The perennial bestseller returns with new details for using the latest tools and techniques available with JavaScriptJavaScript is the definitive language for making the Web a dynamic, rich, interactive medium. This guide to JavaScript builds on the success of previous editions and introduces you to many new advances in JavaScript development. The reorganization of the chapters helps streamline your learning process while new examples provide you with updated JavaScript programming techniques.You'll get all-new coverage of Ajax for remote scripting, JavaScript frameworks, JavaScript and XML, and the latest features in modern Web browsers. Plus, all the featured code has been updated to ensure compliance with the most recent popular Web browsers.* Introduces you to the latest capabilities of JavaScript, the definitive language for developing dynamic, rich, interactive Web sites* Features new coverage of data types and variables, JavaScript and XML, Ajax for remote scripting, and popular JavaScript frameworks* Offers updated code that ensures compliance with the most popular Web browsers* Includes improved examples on the most up-to-date JavaScript programming techniquesContinuing in the superlative tradition of the first three editions, Beginning JavaScript, Fourth Edition, gets you up to speed on all the new advances in JavaScript development.

Introduction xxvChapter 1: Introduction to JavaScript and the Web 1Introduction to JavaScript 1Where Do My Scripts Go? 7Your First Simple JavaScript Programs 8A Brief Look at Browsers and Compatibility Problems 15Summary 16Chapter 2: Data Types and Variables 17Types of Data in JavaScript 17Variables -- Storing Data in Memory 20Using Data -- Calculations and Basic String Manipulation26Data Type Conversion 37Arrays 40Summary 49Exercise Questions 50Chapter 3: Decisions, Loops, and Functions 51Decision Making -- The if and switch Statements 51Looping -- The for and while Statements 71Functions 79Summary 84Exercise Questions 86Chapter 4: Common Mistakes, Debugging, and Error Handling87D'oh! I Can't Believe I Just Did That: Some CommonMistakes 87Error Handling 93Debugging 103Summary 131Exercise Questions 131Chapter 5: JavaScript -- An Object-Based Language133Object-Based Programming 133JavaScript's Native Object Types 139Creating New Types of Objects (Reference Types) 177Summary 187Exercise Questions 188Chapter 6: Programming the Browser 189Introduction to the Browser's Objects 190Responding to the User's Actions with Events 199Summary 215Exercise Questions 217Chapter 7: HTML Forms: Interacting with the User 219HTML Forms 219Other Form Object Properties and Methods 222Summary 260Exercise Questions 262Chapter 8: Windows and Frames 263Frames and the window Object 264Opening New Windows 284Security 298Summary 298Exercise Questions 299Chapter 9: String Manipulation 301Additional String Methods 302Regular Expressions 306The String Object -- split(), replace(), search(), andmatch() Methods 327Using the RegExp Object's Constructor 335Summary 345Exercise Questions 345Chapter 10: Date, Time, and Timers 347World Time 348Timers in a Web Page 358Summary 364Exercise Questions 365Chapter 11: Storing Information: Cookies 367Baking Your First Cookie 367Creating a Cookie 377Getting a Cookie's Value 381Cookie Limitations 386Cookie Security and IE6+ 388Summary 389Exercise Questions 389Chapter 12: Dynamic HTML and the W3C Document Object Model391The Web Standards 392The Document Object Model 397Manipulating the DOM 422Writing Cross-Browser DHTML 447JavaScript and XML 453Summary 467Exercise Questions 468Chapter 13: Using ActiveX and Plug-Ins with JavaScript469Checking for and Embedding Plug-ins (Non-IE Browsers) 470Checking for and Embedding ActiveX Controls on Internet Explorer474Using Plug-ins and ActiveX Controls 480Summary 488Exercise Question 489Chapter 14: Ajax 491What Is Ajax? 491Using the XMLHttpRequest Object 494Creating a Simple Ajax Module 500Validating Form Fields with Ajax 505Things to Watch Out For 515Summary 525Exercise Questions 525Chapter 15: JavaScript Frameworks 527Picking a Framework to Work With 527Getting Started 528Digging Deeper Into jQuery 537Diving into Prototype 558Delving into MooTools 575Summary 590Exercise Questions 590Appendix A: Answers to Exercises 591Appendix B: JavaScript Core Reference 665Appendix C: W3C DOM Reference 697Appendix D: Latin-1 Character Set 725Index 733