Product Description

JavaScript - the powerful, object-based scripting language that can be embedded directly into HTML pages - has earned its place in the Web developer's toolkit, to the extent that it's now considered required knowledge for Web developers. You can use JavaScript to create dynamic, interactive applications that run completely within a Web browser. JavaScript is also the language of choice for developing Dynamic HTML content. Because its syntax is based on the popular programming languages C, C++, and Java, JavaScript is familiar and easy to learn for experienced programmers. At the same time, it's an interpreted scripting language, providing a flexible, forgiving programming environment for new programmers. This text provides a complete overview of the core Java language and client-side scripting environment, as well as quick-reference material on core and client-side objects, methods, and properties. The new edition has been revised to cover JavaScript 1.5, and is particularly useful for developers working with the latest standards-compliant web browsers, such as Internet Explorer 6, Netscape 7, and Mozilla. Ideal as an introduction for beginners and a quick reference for advanced developers, this pocket-sized book is easy to take anywhere and serves as a companion volume to "JavaScript: The Definitive Guide", 4th Edition. O'Reilly's Pocket References offer a wealth of important details in a concise, well-organized format, these handy books aim to deliver just what you need to complete the task at hand.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #37954 in Books
• Published on: 2002-10-29
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 136 pages

Amazon.co.uk Review
At 4.5 by 7 inches in size and only 89 pages long, the aptly named JavaScript Pocket Reference will really almost fit in your pocket. Use this guide as a companion to turn to when in doubt about that function syntax or on drawing a blank on the JavaScript object model.

The book concisely packs together the syntax of the scripting language, including summaries of expression and statement style. The real meat of the tiny title is an alphabetical listing of JavaScript objects, along with their associated methods, properties and events. One nice feature of this section is the attention to the varying support between Microsoft and Netscape browser versions. However, this listing is useful only if you know what object you want to work with. Missing from the reference is a solutions-based reference to let you refresh your memory about how to do a particular task, such as validate a form field or roll over a graphic when the user moves the mouse.

One drawback is the book's illustration of the object model--done only in a small diagram. This is a bit of a shame since this is one of the key topics most developers need help with. If you are rather familiar with JavaScript, this pocket reference will be helpful. New coders, however, will likely find it insufficient. --Stephen W. Plain

From the Publisher
The JavaScript Pocket Reference, 2nd Edition provides a complete overview of the core Java language and client-side scripting environment, as well as quick-reference material on core and client-side objects, methods, and properties. The new edition has been revised to cover JavaScript 1.5, and is particularly useful for developers working with the latest standards-compliant web browsers, such as Internet Explorer 6, Netscape 7, and Mozilla.

About the Author
David Flanagan is a computer programmer who spends most of his time writing about JavaScript and Java. His books with O'Reilly include Java in a Nutshell, Java Examples in a Nutshell, Java Foundation Classes in a Nutshell, JavaScript: The Definitive Guide, and JavaScript Pocket Reference. David has a degree in computer science and engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He lives with his wife and son in the U.S. Pacific Northwest bewteen the cities of Seattle, Washington and Vancouver, British Columbia. David has a simple website at http://www.davidflanagan.com.

Customer Reviews

A brilliant pocket reference
Since most Javascript programmers will be of the occasional kind, it is easy to forget the basic syntax and case requireed. This concise book will remind you in a flash. There is a useful section at the front which states the syntax rules of Javascript, operator use, basic structures, etc, then an alphabetical (in order of HTML Client-side Object Hierarchy) listing of objects with their methods, functions, properties and events.

For any web page desigenr this will soon become a well-thumbed book!

When reading the negative comments on this page, note that this is not a book to learn from... (Try *Javascript Bible*) ...neither is it one to teach an experinced Javascript programmer new tricks. This is reference only (note that O'Reilly's Dfinitive Guide is a reference book that will also teach you new things and it perhaps what those disapointed with this book should have turned to first.

Badly in need of an update
I bought this book to supplement the SAMS Teach Yourself Javascript in 24 Hours, which has no comprehesive reference section or appendix.

The Pocket Reference provides all one would hope for in terms of a description of syntax, variables, types, etc. The alphabetically sorted Object Reference is careful to describe the versions of Javascript that support the objects, and any Netscape and Microsoft specific limitations or extensions.

I feel though that the book suffers from its page size. The narrow page width forces an indented pargraph style rather than a tabular format. This makes properties and their descriptions hard to find, and the descriptions of some objects therefore spread over several pages which makes navigation of the book difficult.

The greatest weakness of the book though is its age. At over 2 years, there have been two versions of Javascript released, and major upgrades to Netscape and Internet Explorer since the book was last updated.

100% useless since it's missing common descriptions
I have had a lot of things I "just wanted to look up" regarding to some not-that-special JavaScript calls and every time I looked it up in this book, I *never* found was I was looking for. Let's take an example of the standard 'window.open()' method call. I didn't remember the exact parameters to use thus I looked it up in the book. I found this: "window.open(url, name, features, replace)" which, first of all is an obsolute call in most browsers and second of all doesn't even tell you what you really need. E.g. I wanted to find out, what the 'features' parameter was able to take (e.g. the 'toolbar,width,statusbar, etc attributes). This was not described ANYWERE.

I think I have given this book a fair chance .. but every time I hoped to find something in the book, I had to look it up at developer.netscape.com anyway!

This book is NOT recommended unless you need something to fill up in your trashcan .. as mine is doing right now.