JavaScript Application Cookbook

administer.html

The objects are now in place. Let’s put them to work for us. This is another application where the JavaScript brains reside in the upper frame, and the lower frame is used for interaction. You can break down the application into a series of processes. Table 2.1 lists and describes these processes and includes the JavaScript variables and functions associated with each.

Table 2-1. Test Processes and Associated JavaScript Functions

Process	Description	Associated JavaScript
Setting the environment	Declare and initialize global variables, shuffle the question-answer sets.	variables qIdx, correct, howMany, stopOK, nextQ, results, aFrame, qFrame arrays keeper, rank, questions, answers functions itemReset(), shuffle()
Administering the test	Write each question-answer set to the window, record each user choice.	functions buildQuestion(), makeButton(), possibly chickenOut()
Grading the test	Compare student answers with correct answers.	function gradeTest()
Printing out results	Print out all answers, right and wrong, to the window along with a ranking.	function printResults()
Displaying explanations	Printing and clearing explanations to parent.frame[1].	functions explain() and show().
Resetting the environment	Set all necessary variables to their original values.	variables qIdx, correct, stopOK array keeper functions cleanSlate(), shuffle()

We’ll look at each of these in a moment. For now, check out the code for administer.html in Example ...