What this book covers

In Chapter 1, Getting Started with YUI, we look at the library as a whole covering subjects such as how it can be obtained, how it can be used, its structure and composition, and the license it has been released under. We also look at a coding example featuring the Calendar control.

In Chapter 2, Creating Consistency with the CSS Tools, we cover the extensive CSS tools that come with the library, specifically the Reset and Base Tools, the Fonts Tool, and the extremely capable Grids Tool. Examples on the use of each tool are covered. We also see how skinning works in the YUI Library.

In Chapter 3, DOM Manipulation and Event Handling, we look at the all-important DOM and Event utilities. These two comprehensive utilities can often form the backbone of any modern web application and are described in detail. We look at the differences between traditional and YUI methods of DOM manipulation and how the Event Utility unites the conflicting Event models of different browsers. Examples in this chapter include how the basic functions of the DOM Utility are used. We also look at the Element Utility, which is the basis of most of the new UI components and any a developer might build.

In Chapter 4, Calling Back Home, client-server communication is the subject, where we look at how the Connection Manager handles all of our XHR requirements. Then we look at the JSON data interchange format, which is becoming a popular alternative to XML, and at the Get Utility, which allows us to break out of the same-origin policy that limits XHR. Examples include obtaining remote data from external domains and the sending and receiving of data asynchronously to and from our own servers.

In Chapter 5, Animation, the Browser History Manager, and Cookies, we first look at how the Animation Utility can be used to add professional effects to your web pages. The chapter then moves on to cover how the Browser History Manager re-enables the back and forward buttons and book marking functionality of the browser when used with dynamic web applications. Finally, we take a brief look at the Cookies Utility, which allows us to persist information at the browser, helping us save user preferences across our site and in between visits.

In Chapter 6, Content Containers and Tabs, we look at the Container family of controls as well as the TabView control. Each member of the Container family is investigated and implemented in the coding examples. We also look at and implement the visually engaging and highly interactive TabView control.

In Chapter 7, Menus, we look at one of the most common parts of any website—the navigation structure. The example looks with the ease at which the Menu control can be implemented.

In Chapter 8, Buttons and Trees, the focus is on the Button family of controls and the TreeView control. We first cover each of the different buttons and look at examples of their use. We then implement a TreeView control and investigate the methods and properties made available by its classes.

In Chapter 9, DataSource and AutoComplete, we deal with the DataSource Utility, which allows us to fetch and parse tabular data from various sources, both local and remote and in various formats and deliver it to other components in a consistent manner. We will then look at one of those components, AutoComplete.

In Chapter 10, DataTable, we will see another user of DataSource, the DataTable control that allows us to display tabular information and efficiently operate on it on the client side with minimal server intervention.

In Chapter 11, Rich Text Editor, we see the Rich Text Editor, which allows our users to create enhanced text as one of the most popular forms of user interaction over the Internet is user-created content.

In Chapter 12, Drag-and-Drop with the YUI, the first part is Drag-and-Drop, one of DHTML's crowning achievements wrapped up in an easy-to-use utility. In the second part of this chapter we look at the related Slider control and how this basic but useful control can be added to pages with ease. We also briefly mention the Resizer and Layout components that allow us to move and resize dynamic panels within the browser.

In Chapter 13, Everyday Tools, we cover several developer tools. We see how the Logger Control is used to view the event execution of other controls and how it can be used to debug existing controls and custom classes. We also look at other resources such as JSLint and the YUI Compressor. We briefly mention other more advanced tools such as YUI Test, Performance Analyzer, and YSlow.