HTML DOM question

jumpenjuhosaphat · 02-06-2007, 10:08 AM

If I want to make a dynamic HTML page using the DOM, would the user need to have javascript or some other browser side scripting language enabled? Or is it possible to use the HTML DOM in any modern browser regardless of installed scripting languages?

StupidScript · 02-06-2007, 10:34 AM

Without seeing any specifics ... yes, the user would need Javascript (specifically) enabled to be able to dynamically alter what they experience. That being said, the DOM exists and is used regardless of what the user's settings are, i.e. the DOM defines how tags are interpreted.

jumpenjuhosaphat · 02-06-2007, 10:41 AM

Well, specifically, I would like to populate a select list based on the selection from another select list(categories in the first, sub-categories in the second).
Do I need to learn JS, or can I depend on just learning HTML DOM? Or both?

I know that some things can be dynamic using CSS, but something like what I want to do would be far to complex for CSS.

Taltos · 02-06-2007, 03:46 PM

Hi jumpen,

You would have to learn javascript. To dynamically leverage DOM properties and methods you need javascript enabled in the users browser. That's not that big of an issue as most people leave it enabled. AJAX is supposed to be really helpful for this kind of thing as well. I haven't jumped into AJAX yet but the little reading I have done suggests it is something to check out too. Of course you still have to know javascript for AJAX too.