Beginning Javascript with Dom Scripting and Ajax

• Getting Started with JavaScript
• Data and Decisions
• From DHTML to DOM Scripting
• HTML and JavaScript
• Presentation and Behavior (CSS and Event Handling)
• Common Uses of JavaScript: Images and Windows
• JavaScript and User Interaction: Navigation and Forms
• Back-End Interaction with Ajax
• Data Validation Techniques
• Modern JavaScript Case Study: A Dynamic Gallery
• Using Third-Party JavaScript
• APPENDIX. Debugging JavaScript

• Getting Started with JavaScript
  • The Why of JavaScript
  • What Is JavaScript?
  • Problems and Merits of JavaScript
  • Why Use JavaScript If It Cannot Be Relied On?
  • JavaScript in a Web Page and Essential Syntax
    • JavaScript Syntax
    • Code Execution
    • An Aside About Functions
  • Objects
  • Simple JavaScript Example
  • Summary
• Data and Decisions
  • Data, Data Types, and Data Operators
    • The String Data Type
    • Operators
    • JavaScript Variables
    • Converting Different Types of Data
  • The Composite Data Types: Array and Object
    • Objects JavaScript Supplies You with: String, Date and Math
  • Arrays
    • The Array Object's Methods and Properties
  • Making Decisions in JavaScript
    • The Logical and Comparison Operators
    • Conditional Statements
    • Testing Multiple Values: the switch Statement
    • Repeating Things: Loops
  • Summary
• From DHTML to DOM Scripting
  • JavaScript As "the Behavior Layer"
    • Object Detection vs. Browser Dependence
    • Progressive Enhancement
  • JavaScript and Accessibility
  • Good Coding Practices
    • Naming Conventions
    • Code Layout
    • Commenting
    • Functions
    • Short Code via Ternary Operator
    • Sorting and Reuse of Functions
    • Variable and Function Scope
    • Keeping Scripts Safe with the Object Literal
  • Summary
• HTML and JavaScript
  • The Anatomy of an HTML Document
  • Providing Feedback in Web Pages via JavaScript: The Old School Ways
    • Using window Methods: prompt(), alert() and confirm()
  • Accessing the Document via the DOM
  • Of Children, Parents, Siblings, and Values
    • From the Parents to the Children
    • From the Children to the Parents
    • Among Siblings
  • Changing Attributes of Elements
  • Creating, Removing, and Replacing Elements
    • Avoiding NOSCRIPT
    • Shortening Your Scripts via InnerHTML
    • DOM Summary: Your Cheat Sheet
    • DOMhelp: Our Own Helper Library
  • Summary
• Presentation and Behavior (CSS and Event Handling)
  • Changing the Presentation Layer via JavaScript
    • Helping the CSS Designer
  • Changing the Document's Behavior via Event Handling
    • Events in the W3C-Compliant World
    • Fixing Events for the Non-W3C-Compliant World
    • Never Stop Optimizing
    • The Ugly Page Load Problem and Its Ugly Solutions
    • Reading and Filtering Keyboard Entries
    • The Dangers of Event Handling
  • Summary
• Common Uses of JavaScript: Images and Windows
  • Images and JavaScript
    • Basics of Image Scripting
    • Preloading Images
    • Rollover Effects
    • Slide Shows
    • Summary of Images and JavaScript
  • Windows and JavaScript
    • Window Properties
    • Window Methods
    • Summary: Windows and JavaScript
  • Summary
• JavaScript and User Interaction: Navigation and Forms
  • Navigation and JavaScript
    • The Fear of the Page Reload
    • Basics of Navigation and JavaScript
    • Browser Navigation
    • In-Page Navigation
    • Site Navigation
    • Pagination
    • Summary of Navigation with JavaScript
  • Forms and JavaScript
    • Basics of Forms with JavaScript
    • Form Elements
    • Interactive Forms: Hiding and Showing Dependent Elements
    • Custom Form Elements
    • Summary of Forms and JavaScript
  • Summary
• Back-End Interaction with Ajax
  • Household Cleaning Liquid, Football Club, or Flash Gordon's
    • Spacecraft: What Is Ajax?
  • Et Tu, Cache?
  • Putting the X Back into Ajax
    • Replacing XML with JSON
    • Using Server-Side Scripts to Reach Third-Party Content
    • XHR on Slow Connections
    • A Larger Ajax Example: Connected Select Boxes
    • Optional Dynamic Ajax Menus
  • Summary
• Data Validation Techniques
  • Pros and Cons of Client-Side JavaScript Validation
  • A Quick Reminder About Protecting Content with JavaScript
  • The One-Size-Fits-All Validation Myth
  • Basic JavaScript Validation with String and Numeric Methods
    • String Validation Methods
    • Numeric Validation Methods
  • Regular Expressions
    • Syntax and Attributes
    • Wildcard Searches, Constraining Scope, and Alternatives
    • Restricting the Number of Characters with Quantifiers
    • Word Boundaries, Whitespace, and Other Shortcuts
    • Methods Using Regular Expressions
    • The Power of Parenthesis Grouping
    • Regular Expression Resources
  • Summary of Validation Methods
  • Form Validation Techniques
    • Designating Mandatory Fields
    • The Hidden Field Method
    • The Indicator Element Method
    • The CSS Classes Method
    • The Custom Attribute Method
    • Failures of These Methods
    • Sharing Validation Rules
  • Giving Users Validation Feedback
    • Showing a List of Erroneous Fields
    • Replacing the Main Form with a Clickable Error Message
    • Highlighting Erroneous Fields Individually
    • Instant Validation Feedback
  • Other Dynamic Validation Methods
  • Summary
• Modern JavaScript Case Study: A Dynamic Gallery
  • Basics of Thumbnail Galleries
  • What Is a Thumbnail Gallery and What Should It Do?
  • Static Thumbnail Galleries
  • Faking Dynamic Galleries with JavaScript
  • Displaying Captions
  • Dynamic Thumbnail Galleries
  • Creating an Image Badge from a Folder
  • Summary
• Using Third-Party JavaScript
  • What the Web Offers You
  • Code Snippets, RSS Feeds, APIs, and Libraries
    • RSS Feeds and REST APIs
    • Examples of REST APIs
  • Using a Library: Short, Shorter, jQuery
    • Dangers of jQuery and Other Libraries Using Their Own Syntax
  • Using an API: Adding a Map to Your Site with Google Maps
  • Full Service: The Yahoo Developer Network and User
    • Interface Library
    • Bouncy Headlines Using YUI
    • Replacing Pop-Up Windows Using the YUI Connection Manager and Container Components
    • Yahoo User Interface Library Summary
  • Summary
• APPENDIX. Debugging JavaScript
  • Common JavaScript Mistakes
    • Misspellings and Case-Sensitivity Issues
    • Trying to Access Undefined Variables
    • Incorrect Number of Closing Braces and Parentheses
    • Concatenation Gone Wrong
    • Assigning Instead of Testing the Value of a Variable
  • Tracing Errors with alert() and "Console" Elements
  • Error Handling with try and catch()
  • Sequential Uncommenting
  • Error Reporting in Browsers
    • Microsoft Internet Explorer 6
    • Safari
    • Opera 8.5
    • Firefox 1
  • JSLint and JSUNIT
  • Summary