How This Book Is Organized

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This book is written so that you can complete it in seven sessions over the course of a single weekend . Of course, you can read it anytime you want. The first five chapters focus on providing you with a strong JavaScript programming foundation. The last two chapters leverage this material by teaching you how to apply what you have learned to the development of JScripts. The basic outline of the book is shown here:

Friday Evening : "Introducing JavaScript and JScript . " This chapter provides prerequisite background information for working with JavaScript and JScript. It overviews the kinds of enhancements you can make to Web pages using JavaScript. Background information includes a brief history of JavaScript and a discussion of browser compatibility. You'll then learn how to write your first JavaScript. This chapter also includes an overview of JScript and the WSH. This will include an overview of both technologies and a brief examination of the WSH architecture, which provides the environment in which JScripts execute.
Saturday Morning : "Learning the Basics of JavaScript Coding . " This chapter provides you with a programming foundation. It discusses scripting and script syntax before starting a series of lessons that outline the basic programming statements that comprise the JavaScript and JScript languages. You will learn how to work with variables , literals, functions, expressions, operators, statements, and arrays. The chapter concludes by covering object-oriented programming and outlining the JavaScript object model.
Saturday Afternoon : "Using JavaScript to Build Better Web Pages . " This chapter reviews objects made available to JavaScript by browsers and demonstrates how to access these objects. The chapter also provides a discussion on JavaScript events and how to handle them with event handlers. The chapter concludes with a discussion on how to use JavaScript to control HTML frames and forms.
Saturday Evening : "Doing Really Cool Things with Your Web Pages . " In this chapter, things start getting really exciting. You'll learn how to write JavaScripts that manipulate the browser status line, create scrolling messages, and open pop-up dialog boxes. The chapter includes a discussion on the differences between Netscape Navigator and Internet Explorer and how to work with both browsers using JavaScript. The chapter concludes by covering the use of plug-ins and the application of graphics and animation.
Sunday Morning : "Advanced JavaScript Coding . " This chapter concludes the book's JavaScript coverage by exploring how to use cookies to store and retrieve information about visitors to your Web site. The chapter also provides a solid review of the techniques involved in debugging JavaScripts. Finally, the chapter ends by demonstrating how to put your new JavaScript programming skills to use by developing the On-line Bookmall Web site.
Sunday Afternoon : "Learning How to Use JScript and the WSH . " This chapter covers the objects that make up the WSH object model, including their properties and methods . It also goes over JScript's runtime objects. It teaches you how to write JScripts that can access the Windows file system and shows you different ways of performing file and folder administration. You'll learn how to create text documents and log files as well as how to open and read text files.
Sunday Evening : "Using JScript to Automate Windows Tasks . " This chapter focuses on showing you how to use JScript and the WSH to perform a number of different automation tasks. These tasks will include the creation of Windows shortcuts, the customization of the Windows Start menu and Quick Launch Toolbar, how to write messages to the Windows Event Log, and how to read and write to the Windows registry. In addition, you will learn how to work with Windows commands, access network resources, and schedule script execution.
"What's on the Web Site?" This tells you where you can find examples of all the scripts that are presented in this book. Copies of each are available for download from http://www.courseptr.com.
Glossary : This presents a list of terms used throughout this book.

NOTE

Please go to http://www.courseptr.com to find Appendixes A, B, and C.
Appendix A: " A Brief JavaScript and JScript Object Reference. " This appendix provides a brief outline of JavaScript objects and identifies the properties and methods associated with them.
Appendix B: " A Summary of JavaScript Events and Event Handlers. " This appendix provides a brief outline of JavaScript events and the event handlers associated with them.
Appendix C: " JavaScript and JScript Reserved Words. " This appendix identifies JavaScript and JScript reserved words.

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