Use the DOM, Luke
November 19, 1998
HTML,
the markup language, serves to basically define the
structure of a web page, usually with embedded content.
Cascading Style Sheets and, soon, XML also offer the developer
tools for designing the page's structure and/or
content. Client-side manipulation of the page, however, requires
some additional programming. The Document Object
Model serves to "expose" the page to a programming
language for the purposes of manipulation. Typically,
JavaScript is the programming language of choice for most
client-side manipulations, frequently referred to as
"Dynamic HTML." It's important, though, to
understand that the Document Object Model is not
a "part" of JavaScript. The DOM stands alone,
able to be interfaced with any programming language designed
to do so -- JavaScript is simply the most popular, although
VBScript and
Java
can similarly manipulate a page via
the DOM.
Mastery of the DOM does not equate to memorizing it. Rather,
if you understand how the DOM is structured and
how to understand its references you can easily turn to it
whenever the need arises. Still, a working knowledge
of the DOM -- inevitable after working with it several times --
helps you efficiently sketch out program approaches
to achieving a certain goal. Let's begin using the DOM with a
close-up look at Netscape's Document Object Model.
Master of your DOM
The Document Object Model Dissected
Netscape: The DOM
|
