Essential Javascript -- A Javascript Tutorial

By Patrick Hunlock
2007-12-02


Javascript is an Event Driven Language

As you can tell from the input examples, Javascript is an event driven language which means your scripts react to events you set up. Your code isn't running all the time, it simply waits until an event starts something up! Going into all the Javascript events is beyond the scope of this document but here's a short-list of common events to get you started.

Event	Description
onAbort	An image failed to load.
onBeforeUnload	The user is navigating away from a page.
onBlur	A form field lost the focus (User moved to another field)
onChange	The contents of a field has changed.
onClick	User clicked on this item.
onDblClick	User double-clicked on this item.
onError	An error occurred while loading an image.
onFocus	User just moved into this form element.
onKeyDown	A key was pressed.
onKeyPress	A key was pressed OR released.
onKeyUp	A key was released.
onLoad	This object (iframe, image, script) finished loading.
onMouseDown	A mouse button was pressed.
onMouseMove	The mouse moved.
onMouseOut	A mouse moved off of this element.
onMouseOver	The mouse moved over this element.
onMouseUp	The mouse button was released.
onReset	A form reset button was pressed.
onResize	The window or frame was resized.
onSelect	Text has been selected.
onSubmit	A form's Submit button has been pressed.
onUnload	The user is navigating away from a page.

These events can be attached to most any HTML tag or form element. Of them all onClick will probably be what you end up using most often.

Tutorial Pages:
» Essential Javascript -- A Javascript Tutorial
» Getting Started
» In-Line Javascript
» External Javascript
» Javascript is case sensitive
» Output (writeln)
» Output (alert)
» Output (getElementById)
» Input (One Click To Rule Them All)
» Input (User Input)
» Javascript is an Event Driven Language
» Comments
» Variables
» Variable Scope
» Special Keywords
» Arithmetic Operators
» Logical and Comparison Operators
» JavaScript Conditionals: IF
» JavaScript Conditionals: SWITCH
» JavaScript Conditionals: Shorthand Assignment
» JavaScript Conditionals: Ternary Operators
» JavaScript Loops: FOR
» JavaScript Loops: FOR/IN
» JavaScript Loops: WHILE
» Bringing It All Together
» DHTML: Dynamic HTML
» Conclusion


copyright © 2006, 2007 by Patrick Hunlock

Related Tutorials: » JavaScript Debugging Techniques with Firebug » Striped Tables Using JavaScript » Opening PDFs in a New Window with JavaScript » Submit Forms Conditionally using JavaScript » How to Setup a Randomising Function » Introduction to JavaScript Tutorial