javascript

The second episode of The Ten Spot Intensive deals with a popular programming language, JavaScript, and an up-and-coming framework within that language, jQuery. This episode features guest appearances by Nathan Smith and Matt Vasquez of Fellowship Technologies.

About Nathan Smith:

Java Applets are small compiled Java applications that can be run within a web page. Java applets allow the power of a true programming language to be executed on the client-side (note: For security reasons some Java features are not available for applets). Applet's usefulness is extended by their ability to interact with JavaScript.

Typical functions include:

• Dynamic navigational drop-down and pop-up menus
• Text manipulation such as scrolling text boxes
• Advanced graphics animation

Further Reading

Firebug is one of the greatest plugin for developers to troublshoot a web design. The problem is it is only available for Firefox. So when you get that javascript or css bug that only shows up in IE, it is many times more difficult to troubleshoot with out the power of Firebug.

Luckly Microsoft has released an alternative to Firebug for IE called the Internet Explorer Developer Toolbar. You can download it for free at the url.

Client-side scripting describes programming that is added into a web page to interact with page and browser objects. It differs from server-side scripting because it is executed on each user's computer instead of on the originating web server. JavaScript is the most common scripting language; VBScript is also used but only works on Windows browsers. Client-side scripting is becoming a sophisticated arena paving the way for advanced functionality.

As a designer, I rely on my vision to impart a hierarchy of data within web pages. It takes a jarring reminder from the smart folks at the South by Southwest Interactive Festival to remind me that not everyone can see the colors I painstakingly deliberate over, the varied and specific shades that I cross-browser test for universal appeal. Even color contrast can be lost to a slight case of color-blindness.

We're working on a new community-driven website and one of the required features is the ability for users to crop and scale an uploaded image live in their browser.

Coda
Coda is an amazing multipurpose program created by Panic Softare for the Mac OS platform; it combines a text and CSS editor, FTP program (based on the already wildly succesful FTP tool for Mac, Transmit), terminal, web previews of your files, and even has a built in version of The Web Programmers Desk Reference. I absolutely LOVE this program because it eliminates the need for having multiple applications open and streamlines my web editing and uploading process. Unfortunately for PC users, Coda is only available for Mac.

Here are some development tips and tricks I've found useful over the years.

On a recent project, I ran into an issue where the main navigation needed to be centered and flexible enough to add and remove menu items through a CMS. For those of you not familiar with CSS, this creates an immediate problem: you can not center a block element without first knowing its width. The normal technique is to use auto left and right margins (margin: 0 auto), that are then calculated based off the element's width. But what happens when you don't know the width of the element?

I'll be the first to say I love Javascript. I have two big Javascript books to my right to prove it. It's one of the greatest things about the web two-point-oh! movement (yes, I hate that term). And I love milk. But I will also be the first to say I hate how some people misuse Javascript.