Notes on the comp.lang.javascript FAQ

Table of Contents

• Introduction to the Notes
• 2 comp.lang.javascript tips
  1. Posting Questions and Replies to comp.lang.javascript
• 4.4 How can I see in javascript if a web browser accepts cookies?
  1. Privacy filters on proxies
• 4.12 Why does parseInt('09') give an error?
  1. See: 4.21.1 Javascript Type-Conversion - parseInt with a radix argument
• 4.13 How do I get the value of a form control?
  1. Referencing Forms and Form Controls.
     • Introduction
       • Forms
       • Form Controls
     • Shortcut Accessors
     • The Most Common Mistake
     • Anonymous Form References
     • Radio Button and Other Control Collections
     • Efficient use of Form Accessors
• 4.15 How do I modify the current page in a browser?
  1. An Alternative DynWrite function
     • The DynWrite function.
     • Element retrieval given the element ID as a string.
     • innerHTML Testing Strategy.
     • Alternative DynWrite function.
• 4.21 Why does 1+1 equal 11? or How do I convert a string to a number?
  1. Javascript Type-Conversion
     • Introduction.
     • Converting to Boolean.
     • Converting to String.
     • Converting to Number.
     • Parsing to Number.
       • parseFloat
       • parseInt
       • parseInt with a radix argument
     • ToInt32.
     • Converting User Input.
       • Regular expression examples.
• 4.25 My element is named myselect[] , how do I access it?
  1. See: 4.39.1 Javascript Square Bracket Notation - Illegal characters in Identifier-strings
• 4.26 How do I detect Opera/Netscape/IE?
  1. Browser Detecting (and what to do Instead)
     • Introduction
     • Avoiding structural differences in the browser DOMs
     • Browsers Differences
     • Failed Strategies: Browser Detecting
       • Assumptions Based on navigator.userAgent
       • Assumptions Based on DOM Objects: Object inference
     • A Strategy That Works: Object/Feature Detecting.
       • Example 1: IDed Element Retrieval
       • Example 2: Scroll Values
       • Example 3: String.prototype.replace
     • The Javascript Design Problem
• 4.39 How do I access the property of an object using a string?
  1. Javascript Square Bracket Notation
     • Introduction
     • Square Bracket Syntax
     • String Variables as Identifiers
     • String Expressions as Identifiers
     • Global Variable access with the Square Bracket Notation
     • Illegal characters in Identifier-strings
• 4.41 Why doesn't the global variable "divId" always refer to the element with id="divId"?
  1. See: 4.15.1 An Alternative DynWrite function - Element retrieval given the element ID as a string
  2. See: 4.26.1 Browser Detecting (and what to do Instead) - Example 1: IDed Element Retrieval
• Miscellaneous
  1. The comp.lang.javascript Charter
  2. Javascript Closures
  3. How to Include Scripts in HTML Documents
  4. Tricks and Tips
• Contributors
• The complete FAQ and Notes in ZIP format (174KB)

Introduction to the Notes

Because the comp.lang.javascript FAQ is posted to the group regularly there are practical constraints on how much can be included in it. At the same time it is often felt that it should contain more (or more in-depth) information on some of its topics. The FAQ is largely designed to provide URLs of other resources that provide that additional information, but where no additional resource is available or it is felt that those resources omit important information. These notes are intended to provide an opportunity for those additional resources to be created.

It is intended that anyone who wishes to contribute notes should be able to do so (under editorial control) and that some of the more in-depth postings to the group should become notes, or be incorporated within them.