Chapter 24. Client-Side JavaScript Reference

This part of the book is a reference section that documents the classes, methods, properties, and event handlers defined by web browsers that support client-side JavaScript. These classes, methods, and properties form the de facto standard called the DOM Level 0 API. Beginning scripters and programmers writing with backward compatibility in mind will use this reference section in conjunction with the core JavaScript reference of Part III. The introduction and sample reference page explain how to use and get the most out of this reference section. Take the time to read this material carefully, and you will find it easier to locate and use the information you need!

This reference section is arranged alphabetically. The reference pages for the methods and properties of classes are alphabetized by their full names, which include the names of the classes that define them. For example, if you want to read about the submit( ) method of the Form class, you would look under "Form.submit," not just "submit."

To save space in this enlarged fourth edition of the book, most properties in this reference section do not have reference pages of their own (all methods and event handlers do have their own reference pages, however). Instead, simple properties are completely documented in the reference page for the class that defines them. For example, you can read about the images[] property of the Document class in the "Document" reference page. Nontrivial properties that require substantial explanation do have reference pages of their own, and you'll find a cross-reference to these pages within the reference page of the class or interface that defines the properties. For example, when you look up the cookie property in the "Document" reference page or the status property in the "Window" reference page, you'll find a short description of the property and a reference to pages named "Document.cookie" and "Window.status."

Client-side JavaScript has a number of global properties and functions, such as window, history, and alert( ). In client-side JavaScript, a Window object serves as the global object, and the "global" properties and functions of client-side JavaScript are actually properties of the Window class. Therefore, in this client-side reference section, global properties and functions are documented in the "Window" reference page or under names such as "Window.alert( )."

Sometimes you may find that you don't know the name of the class or interface that defines the method or property you want to look up, or you may not be sure which of the three reference sections to look up a class or interface in. Part VI of this book is a special index designed to help with these situations. Look up the name of a class, method, or property, and it will tell you which reference section to look in and which class to look under in that section. For example, if you look up "Button," it will tell you that the Button class is documented in this client-side reference section. And if you look up the name "alert," it will tell you that alert( ) is a method of the client-side Window class.

Once you've found the reference page you're looking for, you shouldn't have much difficulty finding the information you need. Still, you'll be able to make better use of this reference section if you understand how the reference pages are written and organized. What follows is a sample reference page titled "Sample Entry" that demonstrates the structure of each reference page and tells you where to find various types of information within the pages. Take the time to read this page before diving into the rest of the reference material.