Dynamic HTML GUIs Book

Inspired by the need for rapid user interface development and cross-browser compatibility, authors Steven Champeon and David S. Fox wrote Building Dynamic HTML GUIs to fill an information void. User interface design is rarely addressed in detail for intranet and Internet development, so this title offers a fresh perspective. The first part of the book comprises four chapters on general user interface design principles. This section includes a detailed look at user interface designs past and present, providing a fascinating history of user interface (UI) evolution. The fourth chapter focuses specifically on the new challenges of Web UI design. The book then moves into dynamic HTML (DHTML) and begins with the Document Object Model (DOM). The authors explain the needs and benefits of a DOM visually with diagrams and code snippets. They then introduce client-side scripting with explanations of all the various language flavors such as VBScript, JavaScript, and ECMAScript. This part finishes off with a discussion of cascading style sheets (CSS) and a solid wrap-up chapter. In the large remainder of the book, the authors present tons of examples. They guide the reader through building feedback forms, a custom color picker, cookie-management modules, dynamic menus, and more. They also show how to use DHTML in a help system. This guide will be most appreciated by those with some existing HTML and DHTML background; it offers a very comprehensive look at the confusing set of technologies that make up today's dynamic HTML. --Stephen PlainRead More