book

Ajax Hacks

Name: Ajax Hacks
Author: Bruce W. Perry
ISBN: 9780596101695

by Bruce W. Perry

March 2006

Intermediate to advanced

440 pages

11h 21m

English

O'Reilly Media, Inc.

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A Note Regarding Supplemental Files
Foreword
Credits
About the AuthorContributorsAcknowledgments
Preface
Building Single-Page ApplicationsExplaining AjaxHow to Use This BookHow This Book Is OrganizedConventions Used in This BookUsing Code ExamplesO’Reilly SafariHow to Contact UsGot a Hack?
1. Ajax Basics
It’s Not a Floor WaxHandle with CareXMLHttpRequest1. Detect Browser Compatibility with the Request ObjectUsing a Function for Checking Compatibility2. Use the Request Object to POST Data to the ServerSetting HeadersOgling the Result3. Use Your Own Library for XMLHttpRequest4. Receive Data as XML5. Get Plain Old Strings6. Receive Data as a NumberNumber CrunchingDOM-inating7. Receive Data in JSON FormatMagic JSONOn the Server Side8. Handle Request Object ErrorsProblems, Problems...Floored ServerBackend Application Out to LunchWhoops, Wrong URL9. Dig into the HTTP Response10. Generate a Styled Message with a CSS FileEasy as Pie11. Generate a Styled User Message on the FlyNudging Aside the Stylesheet
2. Web Forms
12. Submit Text Field or textarea Values to the Server Without a Browser RefreshGet the First Serve InWhat’s Next?13. Display Text Field or textarea Values Using Server DataInstant Server Messaging14. Submit Selection-List Values to the Server Without a Round TripNow What Happens?Hello Again, JSONA Dabble of Server-SideThe DOM API15. Dynamically Generate a New Selection List Using Server DataPresto, New ListsQuerying the ServerThe Final Step16. Extend an Existing Selection ListNew Select List or Mirage?Hacking the Hack17. Submit Checkbox Values to the Server Without a Round TripVote Early and OftenPoll Vault18. Dynamically Generate a New Checkbox Group with Server DataChoose Your ActivityOkay, Where’s the Code?Array Return ValueHacking the Hack19. Populate an Existing Checkbox Group from the ServerHow Does It Work?Ajax RequestsHere Comes an Array20. Change Unordered Lists Using an HTTP ResponseParting Shots21. Submit Hidden Tag Values to a Server ComponentDynamoNotifying HomeLogging
3. Validation
22. Validate a Text Field or textarea for Blank FieldsSeparating the Logic from the View23. Validate Email SyntaxThe Longest WaitChecking Out the Email SyntaxLooking at the CodeChecking Email at the DoorOn to ValidationThe User MessageOn Deck24. Validate Unique UsernamesHow It WorksThe Server HandshakeFor Those Server Hackers...25. Validate Credit Card NumbersVerifying the Card NumberShooting the Luhn26. Validate Credit Card Security Codes27. Validate a Postal CodeHacking the Hack
4. Power Hacks for Web Developers
28. Get Access to the Google Maps APIGoogle Objects29. Use the Google Maps API Request ObjectPersonal GooglingMap ObjectsCreating Your Own Map30. Use Ajax with a Google Maps and Yahoo! Maps Mash-upHow It WorksFall HarvestHTMLGoogle and Yahoo!, Toe to ToeDriving DirectionsHow Do I Get to Latitude...?What’s Next?31. Display a Weather.com XML Data FeedPrepping32. Use Ajax with a Yahoo! Maps and GeoURL Mash-upHow It WorksMashed-up Requests33. Debug Ajax-Generated Tags in FirefoxInspecting Dynamic Creations34. Fetch a Postal CodeServer, Take OverThe Servlet35. Create Large, Maintainable BookmarkletsBookmarklet Code36. Use Permanent Client-Side Storage for Ajax ApplicationsUsing AMASSHow AMASS Works Internally37. Control Browser History with iframesBrowser LowdownBrowser Demos38. Send Cookie Values to a Server ProgramBake Your Own CookieJavaScriptThe Cookie Object39. Use XMLHttpRequest to Scrape an Energy Price from a Web PageGetting in a ScrapeFor Java Jocks40. Send an Email with XMLHttpRequestHow It WorksServer Snippet41. Find the Browser’s Locale InformationThe InterpreterHacking the Hack42. Create an RSS Feed ReaderA Simple RSS ReaderHow It WorksHacking the Hack
5. Direct Web Remoting (DWR)for Java Jocks
43. Integrate DWR into Your Java Web ApplicationConfiguring the Application44. Use DWR to Populate a Selection List from a Java ArrayGetting an Array from the ServerEccentric Utility45. Use DWR to Create a Selection List from a Java MapCode Ahead46. Display the Keys/Values from a Java HashMap on a Web Page47. Use DWR to Populate an Ordered List from a Java Array48. Access a Custom Java Object with JavaScriptThe Big Set-up49. Call a Built-in Java Object from JavaScript Using DWR
6. Hack Ajax with the Prototype and Rico Libraries
50. Use Prototype’s Ajax Tools with Your ApplicationRequest Object to Go51. Update an HTML Element’s Content from the ServerOn the Server SideChecking for Errors52. Create Observers for Web Page FieldsHow It WorksWhat’s a Prototype Object?Passive Observer53. Use Rico to Update Several Elements with One Ajax ResponseAjax ConventionOn the Server EndHacking the Hack54. Create a Drag-and-Drop BookstoreDraggables and Drop ZonesGrabbing the Book TitlesHacking Draggables

7. Work with Ajax and Ruby on Rails
Sensible MVC55. Install Ruby on RailsStep 1: Installing RubyStep 2: Installing RailsCreating an Empty Rails Web ApplicationTesting the Empty Web ApplicationA Rails Application Directory Structure56. Monitor Remote Calls with RailsIf All Else Fails57. Make Your JavaScript Available to Rails Applications58. Dynamically Generate a Selection List in a Rails TemplateA Little Partial PizzazzCleanup Code59. Find Out Whether Ajax Is Calling in the RequestAre You XMLHttpRequest?60. Dynamically Generate a Selection List Using Database DataTracking Energy UseGood Form61. Periodically Make a Remote CallNo Fooling AroundWhere’s All the Action?Shrink-Wrapped62. Dynamically View Request Information for XMLHttpRequestHow Does It Work?Hacking the Hack
8. Savor the script.aculo.us JavaScript Library
63. Integrate script.aculo.us Visual Effects with an Ajax ApplicationSetting UpToggling and SwitchingHacking the Hack64. Create a Login Box That Shrugs Off Invalid LoginsWhole Lotta Shakin’Serve It Up65. Create an Auto-Complete Field with script.aculo.usOn the Server Side66. Create an In-Place Editor Field67. Create a Web Form That Disappears When Submitted
9. Options and Efficiencies
68. Fix the Browser Back Button in Ajax ApplicationsA Very Simple Ajax ProgramInside the HackHacking the Hack69. Handle Bookmarks and Back Buttons with RSHThe ProblemThe SolutionHistory AbstractionExample 1: Basic HistoryExample 2: O’Reilly MailResources70. Set a Time Limit for the HTTP Request71. Improve Maintainability, Performance, and Reliability for Large JavaScript ApplicationsMerging All JavaScript Files into a Single FileRunning Your JavaScript Through a Compression ToolSolving JavaScript Caching IssuesAll Together72. Obfuscate JavaScript and Ajax Code73. Use a Dynamic script Tag to Make Web Services RequestsUsing the Geocoding Web ServicePros and ConsResources74. Configure Apache to Deal with Cross-Domain IssuesCross-Domain BlockadeCross-Domain XMLHttpRequest Works... KindaIs There a Solution?75. Run a Search Engine Inside Your BrowserIndexing 101Putting It TogetherHacking the HackResources76. Use Declarative Markup Instead of Script via XFormsConsuming and Producing XMLHacking the Hack77. Build a Client-Side CacheBuilding a Better CacheThe Cache in ActionHacking the Hack78. Create an Auto-Complete FieldHacking the Hack79. Dynamically Display More Information About a TopicHacking the Hack80. Use Strings and Arrays to Dynamically Generate HTMLWriting a TablePerformance Matters
Index
About the Author
Copyright

Content preview from Ajax Hacks

Credits

About the Author

Bruce Perry is an independent software developer and writer, and the author of O’Reilly’s Java Servlet & JSP Cookbook. Since 1996, he has developed web applications and databases for various nonprofits, design and marketing firms, as well as publishers. In his spare time, Perry is an active age-group triathlete and has cycled extensively in the Swiss Alps. He lives in the Newburyport, Massachusetts area with his wife Stacy LeBaron, daughter Rachel, and son Scott.

Contributors

Micah Dubinko served as an editor and author of the XForms 1.0 W3C specification, and he began participating in the XForms effort in September 1999, nine months before the official Working Group was chartered. Micah received an InfoWorld Innovator award in 2004. He is the author of O’Reilly’s XForms Essentials, available online at http://www.xformsinstitute.com. Currently, Micah works for Yahoo! in California as a senior research developer.
Curt Hibbs is a senior software developer in St. Louis with more than 30 years’ experience in platforms, languages, and technologies too numerous to list. With a keen (and always searching) eye for new methods and technologies to make his work easier and more productive, he has become very active in the Ruby development community.
Brad Neuberg has done extensive work in the open source community, contributing code to Mozilla, JXTA, the Jakarta Feed Parser, and more. His experience includes developing on Wall Street with distributed systems, n-tier design, ...

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