JavaScript Sourcebook: Create Interactive JavaScript Programs for the World Wide Web [Paperback]

Gordon McComb (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0471161853 | ISBN-13: 978-0471161851 | Publication Date: July 1996

The JavaScript SourceBook is a complete tutorial and reference for using JavaScript, teaching developers how to create JavaScripts and integrate them into HTML pages. With up-to-the-minute tips on creating JavaScript applications that take full advantage of new features in NetScape 3.0, the book explores JavaScript basics and features extensive discussions of advanced techniques, including JavaScript workarounds and Java applet construction for JavaScript.

Includes CD-ROM with... A library of ready to use JavaScript Applications and routines, plus a selection of reusable Java Components that readers can build into their JavaScript programs.

JavaScript allows programmers to build Web sites nearly as sophisticated as a Java Web site without having to do the actual programming. This will enable non-programmers to create Web sites with animation, 3D graphics, and more.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

For the HTML expert who wants to expand his or her knowledge into a thorough understanding of JavaScript, JavaScript Sourcebook is an excellent choice. This book opens with generalities about programming doctrine, appropriate use of JavaScript, and discussions of such programming concepts as variables, operators, strings, and loops. It then launches into in-depth coverage of every object, property, function, operator, expression, data type, and event handler in the JavaScript 1.1 language specification.

JavaScript Sourcebook wraps up with practical JavaScript information, including a handy "Fixing Broken JavaScript Programs" chapter that lists the 11 most common JavaScript programming errors and the methods for correcting them. There is also good documentation of JavaScript's capacity for working with HTML frames and outstanding information about advanced client-side topics, such as pull-based updates and image maps.

Computer-book authors frequently load their companion CD-ROMs with the source code from the chapters and leave it at that. McComb has arranged for permission to include Bill Dortch's useful hIdaho frameset functions on the CD-ROM that accompanies JavaScript Sourcebook. Though the functions are available on the Web, having them at hand is a plus for programmers.

From the Publisher

The JavaScript SourceBook is a complete tutorial and reference for using JavaScript, teaching developers how to create JavaScripts and integrate them into HTML pages. With up-to-the-minute tips on creating JavaScript applications that take full advantage of new features in NetScape 3.0, the book explores JavaScript basics and features extensive discussions of advanced techniques, including JavaScript workarounds and Java applet construction for JavaScript. Includes CD-ROM with... A library of ready to use JavaScript Applications and routines, plus a selection of reusable Java Components that readers can build into their JavaScript programs. JavaScript allows programmers to build Web sites nearly as sophisticated as a Java Web site without having to do the actual programming. This will enable non-programmers to create Web sites with animation, 3D graphics, and more.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 752 pages
• Publisher: Wiley (July 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471161853
• ISBN-13: 978-0471161851
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #618,026 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Gordon McComb has written more than 60 books and thousands of magazine articles--more than a million copies of his books are in print, in more than a dozen languages. He's has been called "The father of hobby robotics" by MAKE Magazine.

For 13 years, Gordon wrote a weekly syndicated newspaper column on computers, which reached several million readers worldwide. He's still a regular contributor to SERVO Magazine, and most recently completed seven years as writer of their popular Robotics Resources column.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars JavaScript Source(of Madness)book, August 29, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: JavaScript Sourcebook: Create Interactive JavaScript Programs for the World Wide Web (Paperback)

This book would have been nice to keep on my bookshelf. But, at the very beginning I could see the inconsistencies of the programming examples. It drove me mad. So, I had to return it.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A good book for beginners., March 21, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: JavaScript Sourcebook: Create Interactive JavaScript Programs for the World Wide Web (Paperback)

The author has done a good book for beginners. If you are confused reading the first chapters, try reading from the middle of the book first! Then you will understand expressions, variables, and more programming basics.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good in many ways but confusing in others, October 23, 1997

By 

[e-mail] (Florida) - See all my reviews

This review is from: JavaScript Sourcebook: Create Interactive JavaScript Programs for the World Wide Web (Paperback)

This is the first and only book I've read on JavaScript. Though I have some programming experience I knew little about object oriented programming. I thought the explaination was good and the book in well organized - chapters on objects, properties, methods and functions, etc. My complaint is this: there is some confusing stuff here. Programming elements are used in examples before they are explained. Though some of this is necessary, he could have used simpler examples in many places. Also, he used different ways to call functions in the examples. For example, to call a function from a mouse event, he used no arguments one time and used arguments in another example. Both ways work, but it confused me. It is a pretty good reference book. Following the table of contents most instructions are listed alphabetically with page numbers. The explainations are in sections with the program elements in easy to spot bold type.