ISBN:0735606382Amazon.com
This Microsoft title is a definitive reference guide to developing applications that take advantage of the dynamic HTML (DHTML) features of Microsoft Internet Explorer 5. It is short on tutorial material but offers a very detailed programmer's reference to DHTML. However, readers should be familiar with Microsoft VBScript and JScript to make the most of it.
In the front of the book is an extremely brief 22-page overview of the benefits of DHTML. It covers the evolution of features through the releases of Internet Explorer and includes a table that illustrates the compatibility and features side by side. This section also points out the new IE5 features: DHTML behaviors, persistence, HTML Applications (HTAs), the ability to query client capabilities, and various other architectural features.
The meat of the book is the DHTML reference section. Here, DHTML objects, properties, events, methods, and collections are documented in separate sections. Short code examples accompany many of the entries, and the conventions closely follow other Microsoft documentation. Following this lengthy section is a reference to HTML Components, categorized into elements, events, methods, and objects. Appendices cover HTML Applications, tables, filters, and transitions.
A companion CD-ROM includes the complete IE5 Software Development Kit (SDK), code examples, technical articles, and a copy of IE5. If you're just starting out with DHTML, you should look elsewhere for a tutorial; if you're already coding it for IE5 and want horse's-mouth documentation, this is for you. --Stephen W Plain/p>
Reviews From AMAZON.COM
Great reference tool
This is a great DHTML reference tool. If you want a good, thorough DHTML reference, this is the package to get. I am very satisfied with this product, as it has helped largely in my DHTML scripting. I'd recommend this product to anyone who is trying to learn DHTML or is already an expert and needs a solid reference.
Amazing reference tool, but lacking Netscape coverage
This is, without any doubt, the most frequently used book in my collection. Until recently, it had a permanent place on my desktop. It is a complete DHTML (and CSS) reference. It is not, as stated above, a tutorial of any kind.
The book is basically divided into 5 major sections:
(1) Objects
(2) Properties
(3) Methods
(4) Events
(5) Object Collections
Each section is thoroughly cross-referenced in exhaustive detail. You don't have to dig around four different places in the manual to answer a scripting or CSS question - everything is in one place at all times. This makes for a lot of duplication of information (its 1300+ pages give it quite a bit of heft) but frankly it's incredibly convenient.
Code examples are provided, and are generally good, but you basically need a certain level of existing understanding of JavaScript (or JScript) and the ideas behind CSS for many of them to be of significant value. If you're just getting into this stuff, this book may not be of much value - for now.
If, on the other hand, you're relatively experienced (or highly interested) in client-side scripting etc, this book will be a handy reference, especially for those who, like myself, still prefer to have paper references handy.
I have ONE major gripe - and it's a biggie. For such an exhaustive, complete resource, it completely ignores Netscape altogether.
This is a major mistake. I don't like Netscape, and I don't like developing for Netscape, but the simple fact of life in my business is that I must do so.
To be fair to Microsoft, the book is about Internet Explorer 5, and doesn't purport to be anything else. But it's such a cryin' shame to have to test every little thing on Netscape, when I have 90% of everything else right at my fingertips.
Despite this, I still give it 5 stars, though it really should be 4.5 for its lack of Netscape documentation.