Preserved Topic: www.slimeland.com windows script ?!?

Slime i really love your windows script !
I have been playing around with the bride of windows script from http://www.brainjar.com/ and Tomas Bratti's windows script but nothing match yours....
i have tried to copy it but my knowledge of javascripting is not that good

I'm wondering if someone can help figure it out as i'd like to have semitrasparent windows that can be scrolled with the mouse weel.....
I'm not intrest in a cross browser (even if would be better) but only IE as the site that i'm working on is for IE only.

bride of windows are the only script the remotely come closed to yours as i can make them trasparent and the scrollable are work with the mouse wheel but the scroll bar is just a standard bar and i would like to customize it to match the rest of the site as i'm using the ZscrollBar2 for the rest of the page.

thank you and i really hope for some help

::UltrA::

[This message has been edited by Ultra (edited 01-02-2002).]

Thanks very much =)

Here's the hard part... I've never explained how this script works, and I don't really plan to. That would take *really* long. The thing is, it's not like it's a script that you can just cut and paste into a page and it will work. It's so intertwined with the page itself that one *needs* an understanding of how it works in order to use it themselves. So that rules out both giving the script away or explaining how it works (about two years of learning went into it, maybe more).

If you want to use it, you have to learn how to make it yourself. Even my script has its shortcomings, there are things it can't do. But it could be improved upon to do those things also. The point is, if you want a draggable window script, you need to make it yourself. You can always look at my source code to figure out techniques and as a reference if you want to know how to do something. But you gotta learn yourself. Here are the things to work towards:

1. Understand the language, this is essential. Get a good book on Javascript if you have the money (I hear there's a somewhat new O'Reilly Javascript book ("Javascript: The Definitive Guide"), which is the newer version of the one I learned from). Avoid online tutorials unless you're desparate; they'll mislead you in the long run if you're not set straight. (I have had *bad* experience with online javascript tutorials, the writers rarely know truly what they're talking about.) Prior programming experience will help a lot, but as languages go, javascript isn't all that complex.

2. Know HTML and CSS inside and out. www.w3.org is a good resource, as are books. Online tutorials for these tend to be safer.

3. Learn how to respond to user events, like mouse clicks and keyboard presses. I'm talking about stuff like onmousedown.

4. Learn how to access the style of an element (the CSS relating to that HTML element) via javascript. Learn how to use Javascript to change things like position and size and colors and fonts, everything CSS can do.

5. (optional but recommended) learn the quirks of the ways older browsers did the things stated in number 4. For instance, NN 4 used layers (which offered much less control) and IE 4 used the document.all array.

If you get through all of those things, you'll be able to make my window script and *so* much more. Good luck if you choose to make the journey.

- Slime

All I can say is wow, I never knew, so much went into it

yes i would like to take the journey
as a first step i will go to the book shop today
unfotunally i don't have 2 year two learn i hope to take a quicker learning course !

As for now i will stick with my modify version of the bride of windows untill i learn some more.....as i really wont to get windos like yours !

can i bride you in selling me your script...... ?

he heh

just kidding unless you want to sell it cheaply

better have a coffe and get ready to study or paying you

thank you



::UltrA::

You can take my script for free, if you like, it's all there to cut and paste. But that'd be cheating, and the next time you wanted to do a cool effect, you'd be in the same position. Learn from it! Don't copy it. Even though I give you permission to.

(Oh, but you can't take the images.)

If you get that book today, it's called "Javascript: The Definitive Guide," and should be about Javascript 1.5, if my friend told me correctly. The version I had was the 3rd edition, I assume this is the 4th. Look for the big green word "O'Reilly." It's expensive, don't buy it until you're sure you'll take the time to read it.

thank you i will go and get the book in about 1hr !
now i better get of my computer ...

thank you for letting me use your code and i promise i will not use your immages

i still will need to learn what to do because i had a look at your script but i couls understand which part i needed for the windows part as all your site is in that script !!!

Maybe you couls help me again !

thank you

::UltrA::

i went at a few book store but i haven't found the new version of the book
i ended up buying Dynamic HTML "the definitive reference" O'RELLY
is a big brick !!

hope is going to be usefull

I've been trying really hard to filter your scrip but i always get some error as all your page is in that js script !

Can you PLEASE help me filtering the windows part out ?
Please tell me what to do !

Thank you



::UltrA::

I've actually made a point of *never* looking into Slime's script, even though it did many of the things I want to do myself. Having done things somewhat similar, I know that it's simply got to be an intertwined, convoluted, intricate mess of code, it can't be any other way! My home page has one window that I place different content in, and it will re-size dynamically (the clipping path is the biggest pain), and I imagine I'd just have to hold all of the values for that in an array and draw each one seperately, it's a *lot* of work. Good luck to you, but I'd recommend starting with just one window first, learn from making that one window work, and then you'll have a better understanding of how to make many. Good luck to you, you'll need it! (And hard work, naturally. :-)

Your pal, -doc-

seriously, I was thinking along Doc's line of thought....... start with a lonely little 'window' with a table on a layer..... or maybe a a pic with a clipping layer on top of it.... once you get one little window down pat the rest of the project should be mostly 'modular'... and if you have any questions..... duh, just ask... that's what we live for....


"...when I'm high like heaven, when I'm strong like music, 'cause I'm slow like honey and heavy with mood..."
ICQ: 67751342

[This message has been edited by Petskull (edited 01-02-2002).]

Yeah using prepackaged scripts such as bratta's and brainjar is nice but I have to give Thomas props, he probably has to write almost twice as much code to make his scripts portable. Where those like Slime and Bug's and co who roll their own can be much more efficient and write code specific to their uses.




:[ Computers let you make more mistakes faster than any other invention in human history, with the possible exceptions of handguns and tequila. ]:

Yes, it is pretty specific to my use. Hmm, you keep asking which parts are for the windows; truth is, I believe 95% or so of the code is for the windows. There are a few things here and there that are only for the icons along the top of the screen. Those are in separate functions which I probably named something like moveicons() or something.

Again, you're rushing yourself. Take your time. Do some simpler things first. Mouseovers, and all that. Work your way up. Some of my earlier javascript work is at http://www.slimeland.com/original/ , especially in the games page. That may help you out. My first attempt at any sort of scrolling window was at http://www.slimeland.com/starry/ .

I will try to work something out
thank you all



::UltrA::

how do you do the semitrasparent windows thing?

anyone?
where the window show the background of the page but a bit darker

hehehehe
It's a trick.

Go look at Slime's code, really closely.
I mean REALLY closely. What I try to do when confronted with a 'how does that work?' question is print out the code, then follow through the logic of the code, drawing arrows, keeping notes on a seperate piece of paper. I don't quit until I know, quite literally, what each and every character, variable, array, function in that code does.
I don't think I am ready to WRITE code like Slime (yet!), but reading his (and Bratta and Doc and Cal, DG's partner from pixelflo and Bugimus, etc) code has made me a better programmer, no doubt.
I encourage you to do the same.
Not only will you figure out the answer to your question, but you will likely learn a lot in the process.

mobrul

that's what I do...
I actually want to get a line printer...


"...when I'm high like heaven, when I'm strong like music, 'cause I'm slow like honey and heavy with mood..."
ICQ: 67751342

i know how you feel ultra, tryen to work a window script .....

by the way...

Osaires: If you read the thread I posted called "Bugs & Slime How I Envy You" you will see slime posted "its not really transparent, its just another picture only darker, aligned to teh first one as if it were transparent."

Just a little helping hand