Dynamic HTML

• What is Dynamic HTML?
• Editing DHTML in Delphi
• see also:
  • Delphi Programming Main Index
  • Bare Bones Guide to HTML
  • HTML Elements
  • XML & Delphi
  • Dynamic HTML tutorial

What is Dynamic HTML?

• "Dynamic HTML" is typically used to describe the combination of HTML, style sheets and scripts that allows documents to be animated. Dynamic HTML allows a web page to change after it's loaded into the browser --there doesn't have to be any communication with the web server for an update. You can think of it as 'animated' HTML. For example, a piece of text can change from one size or color to another, or a graphic can move from one location to another, in response to some kind of user action, such as clicking a button.
• Microsoft and Netscape have different definitions of Dynamic HTML, and creating such pages can be challenging.
• Dynamic HTML is a HTML format that allows for:
  • Content Positioning (NS) (MS) lets a web developer animate any element on a web page, moving pictures, text, and objects at will. It lets you ensure that pieces of content are displayed on the page exactly where you want them to appear, and you can modify their appearance and location after the page has been displayed.
  • Style Sheets (NS) (MS) let you specify the stylistic attributes of the typographic elements of your web page. They let you change the color, size, or style of the text on a page without waiting for the screen to refresh.
  • Dynamic Content (MS) actually changes the words, pictures, or multimedia on a page without another trip to the web Server.
  • Data Binding (MS) lets you get all the information you need to ask questions, change elements, and get results without going back to the web server.
  • Downloadable Fonts (NS) let you use the fonts of your choice to enhance the appearance of your text. Then you can package the fonts with the page so that the text is always displayed with your chosen fonts.
  • the document object model (DOM)
  • scripting - usually with javascript accessing the DOM, for example:
    • <SCRIPT type="text/javascript"> document.write("<b>Date:<\/b> ") document.write(Date()) </SCRIPT> //this inserts current date time
    • <a href="http://www.stars.com/" onMouseOver="alert('Hello !'); return true"> when you move the mouse cursor over a link</a>.//this displays messagebox "Hello!"
•  

Editing Dynamic HTML in Delphi:

• using Microsoft's IE4.0 DHTML Edit Control (DEC) - dhtmled.ocx:
  • 1st you will need to import the Active X control into Delphi using Component | Import Active X Control
  • see DI Aug 1999 for example.