JavaScript & jQuery

JavaScript the Missing Manual - JavaScript and jQuery

Book: JavaScript the Missing Manual

Includes:  JavaScript/jQuery

Estimated Completion: 60 hours

Text: JavaScript the Missing Manual, ©2008, 1st Edition, David Sawyer McFarland
ISBN: 978-0-596-51589-8

Cost: $30.00 - Search to see if you can find this book used

It is recommended that you purchase additional text/reference books on each subject to further enhance your knowledge and meet your individual learning style. An Amazon store has been setup with recommended books to continue your studies.

General Notes - Before You Start the Book

Keep in mind that this book shows you how to use professional JavaScript code and libraries (jQuery) that you can use to add interactivity to your Web site. The concepts will seem very foriegn, but with repeated use you will become more confident with using and writing JavaScript. If you find that this book is too hard to understand you may want to consider a beginner's book like JavaScript, A Beginner's Guide, Third Edition (Beginner's Guide (read by instructor) or Sams Teach Yourself JavaScript in 24 Hours 4th Edition (recommended by a student). Because this course is limited in its duration you may want to conisder taking a class devoted to JavaScript if you want to learn to write extensive scripts.

Important Class Resources

Your instructor provides extensive additional resources for Web design. You should familiarize yourself with and bookmark the following sites:

  1. Lecture notes are available at: http://www.robinsblog.com - This site is updated several times per week. Students should check this site daily for important class announcements and updates.
  2. Class forum - A place to discuss Web development. Please register to use the forum.
  3. Web design tutorials are available at: http://www.tinkertech.net. - Spend some time getting familiar with this site, it is a collection of topics discussed in class over the last several years.
  4. Free Web site hosting for current students is provided at http://www.robinshosting.com.
  5. Resources for learning cPanel

All software that you will need during class can be accessed from the Web Development folder in the Start menu.

There are some JavaScript Cheat Sheets that you may want to print and use at http://www.ilovejackdaniels.com/cheat-sheets/javascript-cheat-sheet/.

Homework

Homework is not required for this class. However, reading your lessons at home prior to completing them in class makes your classroom time more productive. If you would like to work at home bring in a CD or Flash Drive and we can make a copy of the necessary files for you.

Backing up Your Student Files

You should periodically back up your student files to CD. Stations along the windows have CD Burners. Instructions for writing files to a data CD can be found here.

Files, Samples, and Errata

File management skills are absolutely necessary to create and maintain Web sites. Please download and print this file management information for use in class. If you need a brush up on file management, review the tutorials that I've listed here http://www.tinkertech.net/octWeb03.htm#file.

The book has a companion Web site @ http://sawmac.com/missing/javascript/index.php.   You should bookmark this site for future reference.  The site includes the sample files needed to complete the book (if you would like to work at home), completed tutorials, corrections, and helpful samples and tutorials.

In the classroom we use a network. You will be assigned a folder on our network. To connect to your personal folder use drive O:\. Your instructor will copy a folder to your network drive called MM_JAVASCRIPT. This folder will include all of the files referenced in the book and each chapter folder contains the completed files for your review if necessary. You do not need to download any additional files.

Thank you to Talya J. for documenting errors in the book.

Software

You may either use HomeSite or Dreamweaver in code view to complete the exercises in the book.  Personally I would recommend using Dreamweaver.

Getting Help

You may find the following articles on using Firebug, a Firefox extension, to debug JavaScript helpful.  Firebug is installed on all workstations.

Introduction to Firebug

Build Better Pages With Firebug

Firebug Tutorial: Getting Started

HTML/CSS/Javascript in Firefox

Debugging JavaScript in Firefox with Firebug

Debugging JavaScript with Firebug

Firebug Tutorial - Script Tab : Javascript Debugging

Cheat sheets are wonderful when you're learning to code. You will find links to numerous cheat sheets on the class forum. Cheat Sheets for Front-end Web Developers is also very helpful.

Book Errors

There are documented errors in the book.  You can find a list of corrections at http://oreilly.com/catalog/9780596515898/errata/.   Be sure to look at the unconfirmed errors. Please be sure to print any current errors and check for updates often. Please notify your instructor if you find any errors so this page can be updated.

Before You Begin

Before you begin JavaScript you should be comfortable with HTML/XHTML & CSS. 

Ask your instructor for access to the Lynda.com JavaScript Essential Training 2007 tutorial.  Feel free to download the Exercise files (zip format) associated with the tutorial. Use Dreamweaver or Homesite to write your scripts and use Firefox to test them.

Companion Web Sites

JavaScript Libraries

Chapter Notes

Complete all exercises in the book unless otherwise noted in the chapter sections below.

Chapter 1: Writing Your First JavaScript Program

No notes at this time

Chapter 2: The Grammar of JavaScript

Page 67 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 67.

Chapter 3: Adding Logic and Control to Your Programs

Page 106 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 106.

Chapter 4: Working with Words, Numbers, and Dates

Page 146 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 146.

Chapter 5: Dynamically Modifying Web Pages

No notes at this time

Chapter 6: Action/Reaction: Making Pages Come Alive with Events

Page 227 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 227.

Chapter 7: Improving Your Images

Page 238 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 238.

Page 248 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 248.

Page 261 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 261.

Page 268 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 268.

Chapter 8: Improving Navigation

Page 294 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 294.

Chapter 9: Enhancing Web Forms

Page 325 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 325.

Page 343 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 343.

Chapter 10: Expanding Your Interface

Page 360 Step 1 - "This file already contains...jQuery file, and the $(document).ready () function..." - Error:  The $(document).ready() function was not there, I had to type it in.

Page 364 #9 - Use #accordion h2.ui-state-active to still the background color.

Page 388 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 388.

Page: 388 Step 2 (last paragraph) - "This file already has three external...the jquery.js, jquery.dimensions.js, and jquery.cluetip.js. - Error:  The file only included the first 2 external links, I had to type in the last (cluetip.js). The second time through the book there was no jquery.dimensions.js file.

Page 397 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 397.

Page 399 #8 - The style declaration should be:

.sortable tr.even {
background-color: #f34;
}

Chapter 11: Introducing Ajax

Page 413 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 413.

Page 426 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 426. 

Page 426: Tutorial (Note under 1st paragraph) - Advice:  Note says in order to do this tutorial, we need running web server.  Use your robinshosting.com account to complete this lesson. I would recommend that you setup XAMPP and MAMP at home for local development. You will be able to use this testing server for developing WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and other PHP based sites.

Chapter 12: Basic Ajax Programming

Page 443 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 443.

Page 455 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 455. 

Chapter 13: Troubleshooting and Debugging

Page 477 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 477.

Page 486 - Be sure to complete the tutorial beginning on page 486. 

Chapter 14: Going Further with JavaScript

No notes at this time

Additional resources

51+ Best of jQuery Tutorials and Examples

45+ Fresh Out of the oven jQuery Plugins

50+ Amazing Jquery Examples- Part1

37 More Shocking jQuery Plugins

35 Fresh JavaScript/jQuery Tools and Resources