#28468
Increasing Form Usability with JavaScript
It's easy to increase the usability of forms using JavaScript - find out how.
McCarthy, Paul. Webcredible (2007). Design>Web Design>DHTML>JavaScript
#27619
Interactive Forms with Javascript / HTML Tutorial
One of the most important aspects of web design is getting information from the viewer to the webmaster. This is where HTML forms are used. If you have been on the internet, you have seen forms before. Google uses them for search queries, Amazon uses them for shipping and credit card information, your bank uses them for you to login. Almost every site on the web has a type of form somewhere. We can't live without forms. How about changing the forms based on input by the viewer? This is where interactive forms using Javascript and HTML can help.
Zimmer, Brian. Zimmertech.com (2001). Design>Web Design>Forms>DHTML
#22426
An Interactive Gallery in HTML+TIME
In this article, I am going to build upon HTML+TIME markup to make my slideshow into an interactive gallery. One of the big selling points behind HTML+TIME is that it offers scripting-like interactivity without having to use scripting. With a few additions to our existing HTML markup, our presentation is ready for user interaction.
Kennedy, Tim. Streaming Media World (2001). Design>Web Design>DHTML
#27047
In simple terms, Ajax is an approach to rendering web pages that improves a web site's appeal and usability. It enhances user interaction by targeting updates from the server to specific areas of a web page. It allows information to be changed without long delays or frustrating page refreshes.
Prokata (2006). Articles>Web Design>DHTML>Ajax
#11725
An Introduction to Dynamic HTML (DHTML)
The intranet and Internet is an ever evolving environment, and Web pages themselves are steadily blooming from static displays of data to interactive applications. 'Dynamic HTML' is an umbrella term encompassing several ways in which Web developers can breathe life into pages which have traditionally been still portraits of information.
Weiss, Aaron. Intranet Journal. Design>Web Design>Standards>DHTML
#19208
On this page I give a short introduction to the accessibility issues surrounding the use of JavaScript. It is by no means a complete tutorial; I just want to offer a few rough guidelines and some bits of information. Nonetheless the information on this page seems to be clearer and more complete than the average 'JavaScript and accessibility' page on the WWW.
Koch, Peter-Paul. XS4ALL. Design>Web Design>Accessibility>DHTML
#28466
JavaScript and Progressive Enhancement
Learn about JavaScript and how it can be used to progressively enhance your site.
McCarthy, Paul. Webcredible (2007). Design>Web Design>DHTML>JavaScript
#21220
The Webmonkey code library is our own collection of code fragments, function packages, and Web editor extensions - a resource containing generalized code, specific workarounds, and good ideas that you can use to enhance your pages in ways you may not know how (or may not want to bother) to program.
#25549
Making an online gallery of pictures should be a quick process. The gap between snapping some pictures and publishing them on the web ought to be a short one. Here’s a quick and easy way of making a one-page gallery that uses JavaScript to load images and their captions on the fly.
Keith, Jeremy. List Apart, A (2004). Design>Web Design>DHTML
#25504
Fahrner Image Replacement (FIR), a technique developed to allow designers to use image-based typesetting while meeting accessibility requirements, only serves its intended purpose when screen readers misbehave. By using JavaScript, we have an opportunity none of these solutions give us.
Heilmann, Christian. List Apart, A (2003). Design>Web Design>DHTML
#25259
Now that you've separated your website’s (XHTML) structure from its (CSS) presentation, wouldn’t it be great to similarly abstract the behavioral (JavaScript) layer from the others? ALA prodigal Peter-Paul Koch shows how to use JavaScript Triggers to do just that.
Koch, Peter-Paul. List Apart, A (2005). Design>Web Design>DHTML
#24373
Jivin' with (Java and) JavaScript 
Java™ and JavaScript™ are two of the newest 'kids on the block' when it comes to the latest developments for the computing and Internet world. Already, many are predicting that within a very few years Java will be the programming language of choice. Already, JavaScripts are nearly ubiquitous on the World Wide Web, largely because of their cross-platform nature and ease of use. And already, many technical communicators are beginning to consider what impact these new tools will have on their careers. While relatively few technical communicators will deal directly with JavaScripts and even fewer with Java programming, those involved in Web page development and online (HTML) documentation will find them valuable to learn and use.
Beck, Charles O. STC Proceedings (1998). Design>Web Design>DHTML
#26891
Mastering Ajax, Part 3: Advanced Requests and Responses in Ajax
For many Web developers, making simple requests and receiving simple responses is all they'll ever need, but for developers who want to master Ajax, a complete understanding of HTTP status codes, ready states, and the XMLHttpRequest object is required. In this article, Brett McLaughlin will show you the different status codes and demonstrate how browsers handle each and he will showcase the lesser-used HTTP requests that you can make with Ajax.
McLaughlin, Brett D. IBM (2006). Articles>Web Design>DHTML>Ajax
#26882
Mastering Ajax, Part 4: Exploiting DOM for Web Response
The great divide between programmers (who work with back-end applications) and Web programmers (who spend their time writing HTML, CSS, and JavaScript) is long standing. However, the Document Object Model (DOM) bridges the chasm and makes working with both XML on the back end and HTML on the front end possible and an effective tool. In this article, Brett McLaughlin introduces the Document Object Model, explains its use in Web pages, and starts to explore its usage from JavaScript.
McLaughlin, Brett D. IBM (2006). Design>Web Design>DHTML>Ajax
#13546
For years we’ve been preloading our on–state images to assist the browser in its rollover presentation. Preloading increases the weight of the initial download, but adds to usability by decreasing the wait time for an on–state image to appear. Decreases, but may not eliminate. Even when preloaded, some browsers present momentary pauses prior to rendering the image. Besides being annoying, this momentary pause can cause problems when a visitor mouses over an element in passing or too rapidly. If the mouse movement is too fast, the browser does not have time to render the image and, worst–case scenario, can present you with a broken image icon.
Murtaugh, Tim. List Apart, A (2002). Design>Web Design>CSS>DHTML
#27307
With the release of W3 compliant browsers however, we now have the ability to change styles on the fly from JavaScript, using the W3C DOM. Unfortunately, due to a distinction between the way that embedded and remote stylesheet properties are exposed as opposed to the way that inline STYLE properties are exposed, this can be tricky.
Apple Inc. (2006). Design>Web Design>CSS>DHTML
#22373
Navbars: Why Drill-Down Menus are Harmful
Drill-down menus make interaction more difficult, destroy the user's overview, and poor wording make users give up using the site.
Bohmann, Kristoffer. Bohmann Usability (2001). Design>Web Design>Usability>DHTML
#27295
The pace of new browser releases may be slower than it was in the early days, but developers must still confront a bemusing array of browser versions and brands that support some JavaScript features but not others. To combat the problem, scripters commonly provide two or more code branches so that a browser follows an execution path containing statements that it supports. Browser sniffing — the task of inspecting navigator object properties for version information — has become largely unmanageable given the browser version permutations available today. This article presents details on an alternative solution — object detection — that frees JavaScript developers from most of this versioning mess.
Apple Inc. (2006). Design>Web Design>Standards>DHTML
#29389
Opening PDFs in a New Window with JavaScript
Learn how to use unobtrusive JavaScript to automatically open all PDFs in a new window.
McCarthy, Paul. Webcredible (2007). Design>Web Design>DHTML>JavaScript
#27410
Painless JavaScript Using Prototype
Prototype is an object oriented JavaScript library (written by Sam Stephenson and friends) that makes JavaScript fun. So it says on the site, anyway. Those of you who are familiar with the open source community's latest and greatest application framework, Rails, may recognise Prototype as it actually forms the backbone of Rails' JavaScript helper. However, Prototype can be used independently of Rails to aid the coding of many JavaScript doodads and Web 2.0 thingy wangles.
Webb, Dan. SitePoint (2006). Design>Web Design>DHTML>JavaScript
#27306
Since there are clearly times when it makes sense to use a plug-in, the question arises of how to deal with those who don’t have the required plug-in installed. As Web developers, we have several choices. One option is to do nothing, simply serving the plug-in-dependent content. The trouble is that those that don’t have the required plug-in will get a rather disturbing page with a broken plug-in icon where your beautiful multimedia should be. Another option is to give visitors a choice between the plug-in version and the static HTML version of each page. Sometimes this may be the best choice, since it gives your visitors control over their experience. There are two problems, however. First of all, the choice itself interrupts a visitor’s experience of the site. Second, it requires them to know what plug-ins they have installed. But why should they need to know? Many users don’t know a plug-in from a spark plug? The final and often best option, the one this script is designed to help with, is to check to see if each visitor has a given plug-in. If they do, you can go ahead and serve them the page with the plug-in embedded.
Apple Inc. (2006). Design>Web Design>Server Side Includes>DHTML
#18727
Para la mayoría de las personas resulta confuso que, al hacer click en un link o botón, la página responda lanzando una nueva ventana del navegador. Añade otra dimensión a la complejidad de la navegación. Sin embargo, muchas veces nuestro cliente necesita un pop-up, o nosotros mismos decidimos que el visitante de la página podrá manejarlo. Más allá de las discusiones acerca de usar o no un pop-up, hay un problema que los corrompe sistemáticamente, que los hace perversos, que agrede a usuarios avanzados y principiantes en su navegación, confunde a los buscadores, y genera ruido en el código. Este problema es que, existiendo varias formas de lanzar un pop-up con código Javascript, las más usadas son las incorrectas.
Razzari, Manuel. Nosolousabilidad.com (2003). (Spanish) Design>Web Design>Usability>DHTML
#30675
Quick and Dirty Web Applications with Bookmarklets
Web 2.0 is well known for the fact that it's not built on breathtaking new inventions, but rather on renewed emphasis on age-old Web technologies. One of those age-old technologies that is enjoying a revival in Web 2.0 is bookmarklets. A bookmarklet is essentially a Web application shoehorned into a regular browser bookmark. This article includes a fully functioning bookmarklet and installation instructions you can use to highlight text on any Web page and search IBM developerWorks for that text.
Ogbuji, Uche. IBM (2007). Articles>Web Design>DHTML>Web Browsers
#20369
Readers return to sites that appear fresh and new on each visit. On a news site, magazine, or blog, stories or headlines will be updated frequently. But how can static sites keep that fresh feeling? Dan Benjamin’s free image randomizer may do the trick, and you needn’t be a programmer to install it.
Benjamin, Dan. List Apart, A (2003). Design>Web Design>Graphic Design>DHTML
#27628
Re-Write a Layer's Content with Javascript
One of the most common tasks Web developers face every day is to change the content of a Web page, without additional requests to the Web server. The easiest way to accomplish this assignment is through the use of layers.
Todorov, Peter. SitePoint (2003). Design>Web Design>DHTML>Ajax
