object
Creating
var myDate = new Date("Month dd, yyyy, hh:mm:ss")
var myDate = new Date("Month dd, yyyy")
var myDate = new Date("yy,mm,dd,hh,mm,ss")
var myDate = new Date("yy, mm, dd")
var myDate = new Date(millisecondsInteger)

Properties
prototype (expression)

Methods
myDate.getDate() (1-31)
myDate.getDay() (0-6)
myDate.getHours() (0-23)
myDate.getMinutes() (0-59)
myDate.getMonth() (0-11)
myDate.getSeconds() (0-59)
myDate.getTime() (0-...)
myDate.getTimezoneOffset() (0-...)
myDate.getYear() (70-...)
myDate.setDate() (1-31)
myDate.setDay() (0-6)
myDate.setHours() (0-23)
myDate.setMinutes() (0-59)
myDate.setMonth() (0-11)
myDate.setSeconds() (0-59)
myDate.setTime() (0-...)
myDate.setYear() (70-...)
myDate.toGMTString() (String)
myDate.toLocaleString() (String)
Date.parse("dateString")
Date.UTC("date values")
564 n Appendix B

document Object
Creating
<BODY
[ALINK="#activatedLinkColor"]
[BACKGROUND="backgroundImageURL"]
[BGCOLOR="#backgroundColor"]
[LINK="#unfollowedLinkColor"]
[TEXT="#foregroundColor"]
[VLINK="#followedLinkColor"]
[onLoad="#handlerTextOrFunction"]
[onUnload="#handlerTextOrFunction"]
</BODY>

Properties
alinkColor (hexadecimal triplet or constant)
anchors (array)
applets (array)
bgColor (hexadecimal triplet or constant)
cookie (string)
domain (string)
embeds (array)
fgColor (hexadecimal triplet or constant)
forms (array)
images (array)
lastModified (date string)
linkColor (hexadecimal triplet or constant)
links (array)
location (string)
referrer (string)
title (string)
URL (string)
vlinkColor (hexadecimal triplet or constant)

Methods
write("string1" [,”string2”,..., “stringn”])
write("string1" [,”string2”,..., “stringn”])
write("string1" [,”string2”,..., “stringn”])
open("mimeType")
close()
clear()
 JavaScript Object Specification Syntax n 565

fileUpload Object
Creating
<FORM>
<INPUT
TYPE="file"
[NAME="fieldName"]
[SIZE="numberOfCharacters"]>
</FORM>

Properties
name (string)
value (string)
type (string)

Methods
blur()
focus()
select()

Event Handlers
onBlur=
onChange=
onFocus=
onSelect=

form Object
Creating
<FORM
[ACTION="serverURL"]
[ENCTYPE="MIMEType"]
[METHOD=GET | POST]
[NAME="formName"]
[onSubmit="eventHandlerTextOrFunction"]
[onReset="eventHandlerTextOrFunction"]
</FORM>

Properties
action (URL)
elements (array)
encoding (MIME type)
method (GET or POST)
name (string)
target (window name)
566 n Appendix B

Methods
reset()
submit()

Event Handlers
onReset=
onSubmit=

function Object
Creating
function functionName( [parameter1]...[, parameterN] )
{
statements
}
var myFunction = new function([parameter1]...[, parameterN],
statements)

Properties
arguments (array)
caller (function)
prototype (expression)

Methods
reset()
submit()

Event Handlers
onReset=
onSubmit=

hidden Object
Creating
<FORM>
<INPUT
NAME="fieldName"
TYPE="hidden"
[VALUE="contents"]>
</FORM>
 JavaScript Object Specification Syntax n 567

Properties
defaultValue (string)
name (string)
type (string)
value (string)

history Object
Properties
length (integer)

Methods
back()
forward()
go(relativeNumber |"URLorTitleSubstring")

image Object
Creating
<IMG
NAME="imageName"
SRC="imageURL"
[ALIGN="left" | "right" | "top" | "absmiddle" | "absbottom" |
"texttop" | "middle" | "baseline" | "bottom" ]
[BORDER="pixelCount"]
[HEIGHT="pixelCount" | "percentageValue%"]
[HSPACE="pixelCount"]
[ISMAP]
[LOWSRC="lowResImageURL"]
[USEMAP="areaMapName"]
[VSPACE="pixelCount"]
[WIDTH="pixelCount" | "percentageValue%"]
[onAbort="EventHandlerTextOrFunction"]
[onError="EventHandlerTextOrFunction"]
[onLoad="EventHandlerTextOrFunction"]>

Properties
border (integer)
complete (Boolean)
height (integer)
hspace (integer)
lowsrc (string)
src (string)
vspace (integer)
568 n Appendix B

Event Handlers
onAbort=
onError=
onLoad=

layer Object
Properties
above
background (colorValue)
below (layerObject)
bgColor (colorValue)
clip.top (pixelCount)
clip.left (pixelCount)
clip.right (pixelCount)
clip.bottom (pixelCount)
clip.width (pixelCount)
clip.height (pixelCount)
height (pixelCount)
left (pixelCount)
layers (array)
name (string)
parentLayer (layerObject)
siblingAbove (layerObject)
siblingBelow (layerObject)
top (pixelCount)
visibility (hide|show|inherit)
width (pixelCount)
zIndex (integer)

Methods
offset()
moveTo()
resize()
moveAbove()
moveBelow()

link Object
Creating
<A HREF="URLorLocation”
[NAME="anchorName”]
[TARGET="windowName”]
[onClick="EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onMouseOut=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onMouseOver=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]>
 JavaScript Object Specification Syntax n 569

TextOrImageLink
</FORM>

Properties
links[index].target (window name)
[location object properties]

Event Handlers
onClick=
onMouseOut=
onMouseOver=

Math Object
Properties
Math.E
Math.LN2
Math.LN10
Math.LOG2E
Math.LOG10E
Math.PI
Math.SQRT1_2
Math.SQRT2

Methods
Math.abs()
Math.acos()
Math.asin()
Math.atan()
Math.atan2()
Math.ceil()
Math.cos()
Math.exp()
Math.floor()
Math.log()
Math.max()
Math.min()
Math.pow()
Math.random()
Math.round()
Math.sin()
Math.sqrt()
Math.tan()
570 n Appendix B

mimeType Object
Properties
description (string)
enabledPlugin (string)
type (string)
suffixes (string)

navigator Object
Properties
appName (string)
appVersion (string)
appCodeName (string)
mimeTypes (string)
plugins (string)
userAgent (string)

Methods
javaEnabled()
taintEnabled()

plugin Object
Properties
description (string)
enabledPlugin (string)
type (string)
suffixes (string)

Methods
javaEnabled()
taintEnabled()

radio Object
Creating
<FORM
<INPUT
NAME=”buttonGroupName”
TYPE=”radio”
[CHECKED]
[VALUE=”buttonValue”]
 JavaScript Object Specification Syntax n 571

[onClick=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
buttonText
</FORM>

Properties
checked (Boolean)
defaultChecked (Boolean)
name (string)
value (string)
type (string)

Methods
click()

Event Handlers
onClick=

select Object
Creating
<FORM
<SELECT
NAME=”listName”
[MULTIPLE]
[SIZE=”NumberOfCharacters”]
[onBlur=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onChange=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onFocus=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]>
<OPTION [SELECTED] [VALUE=”string”]>listItem
[…<OPTION [VALUE=”string”]>listItem
</SELECT>
</FORM> >

Properties
length (integer)
name (string)
options[index] (array)
options[index].defaultSelected (Boolean)
options[index].index (integer)
options[index].value (string)
options[index].selected (Boolean)
options[index].text (string)
selectedIndex (integer)
type (string)
572 n Appendix B

Methods
blur()
focus()

Event Handlers
onBlur=
onChange=
onFocus=

String Object
Creating
var myString = new String(["stringExpression”])

Properties
length (integer)
prototype (expression)

Methods
myString.anchor("anchorName”)
myString.big()
myString.blink()
myString.bold()
myString.charAt(index)
myString.fixed()
myString.fontcolor(colorValue)
myString.fontsize(integer1to7)
myString.indexOf(searchString [ , startIndex])
myString.italics()
myString.lastIndexOf(searchString [ , startIndex])
myString.link(locationOrURL)
myString.small()
myString.split("delimitingChar”)
myString.strike()
myString.sub()
myString.substring(beginIndex, endIndex)
myString.sup()
myString.toLowerCase()
myString.toUpperCase()
 JavaScript Object Specification Syntax n 573

text, textarea, and password Objects

Creating
<FORM>
<INPUT
NAME=”fieldName”
TYPE=”text”
[MAXLENGTH=”MaxLengthAllowed”]
[SIZE=”NumberOfCharacters”]
[VALUE=”contents”]
[onBlur=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onChange=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onFocus=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onSelect=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]>
</FORM>

<FORM>
<TEXTAREA
COLS=”NumberOfColumns”
NAME=”fieldName”
ROWS=”NumberOfRows”
[WRAP=”off” | "virtual” | "physical”]
[onBlur=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onChange=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onFocus=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onSelect=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]>
defaultText
</TEXTAREA>
</FORM>

<FORM>
<INPUT
NAME=”fieldName”
TYPE=”password”
[MAXLENGTH=”MaxLengthAllowed”]
[SIZE=”CharacterLength”]
[VALUE=”contents”]>
</FORM>

Properties
defaultValue (string)
name (string)
value (string)
type (string)
574 n Appendix B

Methods
blur()
focus()
select()

Event Handlers
onBlur=
onChange=
onFocus=
onSelect=

window and frame Objects

Creating
windowObject = window.open([parameters])

<BODY
...
[onBlur=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onFocus=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onLoad=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onUnLoad=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]>
</BODY>

<FRAMESET
COLS=”valueList”
ROWS=”valueList”
[BORDER=pixelSize]
[BORDERCOLOR=colorSpecs]
[FRAMEBORDER=YES | NO]
[onBlur=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onFocus=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onLoad=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction”]
[onUnLoad=”EventHandlerTextOrFunction]>
<FRAME
SRC=”locationOrURL”
NAME=”firstFrameName”
[BORDER=pixelsize]
[BORDERCOLOR=colorSpecs]>
...
</FRAMESET>
 JavaScript Object Specification Syntax n 575

Properties
defaultStatus (string)
frames (array)
name (string)
onerror (function)
opener (window object)
parent (window object)
self (window object)
status (window object)
top (window object)
window (window object)

Methods
alert(message)
blur()
clearTimeout(timeoutIDnumber)
close()
confirm(message)
focus()
open("URL”, "windowName”[,,”windowSpecification”])
prompt(message,defaultReply)
scroll(horizontalPixel, verticalPixel)
setTimeout("expression”, millisecondsDelay)

Event Handlers
onBlur=
onFocus=
onLoad=
onUnload=

Control Structures
if (condition)=
{
statements
}
if (condition)=
{
statements
}
else
{
statements
}
variable = (condition) ? val1 : val2

for ( [ initial expression]; [condition]; [update expression])

{
statements
576 n Appendix B

}
while (condition)
{
statements
}
for (var in object)
{
statements
}
with (object)
{
statements
}

Operators
Comparison
== Equals
!= Does not equal
> Is greater than
>= Is greater than or equal to
< Is less than
<= Is less than or equal to

Binary and Unary

+ Plus
– Minus
* Multiply
/ Divide
% Modulo
++ Increment
-- Decrement
-val Negation

Assignment
= Equals
+= Add the RHS (Right Hand Side)
–= Subtract the RHS
*= Multiply by the RHS
/= Divide by the RHS
%= Modulo by the RHS
<<= Left shift by the RHS
>>= Right shift by the RHS
>>>= Right shift by the RHS, zero fill
&= Bitwise AND by the RHS
|= Bitwise OR by the RHS
^= Bitwise XOR by the RHS
 JavaScript Object Specification Syntax n 577

Boolean
&& And
|| Or
! Not

Bitwise
& Bitwise And
| Bitwise Or
^ Bitwise XOR
~ Bitwise Not
<< Left Shift
>> Right Shift
>>> Zero-Fill Right Shift

Miscellaneous
new
typeOf
void

JavaScript Functions and Methods

eval("string”)
isNan(expression)
object.toString()
parseFloat("string”)
parseInt("string”)
taint([object])
untaint([object])
578 n Appendix C

Appendix C

ASCII Character Set

Char Oct Dec Hex Ctrl-key Control Action

NUL 0 0 0 ^@ Null character
SOH 1 1 1 ^A Start of heading, = console
interrupt
STX 2 2 2 ^B Start of text, maintenance
mode on HP console
ETX 3 3 3 ^C End of text
EOT 4 4 4 ^D End of transmission; not the
same as ETB
ENQ 5 5 5 ^E Enquiry; goes with ACK (old
HP flow control)
ACK 6 6 6 ^F Acknowledge; clears ENQ
logon hang
BEL 7 7 7 ^G Bell; rings the bell
BS 10 8 8 ^H Backspace; works on HP
terminals/computers
HT 11 9 9 ^I Horizontal tab; move to next
tab stop
LF 12 10 a ^J Line feed
VT 13 11 b ^K Vertical tab
FF 14 12 c ^L Form feed, page eject
CR 15 13 d ^M Carriage return
SO 16 14 e ^N Shift Out, alternate
character set
SI 17 15 f ^O Shift In, resume default
character set
DLE 20 16 10 ^P Data link escape
DC1 21 17 11 ^Q XON, with XOFF to pause
listings; &quot; okay to
send&quot;
DC2 22 18 12 ^R Device control 2,
block-mode flow control
DC3 23 19 13 ^S XOFF, with XON is
TERM=18 flow control
 ASCII Character Set n 579

Char Oct Dec Hex Ctrl-key Control Action

DC4 24 20 14 ^T Device control 4
NAK 25 21 15 ^U Negative acknowledge
SYN 26 22 16 ^V Synchronous idle
ETB 27 23 17 ^W End transmission block; not
the same as EOT
CAN 30 24 18 ^X Cancel line; MPE echoes
EM 31 25 19 ^Y End of medium; Control-Y
interrupt
SUB 32 26 1a ^Z Substitute
ESC 33 27 1b ^[ Escape; next character is
not echoed
FS 34 28 1c ^\ File separator
GS 35 29 1d ^] Group separator
RS 36 30 1e ^^ Record separator,
block-mode terminator
US 37 31 1f ^_ Unit separator
SP 40 32 20 Space
! 41 33 21 Exclamation mark
" 42 34 22 Quotation mark (&amp;quot;
in HTML)
# 43 35 23 Cross hatch (number sign)
$ 44 36 24 Dollar sign
% 45 37 25 Percent sign
& 46 38 26 Ampersand
' 47 39 27 Closing single quote
(apostrophe)
( 50 40 28 Opening parenthesis
) 51 41 29 Closing parenthesis
* 52 42 2a Asterisk (star, multiply)
+ 53 43 2b Plus
, 54 44 2c Comma
- 55 45 2d Hypen (dash, minus)
. 56 46 2e Period
/ 57 47 2f Slant (forward slash, divide)
0 60 48 30 Zero
1 61 49 31 One
2 62 50 32 Two
3 63 51 33 Three
4 64 52 34 Four
5 65 53 35 Five
6 66 54 36 Six
7 67 55 37 Seven
8 70 56 38 Eight
9 71 57 39 Nine
580 n Appendix C

Char Oct Dec Hex Ctrl-key Control Action

: 72 58 3a Colon
; 73 59 3b Semicolon
< 74 60 3c Less than sign (&amp;lt; in
HTML)
= 75 61 3d Equal sign
> 76 62 3e Greater than sign (&amp;gt;
in HTML)
? 77 63 3f Question mark
@ 100 64 40 At sign
A 101 65 41 Uppercase A
B 102 66 42 Uppercase B
C 103 67 43 Uppercase C
D 104 68 44 Uppercase D
E 105 69 45 Uppercase E
F 106 70 46 Uppercase F
G 107 71 47 Uppercase G
H 110 72 48 Uppercase H
I 111 73 49 Uppercase I
J 112 74 4a Uppercase J
K 113 75 4b Uppercase K
L 114 76 4c Uppercase L
M 115 77 4d Uppercase M
N 116 78 4e Uppercase N
O 117 79 4f Uppercase O
P 120 80 50 Uppercase P
Q 121 81 51 Uppercase Q
R 122 82 52 Uppercase R
S 123 83 53 Uppercase S
T 124 84 54 Uppercase T
U 125 85 55 Uppercase U
V 126 86 56 Uppercase V
W 127 87 57 Uppercase W
X 130 88 58 Uppercase X
Y 131 89 59 Uppercase Y
Z 132 90 5a Uppercase Z
[ 133 91 5b Opening square bracket
\ 134 92 5c Reverse slant (backslash)
] 135 93 5d Closing square bracket
^ 136 94 5e Caret (circumflex)
_ 137 95 5f Underscore
` 140 96 60 Opening single quote
a 141 97 61 Lowercase a
b 142 98 62 Lowercase b
 ASCII Character Set n 581

Char Oct Dec Hex Ctrl-key Control Action

c 143 99 63 Lowercase c
d 144 100 64 Lowercase d
e 145 101 65 Lowercase e
f 146 102 66 Lowercase f
g 147 103 67 Lowercase g
h 150 104 68 Lowercase h
i 151 105 69 Lowercase i
j 152 106 6a Lowercase j
k 153 107 6b Lowercase k
l 154 108 6c Lowercase l
m 155 109 6d Lowercase m
n 156 110 6e Lowercase n
o 157 111 6f Lowercase o
p 160 112 70 Lowercase p
q 161 113 71 Lowercase q
r 162 114 72 Lowercase r
s 163 115 73 Lowercase s
t 164 116 74 Lowercase t
u 165 117 75 Lowercase u
v 166 118 76 Lowercase v
w 167 119 77 Lowercase w
x 170 120 78 Lowercase x
y 171 121 79 Lowercase y
z 172 122 7a Lowercase z
{ 173 123 7b Opening curly brace
| 174 124 7c Vertical line
} 175 125 7d Closing curly brace
~ 176 126 7e Tilde (approximate)
DEL 177 127 7f Delete (rubout), cross-hatch
box
582 n Appendix D

Appendix D

Online Resources

This appendix contains a list of what I consider to be the best JavaScript

sites on the web. You can consult these sites in order to get tutorials, source
code, and much more. I strongly recommend that you familiarize yourself
with these sources.

JavaScript Web Sites

JavaScript.com is one of the premier JavaScript sites. It has hundreds of
tutorials and samples. You will really want to use this one.
http://www.javascript.com/
Doc JavaScript is another excellent site you would do well to reference.
http://www.webreference.com/js/
A1 JavaScripts is a site with some interesting source code you might wish to
review.
http://www.a1javascripts.com/
JavaScript.com is an excellent site with lots of source code and tutorials.
http://www.javascript.com/
Webdeveloper.com contains articles, a resource directory, and an extensive
web developer forum on a multitude of topics, including JavaScript.
http://webdeveloper.com/
JavaScript Games is a page with a number of games written in JavaScript.
It’s a good page to see what you can do with JavaScript.
http://plaza.harmonix.ne.jp/~jimmeans/
 Online Resources n 583

HTML Web Sites

WebMonkeys HTML cheat sheet is a very good site.
http://www.webmonkey.com/webmonkey/reference/html_cheatsheet/
The official HTML 4.01 Specification is an excellent resource to find out
exactly what is included in HTML 4 and 4.01.
http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/

Organizational Web Sites

The HTML Writers Guild is an association of HTML writers.
http://www.hwg.org/
The International Webmasters Association is an association of webmasters
and web developers. They have a variety of interesting membership
benefits.
http://www.irwa.org/

Certification Web Sites

If you are looking to prove that you have learned JavaScript, BrainBench has
a JavaScript certification test you can take online.
www.brainbench.com

Employment Web Sites

If you are seeking employment in the programming field, there are several
web sites you should check out.
Computer Jobs.com www.computerjobs.com
Jobs for Programmers www.prgjobs.com
584 n Index

Index

1st JavaScript Editor Pro, 519-520 asin(), 190

ASP, 4-5
A ASP .NET, 4-5
abort event, 91 assignment operators, 33, 79-80, 576
abs(), 186-187 associative arrays, 146-147
acos(), 190 creating, 147-148
action property, 313-314 splitting string into, 148-149
Active Server Pages, see ASP atan(), 191
addition operator, 68 atan2(), 191-192
alert boxes, 38 authoring tools, 13, 516-520
alert(), 38
alinkColor property, 300 B
anchor, 272 back(), 304
creating, 272 banners, 251-263
defining, 373 and JavaScript, 8
referencing, 374-375 base-8 integers, see octal integers
anchor object, 372, 560 base-10 integers, see decimal integers
anchor(), 373 bgColor property, 292-294
anchors array, 374-375 binary operators, 67, 576
AND operator, 75-76, 84 binding, 11
applet object, 560-561 bitwise operators, 74-79, 577
area object, 561 blinking lights, creating, 354-356
event handlers, 375-379 blur event, 91
properties, 379-380 blur(), 329
arguments, see parameters bodyDefinition(), 498
arguments array, 61-62, 140-142 Boolean data type, 21
array notation, 51-52 Boolean operators, 577
Array object, 119, 561 Boolean values, 30
methods, 126-139 border property, 419
properties, 125-126 border width, setting, 537
array slice, 122 box math, 536
arrays, 118 break statement, 45
associative, 146-147 browser,
creating, 119-120, 144-145, 147-148 choosing, 14
dense, 122 hiding scripts from, 18
finding type of, 123-124 bugs, preventing, 551-553
methods of, 126-139 button object, 340-341, 562
multidimensional, 142-143 accessing, 341
properties of, 125-126 event handlers, 341-343
referring to elements in, 120-122, 124-125 methods, 343
splitting string into associative, 148-149 properties, 343
two-dimensional, 143
types of, 122 C
using, 333-335 calendar, creating, 170-179, 393-400
workaround for, 118-119 case sensitivity, 15, 22, 102
ASCII character set, 578-581 ceil(), 187
 Index n 585

change event, 91 curAttribute(), 497

characteristics(x, y), 481 curve, creating, 195-198
charAt(), 220-221
checkbox game, creating, 349-351 D
checkbox list, creating, 351-352 data streams, working with, 301-303
checkbox object, 346-347, 562-563 data tainting, 540-541
accessing, 347 automatic, 542-543
event handlers, 347 enabling, 541-542
methods, 347-348 data type operator, 86
properties, 348-352 data types, 20-21
checked property, 348-349, 356 converting, 25-26
checkMoveX(step), 469 Date object, 150, 563
checkMoveY(), 470 methods, 152-163
checkWarp(startX, startY, endX, endY), 476 numeric conventions, 152
chop(), 127 parameters of, 151-152
class, 11 using to create instances, 150-151
clear(), 302-303 debugging, 545, 550-551
clearActive(), 468-469 decimal integers, 27
clearState(), 258-259 decrement operator, 32, 72
clearTimeout(), 165-166 default parameters, workaround for, 62-63
click event, 91 defaultChecked property, 351, 356
click(), 254, 343, 347-348 defaultSelected property, 363
client-side JavaScript, 7, 9 defaultValue property, 331-332
clock, creating, 166-169, 425-428 dense array, 122
close(), 302 destination document, 380
code, compiling as function, 511 dialog boxes, 38-39
color cube, creating, 292-294 digital clock, creating, 166-169, 425-428
colors, display(), 502
specifying, 291 display(r, g, b), 496
testing, 491-496 display(triplet), 295
comma operator, 86 division operator, 69
command block, 34 document object, 235-236, 289, 564
commenting, 550 methods, 295-299
comparison operators, 576 properties, 289-294, 300
compile-time errors, 545 using, 236-238
complete property, 419 Document Object Model, see DOM
complexWarp(), 475-476 document.URL property, 283
computeIndex(), 445 DOM, 7, 233, 240-242
concatenation, accessing document’s structure with, 242-243
of empty string, 224-225 levels, 241-242
operator, 72-73 methods, 242-243
conditional operator, 85-86 using, 243-245
conditional statements, 39-43 dot syntax, 51
confirm boxes, 38-39 drawBlank(), 443
confirm(), 38-39 drawBlank(num), 198, 210
constants, see literals drawCal(firstDay, lastDate, date, monthName, year),
constructor, 105 176-179
constructor functions, 106 drawCell (red, green, blue), 295
control structures, 38-46 drawCube(), 296-297
conversion, drawCurve(), 214-215
integer, 28-29 drawCurve(lastDeg, jump), 201-202
number to string, 224-226 drawDot(), 198
string to number, 226-228 drawDot(x, y), 210
type, 25-26 drawLetter(letter, startX), 444
cookies, 19, 382 drawLine(deg), 200-201
functions, 386-388 drawMessage(num), 445-446
using, 383-386 drawRow(red, blue), 295-296
cos(), 190 drawScreen(), 467
586 n Index

drawSpace(startX), 444-445 for statement, 44-45

drawTable(blue), 296 form elements, 318-319
dropLines(), 479-480 form object, 309-310, 565-566
dynamic objects, 11, 183 event handlers, 310-312
methods, 312-313
E properties, 313-318
elements, form property, 322-323
referring to in arrays, 120-122, 124-125 form validation, and JavaScript, 8-9
replaced, 536-537 forms,
elements array, 314-315 referencing, 308
elements property, 314-317 using JavaScript with, 307-308
else statement, 42-43 forms array, 308
embeds array, 522 forward(), 305
encipher(), 231 frame object, 574-576
encode(str, key), 232 frame-setting document, 505
encoding property, 317 using event handlers in, 505-506
entities, 24-25 frames, 483
equality operator, 33, 76, 82-83 creating, 483-486
error event, 91 nesting, 487-489
error messages, 546-549 targeting, 486-487, 506-507
errors, 545-546 using event handlers in, 504-505
escape sequence, 31-32, 217 working with, 500-504
escape(), 223 frames property, 490-491
Euler’s constant, 183 FTP, 267
eval(), 195, 228-229, 508-510 fullMap(), 481
evaluation, 34-35 function, compiling code as, 511
event handlers, 18, 93-96 function call, 510-511
calling, 101-102, 375 function keyword, 35-36
using in frame-setting document, 505-506 function object, 511, 566
using in frames, 504-505 properties, 514-515
using with function object, 514 specifying parameters for, 513
using with this keyword, 319-322 using with event handlers, 514
events, 91 using with variables, 513
canceling, 103 function parameters, 56-60
emulating, 100-101, 506 function reference, 510-511
in JavaScript, 91-93 functions, 35, 60
exp(), 187-188 calling, 37-38, 60
expressions, 88-89 constructor, 106
evaluating, 34-35, 228-229 defining, 35-37, 60
external scripts, 15-17 recursive, 65-66
signature of, 60
F testing, 552-553
factorial(a), 208
fade(sred, sgreen, sblue, ered, egreen, eblue, step),
G
299 game, creating, 448-465
fgColor property, 300 get3DigitNum(num), 199-200
fields, see properties getAmpm(), 431
File Transfer Protocol, see FTP getDate(), 155-156
File URL protocol, 268 getDay(), 157
fileUpload object, 370, 565 getDays(month, year), 174-175
floating-point numbers, 29-30 getHour(place), 431
and equality testing, 85 getHours(), 157
flood(state), 476-477 getInput(), 212-213
floodBoard(startX), 445 getInput(num, monthName), 400
floor(), 188 getLines(), 339
focus event, 91 getMinute(place), 431
focus(), 329-330 getMinutes(), 157-158
fonts, setting with style sheets, 533 getMonth(), 154-155
 Index n 587

getMonthName(month), 175 <SCRIPT>, 14-17, 559

getPath(url), 432 <SELECT>, 357-358
getRadian(deg), 199 <STRIKE>, 557
getRandom(), 474-475 <STYLE>, 535
getRandom(max), 259 <TABLE>, 557-558
getSeconds, 158 <TD>, 558
getSpecificReminder(num, monthName), 401 <TEXTAREA>, 337
getSpot(deg), 199 <TITLE>, 555
getString(), 259-260 <TR>, 558
getTime(), 159, 174 HTTP, 266
getTimezoneOffset(), 158-159 request, 383
getYear(), 153-154 response, 383
global variables, 24, 53-55 using cookies with, 383-386
go(), 305-306 Hypertext Markup Language, see HTML
Gopher protocol, 267 Hypertext Transfer Protocol, see HTTP
grep(), 127-128
I
H identifier, 22
hash property, 272-275 if statement, 40-42
height property, 419-420 if-else statement, nested, 43
hexadecimal integers, 28, 29 image map, 373
hexadecimal triplets, 28, 291 defining, 373
hidden object, 339-340, 566-567 working with, 377-379
accessing, 340 image object, 415-416, 567-568
properties, 340 event handlers, 423-425
history list, 303 properties, 419-423
indexing, 304 images,
history object, 238, 303, 567 animating, 417-419
and security, 306 defining, 414-415
methods, 304-306 loading low-resolution, 421-422
properties, 303-304 swapping, 416-417
host property, 275 images array, 416
hostname property, 275-276 using, 416-419
href property, 269-272 increment operator, 32, 70-72
hspace property, 421 index property, 363
HTML, 3, 554 indexOf(), 221
and JavaScript, 12 infinite loop, 45
entities, 24-25 initCookie(monthName), 400-401
forms, 307 initialization, 23
resources, 583 insertShape(), 475
source, 550 instances, 104
HTML tags, 219-220 creating, 104-105
<A>, 373 integer literals, 27-29
<B>, 555 integers,
<BLINK>, 557 converting, 28-29
<BODY>, 555, 557 decimal, 27
<EMBED>, 482, 521, 527-528, 530 hexadecimal, 28, 29
<FONT>, 555, 557 octal, 27, 29
<FORM>, 309-310 integral division operator, 69-70
<FRAMESET>, 483-484 internal scripts, 14-15
<HEAD>, 555 isLine(y), 477
<HREF>, 372, 556 ISO Latin-1 characters, 223
<HTML>, 554-555 item(parent, text, depth), 408
<IMG>, 414-415, 555-556
<INPUT>, 324, 335-336, 339-340, 340-341, J
346-347, 353, 370 Java, 4
<MAP>, 373 applets, 4
<P>, 555 vs. JavaScript, 10-12
588 n Index

JavaScript, 5-6 logarithms, 184-185

and banners, 8 logical operators, 85-86
and form validation, 8-9 logical values, see Boolean values
and games, 8 loops, 44-46
and HTML, 12 low-resolution image, loading, 421-422
and image effects, 8 lowsrc property, 421
and security, 18-19
authoring tools, 516-520 M
client-side, 7, 9 Mailto protocol, 267
entities, 24-25 main(), 215
events in, 91-93 makeArray(length), 408
naming conventions, 23 makeArray(min, max, dif), 213-214
objects in, 11 makeAttribute(r, g, b), 496
resources, 582 makeDatabase(), 408-409
server-side, 9-10 margins, setting, 533, 537
structure of, 14-18 Math object, 182-183, 569
URL protocol, 268 arithmetic methods, 186-189
uses for, 7-10 constants, 183-186
using with forms, 307-308 trigonometric methods, 190-192
vs. Java, 10-12 mathematical operators, 67-72
join(), 128 max(), 188
method property, 317
K methods, 50, 106
keywords, 22 defining, 111-113
Komodo, 518 syntax of, 51
using to emulate events, 100-101
L mimeType object, 570
lastIndexOf(), 221 mimeTypes object, 522
layer object, 568 properties, 523-525
leapYear(year), 174 min(), 188
LED sign, creating, 432-441 modulus operator, 69
left shift operator, 77-78 mouseOut event, 92
length property, 125-126, 218, 303-304, 360 mouseOver event, 92
letterArray(), 443 moveX(step), 470-471
link, 372 moveY(), 472
defining, 372-373 multidimensional arrays, 142-143
link object, 568-569 multiplication operator, 68
event handlers, 375-379 music, embedding, 482
properties, 379-380
referencing, 374 N
linkColor property, 300 name property, 332-333, 343, 351, 356, 360, 370, 422
links array, 374 NaN(), 228
literals, 27 navigator object, 235, 570
Boolean, 30 properties, 522-523
floating-point, 29-30 N-banner, 261-262
integer, 27-29 negation operator, 72
string, 30-32 nested
LiveAudio, 526, 531 frames, 487-489
creating console with, 527-530 if-else statements, 43
LiveVideo, 526, 530, 531 objects, 108-111
load event, 91 statements, 34
load(), 499-500 strings, 31
local variables, 24, 53-54 new keyword, 105, 115
location object, 239, 268-269 new line characters, inserting, 338
methods, 281-283 noActive(), 477
properties, 269-281 nodes, 240-241
log(), 188 not a number, 193, 228
logab(a, b), 208 NOT operator, 77, 84
 Index n 589

null data type, 21 outliner, 402

null value, 21 creating, 403-407
number data type, 21 overflow, 29-30
Number object, 192
properties, 192-194 P
numbers, padding size, setting, 538
converting strings to, 226-228 parameter delimiter, 86
converting to strings, 224-226 parameters, 36, 60-61
using with strings, 26-27 default, 62-63
numeric string, 226 specifying for function object, 513
parent property, 489-490
O parse(), 162-163
object hierarchy, 48 parseFloat(), 194, 227-228
object-based programming, 52 parseInt(), 194, 227-228
object-oriented programming, 52 parsing, 58
objects, 47, 104 password object, 335-336, 573-574
creating, 113-115 pathname property, 276
defining properties for, 106-108 pause(), 481-482
dynamic, 11, 183 play(), 480
in JavaScript, 11 plotting utility, creating, 202-208
nested, 108-111 plugin object, 522, 570
static, 11, 183 plugins object, 523
using, 105-106 properties, 525-526
octal integers, 27, 29 plug-ins, 3, 521
onAbort event handler, 423-424 determining installed, 522-523
onBlur event handler, 325, 359, 505-506 embedding, 521
onChange event handler, 325-326, 359 referencing, 522
onClick event handler, 341-343, 347, 354, 375-376 pop(), 129
onError event handler, 96-99, 424 port property, 276
onFocus event handler, 326-328, 359, 505-506 pow(), 188
onLoad event handler, 96, 424-425 printDeg(deg), 200
onMouseOut event handler, 377 printUnit(num), 214
onMouseOver event handler, 376 prompt boxes, 39
onReset event handler, 312 prompt(), 39
onSelect event handler, 328-329 properties, 47-48
onSubmit event handler, 310-311 defining for object, 106-108
onUnload event handler, 96 syntax of, 48-50
open(), 301-302 protocol property, 276
operator precedence, 32, 88 protocols, 266
operators, 32-33, 67 URLs, 266-268
assignment, 33, 79-80, 576 prototypes, 115-116
binary, 576 push(), 130
bitwise, 74-79, 577
Boolean, 577 Q
comparison, 576 quotes, displaying random, 179-180
logical, 85-86
mathematical, 67-72 R
precedence of, 32, 88 radio object, 352-353, 570-571
relational, 81-83 accessing, 353-354
short-circuit logical, 83-85 event handlers, 354
string, 72-73 methods, 354-356
trinary, 85-86 properties, 356-357
unary, 576 random(), 189
Option constructor, 367 R-banner, 255-258
using, 368-369 real numbers, see floating-point numbers
options array properties, 363-367 recursion, 65-66
options property, 361 referring document, 380
OR operator, 76, 83-84 creating, 380-381
590 n Index

relational operators, 81-83 setStates(), 409-410

reload(), 281-282 setStorage(), 412
replace(), 282-283 setTime(), 161
replaceSpecialSequence(str), 210-211 setTimeout(), 163-165
reset object, see button object setYear(), 159
reset(), 313 shapeMap(), 473-474
return statement, 64-65 shift(), 131-132
reverse(), 131 shopping cart, 382
right shift operator, 78-79 short-circuit logical operators, 83-85
root(a, b), 208 showBanner(), 254-255, 260-261
rotate(), 476 side effects, 89-90
round(), 189 sin(), 190
roundoff error, 30 smartX(x, y, step), 471-472
run-time errors, 545 smartY(x, y), 473
sort(), 132-135
S source document, 380
save(), 499 splice(), 135-138
scope, variable, 53-55 split(), 138-139
scripts, splitFunc(func), 211-212
debugging, 550-551 sqrt(), 189
external, 15-17 src property, 422
hiding from old browsers, 18 stack, 56
internal, 14-15 stack overflow, 56
testing, 553 start(), 478-479
scrollBanner(seed), 262-263 startBanner(), 254
ScrypTik, 516-517 startSign(), 446
search interface, creating, 284-288 startWizard(), 208-209
search property, 277-281 state, 382
search utilities, 284 state(x, y), 467-468
security, 539 statements, 33
and URLs, 306, 540 multiple, 33-34
in JavaScript, 18-19 nested, 34, 43
select event, 92 static objects, 11, 183
select object, 357-358, 571-572 status bar, 247
accessing, 358 setting default value for, 250
creating nested structure, 368-369 writing to, 248-250
event handlers, 359 status property, 247
methods, 359 stopBanner(), 253-254
properties, 360-363 stopClock(), 430
select(), 330-331 stopSign(), 447
select(r, g, b), 497 stopwatch, creating, 343-346
selected property, 363-365 string concatenation, 72-73
selectedIndex property, 361-363 string data type, 21
self object, 489 string literals, 30-32
server-side JavaScript, 9-10 String object, 218, 572
setbgColor(red, green, blue), 299 methods, 220-222
setCal(), 175-176 properties, 218
setClock(), 429-430 string operator, 72-73
setDate(),160 String() constructor, using, 225
setHours(),160 strings, 217
setImages(), 410-411 concatenating empty, 224-225
setLight(state, x, y), 443-444 converting numbers to, 224-226
setMinutes(),160 converting to numbers, 226-228
setMonth(), 160 creating, 218
setSeconds, 160 enciphering, 229-231
setSpecificReminder(num, monthName, newValue), evaluating, 508-510
401-402 nested, 31
setSquare(x, y, state), 468 splitting into associative array, 148-149
 Index n 591

using with numbers, 26-27 U

stub file, 528
unary operators, 67, 576
style sheets, 532
underflow, 30
format properties, 536-538
unescape(), 223
using to set properties, 533
Uniform Resource Locators, see URLs
styles,
unload event, 92
assigning, 534-536
unshift(), 139
defining classes of, 535-536
update(), 430, 498-499
inheriting, 533-534
URLs, 265
setting for individual elements, 535
and security, 306, 540
submit event, 92
protocols, 266-268
submit object, see button object
syntax of, 265-266
submit(), 312-313
Usenet News protocol, 267-268
substring(), 222
user name, remembering, 390-392
subtraction operator, 68
UTC(), 163
syntax errors, see compile-time errors

T V
value, returning, 63-65
tags, 3 see also HTML tags
value property, 335, 343, 351, 357, 367, 370
closing, 555
var keyword, 23-24, 53-54, 59-60
matching, 550
variables, 20, 21, 53
taint accumulator, 543
declaring, 23-24
tainting, see data tainting
global, 24, 53-55
tan(), 190-191
local, 24, 53-54
target property, 317-318, 380
naming, 22
T-banner, 251-253, 326-328
scope of, 53-55
text, formatting with HTML tags, 219-220
storage class of, 55-56
text editor, choosing, 13
tracing, 551
text expressions, evaluating, 228-229
using with function object, 513
text object, 324, 573-574
watching, 551
accessing, 324-325
vlinkColor property, 300
event handlers, 325-329
void operator, 87
methods, 329-331
vspace property, 423
properties, 331-335
text properties, setting with style sheets, 533
W
text property, 365-367
textarea object, 336-337, 573-574 warp(startX, startY, endX, endY), 478
accessing, 337 web pages, 1
event handlers, 338 enhancing, 1-2
methods, 338 web site visits, recording number of, 388-390
properties, 338 while statement, 46
working with, 339 whole numbers, see integer literals
this keyword, 106 width property, 423
using with event handlers, 319-322 window object, 234, 574-576
title property, 289-291 properties, 489-491
toggle(num), 411 write(), 301
toGMTString(), 161-162 writeln(), 301
toHex(dec), 298
toLocaleString(), 162 X
top property, 490 XOR operator, 76
toString(), 225-226
trinary operator, 85-86 Y
two-dimensional arrays, 143 yVal(xVal), 213
creating, 144-145
typeof keyword, 86 Z
zero-fill right shift operator, 79
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