Goodies to Go ™
June 9, 2003–Newsletter #236
This newsletter is part of the internet.com network.
http://www.internet.com
Featured this week:
* Goodies Thoughts – A Lame
Personal Website
* Q & A Goodies
* News Goodies
* Goodies Peer Reviews
* Feedback Goodies
* And Remember This…
Goodies Announcement
Just in case you missed
it before, the new Beyond HTML Goodies book is now available!
Go beyond the basics
and learn how the pros add and use dynamic HTML features and advanced
JavaScript techniques. Beyond HTML Goodies demonstrates dozens of new and
different features readers can add to their existing Web pages using HTML and
JavaScript. The book starts with simple text and image tips, such as adding a
clock to a Web page or causing text to appear when the mouse moves over an
image. It gradually builds to more complex tricks, including manipulating forms
or working with cookies behind the scenes. Throughout the book, readers enjoy
Joe’s snappy style and “to the point” discussion of each “goody” in the book.
http://books.internet.com/books/0789727803
Goodies Thoughts – A Lame Personal Website
Before beginning any discussion on the matter, let me make one thing perfectly
clear: there is no such thing as a lame personal website. I’ve heard it many
times, "John and Jane made themselves a website. It’s totally lame!" Every time
I hear it it makes me raise an eyebrow and wonder what could be so amiss in the
person who is saying it. That said, let’s discuss the matter.
In my humble opinion, personal websites are just that; personal. They are an
expression of the person. They are something the person wishes to say about
themselves to whomever is truly interested. They are usually not intended to
engage the population at large and keep them fascinated with the subject matter.
To deride their website is somewhat akin to deriding the person themselves,
which is the normal pastime of those who are too feeble of mind and vision to be
able to see the real value in other people. Such a shame; they are doomed to
miss so much of the wonder of the world, unless of course, something opens their
eyes.
Think for a moment about what should be on a website. If it’s an information
site, for example a site about a museum, it should provide that information in
as easy to follow a fashion as possible. The objective would be to answer the
questions site visitors might have in as direct a manner as possible and
requiring as few clicks as possible. A variety of cool technologies could be
employed. Anything, however, that a visitor is forced to endure before obtaining
the information they need will go towards making this site more and more "lame".
Similarly, a site that offers products for sale should enable the visitor to
find the product they need as quickly as possible. Having found the product, the
visitor should not be deluged with advertisements for non-related items. When
you’ve just bought dog bones, "Ah, I see you have a dog; would you also like to
buy an airplane propeller?" is totally lame.
If it’s a personal site, however, anything goes. If the site is to be one black
page with crimson, pointed font letters reading "Goth Roolz!" then so be it. Far
from being lame, this is very informative. I would learn quite a lot about the
site’s creator in one quick visit. Also, I have watched my children play outside
with the dogs and I know the joy such a simple event provides. When John and
Jane’s website turns out to be a dozen photos of the kids playing, organized one
on top of the other on one long page, I can look at it and say "ah yes, I know
what you mean!" The seeming lack of cool technology only goes to highlight the
importance of the content. One look at that site and I can relate immediately to
the strength and beauty of the emotion they are feeling. Again, it tells me a
lot about the site’s creators.
If everybody wore the same style and color of clothing, walking down the street
wouldn’t be anywhere near as entertaining, stimulating and educational as it is.
When it’s late at night, or whenever I can’t get out to watch the world go by
for a few minutes, I can at least get on the Internet and browse people’s
websites. As long as people keep creating personal sites, there will always be
plenty there to stimulate me. Not only that, but my street now stretches all
around and all over the world!
Millions of personal websites, and not a lame one amongst them! In the case of
personal websites, lameness, just like beauty and several other things, is
really in the eye of the beholder.
Have you created your personal website yet?
Thanks for Reading!
– Vince Barnes
Q & A Goodies
Questions are taken from submissions to our Community Mentors. You can ask a Mentor a question by going to
https://www.htmlgoodies.com/mentors.
Q. I have successfully used the script below to open a fixed size new
window containing a graphic. The idea is that the original web page contains a
number of small photo images that can be seen as larger versions in the pop-up.
What I want to do is have the user click on the small graphic itself in order to
open the new window, rather than have a button that they have to click, which is
how the existing code works.
<SCRIPT language=JavaScript>
var width,height
var image,ext
var cond1,cond2
function transferview(image,width,height) {
if (width==0) cond1=" "
else cond1="width="+(width+20)+"";
if (height==0) {cond2=" "};
else {cond2="height="+(height+70)+""};
var s1 ="<TITLE>The Irish Coat</TITLE>"
var s15=""
var s2 ="<CENTER><IMG SRC=’"+image+"’ BORDER=0>"
var s3 ="<FORM><INPUT TYPE=’BUTTON’ VALUE=’Close Window’"+ "
onClick=’self.close()’>" var s4 ="</FORM></CENTER>"
ImageWindow=window.open("",
"newwin"+width,"toolbar=no,scrollbars="+scroll+",menubar=no,"+cond1+",
"+cond2);
ImageWindow.document.write(s1+s15+s2+s3+s4)
ImageWindow.document.close()
}
</SCRIPT>
<FORM><INPUT
onclick="javascript:transferview(‘GlendowanShanntialarge.jpg’,500,500)
"
type=button value="Larger Image"> </FORM>
A. You can set up an image link like so that when clicked on will open
the
window.
<a href="javascript:transferview(‘GlendowanShanntialarge.jpg’,500,500)"><img src="mypic.gif"
border="0"></a>
Q. I want to make a list of links for navigation in the form of a
JavaScript file, so that I can use one file and call it up from multiple pages
without the use of frames. I found a tutorial on making js files & calling them
from another page, but I haven’t found how to make a plain text link using
javascript.
A. You could try using document.write() to create your text links. For
example:
document.write("<a href=’somepage.html’>Click Me</a>")
Just make sure you use single quotes within double quotes or vice versa. Also
you might want to place the script within a div to help position it.
[Also, take a look at the Goodies Thoughts sections in: https://www.htmlgoodies.com/letters/230.html
and https://www.htmlgoodies.com/letters/231.html — Ed.]
Q. I am a beginner working in the Primers and I am having a problem with
images. I work with Windows XP. When I open a page in the browser, the image
appears as a little box with a red "x" in the middle. (code sample and
description provided)
A. Images not showing properly are almost always due to the path being
incorrect. This could include the image not being in the right folder, the image
not being on the server at all or the path in the code being incorrect. You
mention that you tried naming the file "cougar.jpeg". That could be wrong as it
could be "cougar.jpg" even if the image is actually a JPEG file. Another path
problem I see quite a bit is that the page is looking for the image on the
user’s computer instead of the server it resides on. You may see something like
this: "file=///C:/Folder_Name/Folder_Name/cougar.jpg"
[Where your HTML code doesn’t specify a pathname, the image must be in the same
folder as the HTML page file. – Ed.]
Q. I have a small wesbite dedicated to pictures and jokes of my friends,
I wanted to add a slideshow to the page, but have found myself having
difficulties with the code. Could you please help me?
A. Here is a sample of one that I have put together that might help:
<html><head><title>Imange and Link Slide Show</title>
<SCRIPT LANGUAGE="JavaScript">
var a=0
// Enter your images Here along with the directory if need be.
var imgs=new Array()
imgs[0]="owls3.jpg"
imgs[1]="hawks2.jpg"
imgs[2]="pic221.jpg"
imgs[3]="eagle1.jpg"
// Array used for preloading
var myimages=new Array()
// Do the preload
for(i=0;i<imgs.length;i++)
{
myimages[i]=new Image()
myimages[i].src=imgs[a]
}
// Enter your URLS and what you want to go in the ALT property.
// This is so when they mouse over the image, there will be a small description
of the Image or URL.
// Make sure you separate them with an ampersand "&"
// so that the script can separate them out before writing out the link.
var urls=new Array()
urls[0]="http://www.requestcode.com&Requestcode"
urls[1]="http://www.javascriptkit.com&Javascriptkit"
urls[2]="http://www.dynamicdrive.com&Dynamic Drive"
urls[3]="https://www.htmlgoodies.com&HTML Goodies"
// This is the function that displays the images and links.
// You should not have to modify it.
function Doimglink()
{
if(a>imgs.length-1)
{a=0}
if(a<0)
{a=imgs.length-1}
newurls=urls[a].split("&")
if(document.layers)
{
document.mydiv.document.write("<A HREF=’"+newurls[0]+"’><IMG
SRC=’"+imgs[a]+"’ BORDER=’0′ ALT=’"+newurls[1]+"’></A>")
document.mydiv.document.close()
}
if(document.getElementById)
{
elm=document.getElementById("mydiv")
elm.innerHTML="<A HREF=’"+newurls[0]+"’><IMG SRC=’"+imgs[a]+"’
BORDER=’0′ TITLE=’"+newurls[1]+"’></A>"
}
}
// function used to display random image
function rannum()
{
len=imgs.length // how many entries in the array
prev=a // Save the previous image index
a=Math.round(Math.random()*(len-1))
// If the current image equals the previous image,
// add one to get a different image.
if(a==prev)
{a++}
}
window.onload=Doimglink
// In the DIV below you may have to add the top and left properties
// to the style tag to position it correctly in the window.
// You must keep it positions as absolute for it to work in NS4.0+ browsers.
</SCRIPT>
</head>
<body onLoad="Doimglink()">
<CENTER><H1>Manual Slide Show With Links</H1>
<DIV ID=’mydiv’ STYLE="position:absolute;top:120;left:200"></DIV>
<DIV ID=’ctrldiv’ STYLE="position:absolute;top:120;left:100">
<A HREF="javascript:a++;Doimglink()">Next Image</A> <BR>
<A HREF="javascript:a–;Doimglink()">Previous Image</A> <BR>
<A HREF="javascript:rannum();Doimglink()">Random Image</A>
</DIV>
</body>
</html>
Q. I have what seems like a complicated Image Rollover html. Here’s an
example:
Image 1 –> rollover –> becomes Image 1a
but I want two other images on the same page to also change at the same time
Image 1 becomes Image 1a
A. Here is an example of rolling over one image and having another image
change. Take a look at it and you should be able to determine how to have two
images change at the same time.
<html><head><title>Image Flip</title></head>
<body>
<A HREF="#" onMouseOver="document.ani1.src=’imgflip/drum.gif’;document.ani2.src=’imgflip/cherry.gif’"
onMouseOut="document.ani1.src=’imgflip/cherry.gif’;document.ani2.src=’imgflip/drum.gif’";return
true>
<img src="imgflip/cherry.gif" name="ani1" width="100" height="100"
BORDER="0"></A>
<A HREF="#"><img src="imgflip/drum.gif" name="ani2" width="100" height="100"
BORDER="0"></A>
</body></html>
News Goodies
Sun to Push Wireless Java
[June 9, 2003] Amid renewed excitement in the wireless developer
community, Sun pulls no punches in its push to market ‘Java
Powered’ capabilities.
Click
here to read the article
Lawmaker Wants WorldCom Settlement Rejected
[June 9, 2003] New York congressman says $500 million deal between SEC and
scandal-plagued telecom is a classic example of how crime does pay.
Click
here to read the article
Business Blogs Provide Edge, Raise Questions
[June 9, 2003] Experts at the industry’s first business blog show
compare the state of online journals to the early days of e-mail. But before
the tool becomes as ubiquitous, several issues must be addressed.
Click here to read the article
FreeBSD Foundation Unleashes 5.1
[June 9, 2003] The foundation updates the 5.x release branch of its
operating system with new features and stability.
Click here to read the article
AOL Touts Increased Broadband Security
[June 9, 2003] As more high-speed households wake up to intrusion
vulnerabilities on their PCs, AOL takes up arms with a pitch for new
built-in security.
Click here to read the article
Sybase Donates Software to Fight SARS
[June 9, 2003] Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention to use
the Sybase technology to build a powerful data analysis system.
Click here to read the article
Pervasive Computing in the Palm of Your Hand
[June 9, 2003] At this week’s JavaOne show, IBM plans to announce Palm among
the list of new partner for Websphere Micro Environment; all new Tungstens
to include Java component.
Click here to read the article
DoubleClick Beta Tests Rich Media Ad Software
[June 9, 2003] Long-awaited system integrates DoubleClick and Macromedia
technologies.
Click here to read the article
Webbys Keep the Dot-com Dream Alive
[June 6, 2003] The seventh annual awards for the best sites on the Web pay
homage to the usual winners and usher in new award-winners.
Click here to read the article
ASPCA Adopts The Penguin
[June 6, 2003] Big Blue notes another Linux win as the
society for the prevention of cruelty to animals adds the
penguin to its stable.
Click here to read the article
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Top
And Remember This . . .
On this day in…
1973 Secretariat Wins the Triple Crown
The USA’s much coveted and difficult to come by Triple Crown
was won by Secretariat in on June 9, 1973. The "Triple
Crown" refers to the winning of the three horse races, the
Kentucky Derby, the Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes. There
was much excitement in the US this past week as the
possibility loomed for the young horse Funny Cide to take
the Triple Crown, as it had won the first two races. At a
rain soaked Belmont Park, however, Empire Maker took the
race from him. Funny Cide came in third. Prior to
Secretariat’s 1973 win, the crown remained unclaimed since
in was taken by Citation in 1948.
Born today were: in 1672, Russian Emperor Peter the
Great; 1891, composer & lyricist Cole (Albert)
Porter; 1916 guitarist Les Paul; 1922,
playwright George Axelrod (Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Bus Stop,
The Seven Year Itch, The Manchurian Candidate); 1934,
comedian Jackie Mason (Yacov Moshe Maza); 1939, auto
racer David Hobbs; 1961, actor Michael J. Fox
Thanks for reading Goodies to Go!
