Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Designer 2007 Bible

Chapter 8. Exploiting JavaScript and DHTML

IN THIS CHAPTER

Working with interactive buttons

Using SharePoint Designer behaviors

Using page transitions

Most of the Web sites on the Internet don't really have static content. Instead, the Web pages are mostly live with dynamics such as dropdown and popup menus, hover-over tabs and buttons, expanding and collapsing content, etc. While HTML is a great technology for developing static Web pages, if you combine it with a client-side scripting technology, such as JavaScript, you can really bring your Web pages to life. Using DHTML effects to enable and disable content on Web pages is recommended by many as a key strategy to structure and simplify access to key areas inside Web sites.

Dynamic effects on Web pages are driven by events. An event is an action that a user who browses to the Web page takes. For example, a user may move the mouse over a certain area or section of the Web page or click a certain HTML tag on the Web page. Most such user actions are categorized into events that can be associated with an HTML tag. When such an event happens, the Web site designer is given control on the operation that needs to be performed for that event. Most common events are onmouseover, onmouseout, onclick, onkeydown, ondlbclick, etc. Using a client-side script, a designer can program what operation should be performed when an event occurs.

SharePoint Designer carries forward one of the key features of dynamic Web page development from FrontPage ...