JavaScripts

Web design history HTML code taken in and interpreted by the user’s machine on initial load Static in nature Not “static/dynamic” but singular scan static

Immediate Problems No “checking” functionality Database writing Many pages for multiple menus Example (FGCU Alico Arena) No User OS/Browser Detection

Additional HTML Limitations No access to browser interface No real date/time handling Cannot create or access “Pseudo registry” files (ie: cookies) Cannot verify field input

Overall Interactivity At this point HTML pages are basically electronic Newspapers. Display only.

JavaScripts - Basic Definition Created by Brendan Eich. First implemented by Netscape Navigator 2 Beta in 1995 to make newly added support for Java applets more accessible to non-Java programmers and web designers. Originally known as “LiveScript” called JavaScript for marketing.

Basic Info JavaScript programs, or Scripts, are often directly embedded in HTML pages and executed by the browser. Usually accessed as a listed “.js” file.

Basic Info Because JavaScript is an interpreted language, it requires no preliminary compilation by the host machine. Thus it runs independent of the code.

Basic JavaScript Functions Control over the browser Background, scrollbars, navigation, status bar User Detection Browser, Operation System Client-side Calculation

Basic JavaScript Functions Verify User input Text fields Handling dates and times Clocks, Calendars, “time of day” handling HTML generation JavaScript menus generated by the host machine.

Limitations Direct access to server or client side files Exception (cookies) Multithreading May be disabled by browser

Common Practical Uses JavaScript menus Selection/Search Fields Cookie generation and access Form validation