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HTML Forms JavaScript Introduction / Overview Lab Homework #1. CS 183 4/8/2010. HTML Forms. A form is an area that can contain form elements.
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HTML FormsJavaScript Introduction / OverviewLab Homework #1 CS 183 4/8/2010
HTML Forms • A form is an area that can contain form elements. • Form elements are elements that allow the user to enter information (like text fields, text area fields, drop-down menus, radio buttons, checkboxes, etc.) in a form. • A form is defined with the <form> tag. • <form>.input elements.</form>
Input • The most used form tag is the <input> tag. • The type of input is specified with the type attribute. • <form>First name:<input type="text" name="firstname”><br />Last name:<input type="text" name="lastname”></form>
More form elements • Radio buttons • <form><input type="radio" name="sex" value="male”> Male<br /><input type="radio" name="sex" value="female”> Female</form> • Check boxes • <form>I have a bike:<input type="checkbox" name="vehicle" value="Bike”><br />I have a car:<input type="checkbox" name="vehicle" value="Car”><br />I have an airplane:<input type="checkbox" name="vehicle" value="Airplane”></form>
Action Attribute • When the user clicks on the "Submit" button, the content of the form is sent to the server. • The form's action attribute defines the name of the file to send the content to. • The file defined in the action attribute usually does something with the received input. • <form name="input" action="html_form_submit.asp" method="get">Username:<input type="text" name="user”><input type="submit" value="Submit”></form>
What is JavaScript? • JavaScript was designed to add interactivity to HTML pages • JavaScript is a scripting language • A scripting language is a lightweight programming language • JavaScript is usually embedded directly into HTML pages • JavaScript is an interpreted language (means that scripts execute without preliminary compilation) • Everyone can use JavaScript without purchasing a license • Not the same as Java! • JavaScript's official name is ECMAScript. • Try: • http://www.w3schools.com/js/default.asp • (Slides are based on that tutorial)
History • The language was invented by Brendan Eich at Netscape (with Navigator 2.0), and has appeared in all Netscape and Microsoft browsers since 1996. • Since 1997 standardized as ECMAScript (ECMA 262 or ISO/IEC 16262 , ECMA 290, ECMA 327 and ECMA 357 or ISO/IEC DIS 22537) • Gained lots of popularity, broad acceptance • ECMAScript also in Flash • The development of the standard is still in progress.
What does it do? • gives HTML designers a programming tool • can put dynamic text into an HTML page • document.write("<h1>" + name + "</h1>") • can react to events • can read and write HTML elements • can be used to validate data in forms • can be used to detect the visitor's browser • can be used to create cookies
Language Properties • Object based (but not object oriented) • Familiar scripting syntax • Not strictly typed • JavaScript is case sensitive • A JavaScript statement is a command to a browser • It is normal to add a semicolon at the end of each executable statement, but semicolon is optional, using EOL termination. • JavaScript code is a sequence of JavaScript statements • Each statement is executed by the browser in the sequence they are written. • JavaScript statements can be grouped together in blocks. • Blocks start with a left curly bracket {, and ends with a right curly bracket }. • The purpose of a block is to make the sequence of statements execute together, mostly used for grouping things together in a function or to specify a list of statements when a condition is met. • JavaScript comments: // (single line), and /* …. */ (multi-line)
DOM (Document Object Model) • Represents an object centric view of a document • Platform independent API for HTML or XML elements
JavaScript Integration • To insert a JavaScript into an HTML page, we use the <script> tag • Inside the <script> tag we use the type attribute to define the scripting language • Can appear anywhere in the doc, in HEAD, BODY, or in both • <html><body><script type="text/javascript">...</script></body></html>
Document.write • <html><body><script type="text/javascript">document.write("Hello World!");</script></body></html>
Support for older Browsers • Browsers that do not support JavaScript, will display JavaScript as page content. • Use HTML comment tag to "hide" the JavaScript. • <html><body><script type="text/javascript"><!--document.write("Hello World!");//--></script></body></html>
Scripts in <head> • Scripts to be executed when they are called, or when an event is triggered, are placed in functions • Put your functions in the head section, this way they are all in one place, and they do not interfere with page content. • <html><head><script type="text/javascript">function message(){alert("This alert box was called with the onload event");}</script></head><body onload="message()"></body></html>
Scripts in <body> • If you don't want your script to be placed inside a function, or if your script should write page content, it should be placed in the body section. • <html><head></head><body><script type="text/javascript">document.write("This message is written by JavaScript");</script></body></html>
Using an External JavaScript • Sharing of JS over several pages possible • Use include mechanism, put code in file: • Save the external JavaScript file with a .js file extension • The external script cannot contain the <script></script> tags! • To use the external script, point to the .js file in the "src" attribute of the <script> tag: • <html><head><script type="text/javascript" src="xxx.js"></script></head><body></body></html>
JavaScript Variables • JavaScript variables are used to hold values or expressions • A variable can have a short name, like x, or a more descriptive name, like personName. • Variable names are case sensitive (y and Y are two different variables) • Variable names must begin with a letter or the underscore character • You can declare JavaScript variables with the varstatement: • varx;varpersonName; • After the declaration shown above, the variables are empty (they have no values yet), or • varx=5;varpersonName=”Hans"; • When you assign a text value to a variable, use quotes around the value • If you don’t declare a variable they will be automatically declared: • X = 5; • If you redeclare a JavaScript variable, it will not lose its original value. • varx=5;varx; • You can do arithmetic operations with JavaScript variables: • z = x + 5;
JavaScript Operators • The assignment operator = is used to assign values to JavaScript variables • The arithmetic operator + is used to add values together. • y=5;z=2;x=y+z; • The value of x, after the execution of the statements above is 7.
JavaScript Arithmetic Operators • Assume, y=5
JavaScript Assignment Operators • Assume x=10, y=5
The + Operator on Strings • To add two or more string variables together, use the + operator. • txt1="What a very";txt2="nice day";txt3=txt1+txt2; • variable txt3 contains "What a verynice day” • If you add a number and a string, the result will be a string! • x=5+5;document.write(x);x="5"+"5";document.write(x);
JavaScript Comparison Operators • Assume x=5 if (age<18) document.write("Too young");
JavaScript Logical Operators • Assume x=6, y=3
JavaScript Conditional Operator • The conditional operator assigns a value to a variable based on some condition. • variablename=(condition)?value1:value2 • Example: • greeting=(visitor=="PRES")?"Dear President ":"Dear ";
If … Else Statements • Conditional statements are used to perform different actions based on different conditions. • if statement - use this statement to execute some code only if a specified condition is true • if...else statement - use this statement to execute some code if the condition is true and another code if the condition is false • if...else if....else statement - use this statement to select one of many blocks of code to be executed • switch statement - use this statement to select one of many blocks of code to be executed
Example (if … else) • <script type="text/javascript">//If the time is less than 10, you will get a "Good morning" greeting.//Otherwise you will get a "Good day" greeting.vard = new Date();var time = d.getHours();if (time < 10) {document.write("Good morning!"); }else {document.write("Good day!"); }</script>
Example (switch) • <script type="text/javascript">//You will receive a different greeting based//on what day it is. Note that Sunday=0,//Monday=1, Tuesday=2, etc.vard=new Date();theDay=d.getDay();switch (theDay){case 5:document.write("Finally Friday"); break;case 6:document.write("Super Saturday"); break;case 0:document.write("Sleepy Sunday"); break;default:document.write("I'm looking forward to this weekend!");}</script>
JavaScript Popup Box • An alert box is often used if you want to make sure information comes through to the user. • When an alert box pops up, the user will have to click "OK" to proceed. • <html><head><script type="text/javascript">function show_alert(){alert("I am an alert box!");}</script></head><body><input type="button" onclick="show_alert()" value="Show alert box" /></body></html>
Confirm Box • A confirm box is often used if you want the user to verify or accept something. • When a confirm box pops up, the user will have to click either "OK" or "Cancel" to proceed. • <html><head><script type="text/javascript">function show_confirm(){varr=confirm("Press a button");if (r==true) {alert("You pressed OK!"); }else {alert("You pressed Cancel!"); }}</script></head><body><input type="button" onclick="show_confirm()" value="Show confirm box” ></body></html>
JavaScript Functions • To keep the browser from executing a script when the page loads, you can put your script into a function. • A function contains code that will be executed by an event or by a call to the function. • You may call a function from anywhere within a page (or even from other pages if the function is embedded in an external .js file). • Functions can be defined both in the <head> and in the <body> section of a document. However, to assure that a function is read/loaded by the browser before it is called, it could be wise to put functions in the <head> section. • function functionname(var1,var2,...,varX){some code}
Example • <html><head><script type="text/javascript">function displaymessage(){alert("Hello World!");}</script></head><body><form><input type="button" value="Click me!" onclick="displaymessage()”></form></body></html>
The Return Statement • The return statement is used to specify the value that is returned from the function. • <html><head><script type="text/javascript">function product(a,b){return a*b;}</script></head><body><script type="text/javascript">document.write(product(4,3));</script></body></html>
JavaScript loops • for - loops through a block of code a specified number of times, used when you know in advance how many times the script should run • for (var=startvalue;var<=endvalue;var=var+increment){code to be executed} • while - loops through a block of code while a specified condition is true • while (var<=endvalue) { code to be executed } • Do .. While(), break, continue also exist and can be used accordingly
Will cover later: • For .. In • Events • Try .. Catch • Throw • Special Characters • Objects
Lab Homework #1 • Add some JavaScript to your HTML page from lab homework #0 to validate form input: • Add a HTML form to it for entering a person’s first name, last name, email, age • Form’s action attribute should be empty, since we don’t have PHP yet to do something useful • Upon submission (user clicks submit button) a JS function should be called • The function should verify: • Does the first name exist? • Does the last name exist? • Does the email exist, and does it have a @? • Does the age exist and is it a valid number? • When there is an error in the form data, an alert box should be shown, prompting the user to fix the particular error • Hint: • use document.getElementsByName to access form field values • Use return ‘false’ to prevent form submission • If there is no error an alert box should be shown that everything is correct, and then submission should be done (we just simulate this for now) • Submission as in previous lab homework, need URL of the HTML file • Will use firebug to debug, script should have no JS errors • Due: Next Tuesday in class (4/13)