Internet Explorer 5.0, Part II: More on DHTML Behaviors

More on DHTML Behaviors

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In our previous column we introduced Behaviors, the most significant new JavaScript feature of Internet Explorer 5.0. We have shown how to write a behavior scriptlet and how to communicate between the scriptlet and the containing page. This interface handling is accomplished by the Behavior Handler. The Behavior Handler:

Notifies the behavior scriptlet of certain occurrences, such as when the calling document is loaded.
Exposes custom events to the calling page.
Exposes the element that the behavior is associated with to the scriptlet.

In this column, we formally describe all the Behavior Handler's features, including its elements, methods, properties, and attributes. In our previous column we covered a subset of the Behavior Handler's features, to get you started on your coding as fast as possible. In this column, however, we go for breadth. We describe all the Behavior Handler's features, for immediate and future reference.

We explain the Behavior Handler via a new example, the popular Connect Three game. It is played by two opponents on a 3x3 board. Each opponent, in his or her turn, places a game piece in one of the unoccupied board locations. In our example, one opponent is using "X"s and the other one is using "O"s. The first to accomplish a row, a column, or a diagonal of identical pieces is the winner.

In this column you'll learn: