I. GETTING STARTED.
Hour 1. Understanding JavaScript. Learning Web Scripting Basics.
Scripts and Programs. Introducing JavaScript.
How JavaScript Fits into a Web Page. Browsers and JavaScript.
Netscape and Internet Explorer. Versions of JavaScript.
Alternatives to JavaScript.
Java. ActiveX. VBScript. CGI and Server-Side Scripting.
Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 2. Creating a Simple Script. Tools for Scripting. What Time Is It? Beginning the Script. Adding JavaScript Statements.
Storing Data in Variables. Calculating the Results.
Creating Output. Adding the Script to a Web Page. Testing the Script.
Modifying the Script. Causing an Error.
Workshop: Hiding Scripts from Older Browsers. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 3. Exploring JavaScript's Capabilities. Improving a Site's User Interface.
Using the Status Line. Navigational Aids. Pop-up Windows and Other Features.
Graphics and Animation. Validating Forms. Detecting Browser Versions. Working with Plug-Ins. Complex Scripts. Workshop: Copying a Script. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 4. How JavaScript Programs Work. Combining Tasks with Functions. Understanding Objects. Handling Events. Conditional Statements. Loops. Which Script Runs First? Workshop: Using Comments. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
II. LEARNING JAVASCRIPT BASICS.
Hour 5. Using Variables and Functions. Using Functions.
Defining a Function. Calling the Function. Returning a Value.
Using Variables.
Choosing Variable Names. Using Local and Global Variables. Assigning Values to Variables.
Data Types in JavaScript. Converting Between Data Types. Workshop: Storing User Data in Variables. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 6. Using Strings and Arrays. Using String Objects.
Creating a String Object. Assigning a Value. Calculating the String's Length. Converting the String's Case.
Working with Substrings.
Using Part of a String. Getting a Single Character. Finding a Substring.
Using Numeric Arrays.
Creating a Numeric Array. Accessing Array Elements.
Using String Arrays.
Creating a String Array. Splitting a String. Sorting an Array.
Workshop: Displaying Scrolling Messages. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 7. Testing and Comparing Values. The if Statement.
Conditional Operators. Combining Conditions with Logical Operators. The else Keyword.
Using Conditional Expressions. Using Multiple Conditions with switch. Workshop: Evaluating a User Response. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 8. Repeating Yourself: Using Loops. Using for Loops. Using while Loops. Using do...while Loops. Working with Loops.
Creating an Infinite Loop. Escaping from a Loop. Continuing a Loop.
Using for...in loops. Workshop: Working with Arrays and Loops. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
III. MOVING ON TO ADVANCED JAVASCRIPT FEATURES.
Hour 9. Using Built-In Objects. What Is an Object?
Creating Objects. Object Properties and Values. Understanding Methods. Using the with Keyword.
The Math Object.
Rounding and Truncating. Generating Random Numbers.
Working with Dates.
Creating a Date Object. Setting Date Values. Getting Date Values. Working with Time Zones. Converting Between Date Formats.
Workshop: Working with the Math Object. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 10. Working with the Document Object Model. Understanding the Document Object Model.
History of the DOM.
Using window Objects. Working with Web Documents.
Getting Information About the Document. Writing Text in a Document. Clearing and Rewriting Documents. Using Links and Anchors.
Accessing Browser History. Working with the location Object. Reading Information about the Browser. Workshop: Creating Back and Forward Buttons. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 11. Creating Custom Objects. Using Objects to Simplify Scripting.
Defining an Object. Defining an Object Method.
Creating an Object Instance. Customizing Built-In Objects. Workshop: Storing Data in Objects. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 12. Responding to Events. Understanding Event Handlers.
Objects and Events. Creating an Event Handler. Changing Event Handlers with JavaScript. Using the event Object.
Using Mouse Events.
Over and Out. Ups and Downs.
Using Keyboard Events. Using the onLoad Event. Workshop: Adding Link Descriptions to a Web Page. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
IV. WORKING WITH WEB PAGES.
Hour 13. Using Windows and Frames. Controlling Windows with Objects.
Creating a New Window. Opening and Closing Windows.
Using Timeouts.
Updating a Page with Timeouts.
Displaying Dialog Boxes.
Creating a Script to Display Dialog Boxes.
Working with Frames.
Using JavaScript Objects for Frames. The frames Array.
Workshop: Creating a Navigation Frame. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 14. Getting Data with Forms. The Basics of HTML Forms.
Defining a Form.
Using the form Object with JavaScript.
The form Object's Properties. Submitting and Resetting Forms. Detecting Form Events.
Scripting Form Elements.
Text Fields. Text Areas. Working with Text in Forms. Buttons. Check Boxes. Radio Buttons. Drop-Down Lists.
Displaying Data from a Form. Sending Form Results by Email. Workshop: Validating a Form. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 15. Using Graphics and Animation. Using Image Maps with JavaScript. Using Dynamic Images in JavaScript.
Working with the images Array. Preloading Images.
Creating Rollovers. Workshop: Creating a Simple Animation.
Creating the Images. Creating the HTML Document. Defining the Variables. Stepping Through the Animation. Putting It All Together.
Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 16. Creating Cross-Browser Scripts. Reading Browser Information.
Displaying Browser Information. Dealing with Dishonest Browsers.
Supporting Browsers with JavaScript.
Creating a Browser-Specific Page. Branching to Separate Pages. Making a Multiple-Browser Page.
Supporting Non-JavaScript Browsers. Workshop: Scripting for Multiple Browsers. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
V. SCRIPTING ADVANCED WEB FEATURES.
Hour 17. Working with Style Sheets. Style and Substance. Defining and Using CSS Styles.
Creating Rules. Aligning Text. Changing Colors and Background Images. Working with Fonts. Margins and Borders.
Creating a Simple Style Sheet. Using External Style Sheets. Controlling Styles with JavaScript. Workshop: Creating Dynamic Styles. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 18. Creating Dynamic Pages with the DOM. Understanding DOM Structure.
Nodes. Parents and Children. Siblings.
Creating Positionable Elements.
Setting Positioning Properties. Controlling Positioning with JavaScript. Dealing with Older Browsers.
Workshop: Creating Dynamic HTML Animation. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 19. Using Advanced DOM Features. Working with DOM Nodes.
Basic Node Properties. Node Relationship Properties. Document Methods. Node Methods.
Hiding and Showing Objects. Modifying Text within a Page. Adding Text to a Page. Workshop: A Better Scrolling Message. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 20. Working with Multimedia and Plug-Ins. Introducing Plug-Ins and LiveConnect.
Understanding MIME Types. How LiveConnect Works.
Working with Plug-In Objects.
Checking for Plug-Ins. Listing Plug-Ins. Using Objects in Plug-Ins.
Workshop: Playing Music with the Mouse.
Embedding the Sounds. Displaying the Keyboard. Playing the Sounds. Putting It All Together.
Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
VI. PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER.
Hour 21. Finding and Handling Errors. Avoiding Bugs.
Using Good Programming Practices. Avoiding Common Mistakes.
Basic Debugging Tools.
Netscape's JavaScript Console. Making the Console Display Automatically. Displaying Error Messages in Internet Explorer. Alert Messages and the Status Line.
Netscape's JavaScript Debugger.
Installing the Debugger. The Debugger Window. Setting Breakpoints and Interrupts. Watching Values. Stepping Through a Script.
Workshop: Debugging a Script.
Testing the Program. Fixing the Error. Testing the Script Again.
Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 22. Improving a Web Page with JavaScript. Creating the HTML Document. Using Drop-Down Lists for Navigation.
Naming the Pages. Creating the Data Structures and HTML. Creating the Function for the Navigation Bar.
Adding Link Descriptions. Adding Graphic Links.
Creating the Graphics. Creating Event Handlers.
Workshop: Finishing Up the Page. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 23. Creating a JavaScript Game. Planning the Program.
Creating Graphics. Choosing Variables. Creating the HTML Document.
Writing the Program.
Handling the Deal/Draw Button. Shuffling the Deck. Dealing the Cards. Holding and Discarding Cards. Drawing New Cards. Calculating the Score.
Workshop: Putting It All Together. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercises.
Hour 24. Where Do We Go from Here? Learning Advanced JavaScript Techniques. Future Web Technologies.
Future Versions of JavaScript. Future DOM Versions. XML (Extensible Markup Language). XSL (Extensible Stylesheet Language).
Planning for the Future.
Keeping Scripts Compatible. Staying HTML Compliant. Document Everything.
Workshop: A Few JavaScript Tips. Summary. Q&A. Quiz.
Questions. Answers.
Exercise.
VII. APPENDIXES.
Appendix A. Other JavaScript Resources. Other Books. JavaScript Web Sites. Web Site Development. This Book's Web Site.
Appendix B. Tools for JavaScript Developers. HTML and Text Editors.
HomeSite. FrontPage. NetObjects ScriptBuilder. BBEdit. Text Editors.
HTML Validators.
Appendix C. Glossary. Appendix D. JavaScript Quick Reference. Built-In Objects.
Array. String. Math. Date.
Basic DOM (Document Object Model) Objects.
Window. Location. History. Document. Navigator.
Creating and Customizing Objects.
Creating Objects. Customizing Objects.
JavaScript Statements.
Comments. break. continue. for. for...in. function. if...else. return. var. while.
JavaScript Built-In Functions.
eval. parseInt. parseFloat.
Index. 